The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-09-02
THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD.
News and Notes Of Interest
to Manufacturers and
Workingmen-
COIored Men Joining the Knights OF
LabOr-Printers and Life
Insurance, Lite.

There are two district assemblies Of
the Knights of Labor in Norfolk,
Va, each with twenty-seven local as
semblies. Over half the membership are
colored men, and they are very enthusiastic,
and carry their religious zeal into the
order. Race distinctions are disappearing.
Harmony prevails between white and black
Knights on their Congressional tickets. A
cooperative baker-shop has been started
there. cooperative store has also been
started at Danville, and cooperative to-
bacco factory and soap factory at Rich
mond. Only few hundred OF the 1000
men formerly employed in the Norfolk
Navy Yard are at work at present:
The cooperative movement is being con-
sidered in several other localities, but the
lack of spare funds is the lion in the way.
Some day capitalists will perhaps try the
experiment of industrial partnership with
labor. The experiment would be worth
trying.
Less complaint is heard of idle labor.
Demand is wiping up idlers in all crafts ex-
cept in three or four directions. Quite a
number of mechanics are returning from
the West, but employment there is again
increasing.
For thirty years not the best of feeling has
existed between the puddlers of Eastern
Pennsylvania and the puddlers of the West,
because the former could not maintain
their organization, could not win any strikes
and could not secure an advance in their
wages. They have now made another at
tempt, and will make hard fight to win.
The New York Central Labor Union be-
Il l., I'LL IL ..x@~
ten separate branches or sections. Each
section is composed of five delegates from
each trade organization, and each section
sends one delegate TO form Central Labor
Union. Steps will now be taken by this
central representative body to extend labor
organization, "to mold public opinion" TO
hold mass meetings, to found labor press,
to adjust differences and TO do many other
things.
The 5000 tobacco workers of New York
have formed a union.
The printers, says the Philadelphia Rec
ord, are trying life insurance on this basis:
90 cents each on the death of any printer
insured who is from Is to p years of age;
80 cents on those from 80 TO 30; As cents
on those from 30 10 40; and 80 cents on
those above 40 years of age. A certificate
of good health and good moral character is
required from a practicing physician on
candidates for membership III the insurance
branch. No printer over 90 years of age is
eligible.
The statesmen of New York City are
focking into labor unions. Grocers book
keepers, machine clerks, and clothing
house clerks are we'll organized and are
pushing ahead to get everybody else in
with them.
A new district assembly has been organ
lied az Albany, No. 147. A labor picnic
was held at ST. Paul, at which 10000 per-
sons were present. The sum realized Was
$4,000. which will be used to build a hall.
A State assembly was organized in
Georgia, and several new districts will be
organized. 4 State assembly has been or
gained at st. Louis. Two new districts
have been organized and local assemblies
are springing up all over the State.
Downtrodden laborers sometimes take
black view of matters. One writes: There
is crushing business depression every
where" Poor fellow If he had an $1S
job and caught up with his store and rent
bills he would see things differently.
Some labor reformers in New York want
TO have law passed exempting from taxa
ton land up to $1,000 in value used for
homestead purposes; also exempting houses
of the same value.