, 1922-01-22
0RGINEDlA LABOR IN WYOMING ENJOYS ENVABlE
RECORD IN MAINTAINING INDUSTRIAL GOOD WILL
State First in Per Cent of
Laboring Men Who
Are Organized
By ED. s. MOORE

By ED. s. MOORE
t.. first efforts made toward or
snnsr1x TIRE wage workers OF Wyo-
ming was ~inAugurated By the coA
miner Ia the early sos IN organ
szinr assemblies Of the Knights OF
Labor at Amy. Rock Springs and
Carbon
These orrzntzztson< reached an
armament with the Onion Pacific
railroad. which controlled the coal
mining industry OF Wyoming. that all
rusvnnces arising between the men
and the company would be taken up
ana discussed between representatives
Of the company and the worksrA
The Knights Of Labor. which at
MAI time controlled the industries OF
ths east, was an industrial organize
ton. which finally gave way 70 h
cst. organization IDEA. the form now
IN vogue. and at last died u com
pistely.
The next organization 20 gain a
ooothold in Wyoming was the United
Nine Workers o. America The mine
workers offered as q basis for indus
: trial peace the joint agreement IN
! stead Of local or state strikes. the
proposition that both sides gather
around the conferences table and set
tie their difficulties in a snne. sen
sibie manner insteed Of nrst engag-
ing IN Industrial strife. which en-
called much suffering, engendered
much bitter feeling. involving as II
ala. a spirit OF revenge which boded
no good for either side
The first general agreement be-
tween the coal operators and the mi
ners was entered into at a confer
encs between the operators and h
miners. held At Denver in 1907, and
hrs been maintained ever since with
out strikes. violence or destruction OF
property.
State Body Organized 1909.
I, was at a convention OF district
n OF the United Mine Workers CT
America, held in Butte. Mont. in Az
gust, 1903. that the FIRST steps were
taken TO organize the Wyoming State
FEDERATION OF Labor. and resulted in
granting a charter by the American
Federation Of Labor on September
Is. 1909. The FIRST president OF the
organization was James Buckley. a
member Of the Cumberland Mine
workers, and now editor OF the wyo-
ming Labor Journal. published At
Cheyenne.
Buckley held the office for two
terms and was succeeded By w. w.
Gllroy OF the Mine Workers. who in
turn was succeeded by Harry W. Fox
OF the Culinary Workers, but who at
the time of his election was editor
OF the Wyoming Labor Journal. and
who still hctIs the presidency of the
state organization
james Morgan. secretnry-trea5urer
OF district % OF the United Mine
Workers. which office he still holds.
IN addition to being chairman Of the
state board Of education. was elected
TO the office OF state secretary-treas-
urer at the first convention OF the
organization.
At the second convention OF the
state organization President Buckley
N his report drew the attention of
the convention to the need of n state
labor commissioner. which was IN
dorsed. and after seven years of
struggle the office was created by the
session of thu state legislature in
1917.
Az the same convention a resolution
fndorsing tbs public Fairgrounds for
children. which movement. backed by
the efforts of organized labor. has
succeeded to such an extent that
quence in Wyoming has in some way
provided for Fairgrounds for their
Juvenile population. Many other
measures providing for the safety end
comfort OF the wage worker. Endorsed
by organized labor. has been duly en-
acted into and are n part OF the laws
OF the state OF Wyoming.
The Casper Trades and Labor As
sembly was organized with Delegates
from the following local unions: Broth
erhood Of Carpenters and Joiners No.
1854. Journeymen BARRIERS local No.
f2e, Brotherhood Of Painters local No.
$40, Lathers Union No. s7S and Bar
tenders local No. s5s.
Casper Assembly Formed
George c. Davis Of the carpenters
union was elected as first president
OF the assembly. Mr.. Davis is now a
carpenter-contractor of Casper. E. G..
Erickson, at present a painting con-
tractor. was the first secretary. At
the expiration of Mr.. Davis term OF
office. John A HUI OF tho Station
AIRY Engineers. was elected president
and served one year. Mr.. Hun was
succeeded by Richard Dunno OF the
Electrical Workers. who also served
one term. Mr.. Dunno is now an cleo
trical contractor Of Casper. Leonard
Criswell OF the Bartenders was the
next president. and served until the
declaration OF war. when he resigned
to enter his country's service, serv.
ing with the field artillery on the
Mexican frontier until his discharge
from tho service. James 3. Griffith
of tho Typographical Union. after.
ward elected as a member OF the
board of county commissioners Of Ma.
trona county. was elected to I'LL gu,
the unexpired term OF Mr.. CrisweIl,
and was unanimously elected for an.
other term, serving during tho entire
war period. Mr.. Griffith is now s
perintendent Of the mechanical de.
partments Of the Casper Daily Trib.
une and the Wyoming Weekly Pc.
view.