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sV^'fCV, 1 ONLY LABOR PAPER IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA VOL. 20. No. 25. BEST FORjlULUTH Cannot Be Plutocratic Govern ment Where Initiative, Refer endum and Recall Obtain. LAST COUNCIL MEETING EXPOSED "^RO SYSTEM Special Interests, Once of Commission Form, Are Against'' Duluth Plan.'' The Labor World believes that the commission form of city government would be the best thing for Dulutli. We have come to this conclusion after long and studious thought oiv the subject. We admit that we were at first .prejudiced against the proposed plan. We entertained fears of a plutocratic government. We believed in the old ward system, and we thought there was something to the argument that such a system kept a city government close to the people. We Don't Want Office. We are not, nor do we expect to become a candidate for any office un der the new plan, should it be ratified by the voters. We are only interested in the welfare of' the city and the ^Und'er the ward system at last Mon- day evening's session of the common council a long delayed housing ordi nance was passed, but only after it had been slashed to pieces by the rea? estate interests of the city. The saloon ordinance was defeated because of real estate interests saw in it probable loss of considerable high saloon rem money in case the saloon-keeper occupants of certain premises were convicted for the viola tion of the license law. The motorman's license ordinance was defeated at the request and through the subterraneous lobbying of the organized real estate interests of the city. Ward System Indicted. What stronger indictment can the workingmen of Duluth bring against t^lG LABOR GETS READY FOR NEXT CONGRESS American Federation of Labor To Push Its Claims For Labor Legislation. WASHINGTON, Nov. 21.—At the opening of the short session of con gress, which will occur in the early part of December, the American Fed eration of Labor is actively making preparations for the purpose of se curing the passage of several laws in which it is interested. The employer's liability and work men's compensation bill, which passed the Senate at the last session, is un der consideration by the House Judi ciary Committee. While this measure is perhaps far from a perfect bill, yet it is a long step in advance and rec ognizes the principle that the em ployer must assume in certain cases, the liability for the safety of, work men employed, and also recognizes further the humanitarian principle that when a workman is injured he is entitled to consideration, in that he should not be forced to assume all the risk to which industry is liable. Numerous other measures which have passed the House are now be fore Senate committees, and strong ef forts will be made to secure the pass age of these bills, notably the injunc tion limitation bill and the Depart ment of Labor bill. W r"r"TH? .y 1ftsl n,£l c°-' I day's meeting? Surely the members these being a United States senator, of a commission, elected at large, and William Hughes of New Jersey, hav owing their positions to all the peo ple, could not do worse. Over in Superior the commission passed the motormen's license ordinance after but one day's deliberation. No person need have any fears of following in the House of Represen' a plutocratic government in any city tatives: where the initiative, referendum and Continued on Page 6. NAVY YARD EMPLOYES AWAIT WAGE ADJUSTMENT WASHINGTON, Nov. 21.—A com mission composed of officers of the navy yards and Navy Department have had under consideration the wage 'question affecting the employes of the naval arm of the government. The employes were representd by of ficials of their various unions and a presentation of the reasons why an in crease should be granted were placed before the wage board. Up to this time no decision has been rendered, although the presen tations were made during the som -ner. Considerable unrest is now be ing manifested among these em ployes by the delay in the adjust ment of the wage scale. It is understood that the report of the commission is in the hands of the secretary of the navy, but, as stated, no."Conclusion has as yet been made. rpTTTT* Illili MAN WHO PUT UNCLE JOE IN SCRAP HEAP I V- 'M But we have changed our mind of Speaker Cannon for congress. It was late, and we thank God we have a organized labor that started the fight mind to change. Study and analysis on Uncle Joe, and its members take have brought us to the honest con- pride in the fact that the former viction that whatever of evil there speaker