going to pass a Weavers' Particulars law, prohibiting the fining of weavers in cotton and woolen mills. Fraternally yours,

CHARLES O. BEALS, President,
Maine State Federation of Labor.

Michigan.

DETROIT, MICH., May 14, 1912. In reply to your communication asking as to our position upon the questions of Commission Form of Government, the Initiative, Referendum, and Recall, would inform you that I have personally advocated and made speeches and worked for the Initiative and Referendum for the past twentyfour years ago. I have written a number of articles upon this subject over ten, twelve, and fifteen years ago.

Our association has always been in favor of this principle of government and at its various conventions it has passed resolutions upon the subject. At its Cleveland convention, in 1893, it passed resolutions favoring the Initiative and Referendum. At its Milwaukee convention in 1894 it did likewise, and has from time to time since then passed resolutions favoring the Initiative, Referendum, and the Recall. Fraternally yours,

WM. D. MAHON, International President,
Amalgamated Association of Street and
Electric Railway Employes of America.

Minnesota.

DULUTH, MINN., May 25, 1912. The Minnesota State Federation of Labor was the first institution of any kind in this State to declare for the Initiative and Referendum. This was done in 1890. In 1905 I had drawn and presented in the Legislature in this State a bill providing for the advisory Initiative and advisory Referendum. In 1907 the attorney for the Minnesota State Federation of Labor prepared for us a bill for a constitutional amendment providing for the Initiative and Referendum. In 1909 we did the same. The only bills on the subject up to this time that had been introduced in the Legislature of the State were introduced at the instigation of the Minnesota State Federation of Labor. In 1911, after we had obtained pledges from the majority of the members of the Legislature to vote for an Initiative and Referendum measure, there were at least six different bills presented. The House of Representatives used our bill as a basis, but it was so emasculated by the enemies of direct legislation that when it passed the House it was unfavorable to both the friends and foes of the Initiative and Referendum. The bill was received in the Senate, but it died in committee there with a large number of other progressive measures.

Only two weeks ago the people of Duluth ratified an amendment to the city charter by a vote of five to one, providing for the Initiative, Referendum, and the Recall. Organized labor in Duluth started the movement and the writer was chosen by common consent as chairman of the campaign committee to present the matter to the voters. The trade unions of Duluth furnished the money and elected their own members as precinct workers to get out the vote. The Minnesota State Federation of Labor, at the last session of the Legislature, endorsed the bill providing for the recall of all elective offices, including the judges.

The State Federation of Labor declared for the Direct Primaries twenty years ago. We were instrumental in having bills on this subject introduced in the Minnesota Legislature several sessions before the law was enacted in this State.

Organized labor has been divided on the question of Commission Form of municipal government. However, in the cities of Mankato and St. Cloud the trade unions there not only endorsed the commission question, but were instrumental in carrying it at the elections. Had the trade unions in those cities been opposed to the commission plan of government, it would not have been adopted in those cities.

Two weeks ago the commission plan was adopted by the people of St. Paul. Organized labor was divided there because of the fact that the proposed plan did not come up to the ideals of the working men. Now, since it has been ratified, the people are not well pleased with their half-baked Commission Form. Fraternally yours,

W. E. MCEWEN, Secretary-Treasurer,

Minnesota State Federation of Labor,

MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., May 19, 1912. Resolutions against the Commission Form of Government have been passed by a large majority by the Trades and Labor Assembly of Minneapolis, particularly condemning the Des Moines, Iowa, plan, because it is creating an oligarchy in government and is not democratic enough. The city clerk has too much power and the percentage necessary to apply the Initiative and Referendum, 25 per cent, we regard too high. The people would hardly ever get petitions enough signed to correct an evil. The city clerk appoints all election judges and counts the ballots. This alone is sufficient to build up such a political machine that it would be hard to get the gang out, once it is in.

Our executive board of the Minnesota State Federation of Labor passed unfavorably on the Des Moines plan.

