The San Francisco call., 1896-05-04
Twenty.Three Organizations That
Have Membership of
Thousands.
WORK FOR COMMON JUSTICE.
Have Bettered Themselves and the
Community by Standing Shoulder
TO Shoulder.

LOS ANGELES, CAL, May 2.-After
seven years of well-directed and intelli-
gent effort, the wage workers of Los Ange-
les have succeeded in perfecting organiza-
tions in their various trades and crafts to
the number of twenty-three. All of these
unions are represented in central body,
known as the Los Angeles County Council
of Labor. This central body stands as the
representative of 5400 workingmen.
The great work of building up this or
ganiZation of toilers in Los Angeles has
been no easy task. On the other hand it
has been one of difficulty and embarrass-
Inent.. However, those who had by past
experience become acquainted with the
benefits and advantages derived from
unity of effort among working people were
not daunted by the unfortunate conditions
and circumstances it was necessary for
. them to overcome in order to attain sue
cess.
The population of Los AngeIes-now
close TO 100, ,000-is a peculiar one. 1t is
made up of elements which exist IN no
other metropolis in tine United States. 1t
is safe TO say that so per cent of the resi-
dents are possessed OF a sufficiency of the
goods of this world to place them beyond
want. 1t is not necessary for them to
:. labor for, their daily bread. AS a rule,
this class. has little or no sympathy with
trades unions. This condition of mind is
due to ignorance on their part as to the
aims and objects of the organizations.
They have a misconception as to why the
e toilers in the various lines of labor form
unions. They believe that a Board of
Trade, Chamber of Commerce, a Manu-
facturers' Association or a Merchants AS
soclation is the proper thing; but why the
carpenters, the printers, the plumbers, the
Cigar-makers, the railroad employees the
oricklayers or the clerks should form
themselves into unions of their respec-
tive crafts they cannot understand, un-
less 1t be to dictate to their employers
as to. how their business shall be run.
When the trades first began to organize
IN this city there was quite number of
residents who looked upon the move
ment with fear. They regarded it as
anarchistic.. They could discern no good
that would result therefrom. But the
leaders proceeded and continued by circu-
lars, public meetings and other methods
to overcome the adverse sentiment which,
although it had no foundation in fact was
deep set.
That the labor leaders have succeeded
goes without saying. The principles upon
(which labor unions are founded are as
much respected in this city to-day by the
great body of the people as is the case in
Labor, representing 800 toilers and $4,000
of the population of the city, works in
harmony with the Merchants Association
and the Chamber of Commerce to advance
all movements that are considered to be
for the public good.
The Council of Labor unanimously in
dorsed the Government appropriation for
San Pedro harbor and wired to Senator
White that under no circumstances would
that body approve of the wanton expendi-
ture of $5000,000 OF the peoples money to
improve the private harbor of G. ?. Hunt
ington at Santa Monica. 1t took equally
as determined stand against the funding
bill.
There existed in Los Angeles few trades
unions prior to 1890, but in that year the
central body, the Council of Labor, was
formed. BY the constitution and by-laws
each union was entitled to five delegates
in the council. AT this time it has mem
bership OF lis. They are representative
men from each OF the twenty-three tlades
and vocations that are now organized and
are soon to be photographed in body.
The president of the council is 2. Nc
Namara, delegate from the Plumbers
Union. He makes an excellent presiding
officer and has ever been a stanch friend
of the trades-union principle. He is con-
servative man, who believes in thinking
before acting and as a result his opinions
have great weight among his felloW-work-
men. Mr.. Mcnamara is native of Ire
land, but for twenty-four years he has
been performing the duties OF and main
tanning his rights as an American citizen.
II. e. Martens is the financial secret ary
OF the council and delegate from the ci-
gar-makers. He has been a member OF
the union since 1879. In 1885 he was ap-
pointed by the president of the interna-
tional union one of a committee of four to
conduct the first expedition of cigar
makers from New York TO San Francisco,
III arriving in the latter city January 2,
1885. Three months later special train
with 500 Eastern cigar-makers reached the
Golden Gate. The object of this exodus
was to supplant Chinese with white labor.
Mr.. Martens belonged to the San Fran
cisco union for number of years. He has
always been prominent and active trades
unionisG.
Z. r. Holman, the recording secretary
of the council. is young man 2S years OF
age and a delegate from the Clerks As
ISOLATION. He is q native of Mississippi
He has been an active member of the
Clerks Association since its organization,
and was the representative of that union
in working up the 6 o'clock closing move
ment, which was carried to a successful
Issue with all local merchants. Mr.. Hol-
man has thorough understanding OF
tradessunion principles and is a most en-
thusiastic advocate of them.
L. b. Colver, the treasurer of the coun-
Gil, has held that position since its forma-
tion. For forty years he has been a men,
Der of the Typographical Union and is
perhaps the oldest member of trades
union in Southern California. He is pub
fishing a bright little weekly, the Labor
World, which is the organ of the trades
unions south of the Tehachapi mountains.
The largest union in the city is the Car
penters' Union. 1t has a mem bership of
approximately 300 and is affiliated with
the National Brotherhood of Carpenters
and Joiners. 1t was organized only a
short time ago and the beneficial results
that have ensued to the members have
been numerous. Charles Rice is the presi-
dent and Joseph Ferris is secretary
The oldest trades union in the City is
the typographical. 1t has membership
of 175. comprising some of the foremost
citizens. As matter of course, the intro
duction of machines has interfered some
what with the prosperity of the union, but
it still has quite a cash balance in its
treasury. Mr.. Moore is the president OF
No. ia. He is 80 years OF age and has for
twelve years past belonged to the organi-
zation. This is the second time he has