Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-06-11
vhat thcy VI be paid as at pre,.,t only


pointed.
lawyer named Lawrence Hartman 81
Peoria, ILL.,, presented an elaborate plan
TO the general assembly looking toward
the settlement of all labor troubles by a
special branch of the United States courts
At this point the assembly again I'D
journcd until the next morning 10 allow
the committee on the state Of the order t.
prepare its report.
After the Adjournment OF the assembly
proper members of the trades unior com
mittee met, prominent among whom were
4. j. Mcbride, secretary OF the brother
hood of carpenters and joiners; ID. r.
Boyer chief organizer of the Internation-
al Typographical association, and A.
Strasser, president of the international
Cigarmarkers' union. The session of the
committee was for the purpose of hearing
the views and the suggestions of the trades
union representatives and the details OF
cases where trouble has arisen between
Knights of Labor and members of unions.
Mr.. Boyer had but little to offer, the
Typographical Union having but few
grievances. This organization also con-
tains fewer Knights of Labor in proper
ton 20 the size or its membership than
any of the other unions Mr., Boyer re
ported the greatest harmony between his
order and the Knights. Most of the griev-
anccs OF other unions were of u personal
nature. The chief trouble between the
cigarmakers and the Knights arose
through disagreement among the mem
bers of the latter order in New York and
the unionsts concerning minor points Of
relationship and precedence and the recent
lockout of the manufacturers. The car
penters had grievances to present, owing
TO the indescretion of individuals on both
sides in different localities
When the convention re-assembed on
Friday, May %, the executive board pre-
sented its report embodying the address
of the trades unions and the terms on
which they wish to settle existing trou-
blcs. The address is as follows:
''rhe officers of the National and Inter
national Trades Unions desire to make the
statement that they have no antagonism
towards the Knights of Labor, and believe
that IA an order ii has n legitimate mis-
sion in the labor movement of America.
1 Through the development Of industry and
the aggregation of capital the tendency is
to mOnOpolize the business of the country.
Hence the various trades have been af-
fected by the introduction of machinery,
the subdivision of labor the use of woman
and child labor, and the lack of an APP
prentice system so that the skilled trades
were rapidly sinking 70 the level of pauper
labor. To protect the skilled labor of
America from being reduced TO beggary,
and To sustain the standard of American
workmanship and skill, the trades unions
of America have been established. They
are social necessity and their past his
tory proves not only have they been
benefit IN raising the wages OF workmen
and in reducing the burdens of toll, but
they have fulfilled the fraternal duty Of
assisting their members when unemployed
and in sickness, when disabled by ac-
cident and old age and providing for the
/ windows and orphans of their deceased
brothers. Consequently the trades unions
have become fixed and permanent insti.
tuition in America. not antagOnstic TO the
welfare of the country, but calculated to
cnervate all branches Of labor TO higher
degree of citizenship and larger share of
social comfort. For this principle the
thoughtful and far-seeng men Of various
crafts have founded unions of their re-
spcctive trades, and to maintain their
trades unions the members nave sacrificed
= countless time and money and where at
first many predicted their complete fail
ure time has proven not only their useful
ness. but has demonstrated that they are
destined to fulfill higher mission, and
their progress is in exact proportion to the
intellectual development Of their members.
When they are founded on such grounds
there need be no fears Of their destruction,
nor need there be any antagonlsm between
them and the Knights of Labor. OF late
orr greatest fears have not been that the
Knights of Labor would destroy trades
unions, but that the capitalists of the
country would use every opportunity to
pit one form of organization against the
other and in the conflict destroy both.
Within the past year the national and
international trades unions have grown
with giant strides. For example, we will
cite a few instances: The International
Typographical union has gained 9Gi2 mem
bers; the Cigar-makers International
union. 7ll0; brotherhood of Carpenters
and JOincrs, - 46l. National Bakers
union, c7,564; International Brickmakers
and Masons,' 9,j7S; Furniture workers,
GG33; Amalgamated Iron and Steel works,
$40: iron molders, l2,4O0 granite cutters,
3 22; custom tailors, 245l; coal miners
5000. Out of the twenty-five national
aud international unions that introduced
its work only nine Of the chief officers are
Salaried, and there salaries range from sl2
10 $50 per week, the balance OF the officers
devoting themselves To their duties With
out salaries. The trades .N are
economically managed, and the NOS rigid
accountability is exacted from their oil
GERS in all financial and business transac-
tiOns. As officers pledged by the most
sacred ODllpallOnS 10 promote the interests
of their respective unions the chief officers
felt it was their duty To attend the Phila-
delphia conference and the results of that
conference are such that for the future
there are no doubts that the trades unions
of America wiiinot only grow, but become
a more fixed institution"
THE TREATY.
The treaty itself, of course, is tho most
important part of the work and is the
bone of contention, for if its terms are
agreed to by the Knights of Labor il will
work radical changes in the management
and organization of local. assemblies. The
treaty is as follows:
I. That in any branch Of labor having a
national or international organization the
Knights Of Labor shall not initiate any
person or form any assembly of persons
following said organized craft or calling
without the consent of the nearest ma
tional or international union affected.
2. That no person shall he admitted to
the Knights of Labor who works for less
than the regular scale of wages fixed by
the union of his craft, and mono shall loo