The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-12

,Tq%pneas but the legitimate
they represented, until finally none we're left but
the delegates from the three societies above
named Nearly all the present oficers Of the
them. as well as many others of the ex-delegates,
holding political positions. The WOrkingmen's
political machine, ali arts beng 'V practisea bS
the leaders to make political reputation at the ex-
pense Of the workingmen. 1t was to establish o
Central Council was established and the Council
now occupies the place formerly held by the Work
constantly increasing, Notwithstanding all the
secret Efforts made by the W0rkingmen's Union
ana re s1e ID h OF Sas IN SppostiSn to IT,
says 1t was originally organized to look after legls
lation at Albany; but the c0mmunistic ideas OF q
light. At all events, the three organizations are
working entirely on different principles and can
not possibly come together for united action in
behalf OF the working classes, in whose name they
are acting OF pretend TO be acting.
"What rellei has the Workingmen's Central
Council anOrded TO the men out of work ~ the
reporter asked
rhe object OF our organization is not to give re.
lieftO workngmen. We have no funds for that
purpose. Our receipts are only 81 a year from
each Of the fifteen societies, whose delegates COM
what proportion of mechanics would You name
as being idle at the pa.coDt time ~
II should say that three-iourths of the building
trades are out OF work. Perhaps twenty per cent
OF the other trades are still UNEMPLOYED !,
Have these men received any assistance during
Nearly all OF this class of men have a little
money laid by for rainy day or for old age. they
have been obliged 20 draw upon this In those
cases, however, where distress existed relief was
secretly given by each organization to its own
suffering members. or course, as nearly all the
societies ars secret, matters Of this sort are never
made known"
In repiy to some further questions Mr. Blair said
ne was not aware that the societies Intended
taking any action toward relieving the dricuisies
OF their own members or IN Joining I'm spy demon
strafon In behalf OF the unskiled laborers out Of
work.
NON-sOClETY woRKJNGMEN
There are large number of wOrknen I'm our
great cities, especially In the city OF New York,
who do not belong to any trade Organization-wfO
are independent" laborers, so TO speak These
men are called by the trade society men 'srats,u
and as "rats'' they are generally alluded to by
wOrkngmen TO distinguish them from .societyi,
men or ''the unions.'
These 'ratsr embrace great many frst class
workmen in oil departments OF industry; and a
HERALD repres entative has recently called upon
many individual 'rats" and upon their employ.
ers. and has obtained from these sources
the following facts figures and opinions, which
represent the 'pOnsOcietyn or "anti-trades uniOnn
side o. the great labor question: with special ref
erence to the more immediate questions OF the
hour-"What are the workmen OF New York doing
for themselves and for other in this period OF
depression' i ''What are the non.society men, the
rats doing for each other, now do the efforts
OF these latter to- aid each other compare with the
efforts OF the sooiety men and trades unionsW
In the first place. IL Ii claimed by the nvn-sOclety
men that the anfans often do Markham Great tuius-