The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1875-09-25
Cannon, International President e. J
Cox, International Secretary.

Cox, International Secretary.
Roll called Of members, all present.
The International President presented
the following report, which after being reat
was referred to the Committee on officer
Report.
PREsIcENT CANNON's REPORT.
REPRESENTATIVES 1t becomes my duty
to lay before you a statement Of the or
ganization for the last two years, with sucl
comments and recommendations, baseC
upon the experience gained, AS may have
l tendency to assist you in perfecting the
work tor which you are called together
In the term which has elapsed since last
we met iii session there has crowded Il
much of bitter disappointment, suspense
and anxiety as has filled the measure OF
any Of my predecessors or of any other
period Of equal extent in the history OF
the International Organization When,
after the adjournment Of the last Conven-
ton, we turned our faces hOmeward, there
was unanimous opinion that the results
Of the session, by the adoption of the
liberal laws which it had framed would
redourd With good to the Organization,
and strengthen the ties which bound us
together the great and unprecedented
unanlmity with which your actions and
avs were Al proved and indorsed by the
local organizations were AT once hattering
and encouraging, and led us 10 believe
that new era ~ prosperity was about to
dawn upon us. How terribly our hopes
we're shattered and he pleasing Illusion
dlspetlcd II Is unnecessary To state. The
paLIc. with ali Its attending evils, came
upon us like a Whirl~lud carry my des-
tructIJn and drsolatiou IN is path, making
fearful havoc and CHASTITY lnruais into the
prosperous and happy homes of the work
lng people. eifectualiy closing every ave
huc ut prosperity anu every channel Of in
dustry. 1t IS no part Of my duty to enter
INTO any discussion As 70 the causes which
produced IL, and ! only refer to il AS af-
itctnL our organization. 1t required no
foresight 10 see that the fleet on our trade
would le disastrous, and that unless wise
and JudIclnus councils prevailed among
the members of our local organIZatlo
they would embark upon series of ruin
Gus strikes, which would not ouly end III
their uNn destruction, but also in the dis
solution of the International Union.
With these thoughts uppernost in my
mind, | ISSUED a circular urging the Unions
t. use discretion in acting upon proposed
reductions, ANA to weigh well the chances
q success against the almost certainty Of
defeat before launching into a strike The
first response came IN the shape Of an ap-
pllcatIon for and from Paterson and Rich
mond, followed Immediately by similar
.It
and Nestfeld the latter three numbering
one hundred and twenty-five men. These
were followed by other applications in
rapid succession, nearly every mail bring
ing to my notice either an anticipated re-
ductlun or an Inaugurated strike. An eX-
animation Of the laws relating to strikes
against reductions showed lne that the
Executive Board could use no discretion
In the matter, bat must STAN them, and
provide also the means t. SUI port them.
Ii became evident 70 me that the ability IF
the international UuIun to stand advers-
IJy as it had prosperity vas about t. be
put to a severe test. Feeling the lmpussl-
bllty OF making a successful resistance,
and believing II was our true policy to
bend and not to break. | would write to
the Unions contemplating a strike, giving
them such advice AS deemed best calcu-
lated t. bring US through the struggle. In
a few cases this adv ice was adopted, but
the great maj rIty claimed rs good right
to strike ana receive support as any other
Union, and when they did not receive the
support promptly, would return to their
work and the Union would dlsband IN
this manner our membership has been
lar. ralI ha absar f.f
our Unions, while Of Those which Iemain
many are weak organizations, only await
ing their death blow in the form of a re
duction or special assessment Of few
cents weekly The evils Of these strikes
do not end with the striking Union All
the others are affected by strike, and
members dernur t. paying assessments,
forgetting III the meanwhile how sollcltous
they were to receive prompt support for
themselves hen IN similar position.
This is the most unpleasant feature in
connection with special assessments, and
my experience Of the past two years con
vinces me that the trade Of cigar making
contains large number OF men who are,
to put 1t mildly, deficient of a sense Of
gratitude.
While every Union comprising the In
ternational Union have, with but few ex-
ceptions, received the support Of the In
ternational Union while engaged III a
strike, there have been but seven special
levies ordered, and IN no case did the
amount Of the levy exceed the SUN Of ten
cents per week for each Union on strike.
The Unions for which special levies were
ordered were No. 4. Cincinnati; l6, St.
Lous; (2) 28, Westheld; 32, Elyria; 6,
Syracuse, and s, Of Albany. The latter
assessment continued during twenty weeks,
ana ia that time | received but four re-
ports as to the monies they were recelv-
mg and the unions remIttIng, but | re-
ceived frequent complaints that the aid
they received was insufficient, to which
replied asking for regular reports so that
might know the delinquent Unions.
! After waiting in vain | notified then
| that unless regular reports were forwarded
| | would order all aid to cease They
| finally notified the International Secretary
that they would pay no further per capit'
tax. ard that they had virtually with
drawn" from the unions who had sup
norted them. | at once ordered flrthe
aid to cease.
The amounts expended by the union
for which special assessments we're ordere,
art As follows:
No. A. Cincinnati, 81, ,247 80; No. 4
Syracuse, sl,9O4. 29; ~. 8. Albany
- r,F---.r-'4 ALL 81; Nc
s9SS. 80; No ~, wgStnerr:S5- =
IS. st. Louis, 81. lao. 80; No. 132, Elyria
1894. 90; total, G.O27 20.
These figures do not show the sum tots
derived from special assessments, as man
unions were transferred from their SUP