Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-11-26
THE sovEREIGNs OF INDUSTRY.
Rapid Growth OF the Order-Its Objeets-W hat
Has Been Accomplished.

In January last the Sovereigns of
Industry organized in Sprins feld,
Mass, with view of combining me
chanics, artisans, and other working
men who do not till the soil, and MAX
ing an ASSOCIATION in the East the
equivalent of the Patrons of Husban-
dry in the West. The object of the
association is to improve tie material,
social and intellectual condition of It's
members by presenting san organized
resistance to the organized encroach-
ments of the monopolies and other
evils of the industrial and commercial
system;" to endeavor to establish a
better system of economical exchanges
and to promote, on basis OF equity
and liberty, mutual fellowship and CO.
operative action among the producers
and consumers of wealth throughout
the earth" 1t is proposed to concen
trate the trade of the members OF the
order, so that they may, as far as pos
sible. deal with First hands direct,
and to do away with all unnecessary
'middlemen." The organization makes
no assault upon individuals or classes
as such, hut upon systems that are
wrong. 1t opposes strikes and rIotous
demonstrations, and bases its hopes of
adjusting the differences between en-
ployer and employe upon showing
both that their interests are to be Sc
cured by better mutual understand
ing, Any person over sixteen years
of age, engaged in industrial pursuits,
of good character and having no IN
terests in conflict with the purposes OF
the order, is eligible 20 membership,
| with no distinctions on account of sex,
creed, race, or nationality.
Since the organization of the order
in January councils have been estab-
lished in twenty States in the Union
| In Massachusetts alone there are over
10000 members. There are ten coun-
ellis in Chicago, eight in Philadelphia,
and many in nearly every large city
IN the Union.
At a recent meeting held in New
York in the interest of the order, Mr..
Alexander Troup, editor of the labor
organ in New Haven, gave his per
sonal experience as a Sovereign of In
dustry. There were 81 counc Is in
Connecticut, and upwards Of 1900
members. He, himself paid 81 for
flour After the organization was
formed they bought the same kind OF
-four for 81 per barrel. They had con
tracted for their butter in the same
way. 1t costs from ~ cents to 80
cents in his city. They could get 1t
delivered from the West Tor 80 cents
In buying clothing a saving of from
Is to % per cent. was made The
deductions made by manufacturers
were startling to them at first. They
were able to buy sewing machines
that retaiIed for SIS for from $50 to
| $45. The members of the councils
had been able to save from three to
five dollars a week on their purchases.
But they had opposition. The monop-
o les and ;he middlemen of course OPP.
posed them. An instance would illus
trate. They received bids from the
coal dealers. and contracted with the
lowest bidder to furnish them coal at
a reduction of about 81 so per ton.
He SAID he was satisfied, was making
money, but he added that he had re-
ceived warning from the coal combi-
nation of New York not to sell the
or anization any more coal, or they
would not sell him any. He must
either break with the combination or
break his contract. The speaker pre-
dicted that another year would see
them shipping coal direct from the
mines.