The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-04-28
BRICKLAYERs' UNION.
AGAINST PRISON LABOR, BLACK
LISTING.
The Birth and Growth of a Powerful
OrganizatiOn-PrOmi of Il
Brighter Day and a More Perfect
Union.


capital and organized labor, now raging
in America. the bricklayers have borne a
yeoman'S part.
In many cities the 'bricklayers, with
their splendid organization, has been the
central point, around which the weaker
trades have rallied. and to which they
have looked for aid and support in their
struggles for justice.
In every movement that has for its OBJ
9ect the advancement of labor, and the
betterment of the conditions of the
masses. the bricklayers have been in the
vanguard, their voice has been heard
against prison labor and sweat shops,
against blacklistirg and government by
! Injunction
Pioneers in the short hour movement,
they unfurled the eight-hour banner TO
the breeze and planted it right in the
centre of capitals strongholds, while
weak and timid organizations have look
ed on in amazement.
ConStltutionally conservative and coun-
financing strikes only when arbitration
has failed, they have never turned q
dear ear to the appeals of oppressed
labor whether it come from the blast
furnaces of Homestead, the coal mines
OF Tennessee, the car shops at Pullman,
the Wharves Of New Orleans, or the
supporting their own institution, and
learning that bitter lesson, which comes
sooner or later to all labor unions, that
there is tenfold more danger from the
guirillas within than the enemy without.
In reviewing its history, we cannot say
that its pathway is not strewn with the
same wrecks. the same dead sea fruit,
the same abandoned principles that
marks the course of kindred orders, but
one feature of its history is especially
noteworthy and that is that its greatest
trlumphS and most valuable concessions
has been gained, not in turbulent strikes,
nor i'll the spirit of rancor and hatred
engendered by them, but by presenta-
ton of our grievances, and a Straighfor
ward appeal to the public on the merits
of the question. Such an appeal if based
upon right and fairly presente, will ac-
complish more lasting good than all the
| riots organized labor has ever been I'M
reasonably and unjustly accused of.
The following historical sketch is from
the pen of Thomas O'Dea, of Choes, n.
Y, secretary of the Briclklayers' Inter
national union Of America:
History tells Us that ali movements
that were crowned with success, eman-
ated from lowly and obscure beginning;
This is fully exemplifed in the origin and
growth of the Bricklayers' union and
MasonS international Union of America,
which was founded in the city of Phila-
delphia at meeting called for that pur-
pose by the bricklayers' unions of Phila-
delphia and Baltimore, and held in
Painters hall, October Is, 1860 The OBJ
ject of the meeting was to formulate
system whereby a national organization
of the craft throughout the United States
could be perfected. An organization was
erected and a constitution adopted; MI;
John a. White. of Baltimore, was elected
president; u. D. Biting, of Philadelphia.
vice-president; ]. Edward Kirby, of
ney. of Philadelphia, treasurer.
The session lasted but two days. and
adjourned TO to meet in Royston hall, IN
gates slttt from ' Phfiadelphia- Baltimore New
York Brooklyn and williamsburg, n. Y;
St. Louis. Mo-; Cincinnati: O.; Jersey
City, n j.; and Richmond Va attend ioi
birth of the organization, that the eight
hour question and a general movement
for the reduction of hours of labor was
introduced and adopted, and an address
to wageworkers of the country was sent
forth.
Like all similar movements of organ
lied bodies. it had its successes and re-
verses. 1t flourished from its beginning
in 1865 to 1873, when the panic of that
year began to show its depressing eff
out the country The. disintegration of
the Union began to take place, and in
1880 but three unions were left TO uphold
the charter of the organization. At the
tide began to turn, and from that time
up to the present it has prospered, in
year, SO that now it can call a roll Of S25
subordinate unions. located in all the
principal cities and towns of the United
States and Canada, having over $1,000
active members in good standing.
In 1885 it established and put into sue
cessful effect the nine-hour system of
working, which has since been maintain
ed as the standard hour system of the
Organization. though several of the sub
ordinate unions are working on the
eight-hour basis. The organization is a
purely protective association, the ben
evolent features of it being confined to
and under the directions of the subor-
dinate unions. General reports of the
progress, ETC., of the subordinate unions,
together with the condition of the state
of trade throughout the country. are
considered at the annual conventions,
which are held in January of each year.
at which the officers are elected, and all
the business and wants of the organiza-
ton are considered, and laws made for
the guidance of the order for the coming
year.
I'm the past ten years the union has, ex-
pended nearly 100000 to sustain strikes,
and over a million and a half for ben
evolent purposes, and is conducted on
principles of the strictest economy
Since the above was written substantial
gains have been made, $50 unions answer
the roll call and Zoo trowels in union
hands, are ringing harmony. and the. re-
frain is rich with the promise of
brighter day and a more perfect
union"