The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-10-25
CORRESPONDENTS.
I'VE do aot hold ourselves responsible Tor any opinion
expressed by our Correspondence
FROM ONO.
HEADQUARTERS on CIGAR MAERRs \
INTERNATIONAL UNION or AMERICA,
CbKvELAND. o Oct. IL. 1873.


INTERNATIONAL UNION on AMERICA
CbEyELAED. o Oct. IL, 1873.
To the Editor OF the woRKNsNANs ADVOCATE
DEAR SIR In your issue Of the 18th
| noticed q preamble and resolutions
adopted by Union No. l, of Baltimore, in
reference to the Constitution submitted TO
them. As said preamble and resolutions
are calculated to create q wrong impression
in the minds Of other unions who have vet
to act on it, desire you to grant me a lit
tie Of your space, as l deem the matter Of
sufficient Importance, at this time, to war
rant me in replying to thestatements there
in contained. Had Union No. l been sim
ply content by passing the resolutions with
out publication, there would have been no
necessity for me to make this request but
as they have deemed it necessary to pub
lish them, / deem it necessary, also. to
publicly call their attention to the wrong
construction which they, in their judgment,
have seen fit to place on the Constitution
submitted to them. But, first, Mr. Editor.
let me assure Union No. that fully rec
ognize their right to act on the Constitu-
ton as they seen fit, and publish the result
Of their vote also if they deem it proper,
but | must enter my solemn protest against
the construction they have placed on il,
and which is entirely unwarranted by the
facts.
will first notice the objection against
the proposed increase Of compensation in
the Office of President, and in doing so per
NIT me to assure you that | fully compre-
bend and understand the dolicacy of the
question, and my position while dealing
- \ IL Co AZ arI
all personal sensitiveness, and take broad
er view of the question than that Of self.
Union No. |, referring to the action of the
Detroit Convention, says They have
also increased the salary Of the President
to sum higher than the labors of that
Office is worth at present.
Now, in all sincerity, | would ask Union
Nc. els that statement the truth n
The new Constitution certainly does in
crease the salary Of the President but
does it not also increase his duties
Does it not provide that the President
shall personally supervise and conduct all
strikes wherever, in the opinion OF the Ex-
ecutive Board, it is deemed necessary
Let me ask these gentlemen who publicly
decaim against this. if thy would have
been willing to personally supervise and
conduct some of the strike of the past two
or three years Cincinnati md Milwaukee
for instance for the munficent salary of
t,co hundred dollars per aH''tm
Mr.. Editor, it appears to me very humil
iating indeed, u see men, tnlon men. when
they are called to pass upon the compensa-
ton their servants shall lave while devot-
ing their time and labor IL the faithful per
Torrance Of their duties publicly carping,
because, forsooth, " it is higher than the
labors of the Office are worth = That, Mr..
Editor, is the argument OF the employer,
and, as We see, the argument also of the
employees. when they, In turn, become en-
ployers
Sir, permit me TO indulge iii a few
remarks ON the general subject Of what,
in my humble opinion, the salary Of an
efficient executive officer should be and
first let me direct your attention and mem
DRY to the eloquent remarks of Ex-Presi-
dent. VIM. H. Noerr, while discussing the
subject on the floor of the Conv entlon.
He deplored the parsimony of the Inter
national Union, and asserted that had he
been given the power now conferred by the
Constitution on the President, to person
ally supervize strikes, he could have saved
hundreds Of dollars to the treasures of
Local unions But his duties, like his sal
airy. were limited, and he could not without
embarrassment to himself personally, in
terfere to prevent it.
The same opinion was expressed ny Ex-
President Blend TO me in this city curing
the session Of the Industrial Congress here
10 which h, was representative, and h
also deplored the parsimony Of the lnTe-
national Union, which he thought aloe
prevei ted he presence of ExPresidnt
Noerr at that body as the representative
our craft. hope these gentlemen Sll
pardon me for introducing their nam0 m
this connection.
But lei us 60 outside uf our owl or
ganizatio1 and see what other Intrnat-
ional bodies pays their officers. Tale, for
instance the Iron Molders, MachiIists d
Blacksuiths,' Coopers, Engineers or, IN
fact, any other organization, and what Is
the secret Of thsir success 1t is, Mr.
Editui. because their Presidents can devote
their whole time to the interest Of their or
CARNATIONS. Should there be strike, they
are there Should any difficulty arise,
the, are there also. Is there chance to
organize a Union, they are found there en-
coIraging and cOunselling Cigar Makers
would do well to take lesson from other
trades, and not cry out at the reckless ex-
ravagance and waste Of money in paying
heir President the princely sum of i've
hundred dollars per year, for . the true
and faithful discharge Of his duties.
desire now to refer to the second res
olution, which reads
Resolved That we will never allow the
members Of this Union to work in non-unlon
shops, all higher laws to the contrary nofr'th-
standing.
That is quite right, gentlemen; you have
the undoubted right to say so, but you
hare no right to say to any other Union that
thew shall not do so, if they see fit, and
which you virtually do by your vote to re-
tain the present Constitution. | would 20
God that every Union in this country were
in a position to pass such a resolution and
enforce it, but unhappily for as they are
not, and | am of the opinion that had
Union No. been Of the latter class, they
would not parade before the eyes Of the
less fortunate Unions the resolution above
quoted. There is a quaint saying to the
effect that "they only know where the
shoe pinches who wear it.. To illustrate
it may here remark that the law in the
new Constitution which takes the place Of
the one You have voted to retain, is char
act :. is.d by another Union by resolution
as "blessed r Thus we see how the
change Of circumstances has tendency to
alter our convictions.
Gentlemen of Union No. |, have you
seriously considered what may be the re-
suits OF the rejection Of the Constitution
presented to youl At present writing all