The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1875-11-06

find Nos. ,, 6, Z, 8, 8, III and II constitu-
tional and correct Decision 10 we do not
agree with, as it provides for the general
dues only, ignoring the payment of the local
required for the support Of the subordinate
Lodges.
(Signed)
NJ j. WALSH,
THOMAS RUssLL.
The decision excepted to by the Com
mittee, viz No. 10, after being slightly
amended by the Convention, was by reso-
tion adopted with the others, aud the whole
Of them ord ored to be printed in conjunc-
ton witL the Constitution, and :, be con-
sidered part and parcel thereof hereafter.
They are as follows:
or THE DUES AND CAPITATIoN TAX
In case the amendments passed upon
by the Convention are ratified, Nos. l and
3 of those divisions will not be correct.
The amendments themselves explain this.
l. There is a uniform rate of national
dues, which is % cents each nan per month.
This is retained in the hands Of the local
treasurer, subject to the order of the Gen
eral President 1t Is the strike fund,
and not to be used at the discretion Of the
local Union. 1t is the property of the Ma
tonal Association.
H. No lodge or district has right to
use the monthly dues unless ordered to do
SO by the General Prerident. The third
section Of Article 8 makes it subject to his
order as a strike fund
III. The Constitution makes the per
capita tax payable once month-(see Sec.
4, Art. VIII. The per capita tax is 81
cents per month. 1t ought to be sent
monthly in advance.
~. The expense to carry on the local
business ought to be collected by the lodge
officers over and above what is required by
the Constitution. The Lodges and Districts
themselves determine the amount
v. From the date of organization,
Lodges should have ten cents per man re-
ported in good standing each month until
the first Of December, 1874; since that
time twenty-five cents per month for each
member reported III good standing, less
what has been called in by levies A Lodge
failing to preserve the reserve or strike
fund as prescribed by the Constitution,
does not perform its duty even though 1t
does pay the regular dues to the Central
Office
VI The local Lodges may arrange to
carry their members along by reporting
them I'D good standing. But IN doing so
they are responsible for the dues of those
men to the Central Office, whose officers
will look for the assessments they may re-
require to mike for the number reported
"a good on the books. We have no choice
in constitutional matters. We must be
governed by it. The Lodges will be held
responsible for failures Of secretaries to
make correct reports to this office. 1t is
the business Of the Lodge, not ours, to at
tend to this.
HOLDING THE CHARTER.
VII The President is the man into
whose hands the charter is given, and it is
his duty to take charge Of and see that it
Is protected and its provisions lived up to.
lie it is who is held responsible for it, and
the adherence of the Lodge to the princi
pies it represents
SUSPENSIONS AND WITHDRAWALS.
VIII. A member who Is suspended for
non-payment Of dues, or any other cause,
and his card returned here, can only get
that card through the order of the Lodge
whereat lie was suspended. He mas to deal
alone with the Lodge and not with this Of
flee When he settles with it, we shall re-
turn the card on the order Of the Lodge
through the Secretary. In case the Lodge
has become disbanded, then it is the duty
Of the member desiring his card to apply
for it through the officers of the one he de-
sires to attach himself to.
IN A member who has been suspended
for cause must be reinstated by major
ity Of his Lodge after having paid arrear-
ages and complying with ruch other condi-
tions as the bylaws of the Lodge provide.
Y When members withdraw and 90 to
a place where there is no Lodge, it is their
duty to send back their cards to the Lodge
from whence they were last taken, and pay
the general dues on them. Local dues in
excess of ten cents per month when a
member is gone, should not be charged
against his card, as they are in no position
to reap any benefits from it when away in
some other district, and it would be unfair
to tax them more than this sum for such.
OF REPORTS.
XI. 1t is not necessary to send all the
names with the monthly report. Send all
the names of those initiated into your
Lodge for the month Of which You are Civ
ing a report. Also. those admitted on, and
who have withdrawn by card, with their
numbers. Also, the names and numbers of
of suspended members. These we need
each month.
CHANGING THE CONSTITUTION AND BY
LAWS.
XII. No Lodge or District has the
right to amend OF alter the Constitution or
General By Laws nor can they draft by
laws not in consonance with these. To do
this is alone the prerOgative of the Lodges,
as prescribed i'll Sec. 2, Art Y. Of the
Constitution
The following opinion was also sustained
by the Convention, and we publish it with
the minutes for the benefit of our members. |
ON STRIKES AND BENEFITS.
DEAR SIR | wish you to answer the
following question through the columns of |
the Record: Suppose difficulty arises in a |
large place where the majority of the
miners are non-unionists and they should |
decide to strike. The union men would |
also be required to come out, or be consid- |
cred black-legs. Now, in case they came
out under these circumstances. would |
members Of the Organization be entitled to |
benefits, as prescribed in the Constitution |
w. w. w.
When man becomes a member of the |
Miners National Organization, the sup
position is he accepts the Constitution
thereof as his rule and guide in the matter
of all trade disputes that may arise between |
the employer and himself. Ii he does not
do so, then he Is. not member. even
though he pays his dues and attends the
etc, In the act of becoming a
he declares to the whole Asscia-