The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-01-17
Tn. san Antonio Labor Union.

Meyers hall, for the purpose OF organ
izmg a labor union. The small attend
ance was possibly owing to the inclem'
ency of the weather, but they were evil
IDENTIFY enthusiastic in their intention.
Mr.. C. De Were being called to the
chair, explained in his opening and
subsequent remarks that they had met
to organize union for the protection
of labor. All persons in receipt OF a
salary were eligible as members, and
employers would be admitted to the
union as honorary members. Any
member having ground for complaint
would bring his complaint before a
committee and If it is a just one, they
would invite the employer to meet the
committee to justify his action, if right,
or to cease if wrong. All men had
equal rights, it was true, but not equal
ability and for this reason he argued
for graduation, so that the good indus
tnous workman would get his reward,
and the bad, drunken workman, would
suffer for his conduct. This was con
trary to the ordinary trade union prin-
ciple, which placed all men on an
equality, but he was satisfied that a
just system of grading would work
we'll.
Mr.. J.'W. Cartwright, who was
present, was called upon to address the
meeting, and in very able and effect.
i've speech supported the project,
and pointed out that every class
had its club or society, hav-
ing for its main object the protec-
ton of their class. The merchant had
his exchange, the tradesman his union,
the farmer his organization, the wool
grower his association, the stock
raiser his society, the lawyer his bar,
and the doctor his association. All
these bodies were for the protection of
their respective interests. TWAS there
fore mete and proper that the working
man should have a society formed for
his protection. He urged them to be
careful in its formation, to do nothing
without due consideration, as upon
their action now depended the question
of success or failure. Looking back
into past history of such movements in
Europe and the United States, it was
found that many of these things came
to nought because they were founded
on a wrong basis. The largest-the
commune Of France-had failed be-
cause it aimed at too much and id
not due regard to other interests, bat
its own. 1t proposed to divide the
property among the people-in other
words, to take from the rich and give
to the poor without any regard to the
rights of property. 1t failed because it
was not organized upon right princl-
pie. From the same cause came the
failure of the strikes in Pennsylvania
and in Illinois. Those who organized
the strikes gathered in their train worth
less tramps, who urged them on to
revolution. In considering the labor
interest they had no regard to
those of the manufacturer. The
basis of the union is just and equitable,
and it aims at nothing more than it has
a right to accomplish. II it adheres to
those principles, recognizing the rights
of both the employer and the en-
ploye, it must succeed, and in no 9TH
er way can it deserve or attain sue
cess. In the organization of the Penn
sylvania and Illinois strikes no consid-
Grafton was paid to the circumstances
of the case. These occurred, he be-
lieved, in 1873, at "a period when a