The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-12-23

port lesser earnings, owing to dizziness
of trade.
The increase in wages and improved
conditions were shared in proportion
ately by those who were not members
of the organization.
Thus it will be seen hat our organi-
cations are continually succeeding in
making their members larger sharers
in the product Of their toll and doing
that work for them which no other
organization on earth think it worth
their while to deal with.
I am more than convinced that as
the working people learn to appreciate
the necessity of organization and the
federation of all, steadier and larger
gains will be forthcoming as the result
Of your )int efforts, and we shall be
so much nearer the end-jUstice to all
mankind-for which we so earnestly
strive.
STRIKE ASSISTANCE.
Several applications have been
made to this Office for financial assis
lance during strikes by loca! organize
tions, the members of which went on
strike first and applied for assistance
afterwards.
In many instances, upon the mere
statements Of the fact that they we're
affiliated to the American Federati On
of Labor, their demands were &C
coded to; in others, with what assis.
lance we could give them, they YER
successful, but there were instances in
which the men were so thoroughly I'm
prepared tha5 they YER Immediately
compelled to make application for
financial aid which we could not give.
Those most persistent in their ap,
plications we're generally those who
had paid nothing but the small per
capita tax to the Office for the mere
running expenses of the organization.
l desire to impress upon the minds
of th9 working people the absolute
necessity that they should keep in
view that it is not buster nor osten
tation that will win victories for
them.
Such organizations of labor may at
times win victories from their EN-
ployers, but they are generally of a
transitory character. We must not
only be right, but possess the power
TO enforce that right, and there is no
argument so potent with unwilling
or unfair employers to grant reason
able demands as a well organized
Trade Union, with a well-flled treas
ury to stand them in need should a
strike be necessary to enforce the de
mand. ,
The payment of fair dues in a
union, regularly contributed in times
of peace, is much more valuable than
assessments enforced during strikes
The workers are then always prepared
to meet any attack and give their or
carnations the character of perma
nency so essential to success.
ASSESSMENTS.
With the last convention a new
area was opened up in one of the
methods of our organization.
We inaugurated a system by which
all the National Trade Unions afili-
ated were required to assess their
members or pay directly a certain
sum towards helping affiliated unions
in conflict with their employers.
Most of the or carnations responded
to the call at once, while others were
bound to await the decision of their
convention and then respond, and a
few others from various auses (main
ly their own poor condition( have not
yet been able to remit them.
The amount received will be re,
ported to you by the secretary. That
the nearly SIP, 500 paid by the Fed
GRAFTON to the carpenters in their
struggle was of great assistance in
aiding them to victory, the secretary
of that organization frankly acknowl-
edged with appreciation in his report
to their convention.
[ submit to your consideration the
advisa oility of a continuance of this
system, and the extension of it to the
local Trade Unions directly affiliated
to the American Federation of Labor,
and which have no National Trade
Unions. l propose, however, that if
this proposition is approved the fund
when created be kept separate from
the National Trade Union assessment
in order that practical assistance may
be given to both, and neither have
cause to com plain of trenching upon
the moneys appropriated or paid by
the other.
INTERNATIONAL LABOR CONGRESS.
Immediately after the United States
Congress decided upon the city in
which the Worlds Fair should be
held, in compliance with the resolu-
tion of the last convention, l issued an
invitation to the organized wage,
wnrkars Of the Mnrld To hn rnnrornnrnd