The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1872-03-30
THE SONS OF VULCAN.

of the National Forge Of the United Sons
of Vulcan for the term ending December,
1871. is before us, and from it we gleane
a great deal of very interesting informa-
ton, not only to the craft, but to the work
ing men Of the United States. Having en-
loved his personal friendship for years, we
are not surprised at the practical common
sense which develops itself in almost every
suggestion contained therein, though we
regret to add that liketoo manyof the officers
Of our National and International organi-
cations, his views seem to be circumscribed
by the exclusive interests Of the craft he
represents. On the all-important question
of g strikes, President Mclaughlin adds
his testimony to those Of his associates
that they are only to be engaged in as a
DERNIER resort when all attempts ut an
honorable settlement have failed, and dis
tinctly repudiates the oft repeated false
hood that they have any direct connection
with the aims and objects q the National
Union.
In referring to this subject he says
The deputies of each district are instructed
to sanction no strike unless the principles Of
our organization are attacked to do all in
their power to avoid strikes, and when the
grievance is of local nature to let them work
out their own reforms, with the hampers up.
There are very few employers but will &C
knowledge an injustice, OF bad rule, IN the
mill, and have it removed, if the men only
show a determined and courteous desire to
have II 50.
This is certainly going IS far as the most
timid and conservative of our trades union
lists could expect, and as far as any employ
er can desire-who does not demand a sur
render Of every prompting of true man
hood.
On the selection Of delegates to the an
ual convention he gives some pertinent and
practical advice advice which can be APP
preciated by those who have seen the plots
and counter-plots formed to elect this or
that candidate, irrespective of his quali6ca
tons. In fact he advocates what every in
teligent pudler will endorse, that "civil
service reform" can be advantageously in
augurated III our local unions, and that
qualifications and not favoritism, should be
the price Of the ballot which elects. To
the : side walk fault finders, as he appro-
priately styles the GROWERS outside of the
union, he administers a merited rebuke.
The man who always has paddock on his
tongue, while the business of the union is
progressing, and who has the glibeness Of the
curb stone operator as soon as it has ad-
journed, is the most pestiferous and dan
gerous member Of his organization and it
is questionable whether his influence is not
more pre- judicial then beneficial to any or
ganization with which he may be connected.
The adoption of the Beneficial Feature
by the local FORCES is also strongly urged,
and the advantages which such a system
would confer pointed out. As an evidence
that by its adoption men would be more
anxious to maintain their membership, the
experience of the Boilermakers' and Iron
Shin Binders Union If Great Rritain frsls,A
January LIST, 1866, to December 3lst,
1870, il cited, during which time $3.50, 900
were paid out to sick and disabled MEM
bers and their families, while during the
same period but g, 785 were paid out on
strikes-or in other worls-the average ex-
penditures for members for benevolent pur-
poses amounted to $3.50, while the average
! for members for strikes and disputes
amounted to but seventy cents Certainly
forcible argument
On the subject Of protection, as might
have been expected, President Mclaughlin
takes decided ground. With his protest
against the adoption of free trade-under
our present monetary system-we have nc
fault to find, but we had Alright expect that
when discussing it he would have taken a
broader view of the question than that fur
nished by the selfish and one-sided DELHI
erations of Kelly or Morrnell- because
few men know better than he does it ID
the CHEAP MONEY Of Europe rather than
its cheap labor, against which the workmen
of America have to contend. The fact that
the Belgian workman receives One-half less
wages than his English rival does not pre-
vent the latter from successfully competing
with the former in his own markets, and
furnishing to the Belgian manufacturers
nearly one half of their machinery. Again,
a PROTECTIVE TARIFF did not prevent Eng
lish rails from being imported and laid, al
most under the shadow of the great iron
mountain Of Missouri, surrounded by the
richest and most exhaustless deposit Of coal
in the western hemisphere.
So long as the shoddy patriot and capital
ist can draw ten and twelve per cent. from
his non-taxable bonds, and 50 long as the
labor Of the Sons Of Vulcan are compelled
to pay that interest (; 50 long as that rate Is
far in excess Of what the development Of
that mountain and mine by honest labor
would produce so long az borrowers are
left at the mercy Of our Shylocks-and the
circulating medium Of the country il based
on commodity, which enables the money
gamblers to control it, so long will foreign
manufacturers control the markets Of the
world. With money at three per cent,
with the skill Of our workmen and our eX-