The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1913-06-21
McEwen Reviews History Of
Minnesota Labor Movement
zenith convention held in st. Cloud in

1887 iss7'' convention he'o N " CLOUD IN
The records of this office. as has
| OF the Federations activities prior to
1895 However, a copy of q labor di-
rectory published under the auspices
Of the Trades and Labor Assembly Of
Duluth in 1893 gives the exact date Of
the permanent organization of the
Minnesota State Federation Of Labor,
as December Is, 1891. At that time its
conventions were composed of dele
! Knights of Labor assemblies through
| out the state The president. from De-
cember, 1892 to July, 1893, was James
Morrow of st. Paul. -.
eight-hour movement in Minnesota and
to assist organized labor in bringing
about the eight-hour day, a state
Eight-Hour league was organized in
its president. Mr.. Mas hsucceeded Mr..
! Morrow as president Of the State Fed
GRAFTON Of Labor. Mr.. Morrow was all
| 50 the. first presiding officer of the
state STA assembly So. of the Knights Of La
sembly, No. 70. and was formed in st.
Paul in January, 1888 During the
days Of the fearful rivalry between the
Knights of Labor and the American
Federation Of Labor, none of the trou-
pie experienced in other portions Of
the country was allowed to creep in
to the Minnesota movement.
In 1894 and 1896 the Minnesota State
Federation Of Labor published q labor
The president during that period was
NJ. E. Murray. of ST. Paul BARRIERS
union. The secretary was George w.
M Morey' a ana a. the treasurer, Thomas
ion. and delegate to the last con-
| vention of this federation.
Al tnat time there We're affiliated
with the Federation sixty labor or
ganizat1ons and trades assemblies. OF
this number 81 were trade unions at
| filiated with the American Federation
OF Labor; II were local assemblies of
the Knights of Labor; four were trades
the American Railway union, known as
the A. r. u, and an organization
known as the Nationalist club. It may
be well to note in passing that among
the AFFILIATED unions was Local, Lodge
No. 80 of the Brotherhood Of Locomo-
tive F1remen.
The union label and the union card
moXement were not unknown to the
trade unions in the early nineties. In
1892 the Minnesota Card and Label
league was organized and proved it.
self very popular institution. The
IDEA was first suggested by the cigar
makers who had for several years
ADVERTISING their blue label Fifteen
unions were represented in the league,
Its work was to advertise the labels
and educate the public in. their i'm
portance. Frank Hoover Of Mime
apolis was president and Frank Vaiesh
OF the Cigarmakers' union Of st. Paul,
and at that time exceedingly we'll
known in the labor movement Of the
state. was secretary.
In June, 1895, the State Federation
OF Labor held a convention in Duluth
and 3. r. Cobb, prominent member
OF the Street Railway. Employees
Union Of Duluth, was elected president.
luth Builders exchange.
The next convention was held in WI
mona, December, 1896, at which: the
late j: L. Hughes Of the st. Paul Car
president. Mr.. Hughes served six
months and was succeeded in Mime.
apolis' by N. F. Neary Of the Mime
convention in December, 1896, and was
| succeeded by G. e.; Collins Of the St
Fl 7ao Typographical union at St. Cloud,
Mr.. Collins was reelected at Vino
ma, and was succeeded by M. E. Neary
at Duluth in 1899: Mr.. Neary served
Tor several terms thereafter, to the
New ulm convention in 1904, when he
Minneapolis Pressmen's union, who
| served but one year
The next president was William
Iempleman of the ST. Paul Typograph-
ical union, elected at the Brainerd con
vent1on in 1905. He was succeeded by
). A McElroy Of the Minneapolis Car
penters' union who also served but one
1907. convention III
The late George B. How1ey Of the
minneapolis Painters union was Sc
lected to succeed Mr.. McElroy and
served the federation with distinction
Tor Tour years, and was succeeded at
the Mankato convention in 1911 by our
present very efficient presiding Off
Ger, Mr.. E. G. Hail.
President Neary of Minneapolis' When an
the federation began to extend its work
outside Of the three large cities of the
state, although Winona and st. Cloud
had at that time a few scattering nm
Ions President Neary appointed two
very efficient organizers and in a re-
markably. short time the trade union
movement had reached into no less
thin IS cities in the state. 0'
At the convention in 1896 when 7
was first elected secretary, there were
81 unions represented. 10 of which
were located in st. Paul and Mime
apol1s, 13 In Duluth, and two each in
FWinona and st. Cloud. Among the
delegates to that convention who are
still active in the labor movement,
were j. W. Hayes, now secretary Of tho
4ate Eaat1sn Typographical union: 9.
Pampusch, q: c. Collins, g. w. Dea-
con, H; W; Goetginzer, P. H. Waters
OF St. Paul, and Thomas r. Hancock
OF Duluth Mr.. Waters of st Paul and
MIR. Hancock of Duluth are dele1ates
to this convention: