The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-01-22


your executive for q charter from the na
tlonal union, but we must not be surprised
If they should ask to be admitted to the pro
tecting folds Of fellowship with the rest o
the craft. There are no provisions in th
constitution which empowers or forbids YOU
executive to grant charter to such socie
ties Of colored bricklayers, and as it is
question OF too great importance to admit 0
any discretionary power on the part Of you
executive, | earnestly recommend that thi
issue % fairly met and decided. A few O
those have converscd with on this subiec
seem to be Of the opinion that the delegate.
are incompetent to decide upon the admis
SION or rejection Of colored bricklayers tC
membership. unless specially instructed by
their respective unions. IL the delegate:
present should arrive at, and endorse thi.
conclusion, then | would recommend that
action be taken BY the Convention to bring
the subject before the local unions constitut
ing this national union, for their nsidera.
tons.
Their Is another question to which I would
call your especial attention. Il il well
known BY m.hy, il not MI of you, that there
are constantly arriving in this country mem.
oers OF our craft from the old country :
many Of these men, when they arrive, have
no means Of support. They have cards
from the unions Of which they were mem
bers in their native land, yet, they are com
Pelled to pay the initiation fee of the union
INTO whose jurisdiction they may 90. 1t is
true many Of the unions permit them to
work, and grant them sufficient time to nav
the required fec, but in many localities tue
initiation fee is quite large, and they, feel
ing feeling somewhat reluctant to paw the
required sum, remains from our union. nc
cePt employment for such wages as they
may be able to obtain, and thus iniure the
interests and influence Of our organization.
would suggest that some action be taken
BY this convention whereby frsternal in
terchange Of cards may be secured between
the unions Of our craft in this and the old
country, so that upon their arrival in this,
the home OF their adoption, they may imme-
diately become connected with our organi-
Zation.
| will call your attention to the fact that
some Of the unions grant permission to their
members to work in the jurisdiction Of
sister union, for such consideration az thew.
the parties holding such permissions, NAV
deem proper. This, in my opinion, is wrong,
and the National Union should adopt law
strictly prohibiting such permission being
granted BY any Of the subordinate unions.
ABSENT UNIoNs
l. regret that | am obliged to call your
attention to the absence of several of our To-
cal unions, which have heretofore acted a
prominent part in the proceedings and 1eIib-
eratlons of the annual session Of this union.
The cause Of these unions not being repre-
sented may be best explained By the follow
ing extract from letter written by Brother
Garvln, corresponding secretary Of Union
No. 8, Of Mass. He says: ''The greatest
complaint we have here is the expense Of
maintaining the National Union Our treas
urer states that we have paid into the ma
tional union about 1000 in less than three
years, and adds, 1t is not at all likely that
Union No. 8, will be represented at the Chi
cago Convention, and that it is more than
probable that, in the spring, we shall re or
ganize as an independent union, unless the
expenses Of supporting the national union il
materially reduced" Most of the dele
gates, l believe, have come prepared to con-
sIder the question Of reducing the dues and
expenses Of this body, and, as there may be
various propositions presented to accomplish
this { | shall only recommend that some
plan h. adopted by which the dues and ex-
penses shall be SO fixed that all local unions
may be represented in the sessions of this
body.
ADJOURNMENT.
In adjourning the sessions of the National
Union, | would advise you to select such
places and localities ss are weak and need
stimulating. There is no good reason whv
the national union should adjourn to meet
where unions are popular. Too much con-
sideratlon cannot be given to this subject,
as tue permanent success and progress of
our principles and influence depends very
much upon proper legislation in this particu-
lar.
LABOR NEWSPAPERS
| should fail to perform my duty did
not call your attention to, and recommend
you to subscribe for and sustain one Of the
labor papers that are wholly or partially de-
voted to the Interests of the workingmen. |
am not fully ccnversant with all the papers
that are published throughout the country
in the interests of labor, but | would men
ton the WoRKINGMAN' ADVOCATE, of Chi
cago, an able and earnest journal il the
cause Of labor; also, the american York
nun, of Boston, an earnest and strong ad-
vOcate of the rights of the industrial classes
and last, but not least, the Ar6eite, Union
Of New York, published in the German Ian
suage. | would recommend to the German
portions of our craft generally.
CONCLUSION.
In conclusion, permit me again to call
your attention to the important business that
may come before you, and let US perform the
duties devolving upon us faithfully. Let
our business here be to remove dissensions,
jealousies and prejudices, thereby creating a
feeling Of friendship and brotherly love,
which will enable US to present united
front to whatever opposition we may meet.
Let us consider and deliberate upon every
question calmly, with determination to do
that which will be for the best interest Of
the whole organization, remembering that il
we neglect to transact the business Of our
constituents, with credit TO ourselves and
beneficial to the unions, we will admit
ourselves to be incapable Of selfgovernmeut
and unworthy the countenance Of our fel
low workmen. Should you,in your wisdom
decide upon some other means than these
herein suggested, for the future success and
prosperity Of our organization, let it be suf
ticiently broad and comprehensive to EN-
brace the whole union.
Accept my thanks for the many favor;
shown me, which | appreciate more than