The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1874-11-07


have many su24estiona Of anfendlnenti
70 make. and urge their adoption upon tbs
members. We believe that will be
great Improvement, and tend to better en-
Aoie the officers to more harmoniousIy
work the machine. As it in, il is uncom
Portable and unsatisfactory The power
vested IN the chief executive officer 10
reference TO strikes, he hnds in too many
cases an empty honor. 1t il impossible Il
render satisfaction to the members i'm
mediately interested IA case of dispute.
and yet do justice To the general body.
Men often place themselves IN this posi-
tlon They want to strike for some cause.
Ihey want the sympathy and support of
the association, II II be possible to get it.
The President, who Is the best Judge Of its
condition, feels IL cannot sustain such a
Pollcy-though his feelings and sympathies
are with the members, because Of their
grievances; still, his judgment compels him
20 oppose their wishes, because of the coll
dItlon OF things generally, and the times
he advises them 10 change their tactics
and deslst from entering ON a strike, and
TOR this they blame. and strike anyhow
TO md himself Of this responsibility. he
offers the following substitute for See. 2,
Art. VIII, Ut the Constitution.
AMENDMENT No. 2.
Any district, subordinate branch or lodge
considering itself aggrieved by the impo-
sltlon Of unJlst measures upon its mem
bers, by reducing Its wages, Or IN case they
think the market Warrents demand for
better p p.lees-haying discussed the matter
carefully In their lodge rooms, and after
resolutions expressive Ot the sense Of the
meeting On the question: tvo-thirds ma
JOrlty being necessary "a make IL vote
full aud proper statement uf the case set
ting forth the facts will be drawn W by
the Secretary and endorsed by the Presi-
dent, which they will forward 70 the gen
eral office, together With q copy of the reso-
lutlons Of the body ON the grievance On
its receipt, the President will order the
general secretary To have il printed, with a
statement VI the number of members in
volved, and the amount of levy that will
be required 70 support them in case Uf
strike, and forward the same to the secre-
tary Of each lodge in the association, with
instructions to call N special meeting and
vote ON the cane, returning the decision al
the earliest possible moment thereafter to
the central office. The General Secretary
will then communicate the result tO the AZ
grieved lodge Or district. IL a ma josity Uf
the lodges or branches vote in favor of
strike, then will the President declare the
strike legal, and the members concerned
therein receive the benefits as specified in
Sec. Of this Art. II IN the negative, the
members will not be entitled to any OF the
funds Of the association, should they per
slst III going into strike. Until the de-
clslOn Ut the association has been received,
the members Of the place wherein the
trouble exists will continue to work as us
ual, Or forfeit all claims to obenefits-unless
a special permit from the President be
given to suspend.
In case the President at any time huds
that a strict compliance with the above sec
tons will be harzarding the general good
Of the association, he Is hereby authorized
ON a Iull statement Of the case-to grant
a special permit tosuspend operations until
the result of the vote and the lodges has
been learned and returned
At many places where the association is
introduced by the org niz atom Of lodge
or branch, strong oPpOsl.lOn is brought
to bear BY the operations the CAUSES
Tor they are various WlL not here dis
cuss, further than state the most frequent,
VIZ the discharge OF the n leaders, and
the prescriptions Of the Union On
this our men too frequently take Issue, I'M
furllng the = banner Of freedom. aud de
cIarlng their rights to a liberty II opinion,
etc. They cannot q u work, ana open
ly Acknowledge the union, hence they
claim " lock ont" The right Is denied
them by the employers, and the miners are
too honest to ask work At sacrihce Of
truth. Thus the exercise Of the right to
meet and discuss the best means Of social
and because they will not
r nounce their belief ia and the practice
1 I the maxim, I'm union thereI strength, /.
which no miner can do and tell the truth,
is made pretext for quarrel and actual
la such cases fresh men are
often introduced INTO the mines, and at
large expense are taught to mime coal, and
actually supplant the honest union man.
This we know rs done ia dull Seasons Of
the year, when employers can afford to do
~ at lesser cost than if undertaken dur
ing the brisk season. To be always fight
ing At some point for tins cause is extreme
ly expensive to the association, and Is also
unwise, II not absurd. At such times,
and IN such cause, a more peaceful and, wC
believe, more successful policy can be
adopted. To meet this want, we offer the
following
AMENDMENT NO. 3.
ARTICLE EVIII-Sectlon 3.--When upon
the establishment OF the organization, or
at any other time, exception is taken tu
the nthcers or to II at any point, it will be
the duty Of the officers or the lodge. or
branch 20 atfr cted to communicate wllh the
General President on the subject, laying "a
full statement If the case before him, and
asking his advice. Should 1t appear to him
imprudent to make q contest GA the ques-
tion, he shall write to them BY return mail,
giving them permit for gwen time To
seemingly relinquIsh the UNION aud yet re-
mein members IN good standing ON the
books Of the association. In no case will
q = lockout" be sllo Sed where the mem
bers could have been working or sanction
ed in accordance with section 2 u this
article.
With the present proportions IT the So
ciety, we mud the entef executive ufhcer
has all he can attend TO in advising VISIT
lug and assisting In the work of conciila-
tion where ruDtures have taken place be-
tween members and their operators, to-
gether with giving general directions and
attending conferences. He has but little,
if any. time to devote to the work Of or
ganizin2 new fields, and the extension Of
the association. IL Is necessary, also, that
districts, after they are organIzgd, be visit
ed by some officer who thoroughly under
stands the working of the institution, 70
au.,~e aud sumtrnct th. r,,..r.l.ra ra.r,,l.-I,.