The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1916-02-04

| have attended nearly all of the
annual conventions of the State Fed
Grafton of Labor for the past dozen
years, and | consider the recent con
vention at North Yakima the most
harmonious gathering of labor ever
held. From beginning to end of the
session not one bitter word was
spoken. Men have a right to differ
in their views, and it is not surprs-
ing at all if in the heat of debate
some acrimony be injected something
The spirit OF this convention was best
exemplified by the action of the
miners delegation upon the subject
of referendum election of officers.
The miners have in several conven-
lions led the fight for referendum
election of officers as a matter of
principle, and it has sometimes pro-
yoked somewhat stormy debate. They
the result cheerfully, abating not one
whit their loyalty to the state feder-
alton. and that they would 90 from
the convention pledged TO work with
all their might for the initiative, ref
erendum and general trade union pro
gram adopted No wonder that dec
laration brought the convention to its
feet. 1t is the spirit that spells vic
tory, and I am proud to belong to
movement that can boast such class
solidarity. The delegates came to that
convention in a deadly earnest frame
OF mind, realizing the kind OF fight
that lay ahead to save the trade union
movement from disaster, and deter
mined to subordinate everything to
the single purpose Of preparing for
the coming battle. 1t was pleasure
to preside over a convention imbued
with such a spirit, and am sure each
delegate went home better union
man or woman for having been there.
SUBJECTS CONSIDERED
The subjects the convention con
sidered will be known to unionists
generally before they read these lines
l shall not attempt to review the COLI
yention at this writing, but to point
out some very necessary things that
the labor movement Of the state must
take up at once and accomplish if
the convention is TO bear fruit in the
coming months All Of US are alive
TO the imperative necessity OF de-
saating the measures held up by ref
erendum. Il is equally important that
We place upon the ballot the initiative
measures decided upon by the con,
venton and carry on a campaign Of
publicity that will put them across
in the general election. We must
have signatures upon our initiative
petitions, and we must have money to
conduct our publicity campaign. Lets
discuss these two wants briefly.
It will take something over $1,000 |
signatures TO initiate our measures. |
Every signer Of an initiative petition |
must be a registered voter by the
time the petitions are returned for |
checking or their names will be in |
valid Under the new registration |
law every voter whether in city or
country district, must register. Ii /
you haven't registered since January
l, 20 and perform that duty before
you sleep tonight. When the circu-
ators start work with their petitions
they want to make a clean sweep OF
heir respective districts. 1t is lost
Tine and lost effort to canvas a dis
rict and find half the voters willing
10 sign but not registered. 1t means
going over the same ground again,
and our circulators are working men
and women who are doing this duty
after working hours without any mon
atary award whatsoever. Let me sug
sest that every union man and wom-
IN who has not done so register at
Jntt anu BITE " II lIldL lltli lcISl-
,ors and friends who are not union
SITS, but whom they know believe in
he peoples rights to pass upon i'm
Dortant measures, register also. Let
IS spend the next 80 days all over this ,
tate in registration campaign.
THINGS TO BE DONE
Now, then, there is the question Of
money Don't ever forget that big
financial interests will be arrayed :
.gainst us in this campaign They
appel the money bags in 1914, and
hey will do it again in 1916. We l
sked you for no special contribution 7
asst year in the referendum fight, pay
ng our pro rata of the joint legsla.
i've committees expense out of our +