has been retired to private is in our city life it is traceable to hfe. the ward system of representative city government. FRANK T. O'HAIR. Frank T. O'Hair of Harris, 111., is receiving much prominence on ac count of his victory over former UNION LABOR MAKES L"bor Gr0UP Augmented With One Senator and New House Members. Unofficial reports are to the effect that the labor group in congress has been augmented by two additional members. Unfortunately two of the labor group were defeated in the recent contest—W. B. Wilson and Victor Berger. It is given out at Washing ton that if the Senate passes the bill providing for a secretary of labor which will provide for a new cabinet officer, the appointment will be ten dered to Mr. Wilson. In the 62nd congress the labor group consisted of 15 members, while present ward system than the the 6 3rd-congress the labor group celluloid collars hecause of the fact action of the aldermen at last Mon-I will ing been successful in the primary campaign, and the legislature being in control of the party to which the aspirant belongs. The labor group will consist of the Isaac R. Sherwood, Ohio John R. Farr, Pa. Edward Keating, Colo., and Albert Johnson, Washington, who are members of the Typographical union James McDermott, 111. W. J. Cary, Wisconsin Charles B. Smith, N. Y., members of the Telegraphers' union Frank Buchanan, Illinois, of the Iron Workers' union David J. Lewis, Md., of the Coal Miners' union James P. Maher, N. Y., of the Hatters' union Robert E. Lee, Pa., of the Black smiths' union E. E. Roberts, Nevada, of the Metal Miners' union John I. Nolan, Cala., of the Iron Molders' union John A. Key, Ohio, of the Stenographers' union John J. Cu»3ey, Pa., of the Plumbers' union, and IG. T. Helvering, Kansas, of the Street Carmen's union. OLD AGE PENSIONS FOR DUPLOYES Sick and Death Benefit Fund To Be Created By Great Wire Trust. The Bell telephone system will make available a fund of nearly $10, 000,000 for pensions, sick benefits and life insurance for its 175,000 em ployes, beginning on January 1 of the coming year. The fund will be added to from year to yea.r by appropriations from the American Telephone and Tele graph company, the associated com panies, the Western Union Telegraph company and the Western Electric company. The insurance and benefits will be provided without cost to the employes, the only requirement being faithful service. Pension will be given to those male employes who have reached the age of 60 years and who have been in the service of the company 20 years or more. Any employe who has been in the service of the company for a period of 35 years may retire with a pension no matter what the age. In case of accident occuring in and due to the performance of work for the company, the employe will receive full pay for 13 weeks and half pay for the remainder of the disability up to six years. Employes who become sick from any cause after ten years or more of service, will receive full pay for 13 weeks and half pay for 39 weeks. In case of death resulting in and due to performing work for the com pany, insurance amounting to three years' pay, will be given to the rela tives of the deceased. The maximum, however, is $5,000| TO PUT STREET RAIL' People of Superior to Get 4-Cent Fare—Duluth Continues at 5 Cents. COMPANY'S FINANCIAL STATEMENT STARTLING Excessive Capitalization and High Bonded Indebtedness Means of Robbing People. The people of Superior are to en joy the blessings of six street railway rides for a quarter. The company promises to appeal from the decision of the state rate commission of Wis consin, but in the meantime it will •be obliged to sell six tickets for a quarter. One of the tickets is to be of a different color than the other five, and will be made' redeemable by the street railway company if the court upholds the decision of the, commission. However, while the people of Su perior are getting a 4-cent car ride we are still paying a straight 5-cent fare in Duluth. The common council has taken the first step toward as certaining the monopoly right of the Duluth Street Railway company to oc cupy the streets of the city. The sum of $15,000 has been appropriated to engage counsel to test the validity of the Duluth franchise in the courts. Duluth in Bad Shape. In the meantime the street railway company will continue to charge the passengers on its lines 25 per cent more for a ride in Duluth than will be paid in Superior. And this in spite of the fact that the financial statement of the company shows it to be one of the best paying propo siions in the country. According to the "Financial World" the Duluth-Superior Traction com pany is a bonanza. Its capital stock amounts to $3,500,000 of authorized and outstanding common stock, and $1,500,000 of authorized and out standing preferred stock which draws a cumulative dividend of 4 per cent. Continued on Page 4, Column 6. STREET CAR COMPANY BARS "CAMPHOR COLLARS" BRISTOL,- Pa., Nov. 21.