The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1874-12-19
ENGLISH TRADES UNION Re
PORTS.

PORTS
The annual reports of the various trades
unions in Great Britain have been publish
ed, from which we learn that~the Amalga-
mated Engineers have funds amounting to
f2OO, 1928, and the next to them is the
Miners National Association, Gl43, 100,
and a membership Of $50, 900, which is
understated, and which is more than three
times the number Of any other trade or
ganization. Commencing with the Anal
gamated Engineers, which has fund of
more than goo, 900, and is consequently
the richest trade organization in the king
dom-although the Miners Association is
triple in numbers-we find that it has 357
branches, including lodges in India, Tur-
KEY, New Zealand, Malta, and Queens
land Its expenses for a single year (lS73)
we're 967, 1879, Of which El7, 1873 paid for
the relief of the sick, E9477 for the sup
port Of the superannusted, f6567 for fun
erals, aud f313O for printing, may be
mentioned as items. These are large sums
to be welded by single society Of work
ing men, aud may convey some idea Of
what combination even among those who
are earning moderate wages, can effect.
The yearly report Of the Amalgamated En-
gineers is a Well-prlnted pamphlet Of S32
pages, aud is 50 excellently arranged and
indeXed that anY one may arrive at even
Il e smallest facts with the least possible
trouble. The general secretary Mr. Allan,
who has died since the report was publish
ed, perfacss the volume with a few concise
remarks, from which we learn that the
year Was one Of great prosperity; eight
new lodges were opened, 1907 members
we're added, and the funds we're increased
BY more than e42, 900. The well-being Of
the hAslabera has ha@n I.ronnntAd, and by
moderate means, without resorting to
strikes or causing lock-outs. The secre-
tary deprecates strikes, and recommends
arbitration in all differences between EN-
ployer and employed. The prosperity Of
the society from the year 1869 to the
present time, which has been uninterrupt-
ed and in constantly increasing ratio, is
contrasted With the tpresslOn marking the
four years preceding 1869
! We come next to the report of the Anal
gamated Society Of Carpenters and join
ers. This document, 2O7 pages in length,
is a sort Of arIthnetlcai triumph and joy.
Indeed, the prosperity Of this society. ever
since its foundation IN 1869, has advanced
almost without break During the dis
couraging years 1869 and 1870 its fund wa:
decreased by less than $500, and since
1870 it has doubled its fund while adding
surely to its membership. During the yeai
20 new branches were established Of which
Scotland, Wales, the United States, and
Canada have two each the others being in
England. The income If this society fol
the year was 93l, OBS, Of which G3O85
were spent in donations t566 III replac
ing tools, G5865 for the sick, f1248 fol
funerals, 930O for accidents, f97 for super.
anuation, 1854 for trade privileges,
which include strike-pay arbitration and
Cancellation expenses, law, &c. 9446 in
benevolent grants, and El55 in grants
and loans to other trades.
The report Of the friendly Society Of
lronworkers is, perhaps the most notice
able of the whole, and it s certainly the
one which takes the most hopeful view ,oi
the future. in speaking Of better times
coming, the report of the Ironworlara
says -
But withal, we must not lay down theoar
! No, the time has not yet arrived when we can
! lie down in apathy rest and be thankful.
We have only just arrived ct the porch Of the
better times, and very often the crush is mo- I
tremendous just as we are about to enter the
portals, and it behOves our young members
especially so to cultivate the intellectual
power as to pick up the theme which many Of
the eldere will in a short time have perforce
to lay down, and WELD it in the defence Of
labor like good and true soldiers OF the cause
are surrounded by unjust and arbitrary laws,
which bear uDequally upon the producer Of
wealth Is compared with the owner OF CAPT
tai. As an instance, suppose a contract u
made between two individuals, master and
lnan, and the man in a short time sees be has
made bad bargain, and attempts to break
the contract, he is liable to suffer impriAOn-
ment for his act, and thus leave his wife and
children to penury the want during his incar-
ceration while the employer may, for pee
uniary consideration, break his part OF the
contract with impunity and thus, not be-
cause he Is . better man, but . richer one, he
may avoid the degradation Of herding with
felons and Ouscasts Is his servant has to do
who comes uuder the lash Of this Ubiquitous.
law. Through the instrumentality Of some
Of these laws we find the leading men OF some
Of our large organizations placed in such peril
GUS positions that though jury of our lei
low-countrymen will not find them guilty,
yet it is the cause Of hundreds Of pounds be-
ing spent in law, which ought to be more ase-
fully employed in feeding the hungry, and
providing for the widow and fatherless' But
all this the working men shall chang, With
. score or more in law-making honse, to
stand to th lip Of Messrs Mcdonald ard
Burt, they 4 keep hammering away 1t
the subject until all members, mo matter
whether Conservative or Liberal or extreme
Radical, shall feel such an interest in the
matter ~ to make it At least one plank In the
platform Of their political creed