The only man I know who truly represented Labor in the last Minnesota Legislature in behalf of the Initiative, Referendum, and Recall was Nels Hillman of Two Harbors.

Brothers John D. Chubbuck and George E. Hall are very much interested in the Initiative, Referendum, and Recall, as in fact are nearly all the executive board of the Minnesota State Federation of Labor.

I, myself, of course, have advocated such principles for at least twenty years or more. In Duluth, Mr. McEwen bas been fighting for the Initiative, Referendum, and Recall, and in that city they passed a law May 7, 1912, adopting the Initiative, Referendum, and Recall for use in city government. The only objection seems to be the high percentage necessary to secure on a petition, which makes such a law impracticable, but still, in my own opinion, it is a step ahead. At the last session of the Legislature fifty-one members voted for a progressive Initiative and Referendum bill and sixty-five voted against an honest Initiative and Referendum bill.

The Recall was, through the same notorious team work, defeated in the last Legislature. Fraternally yours,

CHARLES FISCHER, Secretary,
Trades and Labor Assembly.

ARKANSAS.

Paragould.-T. J. Cupp:

All organized trades have obtained contracts with employers. Some of them have the eight-hour day while others work nine hours per day. Work is steady. There is constant demand for the union labels.

CONNECTICUT.

Bristol.-Theodore West:

All branches of the building trades are organized. Employment fairly steady.

DELAWARE.

Wilmington.-Joseph E. Andrews:

Organized labor in good shape and steadily employed. Brewery workers of this city secured increase of $2 per week, without strike, since last report. Stationary firemen organized recently. Have a union of stationary engineers under way.

FLORIDA.

Titusville.-Luther Hitchcock:

Labor conditions good. Union mechanics have the eight-hour day, at $3 per day. Employment is fairly steady. All union men demand the union labels. Hope to get clerks and some others to organize shortly.

GEORGIA.

Macon.-Wm. A. McKenna:

Organized labor in excellent shape. Work is steady. Machinists in one private concern obtained slight wage increase without strike. Union men work under good conditions, and have fair wages and hours, but there is no regulation as to the wages the unorganized workers receive, nor how long hours they work. The city council

passed an ordinance requiring all work for the city, whether by contract or day labor, to be done by union labor. Retail clerks are organizing.

Savannah.-Robt. Fechner:

Organized trades in good shape and steadily employed. Electrical workers organized during the month and we have a woman's union label league under way.

Tallapoosa.-C. H. Doerge:

We have been holding open meetings every two weeks and hope to see good results in organizations. A federal labor union is being organized at this writing. Work is steady. Good demand for the union labels here.

Waycross.-F. A. Morton:

Carmen organized at Waycross. Hope to get the plumbers in line shortly. Union men work the 54hour week, but the unorganized workers work from 60 to 72 hours per week.

ILLINOIS.

Edwardsville.-John T. Wentz:

Labor conditions are improving. Work is steady. In many instances the unorganized workers share the benefits secured through organized effort.

Hillsboro.-Wm. R. Cole:

Condition of organized labor fair. Electrical workers received increase of 11 cents without strike. The city commissioners favor union labor. Terra cotta workers are organizing.

Joliet-Wm. Bell:

The condition of organized labor has gradually improved, and has carried with it comparative improvement for the unorganized workers. Work has been steady. The unions secured settlement of their wage-scale this spring.

Pana.-E. H. Mosher:

Work has been fairly steady. Butcher workers and cement workers organized during the month. Have a union of plumbers ready to organize. Unskilled laborers obtained a 10 per cent increase in wages without strike.

Pekin.-P. Klein:

Sheet metal workers came out for the eight-hour day and secured it without trouble. Plumbers are going to demand the eight-hour day. Work is steady.

East Chicago.-John J. Sullivan:

All industries steadily employed. Teamsters of Hammond secured new agreement with increase of about 25 per cent in wages.

