”s and .lociouts.
timeouts slid luminous.
5; pd all the Contention iii Saudi iiorwallt ioday
* irat will reorient initial!” ~‘iiaiier's.
ihe irouiilo in. Waterbury.
busts. Etc.
the 01:0" and Delegates, to the
teen Annual Convention of
All Connecticut Federation of Labor:
' :mordance with the provisions of
y 7 constitution. l have the honor to
2 afimyour consideration. an ac-
. ‘ t of my stewardship for the past
. link, with such observations as appear
When in a degree some application
I. . "L the policies of the organizations of
lift» in thematic of Connecticut.
first official act of your presi-
d was. in connection with the strike
our members of the Assorters' and
‘I’dekers' Union. of Hartford. in com-
‘W With Brother Maher. of Danbury.
add Brother Doian, of Hartford, who
' are appointed by President Sullivan,
l'fiisifed the Capewell Horse Shoe Noll
00”., of Hartford. and discussed with
themagement of the aboVe-nnmed
firm. terms of settlement. Your com-
mittee returned to the convention and
reportedmur report was accepted, and
ltd!" expected that the members of
ti Assorters' and Packers' Union
would return to work under the terms
a the settlement. Owing to a misun-
deratanding on the part of some of the
membersnthey refused to resume work
and remained on strike until President
Compare of the A. F. of L. was called
to Hartford and effected a settlement
on substantially the same basis as that
2- 2 <2 which your committee arranged.
At the beginning of the present year.
.. , 6'01. outlining the legisla~
the wor during the session of 1903.
He responded, and after a careful con-
sideration of resources and other cir-
. cumstances the Work of the Legislative
Committeewas mapped out and in-
str'uotl’ons‘glven to proceed along the
lines nrranged. During the early part
.. of tlsetmontb of February. your secre-
tary informed me that complaints were
being received from our affiliated lod-
: gel in Hartford that no representative
of the A. F. of L. had yet appeared in
' our behalf at the State Capitol. 1 im-
' mediately Wired Secretary Connelly to
meet me in Hartford the following tlay
when we called on Brother Bierl, he
informed us that he had decided that
’ hetfvwould not. take, up the legislative
. ork for which he had been selected
' the convention of 1903. A meeting
"‘tbe aoque Board was ordered
xiii Refine» of selecting a represen-
” ‘ active attend to the work.
' Your president was instructed by the
esecutivs board to attend the next reg
ular meeting of the c. L. U. at Hart-
‘fosd. and urge upon them to recom
mend: a member. but no member sug-
gel'tod by them could be induced to ac-
.mt the politics: under the salary
which it ha- been the custom of the
‘ ecticut Federation to pay.
.‘aitthe urgent solicitation of your ex-
alive board. your president agreed to
. up the work (legislative), a report
' pfiiwhlch is appended to this report.
. During the term of the present board.
the monies collected by the Connecti-
out Federation of Labor. for the de-
f? outBrOthers Charter, Drlscoli and
who were charged with con-
spira 'y‘ln connection with the strike
dinowhiullts employed in the Far-
rell Foundry and Machine Company. of
masonic, in May. 1901. were returned
.‘to‘thg.=qrgani_sationa who contributed.
" ms the'cases had been nailed on the rec-
‘ ' W of Prosecuting Attorney
‘ ‘ ms, of New Haven county.
peel. was received from the
‘ ' union, of New Haven. by
' d, asking for financial. assist-
"fl. aid in the defense of twenty-
' " their members charged with
‘ cy. After a careful investiga~
1" tibia appeal. we felt that until
their aliensl organisation evinced a
idlsposltlon to assist in the affair, also
the Trades Council of New Haven, we
‘ ' met-auto eextent which they
~. “ “ ‘t." him is time, the Trades
. Celine“ of New'Havsn have taken up
the star thmuah. a special commit-
A'gesw have issued an appeal, which
Minimum ha! endorsed.
. t ‘ em' local of New Haven
*' “' was fifth the c. F. of L.. but
"gr “Effie ‘ jarciroumstances or
'm 31mm, I trust their non-member-
Want deter any local from res-
in their appeal.
were-filed against Organiser
"twitii'yeur board by a commit-
.the C. L. 11.. of South New
e’board held an afternoon
sion in the Elks' Hall.
mmed to the exhaustive
' ' hr and against your organi-
' t a subsequent meeting of the
it
in
t
" mourn the matter , was
"up for a decision, While in
. of some of “£13393" 0:
‘ ‘ ther Gosh ac
‘ ,jdlscfetion as ha. old
% believe he wasuni .ef
» which would bring discred-
bor mov ,t.'and.,hc was
y aghast-a by the execu-
finger the instructions of the
mm. your board pro
1. ‘s‘flfl’m‘
t .
mafia. weakness.”
h My" i
ings. The most successful public
gathering ever held in this state. was
held in Bridgeport. June 26, l901l. under
the auspices of the C. L. U. of that (‘ily_
in the behalf of the striking employees
of the Connecticut Railway and Light- : M W.
