The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-05-07

they all complain Of hard timeA owing
in Fart to the length and severity Of tn
past winter but they m, 10 the mos
cheerful manner, promise themselves |
prosperous edmmer's work, on which
congratulate them and the Aationa
Unipp. While there IL such cheering
prospects to be grateful foE, I cannoI
conceal the fact that some ofour Unions
are lot present passing through crisis
which, though not very harAselng, yet
cauAes q good deal of trogbIe " then
for {he time being but the latest &C
counts inform me that the storm 10 likely
to blow over, and one at leaat Of the
Unions likely to succeed without call
ing for aid from the National Union
There is always some difficulty at the
opeAing Of the spring between the en-
ploSer and the employed as TO the rates
Of Wages for the ensuing summer, and
it requires calm judgment and good
counsel 90 as 70 make masters work
har9ooniously, on the part Of both
bosAes and journeymen. Ihave 10 call
youk attention to one great evil I'm this
CORRECTION, which is,the paying away
Of the funds Of the local Unicn to the
nonfemployed members when there is
no lust cause or necessity for such q
course; for example, when any trouble
is Horeshadowed, no matter how early
in winter, it has heretofore been the
rule to create a strike, pay out the
mOAeys in the fund to the dissatisfied
mesobers by consent Of the President
OF TIE National Union, and on his re-
conamendation get the action Vt such
Union legalized in the next Convcpt;on
This 10 system that has not tie ap-
proFal of the present officers Of the
National Union, and ! hope it win be
discontinued in the local bodies; for
if there is any one thing that strengthens
mote than another, it is full treasury.
1t ehould be the aim of all Unions to
creAte 8 fund in their treasury; by so
doing they are in a body always
respected end feared, and it should be
only in very extreme cases that local
Unions should call on the National
Unl ION for aid. But you will ask for
what purpose was the National Union
organized if not to aid each other in
strikes for the maintenance of our
rights +? / will answer by saying that
is dine of the many purposes for which
weiwere established; bat in all candOr
| bust state here a fact that is well
KIND wn to all of us-that that purpose
has OF late been greatly abused not
Ihst altogether blame the local Unions
so much in the matter as l do those
WHIP, high in authority, did not use
sue b authority judiciOusly, or did not
use it all.
IIwould therefore, brothers, urge on
yOG as members of our organization to
try and strengthen rather than en-
5arfass our cause. Live up strictly to
the laws of the local and national con-
situations. If our laws are not alto
get her perfect in all things, let our
stusly be to make them 80 as to suit all
PARTIES; bat never forget that each
and every one has the same interests
at stake in its maintenance, and the
ssTh he losses to sustain by anything that
would tend to lnjure our organization
ana there is nothing, in my mind, that
teHds to weaken our cause more than
those annual strikes that happen in the
winter months. Therefore call on you
to sustain the officers in carrying out
th4 laws of the National Union accord
ink to the ideas of its trainers. Let us
all consider that we are branches of the
same tree-thSt what is good for one is
good for the whole, and by so doing
w will in a short time become q power
in the land, respected by those who
make our laws, and feared for our firm
cdnduct by the capitalists, who at pre-
sept try to rule as. Since the forma-
ti4n OF the National Union no Presi-
dent has had such discretionary power
vested in him as the present in regard
tq calling for aid in case Of strike. l
REFER to Section of Article IL of the
an ended Constitution, and | am pre-
PSred on all occasions to carry out that
part of our laws according to its true
intent and meaning. again call on
ySu to render every assistance in your
pbwer to strengthen our cause in ev-
ely case try TO help the officers in do
ing their duty; let a fraternal feeling
always guide us through our efforts to
Sustain each other. By SO doing we
shall always gain respect and conf
dence in each other, and at least bring
capital to level with labor. Hoping
tAat you will take these words Of mine
ia the spirit they are intended to con-
vey, and that . bright harvest may
crown your labors, | remain yours liz
the national cause,
JOHN O'KEEFFR.
President National Union of Bricklayers.
CINCINNATI, April 25, 1870.
10 the Editor Of TIE wOEKnsHANs AxHocATE.
/ am authorized by the members Of Brick
layers Union, No. l, of Ohio, to send you
3 list Of names for publication Of expelled
members from the above Union, for nom
payment Of dues and fines:
Charles Biles, Pat. Brannan, e. c. Beal,
3. F. Courtney, Z. B. Cassidy, VIM. Dye,
A. Fl. Edmc7~l, Robert GarwoOd, VIM.
Hilhe, John Harvey, VIM. Hultze, VIM.
Haggerty. VIM. Jaquish. J. M. Jamisou,
Henry HersteDer, Louis Lievere. John
4uscOmb, VIM. H. McCarter, e. ]. Wat
kinsOn, Louis Mel, VIM. Painter, d. s.
Patton, Charles ROsebrOugh. Chris. Rem
bell, Frank Royce, Ben. B. Smith, John
Stall, Robert Sheebey, Charles Sprink,
pOhn Scott, Fritz STOPPED, John Wertsr-
man, II. WeaveriUg, Joseph Watts, Thos.
Fox, John Galbraith, James Sisney.
/ j. BYRON, Cor. Sec.
THE CIGAR MAKERS.
lOMcIal from The PraalAant Il the O. n Il III