St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1913-08-13

Ine Il1rteenJn annual con
vention of Vermont Branch, Ameri
can Federation of Labor, opened il
Pythian Hall Tuesday morning anC
will continue its sessions through
today and tomorrow. A mass meet
ing was held in The Colonial las
evening but the chief event of tn,
sessions is a banquet at the Avenue
House this evening at 7.30, wheI
His Exellency, Allan NJ Fletcher
governor of Vermont, and noted
men in organized labor circles viii
be present and speak.
The oPening session was at Py-
THAN Hall Tuesday morning at 10
o'clock with an attendance Of about
40 delegates from the following
places: John A. Mcdonald John
Ram, c. E. Cummings, Arthur Par
ads, w. o. Rochleau, George A.
/ Stenson and John E. Gibson of St.
1 Johnsbury; Burlington, two dele
gates; Barre Is, Rutland 3, Mont
pelier7, HardwickS, Graniteville 5,
Bellows Falls3, Bethel 8, North
/ feld4, Brattleboro and East Bar
re l.
| Among the state officials present
!
Bethel, First Vice President Fred
Connors of Montpelier, Second Vice
President J. P Fitzgerald of Bel
lows Falls, Fourth Vice President
James O'Neil of Rutland, Secretary
Alexander Ironsides of Barre, Secre-
taryTreasurer Nelson A. Malmgren of
Rutland and State Organizer Fred
w. Suitor of Barre.
Prayer was offered at the opening
of the exercises by Rev. F. E.
Goodheart of st. Johnsbury Center
and a short address of welcome by
Guy w. Hill.
G. E. Cummings, chairman of the
committee of arrangements then
said in part:
MY friends and brother work
men and brother delegates to this
twelfth annual convention of the
Vermont State Branch of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor, 1 wish to
say to you that it becomes my duty
as chairman of the committee of ar
rangements of the st. Johnsbury
Central Union to convey the res
possibility of this committee to this
convention which is cOnVening.
Now my brothers, l wish to say
a few words in regard to the condi-
tions that surround us. We are now
in the midst Of a hOt-bed of rebel
lion, not a rebellion with arms but
a rebellion of social and financial
influences, and we are hampered,
not alone on every side, but from
the very center of financial in
f1uence And we here in st.
Jonnsbury know the power of the
influence that is directed against us.
Therefore, brothers, / caution
you to act and speak with prudence.
zeal, and integrity, for upon the ex-
ercise of these grand virtues de-
pends our future prosperity and
happiness.
''Now, by the authority vested in
me 1 now convey all the response
bility and arrangements to the pres
ident of this convention"
Reports Read
The first report to be read was
that of the president. Mr.. Beal
spoke of his work in getting the
proper legislation before the state
legislature and said that develop
ment work had largely been con-
fined to st. Johnsbury with a special
effort to organize the laborers in the
E. and T. Fairbanks Company's |
scale shops. He had come here in |
person and while he found little op !
position among the men they did |
not seem ready to assume the res
possibility of organizing. They held |
several meetings here, one was /
mass meeting addressed by prom1- |
lent attorneys and clergymen, and /
after several weeks work organized |
a moulders union of about 20 mem
Oers and increased the membership
: 11T7inrl ohn1Tf
Secretary's Report
The report of the secretary, Alec
ronsides of Barre, showed that seven
lnions have affiliated with the fede-
alton during the past year and two
lew unions have been formed. He
Urged more general aflliat1on, also
,uying of only union label goods by
members of the unions.
Under the heading of Political
Platforms he said in part: The
ime has come when organized labor |
n our state through the state fedora
ion should make a specific declara-
ion of it's future attitude towards
ny political party that refuses or I
ails to carry out its platform pied
es with the people, providing the
arty has a majority in the legisla-
1re and the executive. There
hould be no excuse for the party s
hose representatives in the Iegis-
ature fail to enact its written declar- I
ions into law, because it is the par
VS. duty to see that only men who c
re in accord with its written declar-
tions are nominated for Office.
High sounding phrases and mean
lgless language in party platforms a
an no longer be handed out to the s
itiZens of an intelligent state. {
lain language that can be easily
nderstood should be tho ran of a
abor henceforth. - ~ has
assed when r. - ~ nc'ttf- (
lans misIed thu va-e~s b. writing
ito the party p,atfc rms Z ledgas that s