The majority of thOi iinunc
ing Company.
newspapers ill their published accounts
of the meeting, on the following day.
gave as the estimated attendance, not
less than‘16,000. This meeting was
held in Washington Park.
Organization.
No great effort has bcen made dur-
ing the year just ended on the port of
our Federation to organize the unorgan-
ized wage-earners. or to bring uboui
the affiliation of the local unions in
this state not yet members of the C.
l. U. Many of our National and ill-
terllational organizations are sending
organizers into this state. Local or-
ganisers of a particular craft or call-
ing have established district or state
associations and maintain business ag-
ents whose entire time is applied to
their respective organisations in the
state or district.
Local organizations, particularly in
the building trades have in each largo
city, delegates or secretaries, whose
time is devoted entirely to their partic-
ular local, so that the organizing work
of our Federation is becoming less bur-
densome and less costly. Hochei.
we should continue to grant assistance
lo the weaker organizations. and to
those crafts that yet have no Nallonai
organisation. During the coming year
there being no session of the General
Assembly, our efforts should be direct-
ed toward securiug the affiliation of the
local unions in this state who up to
the present time have not come within
the fold of the C. F. of L. The policy
of strong labor organizations remaining
on the outside, contributing nothing to
the malnlaineuce of our State Federa-
tion. accepting and sharing its benefits
without sharing its responsibilities, is
to say the very least. reprehensible.
Any argument which they can apply to
a fellow craftsman who refuses to join
their organization yet who accepts and
shares in improved conditions, shorter
hours or increased wages applies wlih
equal force to the labor organizations
in this state that falls lo assist our or
ganizaiion, to fulfill its legitimate mis-
sion. To what extent have out unafill~
iaicd organisations coniributctl to the
defeat of the vicious "Trucy Bill" anti
other anti-labor bills presented at the
last session of the General Assembly?
Yet in the event of the. passage of any
of these bills aimed at our trades ull~
ions. it would have destroyed their use-
fulness to a degree that would have ren-
dered them worthless as an industrial
organlnziion. To the organization
having a label on the market, and
through use of which, they have been
able to secure working agreements,
or established collective bargaining be»
tween their organisation and their em-
ployers, the enactment of the afore-
said bill would seem the total nnnihll‘
ation of their organization. As one
provision of the bill made the refusal
on the part of a member of a trades,
union to work with a non~unlonist a
crime. The effect of a law of this
character can readily be appreciated.
yet notwithstanding this. several loonls
using a label have' failed to do ihcir
duty by afilliating with the C. F. of L.
To the aggressive and persistent oppo-
sition of the Federation is due the dc-
feat of this measure. and every labor
organization in this state has been
benefltted thereby. and if there was
nothing else to justify the existence or
our Federation this work in itself would
warrant it. i therefore urge upon the
delegates in attendance at this convcn
tion. that after the labors of this ses-
sion are endedqupon their return to
their respective homes they will go
among the unaffiliated lodges in their
city or district and make a conscien-
tious effort to induce them to join with
us in this work. Furthermore we
should urge affiliation in order that the
officer or representative of the C. F. of
L can truthfully say he is representing
the sentiment of every bona fide labor
organization in this state when the in
forests of organized labor are jeopard-
ized or imperilled, on it becomes nec-
essary to defend or maintain the cardi-
nal principles of organized labor.
in our state we have 16: towns. a
large majority of them- have so great
manufacturing interests, so that it can
be, safely said that it will helmet-w
ticable to bring them up to that state
of.,perfcction where-.they could glut
classed as well organised towns. This
facialons emphasises the necessity of
thorough federation of trades unions
“Division invites disruption." “Divis-
ion invites defeatz" ‘g‘Division indi-
Lach of cohsrsiou
bards the onward march-of labor. de~
lays industrial emancipation and as-
sms' ill maintaidlst the conditions
which permit child labor incur factor~
lea, sun-ls and workshops. - Oar l'ad-
eratiua.,has.pavad the)” ferrule.
and only asks of the labor unions in
this note. h."'mden. unto. Cease: that
Caesar'n'2~ .. ‘Aasulne. their
sharanf. the burden and responsibility.
and-tram with us the glory of our ac-
clients.
' 42W Arbitration. ‘
no advocate of compulsory arbitra-
tion looks upon it as being the pans-
ca: cull ouundusp-latlaiiments.
