St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-08-07
TAILORS' LEGISLATURE
TWILL OPEN ITS SESSIONS AT THE
CAPITOL TODAY.
THE ORGANIZATIONS HISTORY

A Splendid Record of Progress in
Ten Years-Strike and Funeral
Benefit Features - Officers of
the Union = Thursday Nights
Mass Meeting at Market Hall
to Be Rouser.
AT 10 O'Clock this morning, in the
senate chamber at the capitol, will be
opened the seventh biennial convention
of the JourneymeD Tailors' Union OF
America. This is the second time in
the history OF the organization that the
tailorS have held their national conven-
ton In the West. The organization was
formed at meeting of five local unions
held in Philadelphia in August, 1888.
These five local unions had a member
ship of about2 1000. a year later the locals
had Increased to sixteen, and at the ma
tional convention held in Chicago, John
B. Lennon, at present the general
secretary of the order, was elected
president. In 1887. at a convention
held in New York city, it was decided
to elect a general secretary who should
devote his entire time to the business
of the union. The monthly journal of
the craft was also established by the
New York convention.
The result of these in novations was
Immediately apparent. and seventy-fve
local unions had delegates in the Column
bus convention of 1889, when the funeral
benefit feature was iuaugurated. In
1891, with the same officers at the helm
i'll the meantime, the convention met in
st. Louis, when it was found the locals
had doubled in number, and the mem
berShip had kept pace. The old officers
were again reelected, and in the past
two years the work of organization has
been pushed so successfully that there
are now 220 subordinate unions and
nearly 10000 members. 1t certainly
speaks well for the faithfulness and
ability of Secretary Lennon and bis
brother officers that they can make
such proud showing of their good
work.
A Splendid Record.
While conservative and careful. the
tailorS' organization is nevertheless
alert to guard its interests. OF the
strikes and lOckOutS recorded in its his
tory, 90 per cent have been won. One
hundred thousand dollars has been dis
bursed i'll strike benefits, and S25, 200
has been expended in burial benefits,
there having been some 800 funerals
since this fund was established. 1t has
been computed that the work done since
organization has added not less than
S500.000 year to the earnings of the
journeymen tailOrS of America. When
it is considered that the per capita tax
paid to headquarters is only 80 cents
per month, this is certainly a very flat
tering showing.
The officers of the union, besides Gen
eral Secretary Lennon, are: Frederick
Weiner, general treasurer, New York,
and a general executive board consist
ing of John Madge, G. p. Johanson.
James Joyce, August Burgemeister and
Louis Z. Larson, all of New York eX-
cept the last-named, who lives i'll Brook
Ign. Matthias BantZ, of st. Paul, is the
district organizer for this section, and
fills the same office for the American
+ Federation of Labor He is spoken of
very fayorably for delegate to the con-
vention or the latter body, and, as the
st. Paul union has developed no other
candidate as yet, Mr.. BantZ is likely to
receive the honor, of which he is GER
talnly worthy.
Thursdays Mass Meeting.
In connection with the convention, it
is proposed to hold a mass meeting
Thursday night at Market hall, for the
purpose of giving an impetus to the
work of organization in this city. Fol-
lowing is a copy of a circular, printed
in the English. Bohemian and Swedish
languages, which Will be sent to every
tailor in town:
TO the JOurneymen TailOrs of st.
Paul-Dear Sir: The achievements and
standing of many crafts in ST. Paul, as
to wages received and hours of work,
demonstrate that close and thorough
organization is the secret of success.
Without strong and loyal fraternaI
union no advancement in wages can be
hoped for by the jOurneymen tailors of
this city, and no reasonable regulation
of the hours of labor can be made.
The convention in st. Paul of the
Journeymen TailOrs' Union of America
affords better opportunity than we
have ever had before to strengthen and
perfect the local organization and eX-
tend Its field of usefulness.
You are therefore respectfully and
cordially invited to be present at a mass
meeting to be held at Market hall
Thursday evening, Aug. 10, which Will
be addressed by the officers of the ma
tional association and good speakers
from abroad.
The committee on arrangements also
extend to you fraternal invitation to
take part in the annual picnic, which
takes place at White Bear Lake shore
Tuesday, Aug. 8. The parade will
leave the Windsor hotel at 12:15 p. IN.
Respectfully.
*. II. BECKJoRD, President.
h. n. HOLMER, Secretary.
Nj. BANTZ, Organizer
Something like sixty of the Journey
men taiiOrs arrived in the city yester-
day, and headquarters were established
at the WinSor hotel, although not all
took rooms there. 1t is predicted that
there will be seYentY-five in the conven-
ton that will convene in the room of
the representatives today. 1t is dele
gate body, ana those who attend will
represent $50 local branches, coming
from all parts of the United States and
the Canadas. The membership i'll good
standing numbers some 1900, and is
growing. The organization is rated
among the wealthiest in the matter of
reserve funds of all the labor organiza-
tons. The cigarmakers' is probably an
exception.
The officers of the organization are:
John Modge, of New York, president;
a. ID. LeIIlOIl, vi new 1Ork, secretary,
and Fred Werner, of New York, treas
urer.
Mr. Lennon discoursed interestingly
upon the objects of the organization to
GLOBE reporter at the Windsor yes
terday.
1T is rather difficult to give positive
idea of what we expect to attain" said
he. "Short work day." he pursued, lis
certain to be discussed. Where the
time is fixed we work ten hours for a
day, but great many do piece work.
Then the sweating system will be dis
cussed. What is that? Why, the sys-
tenn of one man taking work and SUBJ
letting it to other parties. reaping a
profit on their toll. Again we will
try to induce employers TO furnish
workshops. The general custom is for
the tailors to do their work at home or
rent rooms. We hold that the employers
should treat us as other craftsmen are
treated. There Will be amendments to
the constitution offered for considera-
tiOn and if is nrODOStsd tn establish a