| Show labor union and politics denver may 27 one hundred and six ty five delegates were in attendance today at tho convention of the western federation of miners the preliminary work was disposed of at the morning sea sion and athla afternoon president edward boyco delivered his address in which he strongly advocated the part ici pation ot the labor unions in politics the convention this afternoon heard the reading of the annual reports of the president and secretary the report of president mcdonald was re received with hearty applause president mcdonaad McDo urged eacle union to impress upon the laboring men that labor owns itself that the present system a few in silks and the many in raga that manhood will decay reason wither and liberty die under such a system mr mcdonald recommends the establishment of a magazine and a labor press to disseminate the literature of tho union and he is desirous that the organization present a united front in favor of the initiative and referendum ito Is especially emphatic in his recommendations ions to laboring men that they guard themselves against an inundation of cheap oriental labor he urged tho organization to combat trusts with every honorable means the moral influence of the union is asked to favor the irrigation of the arid lands and tho enactment of eight hour laws in the several states the report of secretary clarence smith after reciting that the western labor union has doubled its membership during the last year stated that the total yearly receipts for the fiscal year arc double the receipts of last year and that ot this bum was expended for organization of other unions our cash receipts the report goes on from per capita tax alone during the last year were greater than during tho entire previous existence of one organization a period of more than three years A year ago there were affiliated with the western labor union ninety four local unions two district unions one state organization and one international organization since then charters leavo been issued for local unions three district unions and ono international union there are now local unions bivs district unions one state organization and two international unions there having been a lapse of twenty three locals the report recited that a largo number of applications for charters have been received from independent labor organizations in the east and says the complaint is constantly being made that with ita established policy of inaction and non progression the american federation of labor is impotent to lead the workingmen of the country out of alie iniquitous system of wage slavery cleveland may 27 when seen today relative to a proposed meeting of the civic federation in chicago aa stated in a newspaper dispatch from the latter city senator hanna said he knew nothing of the matter lie declined to say whether or not he had any further connection with the efforts to secure a settlement of the anthracite coal strike |
