The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-07-16
SYRAcusE. June %. 1870.

OfkACUSFN June ~, lotO
Fred Blend, president Cigar mskcrs' Iuterns
tional union:
SIR, Alta regular meeting Of Syracuse 9
garmakes' union No. 6, il was resolved unaR
mously to request you TO take the proper step
2 TO call special session Of the International az
ion. We feel that it is important that we shout
have such a meeting. First. To eDdeaxQr .
have congress repeal the odious bond cldle il
the Internal Revenue laws. As the matter n0'
stands, cigarmakers are compelled to WORK =
CAPITALISTS. The cigar business y almost e. tlr'
y in he hands Of capitalists, md when tu'l
ress il dun aud the capitalists discharges his n
the result is hat they must wo-k at sonse othc
BUSH eis The dullness Of business preveDtia.
him from doing work. he must remain Idle, 70
congress saws he cannO. make cigars aId sci
them himself unless be G vcs bonds, take out :
license &c. at a cost of S25 or $40, which h,
is unable to do, for he only desires 10 work "a.
the term g"es) for hiWsclf, until such time AZ
t C .patalist gets ready 20 employ him sgaiD
We can do away vi h that law il We only Try
The woIkingmcn Of the whole country will helv
as, by signing a petition to congress-, and, as an
election Cor members Of congress takes place
this fall, they can help US in a substantial man
ner by voting against every candidate who viii
not pledge himselfto use his inhuent to do away
with the bond clause Of the Internal Revenue
law, or so arrange ~ mat ~ Will not apply Ia
jour ueyIDqn cigar makers. W.T.
Second, Unions are Payiag out large sums oil
money to sustain strikes and keep men walking
about the streets that could he al work, If VIC
only apply our funds To the maIutaiDsnce Of
cooperative shops The strikes in our
trade cost us probably $50, 900, which would
start, with every prospect Of success, two or
three cooperative shops Some action should
ia aLor, IN he oa.hi
ately. The strikes this fall and winter will be
numerous, aud we must prepare Tor a terrible
contest with the employers.
Third, The present aspect Of the coOlie qucs
tiOn calls for the prompt action Of the trade, and
we. mus IN order to save ourselves, be pre-
pared to co operate WIN other labor organize
tiOns TO prevent their importation.
Four y, The money now due The IntcrnatIon-
al union, by local unions, could be speedily col
ected; more 50 than il il Vas permitted to FuH
on one year more. W. n
We believe that the best interest Of the tEade
demands that we should hold a sp' cial session
Of the international union, and hope YOU will
call such as soon as possible.
Yours, &c,
by order OF {. N. U, Nos.
john j. JUNIo. Cor. Sec.
The situation of our craft is such. at present,
that il necessarily demands a special session,
There is no time in the history Of our trade
when il was more necessary to have the wise
cUuDse's OF our ablest men IN the trade TO con
suit together and devise honorable measures to
prevent our many enemies from depriviAg W.,
and those dependent GA us, from All honorable
livelihood. IL is not alone that We have Odious
laws passed BY our national congress- to govern
our trade; laws that prevent poor mechanic
from manufacturing his own goods and bringing
them into market, thereby reaPiDG the profits OF
his own productions. Every cNertion should be
made that the men who have been sent TO guard
the interests aud welfare, anil to legislate (uOt
alone for the rich), be made 60 understand that
all laws are odious that make distinction be-
tween the rich and The poor. And, think by
united action and bold front We could induce
our national congress 10 repeal the odiOus bond
clause of the Internal Revenue laws
The eOOlie question should certainly dcscrve
some attention. Already WC are threatened with
an importation OF herd cf that stock in our
trade by muDiciplcd capitalists, IN various parts
Of the country. Labo1ns men must unite and
demand laws 70 prevent the impOI tatior of this
seryiie and degraded lace, and il is necessary
10 take immediate action aud to use evesv cx-
crtiOn to prevent repetition Of an importation
similar TO the North Adams degraded herd. I'll
garmakcrs, do not remain idle OF this question
until IL Is TOO late. Let Nour voices bc hcaru AZ
once and all will be well.
Our financial coalition also demands some
We have Just passed through
two very important strikes. The first (stIike Of
union No. A. Of Cincinnati, OhiO,) victory vas
gained after a hard struggle Of eighteen weeks,
as will be seen by letter from the correspond I!
ing secretary Of union No. 4, TO me, in which he
demands on the part Of u.ivu No. I, settle |
ment with the International union. Ii will alsO
be seen Ivy that letter that previously wrote 10
Mr.. HUuhduser Of the dissatisfaction existing
among our craft account Of a voluntary re-
duction Of their scale Of prices after the victory
was gained Many persons raising objections
to the payment Of the arrearagcs due them,
some decisive action must be taken on the
question, and have no reports from the strikers
Of unions Is, "a, 90 aud 81, since the one pub
lished juno 18th, 1870, unless those taken from
the daily papers, in which defeat is claimed to
our luse.
Many unions are in sTreaTs with their special
assessment, levied for strikes. Those that are
clear on the books demand from those that are
in arrears a complete settlement Some dissa-
tisfaction exists through that, which could be
rightcd by special session Ct the International
union, and a great amount OF other very impOr |
tant business could tie transacted At a special !
session, such as making PROVISIONS Tor future
strikes, &c. | have laid the above statements
before local unions for their consideration, and
for them 10 take immediate action thereon.
Let each local union upon the receipt OF this
call a meeting to take into considcra-
ton the question Of special session Of the In
ternational union, and Immediately notify me of
the result Of their action.
hope that there will be no delay in this mat
ter, aud that you will all send me your answers
Of yes or no Immediately. Corresponding sec
rctsrics, lock 20 YOU u bring this before your
respective unions Immediately.
Yours frater'ally.
FRED BLEND, lit. Pres
Onicia fen Local Un,oas $rde'e punIished IN the
WoAKNssASs ApvncATul
LOUISVILLE, July : 1870.
To the Officers and Members Of Cigarmakers'
Union:
A man by the name of J Authcrs has applied
FOR membership in this union. Any union hsv-
ing charges against him will please inform this
UNION in one month from dat.
The following named persons have bOrTOMcd
money from this union, and failed to pay the
same within a reasonable length Of time
II Peters, IS; w Stelzcr, 81; II I.ougyear,
3; II Handsome, s.: A Blust, So; Il Huber,
s.; r. j Powers, 81; + Gebhard, ga; A Berg,
So; Chas Bauman, IS W Boiling, s.. We re
quest unions where these persons may be found
to strictly enforce the law relative to borrowed
money. Yours frdtcrual'y,
CHARLES Ycsr,
Cor. SEC Union No. 80.
PrrrsEUsGH, July IL, lS70.-A cigarmaker
hy the name Of Harrison Better wishes TO be
come A member OF thus union. ANY union hav
itr charges against him will please notify US