The workingman's advocate., 1873-12-13

do so without first obtaining the consent Of
the union. So we find that this law which
Ia now denounced as injurious and detri-
mental, has practically heen recognized by
the International Union since 1871 but
the nice distinction was made that there
must be floor, or a partition, or fence
between the union men and the scabs !,
Here is union principles with vengeance
We presume if a member boarded up ms
table in a scab shop it would answer the
requirements Of the law, and he would
nreserye his principles and his membership
"A It could not be considered he was work
ing ,rih ''scabs. Out with a law that
makes such nice distinctions and hair split
ting differences; it is UNIV orthy Of place
in the Constitution Of ANY organization.
Among other laws which the union de-
vlsed at the second Convention, as tending
to beneht the trade, was what is usually
known ss the loan system The impul-
ses which gave it conception were, az once,
generous and noble, and if carried out in
the same spirit, would undoubtedly have
resulted i'll much good 1t soon developed
itself, however, into a system whereby the
treasures OF the unions were plundered,
most daily occurrence Convention after
Convention met and devised all kinds Of
ingenious laws tolimit or restrictits abuses,
but no matter how ingenious or cunning
the laws, they could make none to make
men honest. No wonder wiser law max
ers than them had tried the same thing
with similar results After running seven
Or eight years the system began to show
SYMPTOMS of dissolution. The local treasu-
ries QIke our banks ow-a-daysl began to
suspend payments for an indefinate period,
and before the last Convention met, i'll the
city of Detroit, the system was virtually
dead. The Convention pronounced the
verdict with little ceremony, and the
unions, by their votes, simply confirmed
it. Let us hope that what remains Of our
dear old friend, in the shape Of unpaid
loans, will be carefully collected and for
warded to their proper destination.
The endowment plan, having also been
ratified. will now become law, and on the
prompt action Of the Unions will in great
measure depend it's success. If they make
up their minds beforehand, that it Will be
failure, and use no efforts to make it a
success, the result can easily be forseen.
In fact all the loans Of the International
Union depend on the good faith Of the To-
cal unions to enforce them, as the Inter
national has no deputies IN the local unions
to see to their enforcement. We shall
spare no effort, on our part, to make it a
success.
SO far it can only be called an expert
ment, yet, We think, much good will arise
from it, Resolutions Of respect, To the
memory of a deceased member, and Of
sympathy for the survivors, are well enough,
as far as they 60, but. when they are cou-
pied with something more substantial. the
gift Of the organization, We think they viii
he better appreciated by the relatives Of
the deceased member Local unions. see
to it, that the men ytu appoint under the
law. to carry out this important trust. are
members whose integrity and honesty are
beyond all doubt. Let it never he said, Of
any of our members, that they betrayed
the trust referred IN them by detraudng
the widow or orphans Of 4 deceased mcln-
her
In conclusion We desire t. speak a few
words nn the present depressed condition
uf our trade. We had not fairly assumed
the duties OF our office, and entered upon
them, before financial panic spread over
the country, laying pr"strate every branch
of industry. We saw that We commenced
our administration under very unfavorahle
conditions, and We feared for the safety ~
our organization We knew when all
other business was Frustrated, ours must
become more 50. as from Its nature, We are
argely dependent upon the prosperity If
other trades, for the success Of our own.
The winter which is now upon MS will put
our unions, both local and International
to severe test, and many Of our members
will. no doubt, become discouraged in con
sequence Of the prolonged hardness Of the
times. aud will avail themselves Of any en-
ployment that may present itself. We
cannot, therefore, urge upon you too
strongly the necessity of preserving your
organizations intact Let those members
who are in employment alleviate the wants
and necessities OF their less fortunate Tel
low members to their utmost ability. and
without detriment to themselves. Let us
help and assist each other, so that those
who are opposed to us, and our principles,
may be disarmed when they attact us
NOTE Although in this communication
have, for obvious reasons, used the plural,
and not the plural pronoun, ! desire TO
views, and none others are responsible for
them.
Yours, fraternally,
WM. J. CANNON, Int. Pres.