Elkhart.-J. O. Vance:

Organized labor in good shape and steadily employed. Retail clerks are organizing. There is a growing demand for the union labels.

Evansville.-Geo. J. Schwab:

Organized labor is in healthy condition, and all members show loyalty. Buiding trades and brewery industries are steadily employed, but other lines a slack. The condition of organized labor is 20 to 25 per cent better than the unorganized. Carriage and wagon workers are organizing.

Indianapolis.-Frank Duffy:

Organized labor in good shape and steadily employed. In the building industry there is demand for more men. Parquet floor layers organized recently. Butcher workers and colored janitors are organizing.

Logansport.-Dora Smith:

Organized labor continues to prosper and the unions are continually demonstrating the power of united effort and collective bargaining. That organized labor is respected is shown by the fact that the sentiment of organized labor is generally sought on all public questions. Work is plentiful. Woman's Union Label League will conduct a moving picture show at one of the local theaters depicting "child labor," "sweat-shop labor," and other industrial evils.

KANSAS.

Emporia.-J. P. Cowen:

Work is fairly steady. A large contract was recently secured in this city whereby it was agreed to use home labor and material. Have one new union under way.

Kansas City.-Sim A. Bramlette:

Organized labor in good shape, but the unorganized workers work long hours and receive low wages. Hotel employes and horseshoers, of Topeka, and federal union, of Rosedale, were organized during the month. Two cases were decided in favor of labor by the Supreme Court of the State. Laurence.-B. M. Schooley:

Organized workers maintain their wage scales and the eight-hour day. Laborers on city work obtained increase of 25 cents per hour, and men with teams got 50 cents per hour advance.

Pittsfield.-John B. Mickle:

Work is fairly steady at this writing. Molders' helpers are organizing.

Readville.-John J. Gallagher:

There is a difference of from 4 to 7 cents per hour in the wages paid to organized carmen, as against the unorganized carmen in Western Pennsylvania. Work is brisk on the railroads at this time and car shops are demanding more help. Two lodges of carmen were organized recently, one at Butler and the other at Bessemer, Pa.. Machinists' helpers are organizing.

Winchester.-E. A. Goggiu:

There are not enough men to supply the demand for union men here. Every union man employed steadily. Through the efforts of the union men of this city, the barbers, though unorganized, are enjoying the benefits of a half-holiday each week. There is a good deal of agitation and a constant demand for the union labels. Painters, electricians and possibly the laundry workers will organize in the near future.

Albion.-H. C. Kamp:

Organized labor in this city is much better off than unorganized labor. City council recently voted to increase the pay of street laborers. Employment is steady.

Grand Rapids.-Claude A. Taylor:

Conditions seem to be improving in this vicinity. Factory workers in this city look forward to the nine-hour day to take place of the ten hour day, as result of their strike last year. Carpenters and joiners organized a union at Holland, Mich. Musicians of Grand Haven are organizing. A women's label league is being formed and will promote the interests in the union labels.

Kalamazoo.-Ross R. Warner.

Organized trades in fair shape. All working full time, except the papermakers, who are on strike for the eight-hour day, and abolition of Sunday work. They have been working eleven to thirteen hours per day. Union men get from 25 to 40 per cent higher wages than the unorganized and work from two to four hours per day less each day than the non-union worker.

Lansing.-W. D. Borden:

All organized workers steadily employed with the exception of the molders who have been on strike for the nine-hour day, $3 per day minimum wage, and a union shop. The Bement stove shop signed up the second week of the strike, and as a result shows increase in business. Painters organized during the month. Hope to get machinists organized ere long.

Duluth.-S. S. McDonald:

Nearly all organized trades have the eight-hour day, whereas the unorganized workers work nine and ten hours per day. Printers on newspapers obtained $1 per week increase for the first year of their agreement, and the second year, $2 per week increase. Street car men have been granted increase of two cents per hour. Hoisting engineers are organizing.