, ts, yeca base . r arguments
inns sea-u ia~lts alleged isocassfnt
amateur-L shoe-us
l
i
lcompulsory arbitration now?
l
is assist-see! attention
compulsor arbitration. and his mu-
ment was ased solely on the operation
of the New Zealand taw- lie endeav’
cred to demonstrate its advantage ioi
the wage-earner by maintaining thatdt ;
would preclude the possibility of:
strikes. But he failed to inform ihem1
that the operation of this. or any other
law of like nature, would not prevent:
the closing of the employers' factorietm
if the award were not to the liking oh
the employers.
Now comes another piece of informa-
list
New Zealand, in regard to the compili-
sory arbitration law in vogue there.
The furniture workers made a demand
for increase of wages, which file manti-
faciurcrs refused to grant, and which
was taken before the court of arbi-
tration, which made a compromise.
awarding an increase in wages. The
manufacturers did not refuse to abide
by the decision of the court, they simp-
ly closed their fctoarv and declared
that they Would in future import their
furniture from other countries. if the
court of arbitration had made an award
against the men they woultl have had
nothing to “close up" and their refusal
to work would have been in violation
law making them amenable to
fill and penal punishment. By
”W way, where are the advocates of
Strikes and Lockouts.
Almost simultaneous with the ad
leilrnment of our convention of 1802
came the announcement that the pro-
position of President Roosevelt had
been accepted by the miners and mine
civil authority, that violence and
the strike was declared off by the
United Mine Workers of North Amer-
ica, pending the report of the com-
mission appointed by the President of
the United States. The. report of the
commission was received with univer-
sal satisfaction by the trades-unionists
of this country. as if supported in all
essential features the demands of the
U, M. W. of N. A.
The strike of the conductors and
motormen employed by the Connecti-
cut Railway and Lighting Co.. on its
Waterbury division. was perhaps the
most. notwortlly strike in our state dur-
ing the year just ended. During the
progress of the strike the state mill-
tia was called into Waterbury. ostensi-
bly for the purpose of maintaining or-
der and protecting property, yet i am
informed by a prominent city official
of Waterbury. that the property da-
mage sustained as a result of the alleg-
ed rioting did not amount to 850. Yet
we would infer from reading the ox-
aggerated accounts furnished by the
press that mob rule bud supercedcd
civil tithorily. ibi violeucea and
anarchy hold away and further it was
evident that an effort was being made
to throw the odium and responsibility
on the trades union movement for this
condition. Yet, as far as i am able to
learn, no trades unionist has been con-
victed of inciting riot or of praiicipa~
tion in one in Waterbury during the
strike of the irollcv men.
The murder of Officer Paul Mondal-
solln. during the strike. was taken ad—
vantage of by the opponents of organ-
ized labor to denounce the unions of
labor. While no direct accusations
were made no opportunity was wasted
in make it appear that organized labor
was in a measure responsibcl for the
dead. The murdered man was a union
man, a delegate to the C. L. U. of
Waterbury. and he had no enemies in
Waterbury. No class of citisens in
Connecticut are more anxious for the
arrest and conviction of the murderer
or murderers. than are the trades
unionists of this state, and every aa-
sistancc ahotild be given to the con-
stituted authority of this state by our
membership. to protect life and pre—
vent disorder or violence. to the end
that when a crime is committed that
the responsibility can be placed where
it belongs. It has been openly charged
that during the A. R. U. strike in the
west that thugs and ruffians wcre em-
ployed as agents of the railroad com-
panies to burn old curse and other
abandoned stock, belonging to the coni-
panies. in order to create a sentiment
against the strikers. History may be
repeating itself.
Walking Delegates.
A growing tendency on the part of
the oponents of organized labor is
noted in their efforts to belittle or rldi.
cule unvagency of the trades union
that has proved efficient or beneficial.
‘We are advised from certain quarters
to dispose with the services of the
"Walking Delegate" or Business Agent.
We are informed that our liberties as
American citizens are in danger if we
longer tolerate the walking delegate.
One of Connecticut's labor Mayors
has contributed. to the sum total of hu-
man knowledge by declaring "That the
best thing that the labor unionstcan
do is to have nothing to do with the
walking delegate." The fact is he is
more or less of a grafter. The walking
delegate is more a detriment to the
unions than a benefit, let us get rid of
the grafters. the walking delegate and
the high salaried officials. This is
substantially the argument of those
who believe the organisations of labor
have no,rigbt, whether. he be a mem-
ber or not. . .
. in our dealingawith representatives
of employers today, it is essential that
our business be transacted through
representatives.. in the highly organ-
ised conditions of industry. it is rarely
that the employee comes in direc con-
_. withtheemalossr. Them to.
does not rub elbows with the employer
as he did a comparatively few years
ago. He deals with the representative.
of the employarp'gwhose..,efforts are
usually... dinootedt tow-summarise the
greatest possible aomant of work attha
least -. possible cost.....Aay .grievaace
which might arise» that owingto as
nature. would. haves tendency. «to . in-
crease the-outset .prodsctioai of:
course. does uotasdstwith-verxcordian
Wuhuhilfllfldl. «whanpraaentrr
on.” a committee of his mm.
