The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-09-13

each Buhe@quant inneEtaon-
Society notices per year.
/
ing the international President, in caae Of
strike, TO appoint . COMMITTEES Of three
from the nearest unions 10 investigate tho
case, and report Immediately to him. The
resolution whs referred to the Committe0
on Constitution.
The same representative introduced a
resolution giving each local union the right
to regulate its own Affairs without references
to the International Union.
Mr.. Bellmix moved TO lay the resolution
ON the table.
The motion was lost
MFR. Cannon offered resolution inatrAcE
ing the Constitutional CommittDa S TO-
move from the Constitution tho clause pro
hibiting members of the Unign from work
ing in shop with non-union men, and on
his motion it was made the special order
for the afternoon after the settloment OF
the State organization Qnep.ion.
Mr. Cor oHaged resolution providing
for direct vote OF tine membsrS, Of each
Union on TIM msw Constitution 70 ~ sDL-
mitted to them, and on such day al the
Convention may designate, and any Union
failing to do 70 shall be denied the rlghts
and privileNes Of the international Union.
The reaalmkiOn was referred 70 the Com
mittee ON Constitution.
Mr.. Fitzgerald offered o resolution pro
viding for tkc support Of Union men oct of
employmsnt thr ugh any difficulty.
Referred to Committee on Convention.
The Convention took . rsceAa till 2
O'Clock.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The Convention assembled pursuant to
adjournment, the President, Fl. w. NosFr,
in the Chair
The minutes of the morning session we're
read and approved.
/ (Ths hour Of two o'clock having arrived,
Afhe special order of the dAy-tho question
70 the establishment Of State and District
Unions was then taken up. Mr. Fitzgerald
i'm the Chair.
Mr.. Junio offered the following
WHKRRAs, The international President, in
the call convening the ninth annual SenHiomo q
the international Union, has called the
especial attention Of the Representatives here
sembled to the question OF stats or Distrioe
Organizations therefore,
Resolved, That in the opinion Of thin Con-
vention II should be the reserved right vi To-
cal unions TO define the qualifications cf msm-
bership in their respective kodisa, and An
unions should have the reserved riRht 10 gov
ern their intsrnal affairs and make laws 90
cordingly. and nothing in ths Constitnkion Of
the International Union shall be 70 construed
A. to prohibit the formation Of State or Dis
trict Unions, whens vsr, in the Judgment of
State or District, it shall be congidorud moe
essary for their profession; and be- it further
u 49, -. p -M1 -
tion be instructed TO embody these viswB and
on the ensction Of saoh legislAtioA.
Mr.. Junio Opensd the debate b.. aavfka
that the present ccndition 6E ths tmde q
deplorable. Hapousiddpbd thME the Bowte
Of much Of the dificulty lay with the pres
ent system Of anionB5 I'm the failure Of diff
fersnt sections h thaseountry 70 extsnd .
helping hsnd 70 q dist1nt sectiA in the
time Of need The compactS snskred into
by the msmbefs Of the IntwnationAl Union
have been violated, and the whole system
ia failure. He considered that btate or
ganizations would be- mucAMbetter, because
It would be bronehhip mach closer rela-
tions with thg RMbdkdinate bodies. II grew
ances arisarMn# and the workmen enter
upon a.aa<ke the International President
is inf1rt1sd and he Immediately orders =
tax b te Asisd for the maintenance of the
STRIKERS, whether the strike is Just or un-
Just. The result amounts to nothing, the
union il beaten in detail every time. The
official organ contains q complete List Of
strikes during the wear, every one Of which
has beeh alfailure and thousands Of dollars
have beenequandered. The present system
! is thoukt2 too exclusive, and should the
questiod nf eligibility of members be left to
the good bomHe of each union the numbers
would he greatly increased. There are now
! X. cod muon men and 40, 900 non-union
80 FEeW can tha 3, 600 fight the 40, OOO9
49, Aat1h the present system aE gov
va sr every day. ana thought t2at a
could not long survive. He spoke At cca
siderable length on the working Of tbs
State system in the State Of New York,
where it has been organized, and extolled
| it highly.
Mr. Cassidy emphAticAlly denied the AS-
sertion Of the previous speaker State
Unions had been tried and proved failures.
When the original call for State Union
was issued Albany Union was in favor OF 1t,
and sent a representative but 1t had AFRO
gated to itself functions which belonged
exclusively 10 the International, and when
that was known his union was unAlterably
opposed to the movement. In the first
place State Unions, with one or two excep-
tions. would be too weak to maintain .
separate existence, and the present system
should be upheld until the business Of cigar
makers becomes o rooted branch of indus
try in every part Of the country. Abolish
it and every State would be flooded with
inexperienced workmen. The present move
ment meant treason and nothing else.
Mr. JUNO challenged Mr.. c. TO Hhow
one word of treason uttered in the call fou
the State Convention.
Mr.. Cassidy read from the Constitution
adopted At Syracuse to prove his assertion
Mr.. Cox argued in favor OF State Unions
at least 90 far nm the State Of New Yorh
was concerned.
Mr. Bellmix was unalterably opposed u
the proposition. II the International had
failed in its mission in some respects, ths
fault lay with the local unions in the non
performance OF their duties, and there WA
no guarantee that State Unions would re
move the eyils. He was prepared 70 vota
for q more liberal Constitution, but Ger
tainly not for taking the supervisory powo
now exercised by the international out o
its hands.
Mr.. Irion argued ct length in favor o
Mr.. Junio'B proposition.
Messrs. Hayes and Flood expressed oppo
site sentiments, after which the COMMITTEES
rose and reported progress, when the rex
ular business Of the Convention was rs
sumed.
Several communications from loca
unions we've received, and referred to tn
, Committee on Grievances.
Mr.. Plate presented q rsquest from %
Bohemian Cigar Makers, in New York city
asking for charter under certain utipula
/ tions.