The Commonwealth. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1911-1914, 1913-04-04
carl u. Thompson, Manager
Conference Of Elected Officials.

conference OF ElcCAtu blllSlales
Comrade W. II. Kingery, member Of
the state legislature of Washington.
suggests that there ought TO be held
In the near future a conference of the
elected officials of the socialist party
Reference Is made to the fact that
some years ago such a conference was
held in Milwaukee, with such good
results that the conference unani-
mously requested the national organi-
zation to arrange for similar confer
ences in the future. Nothing, however,
Aas ever been done.
1t has been suggested that it might
be possible to hold conference Of
elected officials Immediately follow.
ing the national convention in Chi.
cago in May. Comrade Kingery says,
"A conference of this kind would GER
tainly be of great value to all of us.
| know it would to me, and | think
that if there could be a meeting at
least of all members of the party that
have served in legislative assemblies
it would have a great influence for
the good"
We should be glad to hear from
other comrades whether they think
such a conference would be worth at
tempting. How many who are now
holding offices elected by the social
list party would attend such a confer
ence if it were held?
Please answer.
News Items from Comrades In the
State Legislatures.
Illinois.-Comrade Madsen reports
that representative of the labor I'M
ions, lobbying in Springfield for labor
measures, are rapidly getting wise to
the fact that the real labor measures
are the ones introduced by the social
lists. For example: Several different
members of the legislature have In
troduced, for instance, "One Day Rest
in Seven" bills; but upon examination
these bills prove to be so worded and
so limited as not to benefit the very
people that need them most. A sim
liar situation pertains to several OF
the other labor measures. The fact
that the socialist bills are straight to
the point in all of these matters has
directed the attention and is winning
the confidence of the real friends of
the labor movement.
Nevada.-Comrade A. Grant Miller,
secretary of the group of socialists in
the legislature, writes as follows:
"a bill providing for the sprinkling
of dry ore and drills in mines has not
passed, but a substitute measure pro-
viding for sprinkling attachments to
drills has passed both houses. 1t does
not 90 as far as we wanted, but it
will be the means of saving many lives
as it is. We are fighting hard COM
bination, consisting of the Southern
Pacific Railroad company, and the
great mining companies, which include
the xon-Wingfield interests, the
Gun-Thompson interests, the Cole
Ryan interests and the Guggenheims.
However, they will know that they
have been having a fight before the
climax comes"
Kansas.-Comrade Benjamin F. Will
son writes that the Mothers pension
bill which he introduced in the lower
house of Kansas was killed by the
committee. Nothing daunted, how
ever, Comrade Wilson took his bill to
the senate and had it introduced there
by a democrat. 1t has passed the
committee, who have reported on it
favorably. 1t has chance to pass the
senate. Evidently there is more than
one way of getting socialist measures
into the state legislature,
Comrade Wilson and his socialist
colleagues are also given the credit
for having defeated the alien voters
bill, which was defeated by a vote of
rs to 81 in the house, many of the re-
publicans retiring to the lobby rather
than go on record. Comrade Wilson
says: 1.-THE bill provided that only
fully naturalized citizens could vote
and further provided that it apply to
counties having $4,000 to $4,000 popu-
latinn or five counties in the state