The: past history ot-Oilrtorganfaatiun
furnishes usrwith ‘sslciant.-.svltlsnss
that tiuyaflehxk—w‘li MW-
a‘etedrinbsh -of
planes. saouec or
i
reason..sisen..lhcy,.ara informed that
itbcir services are not wanted. in.
view ofitthls‘ fact- whaut a‘icummities
simmer-sent: , Jock
"inflame-u get m MW of
" We
puts; between employer and employsc‘
y.,'. ..
the-ma M1MW“
charge or perhaps ant clpatiu that dis-
charge wi l surely ‘fdlldw' file r «irons.
they become bruaeuue or obstinatehnd
interfere with a calm and deliberate
discussion of affairs, Negotiations are
abruptly terminated, the committee rc-
port to their fellow workers the result,
a strike follows, and large amounts
of money are lost in wages and in iiw'
fits. Th relations between the firm
slid the. en become strained to the
strapping point, bitterness prevails,
and even outsiders flmi it extremely
, tion from the “Country without strikes. . difficult to bring about a resumption of
harmonious relations, Had an officer
or dclcgutc presented the mailer. hf‘
could do so without fond of tllscllarxi'.
he would have no ooupslon to become
abrupt or imperiint-nt;and If convmc-
ed that the circumstances were such
that the request could not be granted.
he would report no lo the men. and as
a rule. the advice glvc on such mat-
ters is usually nccepte Many trade
disputes have been settled through the
walking delegate, which the outside
world has never heard of. Many cost-
ly strikes have been averted through
the diplomacy and fact of the trade
liniou officials. To my mind the majorl-
ty of the walking delegates and trade
union officians; whom i have had the
pleasure to meci, art.- intellectually anti
ethically superior to their traducers
and critical.
it is urged that these officials incite
strikes ill order to hold their position.
Do the police incite disorder in order
to hold their positions?
llo the firemen urge the commission
of arson in order to precipitate strikcs
in order to hold theirs? Tile most suc-
cessful delegate or agent is the one
who prevents strikes and secures bet-
ter conditions. and higher wages for
his union without resorting to strikes.
'i‘hc honorable gentlemen whol have
quoted under this beading urges us to
get rid of the walking delegate; he no
doubt has read of the conviction
of a trade union official in an ndjoin~
mg state. Would you abolish all bank
presidents or cashiers because one or
the other had been convicted of dis.
honesty? Would you abolish all
clorgymen of the reason that one had
proved recrcani to his trust? We. say
m, and that emphatically. The official
representative. no matter what name
you may apply to him has demonstrat-
ed his worth until some better manner
of conducting the affairs presents it-
self. we shall continue with our repre-
sentative in spite of the journalistic
freshmen or notority seeking poll~
tlcians.
incarporaficn.
Another gift from the Greeks, up,
pears in tho tieicrmlncd effort on the
part of those who heretofore bud re-
fused to recognize the existence of a
labor organization, to force upon them
incorporation seeking to compel us to
incorporate untlt-r apt-clally prepared
laws for the incorporation of trade
unions. This “i the dulntessencc of
impudcncc. Suppose our labor organ-
izations attempted to bring about the
passage of a law which would impose
onerous conditions on a corporation
and require that if it dcaired the bone:
fits of incorporation it must incorpo
rain under an obnoxious law. Would
it not seem malicious fill our part '.' Yet
many men for rcmovt-d from the or-
ganised wage earners having no
knowledgeof their .iiishes, needs or
aspirations except such information
as might be obtuiifed from a sugar
coated magazine article, attempt to
hamper the work of the labor unions
with all manner of freak legislation.
yet hope so conspicuous as the attempt
to force incorporation on our trade
unions. ‘-
A few maintain it will make us more
responsible; it will give its a better
standing. '
How it can make us more responsi-
ble, it is dlflicult to comprehend. it
is agreed that the object sought ill in-
corporation is to cvdde personal re-
sponsibility and liability.
How then do the advocates of incor-
mrutlon reconcile ihis with their
lcclaruilons flint it w... make us more
"cspolislble? When the law making
flowers of this state will .give mt a
healthy law which will give to our or-
rsnizafions of labor the same protec-
ion that it gives to organizedcapl-
til then, it will be due time to con-
lider the advantages of incorporation.
Even admitting Mr, Dannaher‘s claim
that incorporation under the existing
'nw in this state would be beneficial to
our labor organisation, what assurance
have we that the law would be allow.
ed to retain its present aplicatlon?
A recent case illustrates this.
