The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1876-07-29
THE IRON MOLDERs.


CLEVELAND, o., July lS, 1876.
To the Editor oF the woRKIxsnAEs ADVOCATE
DEAR SIR:-The Iron Molders Union OF
North America has been holding its bien-
NAL session for the last week in our city.
There are rs delegates present, and Mr..
Satin the President called them to order
on the morning of the 9TH, in Halle Hall,
on Superior street. They simply organized,
however, and adjourned 10 attend Pic
Mic at Rocky River, pleasant watering
place on the side Of Lake Erie, eight miles
from here, which Lodges Nos. n and 2lS
had prepared for them. The members in
form me it was grand affair. Nothing
that could be thought Of, that would add
to the enjoyment of the most fastidlous,
have the promoters of the entertainment
left Gndone. The place itself Ia particular
" choice a. location for . days pleasure,
and the many delicacies and means Of max
ing all feel happy provided, made the day
to all who were there one of the happiest of
their lives This ia what they say. They
got back the same evening and went to
work next morning in nsearnest-when Mr..
Satin. delivered his very elaborate and ex-
cellent address, or report Of the work OF
the organization for the term Just closed.
A copy of it has been mailed you, and
doubtless you will Gull largely from it on
your own account, for the benefit OF your
readers. But | cannot refrain from not
ing some points that seem to me aPPropri-
ate for the benefit of our miners and other
trade Unionists, as they are as applicable
to us as to the Iron Molders.
The receipts from monthly dues and
entrance fees were $50, ,695. 90, which in
cludes the balance on hand Of s5, ,652. "a ON
June 18th, 1874, the time their last blen-
NAL statement was made to. The receipts
on strike tax for the term was $l5, 1876,
which with a balance on hand at their last
convention Of 81 ,S47 %, made total OF
81, ,5S3. 90, from which they paid for strikes
SIG. III. .46. In the term they have paid
81. lOS. 70 Of debt, which was owing at the
last convention, and 50, 44O.0O as super
anuation dues. This leaves them bal
ance in their general fund OF "a, 5@.SS,
and in their strike fund Of 81 466 52- The
President says during the term the treas
ury has always been full, and all legal de-
mands upon it have been promptly paid,
and have no suggestions to offer on the
subject as the system works we'll ]" They
have had quite nImber Of contests dur
ing the term, and in Stunning up the results
find but few exceptions where failure has
attended their efforts. Victory is the
word at the conclusion Of almost every case
except in those instances where the mem
bers were fool-hardy enough to venture on
their own account and without the authori-
ty Of the general organization. With the
Molders, the rule is to submit the griev-
ance of Lodge, or Union, to the whole OF
the Unions in the persons Of their cor
representative, an Office clothed with pow
or to cast the vote Of the Union, giving
authority to the aggrieved, to strike or re-
fusing it. This is a safe plan and is based
on the idea Of no taxation without repre-
sentation. When. the Unions vote in favor
of a strike they are required to be, and are
ready to support it to a successful issue.
The estimated receipts for the next two
years are,
Cash on hand and due 9,6OO.OO
Monthly dues $500 members 27 ,OOOOO