The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-07-24

cOss and vote upon this matter, and request
lag them 70 return a record Of their pro- |
ceeding TO the general secretary. supposed
that the discussions that would e1sue would
be earnest In regard 70 the result, am not
10 position 30 inform you. or those that
have ans cred, some have warmly adopted
the suggestion.
On the whole, il has been bc.sficial in pro-
noting discussion, 80 that the wants OF the
trade could be more gen orally understood.
This resolution shall submit to this con-
vention for action.
At our last annual convention, there was
great want acknowledged Of proper sys-
tenn Of correspondence. That wrIt-we en-
deavored to supply by having circulars con-
tanning heads Of business sent from the To-
cal unions to the general secretary, and re-
turned in a cor 'idated form TO the differ
ent lodges, 90 that We might know as far as
possible the statistics Of the Order and other
matters relating TO il.
These invitations have not been responded
to as fully as | think they ought TO have
been. OF the quartely reports proposed,
several has not been sent to our secretary.
Boston has sent us two, instead of four;
New York, but two Pittsburgh, two, Phil
adeIphia, three; Baltimore, two Newark,
two Washington, two; Yonkers, one Port
land, three Chicago. two st. Louis, two
Spring field, ILL.,, not at all /; Buffalo, three
and so on
4 Excepting Detroit, no union has re-
| spond ed four times in year, required by
the law enacted hY US last year in Chicago.
1 Now what do the grumblers expect Of us,
when the laws that we do make are not
enforced BY those who have the poser?
/ lsk 70 hau ha m
nity to fully enforce the Importance Of the
correspondence proposed. Till this syste IN
/ is carried cut, we cannot get what We want,
ACCURATE and full Information, and q
proper understanding throughout the land,
of the rights, the wants, and the operation
Of our organization. The plan prof. posed is
the only way to obtain this. The number
OF members, the admissions, the expuls,ons,
the receipts and expenditures, and numerous
other items, it would be OF general interest
and value to know. THIS do impress upon
Won az being a matter Of the greatest In-
nortance, and | would that every delegate
would endeavor to impress on his particular
union. the necessity tor having cores
ponding secretary who will rigidly fulfil the
I du.ies Of that Office, as asked Tor by the Ma
tonal Convention.
During the past year there have been
stroag efforts made to extend the operation
of the eight-hour system, not IN our parti-
cslar branch Of trade, bat amongst the brick
LAYERS, who endeavored to secure for them
selves that system in New York. The result
has been greatly belittIed by common report,
much deprecated l have generally heard
it rumored that the movement en- led only in
ruin add disaster. | beg leave to differ
from " who think So, for believe that nc
effort can be made IN that direction that
will not sooner or later reap arlch harvest
Of reward for every cent expended and every
hour devoted speak not here Of ourselves
alone, but Of the toiling masses everywhere,
whose interests are inseparably connected
with our own. AS iR 1861, when the build
ers OF London were for nineteen months on
a strike, when some committed suicide to
avoid starvation, and misery and poverty
waited upon the slow progress Of events, tne
FIRST results Of their self sacrificing ef 1rts
appeared in New York, three thousand mile
away. This only proves the correctness 0.
nv position, that the result of such endea-
yors can never be lost Therefore, Task you
to give your sympathies to all branches Of
trade that are operating 10 that direction
II Is one wav in which we can take stand
workingmen.
In the past year, too, tht.e has been Q
Difficulty in the union in Newark, New Jer
sey, in regard to ten men who left work IN q
certain place in accordance with the rules OIL
he UNION. They were indicted by the.grand
,.rv Of the county, arrested and held 10 bail
The Newark union appealed to me to Obtain
aid for them from the unions through
a. Huh
/ sent a circular around, stating the facts
and am happy to say that it was generally
responded t., and generously, too, Thers
was contributed in all, the sum Of $3.50
and no less than s., 900 more was prom sed
in case there should be q necessity for it
TIE sums received were ss follows:
From Philadelphia, $500 Boston, $500
J Portland $45 Chicago, $50; Detroit, $40
Yonkers, sos Washington, $50 Patter
son, $50 and Hoboken S25. Patterson
made claim for return Of their contIlbu
ton, and it sent back to them when il
was aseertAined that none of it was needed
as the sccusers withdrew their charges, anc
the prisoners were discharged.
There has been an accumulation Of $27 81
| for interest on this fund, which has beer
passed TO the credit Of our treasurer. Th,
Newark people asked me to make an allow.
ance from the fund for some Of their com
mittees, which had been occupied on the af
fair, in behalf Of the accused. | had previ
ously informed myself Of all the circum
stances Of the case, and when the EMPLOYERS
after much uncertainty and dilly -dallying
withdrew their charge, it left US with no lega
expenses to pay. No counsel had been en-.
gagged, and consequently we had no occasion
to settle any legal bills dlt not feel it nv
duty to give anything to the committees
referred to, because | held that the fund
was contributed solely for legal purposes
ADD as 10 legal expenses were incurred,
decided 10 refer this and all Other .laims "a
this convention for its action. | was further
importuned to send back 10 the differ snl
unions the sums contributes by each, but
felt il was only right and proper that this
annual convention, whose executive agent
was in the whole matter, should take action
We have a check for $940 in our possession
which is at the disposal Of the convention.
should like to draw your attention to the
repugnance that some unions manifest to-
wards union with this national body.
find that the larger our local unions are, the
more independent they are ia this matter.
cannot regard it 10 any other light than
that Of gross seifshness, and feel con WINGED
that they stand in their own hight. No
association can gain its highest position till
it has united with every other of its kind in
the country, and all are found working toge-
Their on common Ietei, and for one com
mon and benfcent end. This can be done
only through the medium Of body like the
National Union, and think all delegates
gbp hair - h1-
side lodges how important it Is to strengthen
the national central body.
| thank you, gentlemen, for the courtesy
which has been displayed to myself since
was elected to the Office which now hold,
and am sure that you will extend the
same courtesy and consideration to him who
is to be my successor, and in whose favor
shall soon vacate the Office Of President Of
the National Union Of Operative Plasterers
JoRN FORTUNE
The President then appointed the follow