A few years ago through the efforts
of organized labor and decent citizens
who were shocked at the scandalous
practices which were in vogue wnere-
by a poor wage earner becoming in-
volved in debt, found himself at the
mercy of unscrupulous lawyers and his
wagers attached. were successful in
bringing about the passage of a law
which exempted 850 in wages from
foreign attachment.
This was a beneflcent measure but
at the last session of the General As-
sembly the amount was reduced from
$60 to 325 and the law makers refused
to make the change apply to such cases
only as where the weekly payment bill
was observed.
. This exception as it now stands is
no protection to the man who is paid
by the month, provided he received in
excess of the amount exempted. Any
incorporation which might prove bene-
ficial to us, would be liable to meet
with a like fate. . '
‘ Legislation. .
. Owing to the fact that your legisla-
tlv’e committee did not begin its work
untikaiter thadatp'set by the General
Assembly for the‘ introduction of new
business. no opportunity waaxoffesod
for the introduction of the measures
recommended by the last convention.
Your aomtaltteulso felt than-.owiug to
, ’ ‘ t oft-ho. -
thanstmltaraaurolo.fult.1:ltyo ‘11:-
m..- fies
forests, the r eff should be directed
toward _.
t the dot“! of
vision. A complete on y of each, bill
as acted upon bathe sill-ti”
3m“ towhich it was referred
sum” "is from fainter rim or
Tosca. state hustle! arbi-
‘m cr-fll‘tritbt‘r’dla-
com: or the work
[limillti " - , * 4Tb ».
manual .. was: 6:31
or . 1 mm
cons-liter lepfttancc,
’ . , . 1
Re erred to Commune on in
2 H.'.l. it.“ No. 185 (Halluck new!)
ln.fsvur of incorporating the trade
:mlolla of this slate under the general
aw.
Referred to the. Committee of incor-
poratiou.
Senate Bill No. 70 (Senator Tracy) by
For the incorporation of trade unions
and the protection of labor, providing
for such incorporation and fixing penal-
ty for discharge of cmployc because of
membership or non-membership in a
union. or demand for such discharge.
For failure to give fourteen days notice
of inlcniion to strike by unions engag-
mi in certain Work. For violation or
intimidation to prcveafl‘ttmploymeni.
Also providing for civil liability and
for forfeiture of civil rights for on-
couragemont of mob violence.
llofcrred to Committee on labor. .
House Bill No. 433 (Lockwood, Wood-
bul'y). An not concerning the settle-
ment ofglisputcs between employers
of labor and cmploycs commonly
known as strikers and lock-Ollie.
Personal of above named committees
as follows:
Committee on incorporatlens.
Chairman. Senator Brown; House
chairman; Mr. Alt-orn, Sufficld; clerk.
Mr. Hayes; Messrs. Bristol. Ansonia;
Lawton of Spraguc, Brophy of Ridge-
ileld; Baker. Ashford: Conkliu. Chat-
iam; llakcr, Stafford.
Judiciary.
Chairman, Scnator Walsh: House
chairman, Mr. Banks, Filirfleltl; clork.
Mr. Cooper, New ilrituill: Messrs. llub.
bard. Litcliflcltl; Woodruff, Litt-bfleld:
It‘cnn, Mt-ridcn; Smith, Hartford:
Cooper. New Britain: lloweu, Naugh-
tuck; Plutt, Milford.
Labor.
Chairman. Senator Bradstreet;
lloust- chairman, Mr. Miles, New Brit.
uin: clerk. Mr. (lot-man, Denbury:
Messrs. Harrison. North llranford:
Williams, Ponlfrci: Davis, Reddilig;
Ely. llnrwlnton; Widing. Ausonia;
'i‘hresllcr, Stafford.
At the bearing of House Bill No. 453
before the Committee on Judiciary.
your representative appeared and op-
posed the passage of the bill. This
bill was reported unfavorably and rc~
jot-ted. Senate ilill No. 76 was drafted
by Dr. llinklcy. a resident of Water-
bury, who appeared before the Com-
mittee on Judiciary, and urged in fav-
orable report. Your representative ape
poured in opposition. The bill was re-
ported unfavorable and rejected.
House Joint Resolution. Mr. Hal~
look, after being waited upon by a com-
. mlttee of the C. L. U. of Derby, and
committee of each union affiliated with
the above named organization. also
your representative, consented to re-
quest the withdrawal of the bill front
iilt‘ committee to whom it was referred.
The committee felt as though they
should report on the bill. and the same
was reported unfavorably and the bill
l'tejf‘i‘ii-il.
House Bill No. 171 (8 how low) was
prcscnled by Mr. Lambert. of New Lon-
don. a member of the moultlcrs of that
city. The legislative committee exert-
ed all possible influence in behalf of
this bill without success. The bill was
reported unfavorably and rejected.
