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

2
Hickey, Il Waugh, Nckenns. , N-Carter RELY
Dssn D Hf,.rn,irk 1 KILL i tiar.,sr NV
man, Bolgan, Mooney. ; Morgan, Mccormick NJ
u nnon, AcGarry. 4 Murray. hassberger, Nor.
gah and & Sullivan.
THE PRESIDENT ADDRESS
r. President Mclaughlin then delivered the
following address
BREFmEy-Anothery year has come and
g.he sinoe last had the honor Of address
ug Won IN convention. In the short pc
Rod which has since elapsed we have had
some serious struggles, have gained victo-
ries and Suffered defeats But | am proud
L. announce that We stand to-day greater
IN numbers, stronger financially, and more
firmly cementeo IN the bonds Of union
than We have been ever heretofore. This
81 truly gratifying to ne. who has been
50 ypri cyecutive, and u the best of my
sAbsnsy fAS guarded AMI protected the in :
rest sfssk sraft GmufyInm to you,
-aSuGn wbO are here representing a
So tci nearly four thousand II
a14st logs foFkss-s .ler men
~ h. = G-s-ly fsr Tie ca,-.. We ~
81 4 e 1sc ,fsd zen =, ~ have MOLLY
X as,s,s.s s .ststned their brothers struR
g .siiuz fer at cause You Will see by ref
sreacS &c lv report on strikes that they
Z kas eSbe a. more numerous than on any pre-
vf5as year that they have, cost us more
and that 1t for the first time have sur
pins on hand to meet fufther emergencies
shleh may possibly arise during the com
mn year. But it may be inferred that this
-iee useless or extrsvagant tax uDon the
Sesresources snd energies If the order. None
Of you will be rejolced more than will if
hstt
other mode Of redressing grievances OF set
ting disputes than the one now in vogue
Arbitration We are ready and willing to &C
cspt The question that should receive
oar present attention is by what means in
our power can we compel the manufactur-
/. ers TO submit to arbitration. | have trav-
{. led over a large portion Of the United
-Iates during the past year, and have used
al my endeavors r. settle disputes by rea-
sOning and having both parties meet inmu-
tual conference. In a word. anxious to
have all present or future difficulties deci-
ded by arbitration. In all cases the men
have been anxious for this mode Of settle
1lnent. The manufacturers on the contrary
with but one honorable exception, have re-
lected IT, and III one instance | was grossly
insult6f by an officer in the employ Of
company when the subject was preached
Thorough and complete organization.
{ sustained and fostered BY brotherly feel
: ing the incubation of broad cosmOpoi-
tan ideas, which in time will gather and
embrace within q n folds all the diversified
elements III our craft, such an organization
not to speak If it's bearings upon the NOR
81, social and civil interests Of its mem
bers, but its enormous influence as an ele-
ment to solve the paramount problem, Lifts
it at once into the place of the great liv-
ing question. For several years past in
formation and statistics have been care
fully gathered by intelligent and compe-
tent philanthropists and publicists, both
III Europe and AmeIica, the result Of which
goes to show the beneficial effect Of educa-
ton and trades unions upon the produc-
ton and wages class of society. These
investigations have been pursued in the
interest of political economy and social
science, and not confined to any trade or
profession, the result Of the investigation
in both continents has been an extraordi-
nary and overwhelming demonstration Of
the superior value of skilled, educated
and organized labor. This is a fact of
profound significance, and proves what has
often been asserted, and what our own ex-
perience and knowledge demonstrates
When we glance at certain portions of our
country and trade, find where our or
ganizatioR is established aud acknowledged,
men are prosperous and happy, and re-
ceive in many instances nearly one-fourth
more wages than the men who are disor-
gained, and disunited and powerless.
TlNs increase III wages and indepen-
denoe in manhood amounts to many times
the cost of the support of the organization.
So deeply are We Impressed with the many
advantages of unionisni. and so essential
has 1t become to success in all movements
of reform. that | was constrained some
time since TO enter into a semi official
correspondence with the executive Of the
Ainalgamated IronworAvrs Of Great Brit
ain, having u view the formation If a
closer union among our members and our
fellow craftsmen on both sides Of the At
lantic, but from some cause that officer
failed to consider the communication Off
cial Brother JAMES McIver Of Bayview,
Wisconsin being appointed to perform that
NJ duty quote from the Iroascorkcrs'
JOarnat to show No favor with which such
apropusltion is locked upon in England
This question would have been consid-
ereS by the unionists~oS this country two
year ago if the letter of Sir. McIvers had
been, 9r could have been, accepted bv our
General Council rs am Official comm1nica- |
ton, it would have been PLACED before our
members; but it vas not an oaicial letter
and Mr.. McIver in his communication told
Ms not to consider it as such, kence We
we're prevented from considering Il a. =
SPECIAL question. But now that we have
a strong and powerful union, and seeing
that we can count more thousands than
we could at that time count hundreds, we
believe with Mr. McIver and Mr., Robert
Green, late Of Psrkgate, that federal !
aion would do much good = the next