New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-06
T.vTONISM or SOCIALISM

An epoch in the history Of organized labor
will probably b. marked by III" TRAD" 'hi"h
Congress now In session at Norwich EhHlaiiu'
This Is the twenty seventh such annual meeting
Of the Trade TnionlstS Of the United hlngh"iil'
and II we are To believe 50 eminent an authority
as Mr. John Burns, II Is the last That ever VIII
be held Mr. Burns ought 10 know lie Is MOI
ONLY Member of Parliament FOR Ba't"rsea anu
friend Of Anarchists and dynalni'crs. lie Is Il
leader In this Congress, and The practical mead
II one Of the chief trade unions. lie Is, now
ever an avowed enemy Of Trade lnohisin ana
all It's works and he joined union ana has TOT
wears devoted his best energies to lis AFFAIRS Tor
the express purpose OF destroying the Whoh
tradcunon system n system which he wrote
seven years ago carries within Itself the source
Of IT'S own dissolution" II * reasonable to sup
pose that an enemy within the camp Is Deter
Informed than even friend outside it; where
fore when Mr.. Burns exultingIy declares mat
thIs Congress marks the end OF | nionism ana
tie triumph Of Socialism, his words should be
taken as those Of one having unusual sources OF
knowledge.
1t will be of interest. however, 10 observe the
magnitude of this system which. after career
Of many years. IL thus. according 10 Mr. Burns
10 be destroyed The labor report of the Board
Of Trade for 1892 Is the latest yet made public
Returns are given In it Of no less thnn ~? trade
unions These had an aggregate OF 1.23',36'
members: an income during The year OF SS?oi,-
90 and expenditures for all purposes Of $3.50
$50 The expenditures were made by individual
unions. and better appreciation OF their plr-
port will be had by considering some OF them
apart from tho whole bulk. Thus DOS unions
with 745,G4S members. paid for the maintenance
Of those out Of work-not on strike 81 ,9H.S 500
and "A unions. with 433.OO4 members. paid
500 80 10 members too old TO work Not less
than S1,O13.070 was paid 10 the Sick $4lGS!o
in funeral benefits" and SS9.!)2O 10 members
temporarily disabled by accidents Unforu
natcy 1892 was year not only OF bad trade
but Of many strikes and other disturbances; so
that the largest item Of expenditures, S2.3'6'-
40, went for dispute bcnclis''-that IL, for the
maintenance Of strikes
Although more than OncfOurth Of all trade
union funds therefore. were consumed by the
exigcnc!es ~ Industrial strife. millions Of dol
lars were devoted 10 peaceful and most bcncfi-
cent purposes, making trade unionism vast
mutual benefit organization But this Is the
very feature Of II most hateful 10 Mr.. Burns,
and the one which he described as "the source
Of It's dissolution" Mr.. Burns does not believe
IN sclfhclp or mV,ual aid or all the expendi-
lures Just mentioned the single item for the sup
port Of strikes Is tie only one he approves.
Payments 10 men otherwise out Of work, To men
sick or disabled. to the aged, and TO widows and
orphans he stcrnly dsapproves. Such charges
should be. he thinks, solely against the State.
And he believes that AT last he has succeeded In
bringing the unions around to his way OF think
ing. and that the present Congress will formally
decree the abolition Of the old system and com.