The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-01-28

ss~@@ u1AsD6 Wy "AtH " utuce. i Sha
Y In erefore. proceed to detail the i'm Dorta
events which have occurred during tie We
1870, and make such suggestions and 7
commentators as are calculated in n mir
70 benefit the interests of our organ izatio
I Since the establishment Of The nation
union, there has never been such innctivi
IN The building line all over the country
was manifest to all who bad an opportunit
of learning the state of our trade during n
past summer. Nevertheless, our organize
tion has been Strengthened by the sdditio
OF seven unions, which, under the circum
stances, is to my mind very cheering. Th
new unions witch have received charte,
during the year Esse ms follows: No. %. 1
F.ss~ York, Iecatei ss Long Island easv
No. 80, New York (Germsn), located Il
New York city; No. 6, of Ohio, located q
Lancaster; No 2, Of Michigan, located q
Grand Haven; No. 1, Of Kentucky, 10
Gated and reorganised in Louisville; No
81, Of New York, located at Auburn No
IL, Of New Jersey, located ut Newark. a.
every years report shows the falling off o
some unions, this year is not an exception
ss am sorry 70 say two unions have dis
solved during the year-No. IL, of Penn
sylvsuia, located at Beaver Falls, and No
4, Of Ohio, located at Columbus. The for
mer union was organized in April, 1869
and my correspondence with the secretary
Of that union disclosed the fact that, from
its organization up to the time Of its dis
banding,a quorum Of its members could not
be found to interest themselves in it's sue
cess.
The other union, No. A Of Ohio, was
s'nce it's organization 10 January, 1869. q
good working union up to last spring, wher
BY some corrupt means The employers il
that locality succeeded in Undue ng large
percentage Of its members away from their
allegiance TO the union. Thar, together
with the embexzlemeDt Of the funds Of the
nnio9, totally prostrnted their efforts to
maintain themsel5e as a union. tried
every means 10 my power, by my presence
and correspondence, to keep them together,
but failed in my effort 10 accomplish INV
object. There is no doubt 10 my mind tSat
after they see the evil they have done
themselves, they will be applying to the N.
U. for reorganization. Before | clo1e this
subject have to call your attention to the
importance OF having the union 10 Louis
VILE reOrganiIed. The want Of union 10
that city was felt all over the country, tor
It's near approach to the southern cities.
Affer the last convention adjourned, sp-
piled myself to the task of reorganization in
that city. the result Of which you are al
ready aware Of. And here / take the op-
pOrtuDitY Of thanking, on behalf of the ma !
tional union, brother Josiah b. Bradley.
for bis untiriug zeal and the support I re-
esired from him dpring my successful ef-
forts to re-establish the union in Louisville.
The following unions notified me in early
spring OF difficulty existing in their several
':s 'ss On ~ soOOun co., 'esss'.g ~ - Oss's slsa
lii 1bpn "a - - -. e.E the emPlrycrs sf the
.,.p,as sos s..i{ ths union: No. Of
y.--,s peAsrs l,s on. % s.ssf February. After q
determined stan3s6f four weeks, the strike
wts brought to a successful end By the EN-
ployers giving way to the union
On the first Of February | was officially
notified BY union No Of New York (Al-
bany) to the effect that the boss brick LAYERS
Of that city bad bottled them through the
public press that on and after the 22d Of
February. 1870, the wages Of masons would
be reduced from A so to $3 so. and on
the 9Th Of the SAME month the union re-
solved to resist the proposed reduction, and
at the proper time | received their bill of
grievances. the union having complied with
article IL, section 2, of the constitution. I
Immediately caused the secretary Of the ma.
tionAl union to issue his circular for the
vote of the local Mons on said bill of
grievances. After the time prescribed BY
law for the return Of the vote, it was found
that a large majority Of unions were in
favor Of sustaining No. 6 in her struggle,
and it only remained for me, aftes hearing
from the union her action on the reception
Of the vote to sanction the proposed
strike During the interval, | re-
ceived letters from the president Of No. 6,
Mr.. McWillisms. sbat entirely changed nv
mind as to levying a tax for the relief Of
said union. as from the correspondence ]
did not think il expedient or necessary TO
issue for relief under the circumstances.
The result Of that strike only confirmed
me that at that time / acted wisely in
the matter. / will lay the correspondence
before the committee appointed on the
presidents address.
Again, on April Sd, was notified BY
union No. 10. Of Troy, N. Y, that the boss
mssons Of that city bad issued an address,
stating their determination to reduce the
standard wages; also claiming the right to
make laws, as they were to govern the
union in that city. The union tried every
means consistent with their honor to effect
q compromise with the employers, but with
no favorable result, as they, the employers,
would not treat on any subject that bad not
for its basis the entire dissolution Of the
union. Seeing. therefore, that the union
had fight on hand, and on the issue de-
pended her future, determined, after the
usual preliminaries by law provided, TO is
sue my call for tax Of twenty cents. The
result was glorious victory for the union,
and the entire rout of The so-called board
Of trade, az on the 18th Of July | received
from the union official notice of the favor
able termination Of the strike, after strug-
gle Of Two months and half. Under the
circumstances, great credit is due the Off
GERS and members Of No. 10, N. Y Y, for the
good conduct displayed during the very
trying time Of the strike.
Another case that was brought to nay
notice through bill of grievances from No
| Of Delaware, that the bosses of Whining
ton notified the union that on and after the
9th Of February, 1870, they intended to
take on as many boys to learn the trade as
they thought ct. The union notified me
at the same time that at present the bosses
were allowed four apprentices, but they in
tended TO double the number and take on
four more, making the number of appren-
tees to the employer eight refused to
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