Senate Bill No. 152, The original
bill as presented was not the bill act-
cd upon by the Committee of Labor.
Many substitutes were offered and
withdrawn. and not tlutll the hearing
took pklcc did your representative
know the exact provisions of the bill.
The bill was supported and urged by
Prosecuting Attorney W. H. Williams.
of New Haven county. Attorney Bron-
son. of Waterbury. Attorney John W.
Allen, of New Haven, and Senator
Tracy. of the Fifth Senatorial Dis-
trict. a few othcrs supported the bill
secretly. The combination of manufac.
turcrs from one section of the state.
presented ll petition over their signs-
tum urging the passage of the bill.
but they requested that their names
should not be divulged. The argu-
ments of the advocates of the bill {as
furnished by the press is presented
with this report. At the hearing of
the opponents of the bill it was neces-
sary to use the ball of the House of
Representatives in order to accommo-
date those who desired to attend. The
hearing lasted over five .hours. and for
the first time in the history of organ-
ized labor in the State of Connecticut
the doctrine of trades unions was
preached from the speaker's rostrum.
Attorney Dannaher, of Meriden, and
Taylor, of Danbury. discussed the pro-
visions from a legal and constitutional
standpoint. Samuel E. Prince, of New
York city. represented the A. F. of L.:
John Phillips represented the United
Hatters of NorthAmerlca; Mr. Ken-
cflc, of Hartford, represented the Cigar
Makers‘ International Union; C, F. of
L. was represented by Charles J. Don-
ahue and P. H. Connolley; Attorney
Spellacy. of Hartford. also in the op-
position of the bill; F. E. Grubey rep-
resented the Trades Councll of New
Haven. '
Your legislative committee. appre-
ciating the importance of this meas-
ure and the influences which are at
work in order to secure the passage of
the bill, issued circular letters to ev-
ery organisation in the state. calling;
attention to the provisions of this bill
and every legitimate means was used;
to ensure its defeat. Too much credit
cannot be given to Brother German.
of D nbury. a member of the Hat Mak-
er's al. and: secretary of the labor
committee, and «to Brother Whiting, of
Annuals. also.a member of the com~
mittee on labor and a member of Alert
Lodge. No, 880, international Associa-
tion drinkinistsdfornhha signal ser-
vice rendered in securing an unfavor-
able ”9. this but... painter Brad-
street, deserves our thanks and con-
Ikh’hmcafiothe comesles extended
to your committee. the patience shown
during «the hearings and for the fairo
taegtandJ-pastlalamauner in which
Wacouucud.» In reporting the
on ouhefbo' . itteciciipped)
Senator Bradstreet sal that the com-
thittoc‘ ‘is unaulmou’a'hi rejecting the
bill.s' Too hilah stress cannot be laid
on tibia from ofnonrgwarlt. git iis
Ml‘dfiéwm , uses 1 s but
by an ipbarently in cast act. t a leg;
torture of this state could destroy all
mm by our labor
the.;
i
i
mom. to '9. . .. «or on
for this" work,,_
'afindfimcd-iffas theyeaut today. ,.
.2 “WW?” 2,‘ A. #:413in 2 l
slanting mm” vapors».
mitt-sins best“ results are vet-ow
taincd. would thereforc’rcciiuimand
thatAtho present law- be changed. end
that the executive board in the month
of December preceding the session of
the arnernl Assembly shall select a
legisluiiVe committee who shall be
antler their immediate supervision. the
salary to be decidedntpon by the con-
vention.
'l‘he senators and representatives
who were favorable to labor legisla-
tion were Senator John M. Hay. Archi-
bald Mchil, William P. Bailey. Fred
l". Fuesscnich, Thomas T. Bradstreet.
Thomas F. Noonc. Representative 0s-
car L. Beardalcy, Huntington; Homer
8. Bears. Wcstport: M, P. German.
Derby; John Bird, Naugatuck: N. P.
Biasonettc, Bridgeport: frving Whit-
my. of Ansoniu: A. ll. Blakemau. New-
town; Thomas P. Aitiklu, Manchester;
Charles H. Botsfortl, Bridgeport: John
llrophy, Ridge-field; Michael J. Connor,
Enflcld: Wallace Dann, Norwalk; ‘Jer-
emiali Donovan. Norwalk: John H.
Donovan, Huntington; Clarence Ely,
Arlington: L. A. Fisk. Branford: Char-
ice A. Hoffman, Dunbury; E. M. Cav-
anngh, Wallingford; Carl Kelly, New-
town; Henry Lambert, New London;
lsaac F. Miles. New Britain; Albcrf F.
Sayies. Sterling: Andrew E. Williams.
l’omfret.
injunction Stilts and Attachments.
