The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1913-01-24
STATE FEDERATION OF LABOR


its annual convention at Lakeland last
week.
Hon. Lewis Zim, senator from st.
Johns county. and editor OF the Me-
teor, is president of the association.
From his annual address we make
the following extract:
THE incoming national &dmin:stra-
ton will, | feel, be most favorable to
all measures looking to the good of
the masses of the people. AS in the
nation, so in our own fair state. Our
chief executive is in sympathy with
all that makes for the welfare of his
struggling fellow men, and express
sions from those who will sit at the
state capital to frame laws give evil
dence of a progressiveness that will
prompt them to act for the general
good of all.
so, from whatever standpoint we
view the outlook for the ensuing
year, the rainbow Of promise of in
creased blessings appears in the firm
ament of trade unionism. And why
shouldn't this be so? Why shouldn't
organized labor receive every aid-ev-
cry announcement? Does not its far
reaching influence for good lead all
movements for the material, social,
political-if not spiritual-uplift of
mankind? Was not trade unionism
the prime mover in advancing educa-
tional training among the masses to
the end that the public school system
should be established?
Born of democratic thought and
action, has organized labor not inspir-
ed political reforms, including the pri-
mary? Is not the initiation and ref
erendum an offspring of its efforts
Has not the child, the mother, the
home, profited by the trade-union
movement for better conditions? Has
not unionism inspired hope, aroused
aspirations. bred love Of country, of
home and of heaven in the hearts of
its members? In fine, does not the or
ganization of the masses along trade
union lines lead TO advanced thought
and the lessening of selfishness, in
tolerance and prejudice? Surely itI
does, and you can say that the stand
ard of the trade-union movement is
based upon justice, and the battles
that will be waged with this standard
will continue until social and econom
ic justice will be recognized through
out the world, and industrial democra-
cy will be living, thriving reality
There is much that confronts us IN
this state as being needful of legisla-
tive consideration, and what we have
in mind and what an organization
has been laboring for is not of sell
fish nature, but relates to the general
good.
"Organized labor has taken a stand
against the leasing of state convicts
and public sentiment is, l truly be
lieve, against the system that is now
in vogue, and which will, / feel tie
changed at the ensuing session of the
legislature.
THE initiative, referendum and re-
call need be placed upon the statutes
of our state, and labor is back of the
move
THE child labor bill and employers
liability bill, which failed of passage
at the last session of the legislature,
should again be pushed to the full
I'VE need a department of labor in
our state. A bill constituting a bu-
reau of labor statistics passed the
senate at the last session of the legis-
lature, and a majority of the men,
bers Of the house was committed to
the measure, but in the hurry of the
closing hours the bill was not called
up. This is a matter of vital impor-
lance to the state at large With a
proper bureau established not only
will it be beneficial in all that relates
to the collection of valuable data rel
Iative to labor, and in enforcing labor
laws, but it will be in position to ad-
just differences between capital and
labor Who can doubt that, with such
la bureau in existence. when the trou-
BILE arise in Jacksonville between the
street car company and it's employees
last fall the great expense to which
the state Of Florida was put in order
ing out the national guard would have
been obviated?
"A lie; islative committee will be
elected by this body to further the
aims and purposes of organized labor
by impressing members of the legis-
lature with the Importance of pend
ing needful laws"