The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-11-18

sontlradffy: The fnost friendly relations
and tHe ttrndst oodieelingshoasa Os n hsen
tained. Dhfing the past year ~ ~ s,,,ss Al
called Upon in accordance WIN tI =. adinst-
{ha Hrnfherhood, to assist In the auluss
saant ~ o-r;avances upon q number OF roaos;
ND With hut one exception were successor
- effectino a settlement OF them witnout W
.ort;no To extreme measures. On tne ~
.o.o an; Western Indiana Belt road, a.oet
exhaustine every honorable enort 20 en Lei
a neaceable adjustment OF the g1evancs =
the men, who were compelled 10 iesost The
strike in order to obtain justice az sne
hands OF the genera! S srea our
tolerated only as . last means 70 1ree oui
men from unnecessary oppressive .leI
~ment-neyer recommended. Strikes III .I1
abstract, are an abomination, because e.
wavs 90 they encourage mobs n moo
violence. and the many suffer Tor the Ie"'
while starvation follows in their wake.
One OF the grandest objects Of our oIuel
is it's insurance association. EstaDl.sneu
in December, 1867, with q membersnlP o,
fifty, it has been growing in strength anu
usefulness, until now our RECORD coh'slue
4,242 names. 1t is very sratIy'ns ~
withstanding the stringent times ano IN,
creased rate Of mortality and add'tlona,
'forfeitures over last year, that We are sun
enabled to report an increase. We a ~.
the close OF the last fiscal year, on August
81, 1884, 1884 members. Died during ons
wear, g.; disabled, g.; forfeited, 42S, ana
had on August 81. 1885, 4,242. showing q
net gain of 25S. We have paid 70 claims
Of So, 900 each, aggresating the sum OF
1928 900, making the grand totai o1
81, 754, 169.61 that we have PAID 10 tne
heirs Of deceased and disabled mne
This, however, is not q we hope TO
achieve in this way. Our order should not
contain a man whose name is absent from
the list OF insured ones. Too much I'M
p~ortance cannot be attached to this. BY
the payment of q very small sum OF money
we may provide for those whom we have
vowed to protect, and care Tor them when
we are called to yield ourselves to HIM VINO
gave; we may avoid the 1na1
a duty is left uniuldlled which may 1nrow
our helpless family upon the charity OF q
cold and unfeeling world. It Ia not enough.
that we clothe and feed those dependent
upon us while we live; that were q meagre
reward for the comfort and happiness they
yield us. but we should provide inasmuchi
as we are able against emergencies; mis-
and more our insurance association Will
do. There is q fund for the sick, the Grip,
pled and the aged, while that distributed
annually to the widowed and orphaned
would form a princely income.
At the close Of another year let it not be
said of the Brotherhood ofLocomotive En-.
gineers that they use more railroad plug
tobacco than any similar body OF men, but
rather that they boast more members to
their Insurance association, and pay
larger dividends to disabled members, to
widows and orphans.
The spirit Of unrest and a longing for q
| change seems to have invaded our ranks
| for some time past. and many suggestions
| and discussions have followed. We would
| not discourage this since it is the guide to
| progression and the road to perfection.
| But we would have you weigh we'll the pros
| which will materially effect the organiza-
| ton. l am alluding to those suggestions
| for change regarding our monthly Journal,
which is dear to the heart oievery Brother
hood man. Until the Journal is e by
every member OF the Brotherhood another
periodical or paper would only serve to in
| crease expenses, while a revenue from it
would be impossible. Let each man enter
| the literary field and regard the Journal
as his own book. He will fnd that the
| covers are elastic and capable Ut enclosing
any and all of his contributions. 1t ia the
voice of the organizations speaking to the
world, laying open it's business and reports
| to those wko will read, and completely an
Initiating the idea that the Brotherhood OF
Locomotive Engineers is wrapped in
secresy. Beside railroad matter, it con-
tains for wife and children a story, clip
pings from reliable sources, both Of al in
structive and entertaining character, letters
from various members. and a host OF mis-
cellaneous matter which seldom fails to
interest all who read. During the past
year it's circulation has reached as high as
16, 900, and with a little effort on the part
Of each member could be more than
| doubled, which would net US q sufficient
revenue to pay the salaries OF your two
grand officers. However, let not an abid-
ing sense of satisfaction steal over you un-
til each and every man possesses the as
surance that he individually has done all
he can to add to the literary value and to
the cirulation of our Journal. We are
much indebted to Brothers DelOss Everett,
Shapdy Mcclure, A. w. Logan. J.. E..
Phelan and all Others who have con-
and trust they will continue to favor us
with their contributions.
The reunions held by the subdivisions in
different parts OF the country have been
attended with good results. Such meetings
have a beneficial effect in many ways. They
tend not only to bring together friends and
acquaintance who have seldom other op.
portunities OF meeting in q social capacity,
but they cement, as if it were, a brotherly
feeling among those engaged in the same &C.
cupatiou, which possibly could not
otherwise be brought about. would urge
pom you at this time the necessity and
Importance of exercising more care in inves-
t~igating the character and qualifications Of
applicants for admission into the order.
Character Is the measure OF man; and not
OF q man only, but OF societies, civilza-
tions and epochs. You know a man not
by the countries he has visited, the books
he has written or the speeches he has made
but by something that ia deeper than
all these, that from which his achievement
receives ita tone and coloring, that impal.
pable yet ever obtrusivs entity-character.
This is the whole man. Here is all his
strength; here are the springs of his power.
Here is the fatal weakness which makes the
act abortive or the word insipid in q crisis
where failure is calamitoua, This ia that
force which asserta itself and rises to the
height at q great opportunity, and makes
the boy monarch of the playground and the
man master OF the Senate. Too much care
cannot be taken in ~iasuing travelling cards
to members, Instances nave occurred
where members have been furnished with
card who had been dismissed from the ser.
vice OF the company for some misdemeanor,
The travelling care 81 the Brotherhood
| ought to be regarded as q recommend to
WHOulSOeVeT presented CnaC Che pORa6SAOr
thereof is a man worthy al their conf
dence.
We n attach too much Importance
to the dignity and value OF our labor. 1t ia
astonishing what can be accomplished bv
energetic. persistent work. Often seeming
impossibilities are changed into successful
results, apparently insurmountable obsta-
cles are triumphantly overcome by constant
labor, with one object solely in view. There
is not a famous inventor OF any kind who
has accomplished a success in any
of the many departments of the
world who has not, with one desire
at heart and with a single aim in mind.
worked patiently and constantly for years
before achieving any triumph. When a nan
possesses will power and tirmness oil our.
pose to such a degree that he can and does
energetically labor over one particular de-
sire for years, no matter what DISCOURAGE.
ments or difficulties he may meet, the re-
suits are as a rule just what he has labored
for 90 long. OfcQurse there are exceptions
but that is the rule. We hear a great deal
about luck" and it's effect upon our tail
ures or successes. There is no such th;no
as what is commonly meant by this much
abused word. Pluck is what governs 70.