During the year an injunction was
issued in Omaha restraining the mem-
bers of a labor union from continuing
this organization. Another in the
same section of the United States en-
joined the duly accredited officers of a
labor union from ordering a strike on
at certain railroad system, These or~
tiers from the courts were subsequently
modified. but from the date of their is-
suance until they were modified or
vacated by the court having jurisdic-
tion they- were in operation. That is
rt-struiuing them from doing that
which they had legal right to do. in
one state. injunctions have been issued
which enjoined men who were engaged
in a strike, from persuading men to
quit work. “if you forbid free speech,"
said the plain spoken New York Jour-
nal. “if you tell men that they must
not Ilse persuasion, you tell them at
the same time that they must use
force. violating the law and the. consti-
tution. You justify them in using force
and violating the law on their side.
Organised labor has as much respect
for the institutions of the land as any
other class of citizens: just as deep
rooted reverence for the law as any
other class. They ask for no immunity
from any existing law. They ask for
no special favors, but they do ask that
the laws be made to apply to all alike,
rich and porn, union and non-union.
but they do protest against decrees
and judgwmade laws, that apply to
none other than those engaged in the
struggles for cconomized justice."
The policy of repression is a danger-
ous one. the pages of history are red
with warnings against it. and at no
time or place is it more short sighted
and suicidal than in the tWentieth cen~
tury.
0n constitutional rights which have
been acquired by immeasurable sacri—
fices .in lives and money, and the man
who hesitates to rules his voice in de-
fense. of them does not deserve the ben-
efits of a free country. '
The constitutional right to ask our
friends that when purchasing a hat,
they should insist on having one to
which the label of the United Hatters
of North America is attached, must be
upheld and defended.
The constitutional right to persuade
a friend to refuse to purchase one that
does not contain the label must be
maintained at all times.
No man or set of men have the ex-
clusivi- right of our patronage. The
right to bestow our patronage upon our
friends and withdraw the same from
our enemies must remain invloiute.
Judge Rogers. of the United States
down a writtenoop!CETA0lN etaonni
Circuit Court at St. Louis, handed
down it written decision against labor,
which contained the following:
"The company has the absolute right
to dismiss employee because they be-
long to a labor union or for any other
reason. There can be no conspiracy to
do a lawful act: these so-called black
lists may be maintained and given out
for the use of others. Employee have
the right to maintain and circulate it
black list provided the contents be
truthful."
f f. :
1 his is good sense and 800d law . way in which the problem is being
for the employer, it blight naturally
to follow that trades unions anti their
members are entitled to reciprocal
rights.
The. attempt to intimidate us. even
though a legal cloak and by the an-
noyance of suits and attachments, will
not deter us from requesting our mem-
bers and sympathisers to patronize our
friends and to refrain from business
intercourse with our enemies.
l desire to call your attention to the
provisions of Section 126, of the Gene-
ral Statutes.
“Every person who shall threaten.
or use any means to intimidate any
person. to compel such person against
his will, to do or abstain from doing
any act which such person has legal
right to do. or shall penilently fol-
low such person in a disorderly man-
ner, or injure or threaten to injure his
property with intent to intimidate him.
shall be‘ fined not more than one hun-
dred dollars. or imprisonment not more
than six months."
. Any uniform law which would unset-
tle or‘ injure one occupation trade or
business and help another. is an unjust
law. The laws of this state-have been
made presumably with the intention
of being relatively fast. and whenever. ;
the legislature finds any subject of‘leg-
lslation which. on account of the gen.
eral lasso-80 of the-statuteaiatliable
in, or doeatproduoa In injugiioe. it
changes the law in such away as to
remove the injustice. it, is'tiiehiudor.
garten of'the‘ law. that ’ hints
on every subject. should fill the
abstract, and that all lawsw , cold in.
their 18m. spill! ,to all things and
$3“ In "is same was annuals»
muttering man. bytesson‘ of his
conditions indifo. hss‘plscad upon him
a construction of the-boycott statute.
which deprives bins of his rights of
free speech and the freedom ”-00
press through his trade journals.
‘e'l‘ha interpretation'of'ssctlon 1:0. in
BM-va:=0liddcu.‘idecldodg in iAprll.
188?. is‘- ill-adapted to‘the‘condlltons
,’ .
“am
it in
l
i
i
it .
. . r» as. .stsrsis-s
u. . i a w wal of all
, remix -. intercourse“ and
to ow ip‘ if at is its~hleanin . it
will be dihcuit to find in it anyt lug
criminal. if boycott means murder
and violence. and matters of that kind,
it would beclearly illegal.
No fair-minded person can object to
a change in the existing law which is
necessary to place the laboring men
on the same relative footing as to free
speech anti the right to exercise the
some as the other citizens enjoy.
There are .Z.rt .: ..iws against trusts
for injuries to property in restraint of
trade, which can be euforocd‘if the
injury is done, but not until it is done.
