The Indianapolis journal., 1896-12-15

The very slight change which has taken
place was fully exploited. BY dint of en-
ergy and perseverance, very large in
crease In the membership of our general
| movement has resulted. that the books
OF the American Federation of Labor show
that in the labor movement of our country.
in round numbers, nearly 100000 more
workers are members of the unions affil-
| lated. than was the case this time last
year. The report of the secretary will
show that there were 207 charters issued
TO local unions as compared with l4l last
tional trade-unions have become affiliated
| by charter with the American Federation
or Labor during the year. and also twenty
three central labor bodies during this same
| period. This does not include the new To-
Gals formed during the year and attached
to their respective national unions already
affiliated. / am pleased TO report. too. that
| at this time the Brotherhood of Locomo-
| tive Ffremen. the Green Glass Bottle Blow
| ersT National Association and the Plumb
| ers' and Gas Filters National Association
are voting upon the proposition to affiliate
| with the American Federation of Labor.
| That their decision may be favorable Is my
| earnest hope. for ii BODIES so much of good
| for these bodies as well the whole force
and movement of labor. In the case OF
| the brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen,
| the affiliation of that organization would
| be consummated at this time were IL not
| for the fact that there is some feeling man.
| of striking the color line out of their
| constitution. The officers of the brother
hood state that the members have good
grounds for complaint against the cheap
| labor Of the colored man, who Is always
utilized to defeat the aims of the brother
hood The answer was made that this is
| all the greater reason why the advantages
| of organization should be extended to the
colored man, in order that he may not
longer be so utilized to antagonize our in
s'One Of the stereotyped arguments which
are urged against the trades unions most
often Is that strikes are old and effete
weapons; that they have lost their power
to secure permanent or even temporary ad-
vantages. AS matter OF fact. there is no
one who has devoted thought to our move
| ment but who will endeavor by every
| means within his power TO prevent the in
auguration of strikes. or to take such
measures as will bring their number down
TO minimum. 1t would not be amisS TO
say here that have yet to meet an active
| trade unionist who does not deplore the
necessity of strikes. and who has not. in
countless instances averted them But to
assert that strikes are ineffective is to as
| Sert that which has no foundation in fact.
| Your attention is called TO the data re-
turned to the Office of the Federation upon
blank forwarded to the affiliated unions
for that purpose, and which forms part
Of your officers reports. II will be SEEN
that notwithstanding the year OF practical
industrial and commercial stagnation. the
movement in which the organized workmen
were engaged has been mainly fraught
with success. and that defeat or loss oc-
CuIItu III Dlt lew iHStdl1CeS Oh minor I'M
portance and where the workers We're poor
ly- organized and lily prepared. While this
data. Is Of first Importance In itself We
ment of Labor at Washington. which sets
forth clearly that in those States or local.
tiles. the industries In which the workers
cesses were secured and concessions
granted: wages increased, hours of labor
reduced and other conditions. under which
labor is performed much improved When
such tangible and beneficial results have
come. in spite of the. fact that. so small
number are organized compared to the un-
organized, ii does not require very great
| stretch of the imagination 10 realize that
% sha non Q, nnw Taso ata Srsbor OIL
advances. but out Of all proportion to the
numbers within our ranks The organiza-
ton and concentrat ton Of the One-capital-
lists presupposes the organization and con-
centration of the other-workers.
OBJECT OF UNIONISM.
''In the very nature of our being we
determined. as we are justly entitled to
demand. larger share in the product of
our labor. We want peace. but we shall in
sist that peace shall be maintained consist
ent with the increasing needs of our work.
ers and those depending upon them. We
organize, and the better We are prepared
to enter into strikes. the less occasion will
We have to resort to them in order to in
sure success in securing justice to labor
win organized LABOR corporations and un-
fair employers will soon realize that con-
cessions will be less costly than conflict
All being conscious. however. of what is
involved. we are now more careful of en-
tering into haphaZard strikes than ever
before. not because they are ineffective. but
because the voice of labor is more dis
tinctly and emphatically heard. We need
never fear that the workers will fail to
secure relief, Improvement. amelioraton
and finally emancipation. provided they are
organized as true trade unionists. With this
basis for their organization they Will prove
a citadel OF power and defense against all
antagonism directed from whatsoever
source. The secret of labor's success. to
labors progress. to labor's best improve
ment: lies in the one word, organization;
for there cannot be organization without
education: there cannot be organization
without agitation; there cannot be organ
ization OF the wage earners on trade-union
lines which does not mean final emancipa-
ton.
But wholly aside from the indisputable
facts which demonstrate that strikes or
preparation for strikes are most potent
weapon to secure better conditions for the
workers, a cursory view of modern methods
vince that now more than ever are strikes
most effective. The concentration Of large
numbers by which one industry is so close
ly allied to another that the stopping of
one branch may mean the paralysis of
nearly all: the vast sums invested in the
plants and in the highest developed ma
chnery. these and countless other consid-
erations make the modern strike not only
etfective but more SO than ever before in
1--WE observe the effort in civilized nations
to reach settlements of disputes by other
means than a resort to arms. Is this not
a realization OF the fact that modern war
fare Is destructive that nations prefer
making concessions rather than to indulge
in what might practically be a war of ex-
termination. Despite these peaceful settle
ments ,sy nations however, they neither of
them disarm. nor do smaller or weaker ma
tions enjoy these blessings at the hands of
the larger. the stronger. The same reason
ing applies 10 the organization of labor and
the employers of labor Wealth. capital are
the arms of the employing class. The
trade unicns with funds-the ammunition of
labOr-provided by the workers during per-
of labor. Such condition may mean
practically armed peace, but that this is
preferable TO unarmed slavery no sincere
lover of mankind and progress will dispute
TRADES S-UNIONISM AND POLITICS.
Beyond doubt few, if any. will contend
that the workers should refuse to avail
themselves of their political rights or fail to
endeavor to secure such demands which
they make by the exercise of their politi-
cal power. The fact is. however that our
movement distinctly draws the line between
political action in the interest of labor and
party political action. This was more par
ticularly emphasized at the last conven-
ton, when it was declared as the settled
policy Of the American trades-union move
-nent that party political action of whatso-
ever kind shall have no place in the con-
vention Of the American Federation of La
Dor: You are asked and you should have