The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1872-07-20
FROM NEW YORk.

THE BRICKLAYEE's NATIONAL UNION
LOCAL UNIoNs-THE NATIONAL LABOR
UNION SHOULD Ri HELD EAsr-A HINT
To HORACE II. DAY.
NV York, July 18th.
Frie,ld Cameron When you write all
your old correspondents to drop you a
line, did you give thought this way
admit it is a long time since wrote you,
but ! have been 50 constantly engaged
with the affairs If the national and local
unions, that could pay little or no atten-
tion to anything else. We have been pro
gressing in the cause in our section, and
throughout the entire country At the
last convention held in Albany, the aggre-
gate membership of our National Union,
was considerable less than 5000 to-day il
is nearer 1000 Besides, We have not
only been able by correspondence, and
personal visits, TO reorgADize most Of the
weak unions, and put them once more
upon their feet, like, for instance, the st.
Louis Union, which now umbers near 2OO
members, but we have organized several
new unions, which are full Of energy and
promise. We have organized one at Toron-
to, Canada, the first ever chartered on the
other side. They were installed by our
Secretary on the 9th Of April, and num-
bered 1O2 members, good and true and
to-day they number near $50. The LIST
Of June, this union made formal demand
for the nine-hour system, which resulted
in strike. In two weeks, however,
compromise was effected, giving the men
half holiday on Saturday, thus making 90
hours a weeks work at the old rate of
wages, which consider victory for the
new union. In granting a charter to our
Canadian cousins, the Board Of National
Officers Were of opinion, although there
was no positive authority in our Constitu
ton to grant this charter; that it was
duty We owed to them ami to ourselves, to
cement them In bonds 81 brotherly love
and friendship, and believing that we
should not allow any frontier lines or
national boundaies to prevent the cOnsum-
nation Of such grand object and purpose
We granted the charter, and Ibelicve there
will he wisdom enough among the delegates
ut the next convention, to ratify our action.
| have recently received information of the
formation of another union at Hamilton.
There was another organized On the 9TH Of
April, at Terre Haute, Ind, by Brother
Charles Ribe, of the indianapolis Union,
who is one Of our oldest members, having at
tended nearly all our conventions, and once
elected to the office Of Delegate at Large
The Terre Haute Union, Is not our largest
union numerically, but in point of strength
and Influence for good, it will not take
water from any Of the larger unions. A Ger
man union has hecn organized and chartered
in Morrisina, n. ", by Brother Edward
Alleman, and bids fair to do we'll Another
union has been organized at Camden, N.
j. another at Titnsville, Pa \; another at
Detroit another at Trenton, and a Ger
man union at st. Louis, all OF which,
expect, will become chartered shortly.
With regard to our unions m this locality,
1 need say very little. We were but one
day on q STRIFE for eight hours, and got it
every one at the same rate Of wages. The
laborers also got it, and all the rest Of the
building trade. The Jersey City and
Brooklyn men also enjoy the system our
Chicago unions hold a very high place
among the local unions of our organiza-
ton. They have been well officered, and
managed with moderation and wisdom,
else under the pressure Of the migration
there, they would have been crushed; much
credit isdue our Brother and Vice President,
VIM. O'Brien, of your city. l would like
to dwell further upon matters relating to
my own trade, but l have already said
plenty, and do not wish 20 be selfish.
My attention has been attracted by the
call Of Trevellick, for the Nashville Con-
ventioH in September. Now, would like
to know why the next conventions cannot
be held further east Let it be Washing
ton, Albany, Syracuse, Rochester Buffalo,
Detroit, Boston, or even in this SOdom |
any where but away OF in Nashville, out
of all creation, where you will not get two |
bakers dozens to 90. The place was
changed three years ago, because there was |
good reason, and think better reason |
can be offered this time. Last years con-
vention was poorly attended the next |
will be weaker still IL the Convention is
is to be composed, or il it liz desired that it /
shall be composed Of delegates from labor
then let the convention be
held somewhere about the locality where
the labor organizations dwell Where il
there State Trades Association in the
vicinity Of Nashville. InshOrt do not all our
labor unions centre around the Middle and
Eastern States Then let those who desire
to push the convention so far away from
those who would like TO attend it, in order
that they can monopoli7e its name and in
nuence for their own end, 60 seek nOtority
in some other party organisations, and let
them surrender the trust up to those who
have the principles which il in supposed to
represent nearest TO their hearts mind |
do not reflect any discredit upon any Of
the officers. know them all, and we're I
. delegate, | would wish with one exception,
10 vote TO retain every onein the same place,
but it in the followers | refer to. II the
could be held here, or near
here !; / presume there would be near 100
delegates present well, il mot that some
hing TO be prayed for But il they are
presume | must be, and what.
sver may be the result, shall not COM
plain. | have perfect right TO offer those
hints, because ! believe them to be correct;
he same ss n delegate has to oppose or
svcr any measure, but when the action
las transpired, having been . party to il,
{ In time, If 1 do not like it, to hold my
,ease, and this is applicable TO others.
Yours, BRowSrso.
The lockout i'm the fax trade at belfast,