Members of syndicates are never"-
rested for threatening to do it. and
they exercise and have the right to ex-
ercise freedom of speech. and of the
press as long as they do not tllreufen
to commit crime. This same privilege
should be accorded to the laborinx
man. i would therefore recommend
that your ln-coming executive board
be instructed ‘to prepare or to have
prepared an amendment to section
1,296, free from any faint of class ieg~
isiation, one which will stand the test
of the courts. and that they will be
further instructed to present to the
convention of 1904 for the considera‘
tion of the delegates. in order that the
same may be introduced in the Gene-
ral Assembly of 1906.
it is a great error to condemn per
se and absolutely, either trades unions
or the collective action of strikers.
1 grant that, a strike is wrong when-
ever it is fooling.and it is foolish when-
ever it attempts to raise wages above
the market rate which is rendered pos-
sible by the demand and supply. But
demand and supply are not physical
agencies which thrust a given amount
of wages into a laborers hand. without
the active participation of his own will
and action. The market rate is not
fixed for him by some self~actlng in-
~nirument, but is the result of bargain-
ing between human beings—of what
Adam Smith calls "the higgling of the
market"; and those who do not big-
gie will still continue to pay even over
a counter, more than the market price
for their purchases. Still more might
poor laborers who have to do with rich
employers, remain long without the
amount of wages which the demand for
their labor would justify, unless. in ver-
nacular phrase they stood out for it.
And how can they stand out for terms
without organised concert? What
chance would any laborer have, who
struck singly for an advance in wages?
How could he ever know whether the
state of the market admitted of a rise,
except by consultation with his fellows,
naturally leading to concerted action?
I do not hesitate to say that associa3
tions of laborers of a nature similar
to trades unions, far from being a bind-
rance ten free market for labor, are the
nmessary inatrumentality of that free
market; the indispensable means of
enabling the sellers of labor to take
due care of competition. There is an
ulterior consideration of much import-
ance to which attention was for the
first time drawn by Professor Fawcett,
in an article in the Weatminlstcr Ro-
' view. Experience has at last enabled
the more intelligent trades to take a
tolerably correct measure of the cir-
cumstances on which the success of a
strike for and advance in wages de-
pends. The workmen are now nearly
as well informed aa‘the master of the
state. of the market for his commodi-
ties; they calculate his gains and ex-
penses; they know when his trade is
or is not prosperous. and only when
it is, are they ever again likely to
strike for higher wages, which wages
their known readiness to strike makes
their employers for the most part will-
ing, in that case, to concede. The ten-
dency therefore of this state ‘of things
is to make a rise of wages in any par-
ticular trade, usually consequent upon
a rise of profits, which. as Mr. Faw-
cctt observes, is at commencement of
the regular participation of the labor-
ers in the profits derived from their
labor. every tendency to which it is so
important to encourage. since to it.
we have chiefly to look for any radical
[improvement in the social and eco-
nomical relations betwcn labor and
capital. Strikes, therefore, and the
trade societies which render strikes
possible. are for these various reasons
not a mischievous, but on the contrary,
a valuable part of the existing machin-
ery ofsociety.
My purpose rather is to show the
solved. and to insist upon it that this
particular way; is not to be resisted.
and objected to, because the abstract
thinkers of the world would prefer
some other method. What is the
method of solution which we find in
process of execution? The working
classes think that they do not receive
their fair share of the proceeds of pro
ductive industry. As individuals they.
ask for more. The demand is refused.
They combine. They call it a "trade
union." As a union they ask for more.
The demand is again refused. They
decline to continue to labor; in other:
words. they strike. Capital ceases to
earn profit, and labor ceases to earn
wages. Capital can feed upon itself
for a time; labor can not The' strike
fails, and labor has made no progress
in what it believes to be its just rights.
Labor takes a lesson from capital. it
saves money from scanty earnings as
a reserve fund to sustain itself while.
in a condition of strike. Then. when
sufficiently strong, it repeats the .ex‘
periment. Sometimes .it is successful
and sometimes it is not. \The reserve
is generally exhausted before success
is achieved, and labor falls back sullen,
defeated, but resolute. The lesson of
association is not lost. The unions in
different trades coinbinc and make
common ground with each other and
when one union goes 'into a
strike. others assist. Thus they be-
come a great power. and capital at
"I” comprehends that profit can no
looser be realised except by thp con-
sent of labor, and labor comprehends
that while it'cau;.depriva capital of
profit, it can do so only through an
amount of personalauflering which
tries.the human heart to the utmost of
its capacity because it addresses Itself
to that love which is the foundation
of the human family. midis a coor-
dinating aismint ofihe constitution of
society. Unto this point the process
has only been attended with evils inst
as the plume of- Mind towards
can.” Mrs-mam.
i
Norwalk Chronicler