The evening times., 1897-02-01
Organized Labor Does Not Suffer
in Times of Need.
IT'S MEMBERS HOLD TOGETHER
A Fact Demonstrated During the
Recent Severe Cold Spell-Labo
Leaders Tell Why So Many Wash
ingtOn Mechanics Are Out of
Employment.

interestingly yesterday on the effect the
recent snowstorm, blizzard, and general
freezeout have had on the men who work
| with their hands in the District One
of the first points they made clear was
that organized labor takes care of its
own misfortuBes; or, in other words, that
the members of the various District as
| sembles are not found, no matter what
the circumstances, knocking at the door
OF the charitable associations OF Wash
! ington. And yet there are about 1000
| men and women enrolled in these various
| assemblies
President Spohn, OF the Central Labor
| Union; Mr. w. II. q. Simmons, for years
| president of the central body OF the
knights of Labor, and Mr.. j. K Potter,
OF the Federation of Labor, have reviewed
the situation very thoroughly, as has re-
Gently President McHugh, of the Fedora
| ton, and the opinions or these present the
case very clearly.
1t is agreed among them that Washing
ton was 'overbuilt,' as the Knights phrase
it. in 1898. TEen was the boom, when
everybody with money put it in houses,
and when Iabor's pockets either bulged
money of the Constitution President
spohn said that this good fortune turned
out to be rather a misfortune in the end.
There was a collapse in the demand for
workingmen for the patent reason that
the houses built exceeded the demand, and
this fact reacted on the Iaboring man.
Itappears that the Overbuldingw was enough
TO supply the demand at least for three
years, as even at the present time there
has been no return to the good times
of 1893. The depress On, said Mr..
Simmons, still exists, although, OF course,
not in all the channels OF industry. but in
general terms it is still an unfortunate
fact
It was also pointed out that when labor
was not employed. the workingInen had
to economic. Families that occupied
houses were obliged to be content with
parts OF houses. and there was general
flight 70 the flats until better tines. a
very fine point was put upon this contin-
uing condition OF affairs by the president
OF one OF the largest organizations in the
city.
Look he said, at the house in which
] am cow obliged TO live. Itis without a
single one Cf what are known as modern
appointments-no gas, no steam heating;
none, in fact, OF the comforts which ought
To go with houses in these days, and yet 8.
you see we are here with a primitive ccal
oil lamp and the primitive style in warm
ing the establishment.
The family lit might be remarked, how
ever, was apparently quite content or re-
signed until times should grow better.
1t would, perhaps, be unfair to say that
all OF the Iaboring men have been reduced
in circumstances because, as intimated
above. there are certain OF the assemblies
and trades which do business all the year
round. and when they live within their
means they are always comfortable.
The greater organizations have net Jared
So well. According to the best statistics, |
olBaiued frum the Knights OF Labor the |
Federation of Labor and the Central La !
t.a Union, there are from $50 to 700 /
s~sl Slayers in the city. II was stated yes !
terday that OF the SOC or 70O Only about l
80 per cent have worked during the year /
under tolerably favorable conditions, and i
that the other half have not made on Ali
average 81 a day during the year end
ing December 81. There are from $50 to |
100 hodcarriers. and it is evident that
what is true of the bricklayers is true Of
the hodcaFTieTs
There are four assemblies of carpenters.
No. I74S of the h. OF l., No l OF ID. 4.
66, the Brotherhood, No. 100, and the
Association OF the c. L.
T. These aggregate about 500 and have
been affected by the continuing depression
since 1898. They have, however. kept up
their orga Dizations not merely as mat !
ter of sentiment. but, as will be shown,
with the other view OF maintaining the
dignity of the man who works not only |
for himself. but for his affiliated brother.
Another large organization is that OF the
pIasterers, whose occupation as to time
and profit runs parallel with that Of the
brickla yers and carpenters.
Then there is the greatest body Of them
all-the printers. These have not been
fortunate in late years in get
ting employment for the whole enroll
ment. The organizations mentioned and
those depending upon them for work num-
Der probably more than one-half Of the
whole 1000, and it is not far WRONG to
say that only about one-half work at the
full rates of pay every month in the year
are now being taken up in
tho compositors' chapels for printers out
Of work
The other half Of the 1000 are either
hose whose labors continue all the year
around, such as bottlers, drivers bakers or
he guilds, such as steamfltters, engineers,
Numbers. gasfitters, etc, who generally
ind the winter the time for work. 1t ought |
20 be mentioned here that the timers had
, providential boom last October and No
-embeF by reason OF the cyclone. They did
-ery well, and, therefore, the recent bliZ-
ard had no terrors for them. Mr.. Sim
mons, who is a representative of the tin
ler's craft, said. however, that but for
his '.windfalP' the timers would be
n the same condition this winter as they |
nave been for the past three years. As to
he workmen whose services are needed
Mostly in the winter, as those enumerated :
bove, they are not complaining, although |
boom in business would not be an unwel-
ONE event.
The question was asked these representa-
i've IaboFing men and others how it came
bout that with the recent general move
nent OF the poorer classes to the charities,
one of the organized people were found in
he charitable column. They said that such
thing had not happened, and it was not
ikely to happen, because of the very fact
L organization. There are very few Of
he organizations which have not personal
,enefit provisions for the relief OF the |
aembers. In other words, organized la
,or is amply prepared to take care OF its
iwn, and this Is al ways possible when the
remain in good standing with
he general orders and when the men pay
the small fees that are required
O make nn the sums to be used n relief |