—Conduc tors on the local street railway sys tem have been forbidden to wear consist of 17 members, one of that several conductors have been burned by the blowing out of fused on the back platforms. Under the Sherman anti-trust law this public service corporation is li able to be charged with "forming a conspiracy to boycott the business ot the manufacturers of celluloid col lars," and it might be incidently noted that this sort of haberdashery does not bear the union label. WOMEN MAY ENTER DIIILM TRADES Master Builder's Association Opens School To Train Women for Building. WASHINGTON, Nov. 21.—The first general advent in this country of women in industries formerly consid ered the economic province of men only occurred when women were em ployed as coremakers in Massachu setts in a pump manufacturing estab lishment. That it is the purpose of employers to crowd women into all industries is indisputable. In line with the above statement, the following is an item which was clipped from an Eastern publication, and is indicative of the condition of affairs which the workmen of this country will be compelled to face in the future: "It won't be long before the sight of a woman specialist in steel con struction directing the work from the dizzy height of several hundred feet will be an ordinary one, while the woman builder with her. cohorts of feminine bricklayers, plasterers, car penters, and steam fitters, will have lost its novelty in the eyes of the pub lic, for a new trade school for women, named in honor of Fire Commissioner Johnsonfi at Winfield, Long Island, is almost an accomplished fact. "The school is expected to open the last of this month with a splendid en rollment of 135 pupils. Ninety was the original limit of the school's ca pacity, but so many applications have come to the Master Bnilders' associa tion, which is backing the sceme, that it has been decided to add two more stories to the original plan in order to accommodate 250. Otherwise the school would have been opened Oc tober 15, CIVIL SERVICE LISTS GIVEN NEXT MONTH WASHINGTON, Nov. 21.—Two civil-service examinations are to be held in -this city in December. The first will be to secure eligibles for ap pointment as teacher of metal work and mechanical drawing to fill a vacancy at the Haskell Indian School in Kansas, at $720 and quarters. The other examinations will be for aids in the Bureau of Standards, Depart ment of Commerce and Labor, at salaries ranging from $600 to ,1720 a year. a® $,.jy ,» 't**3 I x*Z FOE SOCIAL JUSTICE, ECONOMIC REFORM AND POLITICAL PROGRESS. DULUTH AND SUPERIOR, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1912. GRAND OLD MAN TO I SUCCEED HIMSELF SAMUEL SOMPERS. Samuel Gomperfii ,,vpresident of the American Federation of Labor, will be re-elected for tile 32nd time at Saturday's session in Rochester. While there has been wide division of thought over the|policies that Mr. Gompers represents in the trade union movement, sjill agree that he is the logical man tG head the Ameri can trade unionf movement. Mr. Gompers has devoted his entire life to building up the laphor movement. He has been characterized as the "Grand Old Man," and no' -doubt understands the philosophy of-the movement bet ter than any living1,person in America. Two 2?romin6nt Progressives Men tioned For Leaders of Min nesota I^islature. Ernest Lundeen jof Minneapolis, a •$ progressive member, of the legisla ture, is being boomed for speaker of the House. Mr. Lundeen was the author of several labor bills at the last session of the legislature among which were the $7 by a wrongful act eight-hour bill. ways been a true* friend of labor 1 0 bill for death ftd the woman's Lundee'n has al and consistent lation, inncapolis, an is also being ipeateership. Mr. progressive, and W. I. Nolan, of other progressive, groomed for the Nolan is a.n old-ti during all of his-career' nrthe legis lature has maintained, a consistent position in favor of progressive legis lation. It is to be hoped that Lundeen and Nolan will pool their -interests against their common enemies. A division will mean the election of a reaction ary, and the organization of the house will be again turned over to the. spe cial interests. COMMISSION