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


order at o'clock P. m, and after th,
usual preliminary work had been gon'
through, the President announced that, OF
account of his defective eyesight, he woulj
request the Secretary to read the Annua
Address
THE PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.
| GENTLEMEN OF THE CONVENTION . 1t il
again my pleasure to meet you IN conven
ton, to discuss the experience Of the yeal
lust closed, with the view of learning anC
protiting therefrom. 1t has been in many
respects, a bitter year to the men we have
the honor "a represent. To a certain ex-
tent, when we last met, We were hopeful
! that the desolating effect of the commercial
panic of the fall Of '73 had nearly exhaus-
ted itself. and the weakened industries
were about to recuperate ana improve. In
! this We are disappointed. and sadly, too.
! Trade, with us, many ot you are too well
aware, has not revived to any appreclable
| degree. even though we are told at different
| places. here and there, that il has done so.
! lt Is, doubtless, very pleasant sentiment
to entertain and express, that which in
spires hope and courage into the dropping
suirits of labor, but when 1t lasts for two
! long years, men begin To feel it is but keep
| ing the word of promise 70 the ear to break
/ it ID the hope. Men cannot live alone on ex-
pectaton. 1t is Certainly help, but We
must have more Stern facts are what our
people feel they have to grappie with, and
they begun to realize this truth themselves
now. For long while they could not
understand to hat extent the depression
/ that has fallen upon us entered into the
| control Of our affairs, aud III lieu of this,
/ all manner Of wild theories were advanced
AS to what vas the real cause Of our
! troubles | have heard men say. and no
amount Of reason could Iet them t. enter
tam a different opinion, that the cause of
the dull times was a scheme a the employ
I ers to reduce wages. To men watching the
current of events from a national stand
point, nothing could be more absurd than
this idea. No man in our movement has
better opportunity to observe the spirit
which moves employers than that afforded
me by the position you have placed me IN.
Whilst many are cold. unteelug, and some
even malicious among them and ever ready
To take advantage Of workIngmen needs,
| know there are also many who desire to
do strict Justice to them, as far as that can
be done under the prevailing system. To
me in is impossible to class all mine EN-
ployers in the category Of thieves, robbers
and bad men, for 1t is not true. Like as
1t is among ourselves, | suspect the good
among them are largely under the power
ful sway uf the reckless and inscriptions.
TO live, that is, do business and MAINTAIN
a position to compete, the minority must
adopt the rules Of the majority. This IS
the rule, and while 1t has been the fate Ot
our members, and trade generally, TO suffer
for the common necessarles Of life, IL has
also been the misfortune Of many Of them
to 90 into bankruptcy, and dH to submit 10
terrible contraction IN the estimated
values of their properly. AS with US, 50
is it with them, III the matter of Organiza-
tion. Except in the anthracite regions,
and ] might add, Pittsburg, do not know
that a real, genuine combination exists
that at any important point can hold the
prices Of our product up in the markets.
I'm the course of my official term have
met lots Of them who prayed that such an
union could be organized and sustained.
Those men | have met ia Indiana, ILLINOIS
and Ohio, and at this hour they would
give a good deal if such controlling power
could be built up for their protection.
With them, all divided, and each man cut
ting his neighbOrs figures, and trying to get
paying trade out Of a languId and mac
tive market with us. all divided, for this
has really been our condition, taking our
trade az a whole, and thus holding no
perceptible control over their actions
As the producers nothing else but reduc-
tions in prices could be the result, and the
semi-organized resistance on our part fail
Of its purpose. The consequence was that
coal fell in the markets, by the ''cuttlng
under plan Of the dealers, and this large
| ly at the expense of the working miner.
/ They, in their dlsorganized condition, had
no adequate plan to manage any one sec
ton of the trade, when 1t was thought they
did not get far, honest share Of the pro-
ducts of their hands.
| THE DULL TIMES--A PRACTICAL UNION.
fhe economy practiced in every house
hold aud manufacturing establishment re
sultiug from the falling OF Of trade and
the almost total suspension Of iron manu-
featuring, combined in making the dull
season with us. This state Of affairs, nj
body Of men, whether manufacturers, op
orators, or miners, could influence, how
ever well they might be organized, anC
however harmOniously they might move
for the attainment of given object. Some
people argue that reducing prices to {
minimum is the best stimulant for an inac
| 4 - - ~ ~.
ducement for those who want to buy to d.
So" | confess ] never have been able t
see the philosophy of this argument Sucl
thing might create a spirit Of speculation
but / have always thought that unles
there y as a demand for the article the Civ
ing it away below fair honest value
never would make people buy more thar
they desired to use anyhow. The opera
tors in the anthracite region understand
this ques ion thoroughly. They do no
mine any great surplus of coal ever,
month, even though they have any anoun
Of facility so to do, in the hope of stimula
ting sales not at all. They have tn
measure of the market and know it's capa
city ON ton. This, theyanine enough T.
supply, and no more. To ship more thai
this they fully comprehend would simpl,
reduce the value Of the coal, and sell 70
them not one additional ton. This is
practical Union, and is Of some real bene
tit to the members composing it. an
conscious of the objection the general pub
lie have to make against such a confedera
tiOn, because, they say, I'VE, the con
sumers. are made to pay higher price 70
our coal than We would be required to d.
if no such combination existed !" and i an