The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-07-21
STATE COMMITTEE
RESOLUTION DOES
NOT BIND LABOR
Local Trade Council Adopts
Compromise Resolution on
Brown Endorsement
DOES NOT CENSURE
EXECUTIVE BOARD
After Warm Meeting Labor
Organization Declares Mem
bers Not Bound---Other
Unions for Brown

without opposing J. Thompson
Brown for commissioner of agricul-
ture and without censuring in any
manner the State executive COMMITTEES
of the State Federation of Labor. the
Richmond Central Trades and Labor
Council, adopted resolution yester>
day afternoon expressing itse.f as not
accepting the endorsement of the
committee as binding upon its menu
bers.
The resolution, which was adopted
by vote of twenty-five to ten after
a bitter wrangle, in which hot words
were passed at times. was as follows:
we the members of the Central
Trade and Labor Council of the city
of Richmond do not accept the en-
dorsement of the State executive COM
mittee as binding on any trade union-
list in our city
tsigned) JOHN HIRsCHBERG.
Small Attendance.
OF the more than three hundred
accredited delegates to the meeting
OF the council, which was held in
Labor Temple, there were only thir-
ty-two present The discussion. which
followed the addresses OF memb ers
of the executive committee OF the
labor organization and representa-
tive of the Farmers union, which
endorsed Mr.. Brown. was exceedingly
warm at times. Proposals to censure
the committee for endorsing a po-
litical candidate were rejected as were
other proposals and suggestions, the
compromise resolution given above
finally being adopted. The commit
tees action was construed by MEM
bers as being in no sense dictated by
friendliness to any candidate. or .oppo-
sition to any, but was taken, 1t was
said. solely to put the council on rec
<4,~fx = ts~vxx to-
iitics. something with which the Fed
Grafton OF Labor as a body has MOTH
ing to do. Friends Of the two candi-
dates did not restrain themselves tn-
der provocation. however. ana some
Of the more radical resented in force
full language the action of the COM
mittee, which is unprecedented in
Virginia labor circles.
Two resolutions endorsing the
action of the State executive commit
tee were presented to the council
meeting and one criticising 1t. The
latter was the one adopted by the
Typogra phical Union yesterday after
noon. The criticism was aimed at
the board for taking part in politics.
but ended with a paragraph which
stated that the resolution was not
intended in any sense as sign OF
unfriendliness to any candidate.
Present to explain the endorsement
of the executive committee of the
labor and farmers unions were: A. G.
Koontz. acting president; Howard T.
Colvin. secretary-edttor; j. B. Cline
dinst and j. e. Reynolds. OF the exc
cutive committee. all Of the Fedora
secretary of the Farmers union.
These stated that the executive
committees Of the two bodies did not
seek to exercise any authority in the
matter, as they know that the two
bodies had no power over the mem-
bers of the union and that they did
not even urge them to vote for Mr..
Brown, but merely expressed the opin-
ion that the best interests OF farmer
and laborfng man would be served
by the election of Mr.. Brown. One Of
the committeeman read the resohi-
ton adopted by the two committees to
show that no attempt was made to
dictate to any one in the matter of
casting his ballot. That resolution,
which was adopted here on July nth
and read yesterday afternoon was a.
follows:
The Committee Resolution.
after a careful consideration OF the
records of Mr.. G. w. Koiner. commits
sioner OF agriculture. and Mr.. John
Thompson Brown. and the things
practiced by one, and the things adj
vccated by the other. we are Of tho
opinion that the best interests Of tina
farmers and all interested parties will
be best served by supporting Mr.. John
Thompson Brown for commissioner df
agriculture, because he stands for
harmony and cooperation between All
agricultural agencies in the State.
which cooperation has not heretofore
been practiced.
"(Slgned)
ID NJ. GANNAwAY.
president Farmers Union.
"A B. THORNHILL.
State Business Agent Farmers Union
ID. NJ. BIAANKENSHTP.
State Secretary Treasurer Farmere
Union.
III. ]. BARNETT.
State Organizer Farmers Union.
~. w. CAWTHON.
Chairman Executive Board Farmer4
GEORGE H. BowLEs.
Member Executive Board Farmeruf
IT. E. DIcKERsoN.
Member Executive Board Farmera
Union.
re. u. JONES,
Member Executive Board Farmers
"A. G. KooNrz.
Acting President Federation c3
Labor. /.
.sHOwARD T. COLvIN, 8
Secretary Editor Federation q
Labor. ss
J. b. CLINEDINST.
Member Executive Board Fedsratio2
Of Labor. sS;
~. e. REYNOLDS
Member Executive Board FadeF1t50xs
OF Labor,
70. C. PRIDDY,
Member Executive Board Fedetati1
Of Labor.
while ths Central 1radee and Ia1i1
Council ef Richmond - 49,