Minneapolis.-E. G. Hall:

Work is fairly steady in all lines. There is big demand for unskilled labor, owing to the harvest fields drawing from the cities all of the surplus labor. Soda and mineral water bottlers of this city and the hoisting and portable engineers of Duluth organized during the month. Stationary firemen, packing-house employes, and stationary engineers and laundry workers are organizing. Meatcutters and bartenders are increasing their membership.

Red Wing.-John D. Chubbuck and Loui Hallenberger:

The organized labor movement in this State is in good shape. Building trades are in better shape this year than they have ever been at this season of the year. Many new buildings are under construction. Sewer pipe workers are organizing, and teamsters may reorganize shortly. We are pushing the union labels.

MISSOURI.

Joplin.-Charles W. Fear:

Employment is fairly steady for union men, but the condition of unorganized labor is demoralizing. Street workmen and federal labor union are organizing.

Kansas City.-John T. Smith:

Organized labor in pretty good shape. Employment has been steady, and prospects for the fall and winter season are bright. A resolution passed the city council which provides that the purchasing agent of the city patronize union-made goods. Stenographers, bookkeepers, and typists organized a union recently. A federal labor union is being formed.

MONTANA.

Helena.-C. A. Sheldon:

Organized trades are steadily employed. There is not a union man out of work at this writing. Am building up the membership of the federal labor union and the teamsters' organization. The union labels are constantly agitated at all union meetings.

NEBRASKA.

Omaha.-W. A. Chrisman:

Organized labor in good shape and steadily employed. We are creating sentiment and a better demand for the union labels.

NEW HAMPSHIRE.

Berlin.-H. A. Smith:

Organized labor in splendid condition, especially when compared with the condition of unorganized labor. Work is steady. A federal labor union with fifty-four members was recently organized at Grove

ton.

Manchester-John J. Coyne:

Plumbers and steamfitters gained increase in wages without strike. They have been organized only a few months. The condition of organized labor is much superior in every way over the unorganized. Cigarmakers', printers', and shoe workers' unions are especially active in pushing the union labels.

NEW JERSEY.

Morristown.-A. B. Losey:

Organized labor in fair shape, but there is room for improvement. Painters obtained increase in

wages from $3.28 to $3.50 per day, and forty-fourhour week without strike.

Wallington.-Gustave Baur:

According to reports from delegates to the Trades Council, employment is fair in all industries. Textile workers received slight increase in wages through strike.

NEW YORK.

Albany.-Wm. A. McCabe:

Nearly all trades are organized in this city. Work is steady. Conditions of the organized workers are good. All union labels are pushed.

Glens Falls.-Chas. C. Guy:

Organized trades in fairly good shape. Electrical workers received increased wages without strike. Typographical union expects to secure new wagescale with increased wages. Bartenders organized during the month.

Gloversville.-Chauncey Thayer:

All workers steadily employed here. The organized trades are in good shape, but the unorganized workers have no protection whatever. The only non-union bakery in the city was unionized during the month.

Norwich.-W. E. Miner:

Condition of organized labor never better than at the present time. We have a live committee looking after the union labels. Have one new union under way.

Ogdensburg.-E. L. Emmert:

Organized labor is being recognized by the city government as well as the State officials here. Organized labor in good shape. There is a steady demand for skilled and unskilled labor at this time.

Rochester.-Emanuel Kovelski:

Novelty workers, machinists' helpers, and soft drink workers formed unions during the month. The condition of organized labor is decidedly bet-. ter than the condition of the unorganized. Work is steady at this writing. We are making preparations for the annual convention of the American Federation of Labor.

Schenectady.--J. J. Henley:

Organized labor is far in advance of the unorganized workers, as regards improved conditions, better wages and hours. Building trades have been steadily employed, metal trades fair. Ice handlers and helpers and teamsters organized unions during the month. Coal handlers and retail clerks are organizing and boilermakers are reorganizing.