The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1874-01-31

Room u 9tl-2 Senwca S6eet.
CLKvELASD, D., Jan Fl, 1874
To the Officers and Members Of Miaers Ma
tiOndL Association, and others
DEAR SIRs We have the pleasure to an
nounce to you that the CENTRAL oFVIcx u now
established and located a above. We are at
our post and prepared to attend To the duties
of our respective Offices with dispatch On
every question Of Importance 70 the AssociA-
ton which yoa do not thoroughly understand,
address us freely; We shall be glad 10 hear
from you. While We are ready and willing,
and will perform our duties, their discharge
will be much accelerated. and rendered more
pleasant by each officer and member Under
standing and performing theirs a. they should
This we trust all will do.
We find that lodges lust about TO organize
have good deal Of difficulty in figuring out
the exact amount Of money to BE- paid I'm N
dues, and how it in to be managed For the
benefit of these we would state here by way
of explanation, that TO become . member Of
the National Association, a member has to
pay ten cents entrance fee, thirty cents first
quarter dues, and six cents per caPita tax.
Tins enters hmm and cleArr him on the books
for the first three months, unless perchance,
something transpIres that neeessitates a levy
ON the members Of the lodge to which he has
connected himself. then. Of coune, he would
be subject to 1t. His regular a les Afterwards
are ten cents and the capItafion tar, per
month. The dues are kept i'm the hands of
the Lodge Treasurer. where it Is paid in,
subject to the call Of the President, for the
use of the Association. The amount of the
monthly tax il fixed az this Office monthly
of which the lodges will be duly advised. 1t,
whatever it may be, must be sent to the Cen
trail Office, as it provides the fund for all con-
tingent and current expenses Of the office.
CHARTERS AND CARDS; Many places are
applying for them to be sent At once. To this
we have to say that Charters and Travelling
Cards we will have ready in about three weeks
from date Of this circular. We have had q
great deal to do IN getting q start made, and
we have a great deal to do yet, but we dared
not do things too quick, and dare not now.
Our desire is to get everything on the most
approved plans q the age ON n lSasis that
will withstand the storms Of time. however
they may blow upon it To do tins, we must
make sure we 20 along they stumble
who run fast'-and feel. positively, that u
are on solid ground, every step we make.
A Charter will be sent to every lodge, with
cards to supply all their members, properly
numbered, when ready.
We desire also to establish a uniform sys
bctn Vi DOOAs ia All lOttkcs COmue-tcu with TIE
National Association These will contain
prepared forms for all their business as lodges
and such transactions a. they require to hav,
with the general office. Their use will facih
tate the business of the lodges, simplify AM
render easy the work for the Secretaries ans
officers, and enable any man who can rea,
and write to keep the accounts Intelhgentll
and accurately. These points are Of tn
| greatest Importance to the successful opera
| ton OF ouch a movement as ours, and canno
be treated treated hgntly nor overlooked
| The estimated cost Of the eRtne sea- will no
exceed $40 as getting in large quantities W
get them at hrst cost Lodges will at nnc
send in their orders, a. we wish to know
about how many sets t. get male. Nov
that the Central Office liz established. We lOOl
forward to mighty influx Of members from
every region IL will not be considered to-
much for US To expect in the next tire
months ten Thousand 81 an increase. w
would like to he able to state to the work
that the Miners National Association, at 81,
months old, numbers 5000 men IN gOo'
standing on the books To this end let u
all unite our individual efforts, and who care
If we should push the number to ~, 600; tn
more the merrIer We want you all. lie
every true, genuine friend Ia the miner, what
soever his own personal grievances, bury then
in the dust and join hands with us, wor
with us, until there Is not one man who u
miner left without the pale Of the Nations
Association. This Is the only hope left u
that we might establish the fact that tn
miner is free, intelligent, thinking being
and entitled to be treated as such, and not a
beast of burden u be knocked and kicke
around es he now is, without any sense Q
wrong, or rights to respect. Shall we hav
your help-you who toll in the mines Of Ohio
you who toll in the mines Of Pennsylvania
you who toll in the drifts Of Maryland an,
Virginia, you who dig in mines of Illinois
Indiana and Missouri, and You who are strug
Cling in the far West, Ii so, remember ''th
present time is the life Of man. and now j
the time to work. In our united number
only can we be strong, or expect to cope witt
the united capital which employs. Isolation
means poverty, wretchedness and dependence
Union is strength, and power brings Justice
home comforts and happiness. Let us all b
united. Very truly yours.
JONI SrNEY, President
JOHN JAMES, Secretary.
p S.-Constitutions will be ready for dis
tribution to lodges in about two weeks. w