Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1888-06-30
DOES 1T MEAN WAR?
A Conflict of Opinion Which Might Be
Arbitrated.

AT the last session of the Cigar
makers international Union, COM
posed of delegates from local unions,
resolutions were adopted with "a view
to oppose the proposed abolition of
internal revenue on cigars, providing
for committee to 60 to Washington
and secure the defeat of the abolition
measure, and to have petitions sent
to al, local unions for signatures to
the same end.
a newspaper notice induced the
President of the international Union
to send word to local Cigarmakers'
Union 80, of New York, that any of
its members participating in an agi-
tation for the abolition of the inter
nal revenue on cigars must be
brought to trial within one week, "
and If found guilty, expelled. The
New York Union appealed from the
decision of the President, but the
Executive Board sustained him. A
further appeal to the whole member
ship of the unions under the iurls-
dlctlon of the international Union
was therefore made by the New
York Union, a copy of which with
all the correspondence relating to
the matter is in the hands of the
writer. The New York Union con-
tends that the resolutions adopted at
the convention were not law, saying,
among other things:
This resolution of internal revenue
was not submitted to a general vote of
the members, and only amendments to
the constitution and resolutions adopted
by the convention and referred to the
general vote of the members are lars,
and only such are binding for all mem
bers. The resolution adopted in Bing-
hamton was a mere expression of the
personal opinion of the delegates and
not of the members of the International
Union. The resolution itself states this
sense, as the following clause shows:
"Resolved, That we, the representatives Of
the cgarnakers of the country IN convention
assembled protest respectfully, but eDphati.
cally, against any Interference with the internal
revenue on cigars.
This resolution does not say that the
Cigarmakers International Union pro-
tests, and could not say that on the
ground that the members Of the Haternu-
tiondt Union had either before or after
the convention voted on this resolution.
"Union 90 holds that every member
of the international Union has sacred
right to have political opinion of his
own, and there is no law in the constitu-
ton of the international Union which
can expel a member because he has an
opinion of his own in politics. and no
convention, nor the President, nor Union
80, has right to curtail the rights of
citizenship of the members of the Inter
national Union in the question of retain
ing or abolishing the internal revenue on
cigars"
The president of the Interna-
tional Union thereupon issued an
appeal circular containing the ap-
peal of the union, but headed with
a counter appeal, in which he asks
the unions to vote upon the follow
ing questions:
" Are the President and Executive
Board compelled to enforce and execute
the resolutions of the convention? Are
hn nlt,tt NT l,A IL -.
Union binding upon local unions and
members" ?"
These questions were supplemented
by references to former decisions,
and a declaration that mem bers of
local unions cannot act in dual Ca
pacity by forming associations out
side of the union and in opposition
to the International Union on uues-
tions that affect the trade, and that
can only be remedied by legislation"
The New York union, on learn
ing the manner in which the presi-
dent sent out their appeal, were
wroth, and have issued statement
to the other local unions all over the
country, protesting against the
counter appeal of the president and
the questions he ordered them to
vote upon. In this circular they
say;
These points do not constitute our
appeal! They are not the questions at
issue! Our appeal has been divided and
contorted by the international President
to create misconstruction of the question