The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-10

each others acquaintance: the advantages oz
them in making the knowledge Of one the knowli
edge of all are obvious.
They make possible set discussions oe the prin.
ciples Of the craft. This is important, both for
the knowledge it ifnparts and for the mental dis
cipline it gives to those who take part.
They afford the opportunity of assisting sick
or unfortunate members and may have in this
particular. If properly managed, the widely her.
aided advantages of such orders as the MasonH
and 0dd-feilows
They admit of the intelligent and thorough
discussion of grievances, Instructions and i'm.
pediments. By this we do not mean the consid
Grafton OF the case of particular workman
against MS employer, but those which are gen.
eral, and may exist wherever trade is carried on.
Men OF influence may be maintained in tina
various offices of the organizations who can
speak with more authority than any ono man
could ever attain And this seems to be impor-
tant in view of the vast power which is conferred
in the president of a great railway corporation.
employing many thousands of men, and even in
one man the head of a private enterprise en-
ploying large number. It also seems to be i'm
portant in view of the facts, that all corpora
tons may be considered thoroughly organized
Stock companies of every kind must have direct
tors, who derive great weight from their posi-
ton as dircctors-a weight which they could
never exert as mere stockholders.
These organizations are also frequently OF adj
vantage to workmen who have just claims for
damages against their employers growing out or
accident or disease resulting from the neglect id
whole or in part, of the said employers 1t Is OF
great Importance to laboring men that they.
should be protected, yet they have but very
little means laid by to contend successfully with
wealthy corporations. Connection with labor
organizations may assist them in various ways,
by money, or by the creation of that which is Of
ten more powerful than money-a sound public
sentiment.
The creation and maintenance of a proper
public sentiment upon all questions of interest
to workingmen is perhaps the largest sphere In
which labor organizations can work. It has
recently been seen that without public senti.
ment no amount of organization can save,
and that with favoring public senti-
ment for the workingmen, corporations are
comparatively powerless to continue serious OPP
preston. body of woraingmen calmly stat
ing their grievances will receive attention from
the press, general discussion will be brought on,
with the result If their cause be just, that IL
will receive public sympathy.
It is also possible, by means of organization,
for workirgmen to use their political influence
upon such political questions as directly or indi-
rectly affect themselves for good or evil That
they have right to the ballot and all legitl-
mate political influence cannot be denied. To
be governed in their exercise of the franchise
wholly by their own interests would,
of course, be unpatriotic But when
ever laws are proposed which can damage men.
which laws are in the interests of those to whom
they related in business, and not in the inter.
est of the common country, and pressing equally
upon all, the right of the freeman to use hia
vote to protect himself against Others who are
using their votes against him is unquestionable.
That it has sometimes been necessary to strike.
and may be again, few will doubt That when
it is necessary to strike it is very desirable that
all who are involved should be induced
to cooperate, and that there should be-
sufficient means for sustaining the work
ers whose wages cease, is as important as
the strike itself. Whether men should belong to
has been questioned by some. But it is clear to
us that there would never be any hope of success
in a strike if there was no cooperation betwsen
workingmen in the same craft