Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-08-28

| answered by a convention of delegates
from twelve formerly scattered and
isolated unions. They met in this city
Aug. -, 1881, and from that day to this
we have been making a new history for
the downtrodden mechanics in our once
| honored craft.
Though nine years old as an organiZa-
ton, this convention will make the sixth
general convention we have held. The
first two years we met annually in con-
vention. First in 1881 at-Chicago, and
next in 1882 at Philadelphia. Then we
adopted the system Of biennial conven-
tons, and since then have met, In 1884
at Cincinnati; In 1885 at Buffalo, and In
1888 at Detroit.
The number Of local unions now under
our jurisdiction Is 697 In good standing,
with 1850 enrolled members and
magnificent roster Of 53,769 beneficial
members, being net gain in the past
two years of 259 new unions and 25,85S
new members, gain Of SO per cent. in
new unions and SO per cent. in member
ship. This places the United Brother
hood in the front rank of labor organiza-
tions. 1t is now the largest and most
powerful organization, numerically, Of
any special trade in the whole civilized
world. And its growth Is unparalleled,
in like time, by any trade union on earth.
All that now remains Is to perfect its
financial resources to be equal to any
occasion, and the United Brotherhood
will be as invulnerable as it is mas
sive.
In the past two years we have expend-
ed $57, 642.49 for death and disability
benefits, fully One-haf of all ever paid
out by us for thatpurpose. This makes
in all the sum of gill, 517.65 paid out in
benefits from our general office in the
seven years the system has been in
operation. Over $235,OOO more was
paid out for sick benefits in the same
time by the local unions.
The past year we expended 81, 327.4S
in support of trade movements, in
strikes and against lockouts, where we
spent only $4,170 the year previous.
This year we Won IA strikes, involving
81 ,420 carpenters, union and nOn-union
men, and lost strikes, involving about
$500 carpenters. Last year we won 20
strikes out of SO we engaged in. The
great eight hour movement on May /,
this year. was the cause of the many
strikes we had this season. And the re
suits after all are very gratifying, for
through this we have gained a large
number of new unions and thousands of
new members, and advanced the wages
and reduced the hours of labor in numer-
Gus cases.
In four years we have advanced the
wages of carpenters in 413 cities twenty
five to seventy-fve cents per day, which,
for the union and nOn-union men inter
ested, amounts to five and half million
dollars per year more wages to the car
penters In those places.
Besides that we have reduced the hours
of labor to eight hourse per day in 81
cities, and to nine hours per day in
234 cities, not to count 260 cities which
now have the rule of eight or nine hours
day on Saturdays. This reduction in
the hours of labor alone has given en-
ployment to 1900 more carpenters, who,
had it not been for this movement made
by our organization, would be on the
streets idle and penniless. These figures
speak volumes in favor Of the United
Brotherhood and its work, and are in
themselves a powerful argument in favor
of trade unions.
Since our convention two years ago at
Detroit an immense work has been ac-
complished. We have spread the gospel
Of Ia
in every town and hamlet; we have
scattered printed leaflets and labor
literature far and wide; we have placed
stirring speakers out on the road, and
have inspired spirit of noble and sturdy
manhood among the carpenters which
in time will brook none of the imposi-
tons and wrongs Of old.
In scores of towns we have advanced
wages and reduced the hours Of labor,
while with a fraternal hand as trade
union men we have taken care Of our |
sick and distressed members, and by |
timely aid we have helped to lift the |
dark gloom Of death from the widowed |
and fatherless Of our deceased brothers. |
In the front rank of industrial battle |
this year our members have stoodtwith |
undaunted courage as pioneers in the |
world wide movement for. shorter hours
of labor. And though defeated in a
few instances, the grand army of VIC
tories won will be an inspiration for the
future, and the few defeats of this sea-
son we are satisfied next year will be
turned into cheering success
Of the 697 local unions, 81 are located
in Canada, Al are on the Pacific coast,
107 are in the southern states a. Of
which are composed entirely'of colored
men), IS are located inithe New England
states, 2OS in the middle states, and 229
are in the western states.
There is no use in mixing much in
the company of amateur photographers
unless you share their enthusiasm. Get
half a dozen of them together and they
will begin about ''pyro," and iron de-
veloper," and bromide prints" and
'color values" and their language will
depart so far from every day English
that you speculate whether they are
talking Sanskrit or Choctaw. This is
how it happens with some of the women
artists who use photography as an. adj
junct to sketching.-New York Com