The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-07-28
Heated Debate Over Proposal to
Deprive Organizers of Right
TO Vote Proxies.
LEAKE OF SALT LAKE
RESENTS CHARGES MADE
Alleged Attempt of Industrial
Workers of the World TO Get
Control of Federation.

BUTTE. Mont, July 2I,-A good por-
tion of The time of the Western Fedora
tion Of Miners convention was taken up
TO-DAY with Ii discussion OF a proposal 10
deprive federation organizers OF the priVi-
lego of holding and voting proxies In the
convention, The discussion was very
heated especially after the explosion OF
bomb by Joseph Cannon In the shape OF
n letter that was stated TO nave peeh
written several years ago by Nincent ~.
John the head of the Industrial WORK
ers of the World organization In Chica-
go. and sent one of his followers In Can-
fornia Mr.. Cannon read the letter 10
prove his assertion that the lnduStTla
Workers had attempted by machine
methods and securing proxies 70 cap
turc the Western Federation convention
in Denver in 1909. This move of the so
called revolutionary element in the fed
Grafton was denounced and there was
warm response by representatives OF that
element to the effect tina, they were con.
stantly being ''hobbed and gagged IN
convention proceedings. chiefly by ma
chine that was controlled hy the present
organization and federation officers.
With the conside eratlon of an amendment
presented by John Vickers OF Butte, pro-
vIdine for the curtaiiment of the COM
pensation OF organizers and prohlDitlng
them from holding proxy votes In the
convention. The resolution was voted
down following the most acrimonious de-
Date YET lnqUlScu III ny lne tplNei'i"h
Driscou Asks Question.
Delegate John Driscol OF Butte de,
clared his belief that organizers should
be curbed In some way, especially as TO
the reported practice 81 some OF them
in coming TO the convention with their
pockets full OF proxies from paper
unions" This delegate asked OF Organ.
izer Tom Cora CT Burke. Ida. bad
given value received In services Tor the
sum Of $500 that had been paid MIN
Il ino Ii..s Las.
II was stated by Delegate John Pear.
son Of South Dakota that lie had secured
satisfactory explanation OF that matter
from Secretary Mills
Il will explain said President Meyer.
"thst through the misfortune OF sickness
in MS family his little daughter having
aprly 10 the federation for loan and he
was advanced $50. He is u most eff
cient organizer ANA II was deemed that
The federation had ample security for
the loan to its faithful worker. II 1t is
desired ] viii myself he responsible for
the payment Of that sum
orsanizer Cora stated that he was no
longer an organizer, as he had accepted
the position OF secretary OF Burke union
and that with the utmost economy prac-
ticcd while he was employed as an or
ganiZer he had run behind about $500.
For that reason Il was found necessary
for him TO call upon the federation for
the loan. i, was stated that Sl00 Of the
amount had already been paid back and
that the remainder would be forthcom-
Ing as soon as possible.
Salt Lake Man Heard.
Marion C Leake of Salt Lake warmly
defended organizers from The charges
made against them. He stated that the
author Of the resolution had worked at
Bingham Canyon for five years and had
refused To deposit his Butte working
card in the local union there until few
months ago.
A n. Fluent said he was opposed to
proxies and believed especially that they
should not be held by organizers or eX~
ecutive board members
Delegates William Wilkinson and
Frank Altonen Of Michigan urged that 70
deprive organizers Of the rights TO hold
proxies woud deprive many small unions
in that state of representation in con-
vention, as the majority OF the member
ship there are afraid to be delegates on
account OF the certainty that they would
lose their jobs and be blacklistcd.
There are other similar reports at
Denver said President Meyer.
haYe always opposed the holding
and and Voting ,e Of proxies and haze meyer
Committeeman j. G. Lowney OF Butte.
but have noticed that this so-caled
revolutionary movement that is opposing
holding Of proxies by organizers have
themselves scrambled for proxies sew
erai occasions in the past"
Judging from that grip incident and
the letter that has been read here today
II seems." declared Delegate Campbell
that some OF these organizers have been
playing the role OF detective rather than
of organizers.
The Lie Passed,
''You are q liar hotly declared Guy
F.. Miller.
III you want to start anything here
am willing To go through IL with YOU
at any time. retorted Delegate Camp
bell. II am In favor OF depriving organ
izers OF both vote ard voice in this con-
ycntion. l have just received letter
from member of the union | represent
In Nevada informing me that the mine
workers there are attempting 70 infu-
ence the union 10 have me recalled be-
cause | favored In this convention the
proposed Mcnamara strike which, In my
opinion. is the most important matter
that has vet been passed upon in this
convention. Tint proves how the mine
workers feel towards me. Talking about
q revolutionary machine. there has been
an attempt 10 hobble and gag me by Ger.
tain organizers and others in this con-
yentlon."