The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-08-16

l NSPue@sAOh trOm tne sons OF vulcan q
hearty welcome to our next conference, if
they are appointed to represent the iron
trade OF the United States We do not
Deheve that there il one member of the
| AmalgAmAted Association of Ironworkers
that would think Of raising objections to
the establishment of federal union, which
viii strengthen the hands Of the willing
workern in both countries. We hope that
an official document will be sent to the
General Office DO that no time may be
wasted In effecting y complete federal
UNION, which will bring both parties nearer
to each other
l request for this communication your
earnest consideration, and also for the fol-
loving, addressed to me through the same
paper
To Hugh Mclaughlin, President OF the Sons
% Vulcan, 20, Coventry Street, Chicago:
SIR You will see by the English news
that the members Of our trade are on the
eve OF having on our hands not less than
5000 members In the North Of England,
IN consequence of the Cleveland iron stone
miners, and mine owners coming to dead
lock about claim made by the miners for
an advance OF I'd per ton, which has been
refused by the mine owners. The next
step taken by the miners was that they
agreed to refuge the regular days per man
one-half. This has been resisted by the
employers who demand q full days work
OF no work at all hence this will stop all
blastfurnaces and mill and forge work
throughout the North Of England 1t is
virtually a lockout by the action Of the
miners and owners. If you can assist us
We shall feel ourselves indebted to the
Sons of Vulcan. We desire word from
you on the question of federating the
unions of America and this country. Re-
spectfully yours, john KANE,
General Secretary Ironw )rkers' National
Amslgamated Association Grand Road,
Darlington.
If it is necessary for the farmers and
mechanics Of the United States to meet in
State Oranges and National Labor Con-
/ crosses for securing their rights, and over
throwing the existing state of affairs under
the governments, brought about by power
full aggregation of capital in banks, manu-
featuring corporations and railroads, form
ing rings and corporations controlling the
government and robbing the millions of
their Just rights, entailing misery and des-
titution on the great majority of mankind.
Then II Is certainly essential that we should
| fern q reciprocal union with our fellow
workmen in Europe to the end that the
supply Of labor III our business be regu-
lated according to the demand, and also to
obtain q superior and more intelligent
class Of workingmen Men talk of their
independence that it is wrong to shut the
doors of any industry against any Ameri-
can citizen, and the press of the country
reiterated the cry and bowls for free COM
petition at the same time it is 2 powerful
and dangerous monopoly which any citizen
will readily find out, who wishes to start a
daily paper in any Of the large cities, es-
peoially if that paper should be suspected
of advocating the rights Of labor To
carry out these views it would be neces-
sary for both countries TO have their laws
so framed that an applicant to learn the
trade should possess certain specified or
designated qualifications. The result Of
such laws, if properly carried out, would
have the effect Of calling into our ranks the
very best available material. Nor would
such a requirement be without ample sup
port vi precedent. Qualifications are de-
manded Of the medical student, attorneys.
clergymen, and other professionals must
Be duly licensed. If the learned profes-
sions find it 50 necessary to guard against
incompetency, then think the skilled arti-
san shonld profit by the example and pur-
sue the SAINT course of action.
Mhils sh@ above few desultory thoughts
may engage your passing attention, there
are other matters in connection with them
that we should not overlook if we desire to
put them into practical effect These are
fh., 1rfFuafnv, Is LyDapvIalo.n
i will treat of these two important subjects
in the order in which they are named The
day has arrived, in my opinion, when we
should at least publish our record monthly,
if not weekly. Although | decidedly pre-
fer the latter, and believe We can and
should publish a weekly record. l attrib-
ute in a great measure the success of our
organization to the present semi-annual
record. 1t has fulfilled its mission, and
should give way for a paper that would
reach every member weekly with all the
news Of the craft. Such paper would in
fuse confidence, and become in itself an
organizer with each Forge acting as its
agent would in a short time increase its
circulation to several thousand copies more
than our present membership. Hence it
would become a source of revenue 10 the
organization.
In order to carry out this idea it will be
necessary to curtail our expenses From
the earliest history Of our Union we have
held annual sessions, the expenses of which
have increased in proportion as the FORCES
have increased, until the cost Of the pres
ent session will reach between four and
i've thousand dollars | would, therefore.
recommend that in the future you change
our laws and hold biennial sessions, the
saving from this alone would be sufficient
to pay salary to your President, who
should also be elected biennially, and have
authority to engage an editor, If not a.
weekly, then a monthly, but in any case
we should have more frequent publications
of our record than at present
With every passing year mans expert
ence teaches him wisdom, and organized
bodies learn it in the same hard school as
individuals. The knowledge thus gained
should be applied to avert the dangers and
pitfalls where others have been wrecked,
and we perhaps have SO narrowly escaped
in our career through life.
Before concluding it may be proper that
| should refer to my attendance at the In
dustrial congress which convened at Cleve-
land, Ohio, on the 10Th of July last In
accordance with an invitation extended to
me as your representative, by Messrs Fo-
ran, Satin and Fehrenbatch, Presidents of
the Coopers', Moulders', and Machinists'
and Blacksmith Unions, considered it
my duty to give my sanction, and, so far as
could, the influence of my craft to an or
ganization which sought to embrace in q
common bond of brotherhood the toilers
of our country. At that convention met
many friends of labor and reform, men
many crafts and callings, hon
est, hard listed mechanics whose sole and
only objects we're to ameliorate the con-
dition of those who labor for living, and
to secure for the worker the fruits of his