The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1886-07-29
CIGARMAKERS TROUBLES.
THE PROGRESSIVE UNION REFUSES
TO BE ABSORBED.

The Liveliest Meeting Ever Held in the
History of the Progressive UniOn-TheIr
Difficulties with the Cigarmakers' In
ternatiOnal Association--ResOluti
NEW YORK, July 2s.-The Cigarmakers'
Progressive union held one of the iveliest
mass meetings ever known in its history at
the Germania assembly rooms 1t had been
called to discuss what should be done with
reference to the order received from District
Assembly No. 40 of the Knights of Labor to
disband the union and to merge completely
into the district assembly.
A little over year ago this union Joined
District Assembly No. 40, hoping that with
the help of that order it might be able to
break up its rival, the Cigarmakers' Interna-
tional association 1t was asked at the time
to disband, but refused. In its continued
fight with the International union it pre-
vailed upon the order to issue Knights OF
Labor label for cigar boxes in opposition to
the label used by Internationals.
The latter at once opposed the Knights la
bel WITH all the means within its power,
appealing to the workmen in every city in
the country through its branch unions. In
the fight between the two unions the Inter
nationals had the advantage, when District AS
sembly No 40 called upon the Progressive to
disband. This demand took their breath
away. They had joined the assembly to BEN
eft their union, and il possible to run it to
suit their own purposes, but now they were
to be consumed by the assembly. Against
such an idea the leaders, several of whom had
been having an easy time, rebelled, and the
mass meeting was called.
About 1000 members came. Admission
was by card, and the meeting was held with
closed doors Over twenty speakers ad-
dressed the meeting The knights were Bit
terly denounced ThA speakers said that the
assembly had taken in the cigar makers tc
aggrandize itself and had done nothing for
them, and now sought to get them completely
into its power by abolishing the union. That
they hoped would never be done. A long set
Of resolutions was drawn declaring that the
Knights of Labor had delivered over to the
capitalistic classes the Bakers union Of Pitts
curg, and the laundrymen Of Troy; that the
notorious District assembly No. 20 had for a
long time opposed open meetings and had
caused the ruin of the newspaper, the Voice
Of the people, and had tried to exclude mem
bers of the cigar makers Progressive union
because they did not want to submit to it:
outrageous DEGREES.
The resolutions continued that the cigar
makers believed that there was plan to com
bine judges, bosses and so-called laborers int
conspiracy to destroy an open and power
full union. Further, as there had been grea
difficulties between the two cigarmakers' un
ions, by which the interests of the bosse
were furthered the Progressive union con
denned the action of District Assembly No
! 40, and pledged itself to keep up its organiza
ton whatever the consequences might be
and the members resolved chat it was thei
duty as a matter of honor to take up posi-
ton against the despots OF District Assembl,
No 40, and pledged themselves to oppose tn
demands of the Knights Of Labor to give u
to them the books of their union, whic
would curtail their liberty.
The resolutions were adopted by an over
whelming majority.
It was rumored that the outcome of thi
quarrel would be that the Progressive cigar
makers would become reconciled with the In
,ernationals, and would join them as
branch union. They will hold another mas
meeting this evening to dispose of some othe
important business.