The Labor enquirer., 1884-07-05
HOW TO ORGANIZE.
The Most Honest System Of oreaniza
ton Ever Presented to the b
d. d. People. X !

ENQUIRER: The Rocky Mountain D1-
vision Executive of the 1. W, A. desire
the publication Of. the following article
on organization. 1t fully explains the
International system of, connected
groups, Salut OIL, ,
Let US suppose that you, my reader,
have been giving little attention to the
sayings and doings of the labor men,
that you have read and thought suffi-
ciently'on the subject to have pretty
good general idea of their principles and
aims, and that you find yourself more or
less in accord with them; that still you
entertain some objections and difficulties
and your mind is in condition of doubt
and uncertainty. Now, let US suppose
you have among your acquaintances two
or three persons similarly disposed, and
that you invite them to meet you ex-
pressly to talk over the subject. Suppose
that, as result of your first meeting,
you are all sufficiently interested to wish
to meet for the same purpose again and
again, sometimes IN the apartments of
one and sometimes in thoseof the others.
Finally you meet regularly-say once
week-and from two or three your num-
hers have increased to half dozen or
more. In the meantime you have OBJ
tanned for yourselves and have read and
discussed together, or passed from one to
another, some labor literature. Perhaps,
also, you have thrown yourselves into
intercourse with some well-informedl
labor advocate.
Now, my reader, l will venture to say
that the desire which you first had to
study the subject for your own sake, will
have expanded by this time into desire
to spread your views everywhere within
the circle of your influence, and the same
desire will animate your companions.
Suppose, then, that each of you while re-
tanning your organization as little club
"a "group"-should make himself the
starting point or nucleus of just such an
other club or group" composed of per-
sons perhaps living in his immediate
nelghborhood, or associated in business,
ore in some other way. The formation
of these secondary clubs or groups, and
their development, will be easier than
that of the first, as each will have the
advantage of an intelligent teacher.
You see that in very short time instead
of one you will have eight little clubs or
groups, each having thread of commu-
nication with the first one, which will
continue to hold its regular meetings.
Within another short, period these eight
clubs-meeting, perhaps, in different
wards or suburbs of city, or in little
centers of rural population-will each in
like manner make of its members the
nucles of other groups or clubs, and each
of these again of still others; and so on
ad infnitum.
This IS the system Of organization
adopted by the International. Bear in
mind that it is for educational purposes
only.
Up to this point, it will be seen, that
this method of organization is very sim
pie and quite natural it is alsofree from
any expense for halls and advertising,
and no constitution or bylaws or other
ormality is at all necessary. The time
usually spent in society meetings in what
is called regular business" is entirely
saved. AS the meetings are quite in
formal, and probably held near the home
of each member, there will be no lncon-
venience in attending them. Another
advantage is-and this is an advantage
that belongs only to very small associa:-
tions-namelv, that as each club Will
probably be composed Of persons OF
about the same class and habits and
quite familiar with each other, there will
be no timidity about the expression OF
individual opinioa; instead of half a
dozen takers and fifty listeners, every
one will be talker and every one
listener, and of course all will be thereby
more interested and become more intel
Iipent, and real friendship will be
likely to spring up between them. The
reciprocity of thought will produce that
effect. Another important advantage Is,
that there will be little likelihood of any
one member assuming such authority as
to become "boss," a self-constituted in
carnation of the society, making In Its
name all sorts of arrangements, bargains
and compromises. Nearly all the pres
ent political associations are pestered
and damaged by such ambitious or un-
principled individuals, and it is an evil OF
the first magnitude.
Each man is a member of one group
| which is under the chairmanship Of its
organizer. He is a simple member here
but if he desires himself to become an
organizer he can do so by going out and
organizing group of his own,
Among the chief objects of the Inter
| national is the ascertaining of the indi-
yidual opinions of each of the members
/ upon all questions of interest, Each
member is expected to forward his views
and thoughts and all information he OBJ
tains to Headquarters.
/ In this way, if every sympathizing
i reader of this article will set to work, il
. will be feadily seen how quickly and
successfully -supposing the ideas to be
4 correct and the time ripe for them-the
| party may spread. like the ganglions o
| the nervous system, throughout the whole