GOVERNMENT IN SUPERIOR AND DULUTH Superior has the commission form of government. Duluth lias the old ward system. In Supe rior the commissioners, after less than 24 hours' deliberation, passed an ordinance licensing motormen and requiring the Street Railway company to em ploy only competent, sober and prudent men to operate the street cars. In Duluth a similar ordinance was introduced and was held up by the aldermen for almost two months. The final vote on this ordinance was taken last Mon day night, and it failed of pas sage. Mr. Workingman, how do you like it? As a matter of fact is not the present boss-ridden ald ermanic system more plutocratic and less responsive to the popu lar Will than would be the com mission form of government for tified by the initiiative, the refer endum and the recall? GOVERNMENT BEATS PRIVATEJHIPVARDS New York Navy Yard Outworks All Private Firms—Makes Rapid Progress. WASHINGTON, Nov. 21.—The tra dition regarding the slowness of navy yard work has been smashed by the New York Navy Yard in the construc tion of the big battleship New York. The progress report just issued shows that the work on that vessel has been advancving almost twice as fast as on similar ships in the hands of private shipbuilding concerns. No vember 1, the New York stood (2.5 advanced toward completion, which was a gain of more than 5 per cent for the month of October. The construction of the three other dreadnaughts, Texas, Nevada and Ok lahoma, advanced during the same period about 2 per cent. The construction of the ten destroy ers, now under way, dragged during October, about four points being the highest record in the case of any of them. The same statement .applies to the fourteenth submarines now building. Few Changes If Any On Execu tive Council—Hot Fight For Next Convention, BRITISH DELEGATES ADDRESS CONVENTION Many Important Resolutions Dis posed of By A. F. of L. John Mitchell Favored. ROCHESTER, N. Y., Nov. 21.—The American Federation of Labor will wind up its business in Saturday. The election of officers has been set for Saturday morning. President Gom pers will be reelected without opposi tion. There will be one or two changes on the Executive Council. Frank Morrison will succeed himself, as secretary. John Lennon of the Hatters' Union, who has been trea surer for 25 years, has some opposi tion. The delegates from Michigan have started a fight against Mr. Len non because of his activity in the Anti-Saloon movement. It is believed, however, that they will muster suffi cient strength to defeat him. Seattle, Washington, Milwaukee and Richmond are candidates for the next convention. Seattle is said to have the best chance. The Socialist wing of the labor movement is putting up its usual fight against Mr. Gompers and his policy. Efforts are being made to commit the Federation to a general policy of industrial unionism. Fraternal Delegates. The speeches of the fraternal dele gates from Great Britain early in the week were most interesting. The delegates dwelt at length on the new industrial insurance law in Great Britain. The new law provides for payment for sickness, accidents, old age and death. They also devoted considerable time to the work of the movement for peace. As one of the delegates put it: "We stand for the total abolition of war. We say war as conducted to day is simply an adjunct to profit. Continued on Page 3. LANSING IRON MOJ.DERS ARE DETERMINED TO WIN LANSING, Mich., NOV. 21.—The struggle of the Iron Molders in this city for shorter hours and an in creased scale of "wages -is still going on and has been since May 15.^ After five months the r^riks of the strikers remain unbroken and a^ though ten of the strikers have been sent to prison for contempt of court for the alleged violation of an in junction, yet this has failed to break the spirit of the strikers. The iron molders' union will con tinue this contest until justice can be secured. ITALY STILL LEADS ON IMMIGRANT LIST In September 21,133 Southern Italians Landed In America. Polish Are Next. WASHINGTON. Nov. 21.—The Bu reau of Immigration and Naturaliza tion, Department of Commerce and Labor, has just issued its September Immigration Bulletin. As was the case in many preced ing months, the influx of Southern Italians continues to head the list, and it is a matter of some conjecture as to how much time it will require to depopulate the southern -portion of Italy at the present rate of immi gration. During the month of September 21,133 Southern Italians landed on pur shores. Next in point of numbers came the Polish, with 11,895 Hebrew, 9,678 German, 7,504 Greek, 6,638 English, 5,401 Irish, 4,336 Crotian and Slavonian, 3,460, the balance be ing scattered between thirty-two na tionalities. The total immigration for the month amounted to 105,611. Dur ing the same month 23,728 emigrant aliens left this country. Out of the number of immigrants for September 22,299 were farm la borers, 19,812 unskilled laborers, 14, 610 servants. In the skilled trades there were admitted 2,151 tailors, 1,367 clerks and accountants, 1,018 carpenters, 1,008 shoemakers, the balance of the skilled trades being scattered among all known trades. The states which received the larg est portion, of this immigration are New York, 31,062 Pennsylvania, 16 034 Massachusetts, 9,786 Illinois, 9,153 New Jersey, 5,229 Michigan, 4,200 the balance being scattered throughout the various states of the union. PIANO WORKERS STRIKE FOR EIGHT-HOUR DAY BOSTON, Nov. 21.—The piano work era of this city and vicinity went on strike- recent|y for an eight-hour day without reduction in pay and the abolition of piece work. Agents from the New York Piano manufacturers, whose employes are now on strike, are endeavoring to ijidiice the strlk. ers in this city to go to New York to help break the strike in that city, offering a three years' contract at $18 per week. WKWEMTfcSl $1.<p></p>WORLDt^^^'"" SOCIALIST MAYOR IS RELEASED ON BAIL MAYOR, LUNX. Mayor Lunn, Socialist chief execu-t tive of Schenectady, N. Y., who was found guilty of "obstructing" side walks while delivering a. soap-box speech in Little Falls, has appealed to the higher court. He has been re leased on bail. His case is exciting countrywide interest. O'CONNEIi ELECTED METALJRADES HEAD Former President of Machinists Makes Good Label Depart ment Prospering. ROCHESTER, N. Y., Nov. 21.—The convention of the Metal Trades De partment opened in this city on Monday and concluded its work to day. The deliberations of the conven tion were largely devoted to formu lating plans whereby the metal trades in various portions of the country may be Increased by the organization of the unorganized, and also'the PTION: per secution of a campaign to secure the eight-hour work day wherever it is possible to secure, the same. The Los Angeles situation was thor oughly di^ussed, and special efforts are' to belTtnade to secure increased membership and effectiveness on the entire Pacific Coast. James O'Connell was re-elected president Joseph Val entine, first vice" president" James W. Kline, second vice president Joseph F. Franklin, third vice president T. D. Daly, fourth vice president John R. Alphine, fifth vice president M. O'Sullivan, sixth vice president A. J. Berres, secretary-treasurer. The offices of fifth and sixth vic.e presidents were created at this con vention. The Union Label Trades Depart ment also convened in annual ses sion on Monday and concluded its work Wednesday evening. Action was taken to. press fbrward the work of- education in the patron izing of the union labels and also for the purpose of securing the affiliation of unaffiliated label trades! John F. Tobin was re-elected pres ident J. W. Hayes, first vice presi dent Jacob Fischer, second vice pres ident Thomas H. Reickert, third vice president A. McAndrew, fourth "vice president Mathew Woll, fifth vice president Thomas F. Tracy, secre tary-treasurer. ONION LABOR HEADS Governor and Several Officers Are Members Organized Labor. State of Colorado has probably elected more members of organized labor to Office than any other state in the union. The governor, lieutenant governor, secre tary of state, state auditor, and su perintendent of public instruction are all members of organized labor. Colorado sends a member of the printers' union to Congress. The state senate consists of 10 union men, while the house of representatives will have 12 members of organized labor on the floor. Through the initiative and referen dum Colorado adopted at the recent election the woman's eight-hour law and also the Miners' eight-hour law, defeating a fake measure that the mine operators had placed on the ballot, by petition. A measure was also carried dealing with constructive contempt, so that a judge cannot im pose punishment for contemptive court except it be committed in the court room, and charges of construc tive contempt must be tried by jury. Colorado has taken the lead in other legislation affecting the judici ary. A procedure law was adopted by the referendum, permitting no other legal tribunal save the Supreme Court, the authority to declare laws passed by the state legislature uncon stitutional, and even decisions by the Supreme Court on the constitution ality of a law can be sent to the refer endum, so that the people in this manner can. reverse even a SUpreme Court'decision. IN ADVANCE GILLETTE FIGHTS Li Makes Cowardly Attack on Of fleers of Minnesota State Federation of Labor. AVOIDS ARGUMENT RESORTS TO ABUSE Attempts to Lead Members of the Legislature to Believe Organ- ,• ized Labor Has Blacklist. The Minnesota Employer's associa tion, with George M. Gillette as its president, has been circularizing the state for the purpose of belittling and discrediting the efforts of organized labor to secure from the legislature of Minnesota fair legislation in the in terests of the working classes. •tfi's TWO CENTS, iq Early in September and pursuant" to instructions given by the Brainerd convention of the Minnesota State Federation of Labor, every candidate for the legislature was asked how he ,v stood on certain bills to be introduced in the legislature in which labor was interested. These bills covered such subject matter as the initiative, referendum and recall, a workingmen's compen sation, a minimum wage for women and children, eight-hour day for WQ- men workers, state insurance for tho victims of ^industrial accidents, pro tec tion for labor in the payment of wages, state aid in the crusade against tuberculosis, a more efficient system of boiler inspection, limiting the pow er of courts in declaring certain laws unconstitutional, extending the eight hour law to the inmates of state penal institutions, and favoring home manufactures in supplying goods and material for the state. Labor's Pair Position. The only question above mentioned to which the group of employers represented by Mr. Gillette would be justified in taking exception is that providing for working men's compensation. In this matter organized labor tried to be fair. In the question submitted to the candi dates for the legislature it says: "If elected, will you vote for a working men's compensation act that will be fair to the state, to employers and em ployes, and particularly will you sup port and vote for the bill that meet with the approval of the' work"-tWAwill ingmen of Minnesota generally?" Added to this question was the'fol-'5^ lowing notation: "There will undoubtedly be several measures on this subject presented to' the legislature. Committees of 'the Minnesota Employers' association, the state senate, the Minnesota State Bar. association and this federation are working independently on working men's compensation bills. We do not ask for your support at this time of* any specific measure, but we do re spectfully request that yon agree to Continued on Page 8. CHARGES ADMITTED BY SUPREME. COURT Frank Morrison, Secretary of A F. Of L., Pleased With New Equity Rules. WASHINGTON, Nov. 21.—When the United States Supreme Court is sued its recent code of rules as a guidance for the equity courts under, the jurisdiction of the United States, Secretary Morrison gave out the fol lowing to the public press: "I am pleased with the published statement in regard to the rule of in-^ junctions issued by the supreme court of the United States? The fact that the supreme court, on its own motion, has formulated a rule elimin ating some very objectionable feat ures in the issuance of injunctions, against which labor organizations have been protesting, should make it patent to the minds of the public that the supreme court recognized them as abuses, and for that reason has is sued a rule which will prevent these abuses in the future. ''The contention of labor organiza tions is that the injunctions issued were without authority of the law. The action of the supreme court is proof positive that the contention of the labor organizations is well, founded. 4 "It is a step in advance and will do much to assist in securing the pass age of the Clayton anti-injunction bill,: which passed the House and is now awaiting action by the Senate." DRAG ARBITRATION IN RAILWAY DISPUTE ATLANTA, Ga., Nov. 21.—Fred A. Burgess of the Brotherhood of Loco motive Engineers, and C. A. Wicker sham, president of the Atlanta and West Point railroad, arbitrators in the Georgia railway strike, have failed to reach an agreement on the choice of the third member of the arbitra tion board. Judge Knapp, of the court, and Charles P. Neill, commis sioner of labor, have been requested to name the third man. The dis agreement. between Mr: .Burgess and Mr. Wickersham came after the time allowed in the Eirdman act had been extended, and the agreement to end the' Strtke^wa8 reached about two. weeks ago ...-J5S commerce: