Omaha daily bee., 1898-11-18
NEWSBOYS UNION NO MORE
Organization Dissolves and the Treasurer
Absorbs Cash on Hand.
HAD A SHORT LIFE AND A MERRY ONE
Protection for Home Industry and
Regulation of Trade IT'S object md
Was Accom- lIshed-HOw
the Cash Was Raised.

There Is no Joy among the Omaha news
boye. The treasurer OF the Omaha News
boys union has gone to Chicago without
disbursing some eighty-odd dollars supposed
to be in the exchequer Of the union and
without any reasonable assurance that he
would return to perform the further func-
tioES Of his office.
The Omaha Newsboys' union has adjourned
sine die. The fast meeting was held on
Monday OF last week, and at that time
stockholders IN the union were paid off in
part. There was s137 in the treasury when
the meeting was called to order and it was
resolved to make a distribution of the
money. Most of the fifty boys present re-
ceived 81 and were glad to get it. The
members who were behind in their dues
one month received but 10 cents, % cents
being deducted for the monthly dues. This
took aboLt $50 from the unions cash book,
end the remainder Is what the members
ara looking for. Abe Greenblat was treas
urer Of the union and he has gone to Chi
cage.
Billy LOTUS was president OF the union
until the members overrufed him one night
aud Just to emphasize the will of the ma
jority fined him 50. Billy declined to pay
the fine and then President Mills stepped
into office. He presided over the last annual
meeting, which voted TO wind up the affairs
Of the union.
The union was a unique organization. 1t
was formed last winter for the protection
Of home industry. About fifty newsboys
Joined the union on the start. AS a new
conner would appear to sell papers and reap
a harvest Of coin off the Omaha streets
during the exposition season he would be
urged to Join the union. II he declined
ho fn,,nI that h;, t,.,,,-, ~t,,,,
on the street were so adversely affected that
it would be cheaper to join. The union
proved its strength in every instance. The
membership jumped from fifty up to $50
within three months. Every new newsboy
Joined without debate. The initiation fee
was raised as soon as the members found
the organization was becoming popular, and
when In the middle of the summer there
appeared the imported youths with eXpan-
sion policy lungs and tomorrow's Chicago
papers that were printed yesterday, the
union initiated them at the rate of SO per
capita. There were about six of these re-
munerative limitations. and there were 9TH
ers at almost equally good figures.
How h Fund Was swelIed.
The finances Of the union were further
strengthened by a system OF hros. To be
buIS II coidOh 81 VII pts iAS bIo 50
fine, but the fines of 20 cents were thrown
among the membership quite generally
whenever the boys got to disturbing the
meeting. The treasurer soon had more than
500 In hand and the fines, Initiation fees
and monthly dues kept swelling the fund
with pleasing regularity. Visions of an ell
egant club house filled the minds OF some
of the newsboys between editions, while
others Of the union liked to talk about a
great big excursion to Kansas City or to
New York whenever they heard the latest
financial budget presented.
But the end came with the exposition.
The extra newsboys who had been attracted
by the big show began to leave town. Even
the hlgh-priced initiates from Chicago with
drew without asking rebates from their SO
fees because they could not stay here the
entire year. Even the Omaha boys who had
adopted the calling for the. expo ;i.ion sea-
son with some enthusiasm and much voice
went back into other pathways Of lie. They
forgot their VOWS to the unioi and they
neglected the meetings and especially the
monthly dues. In the union there was no
longer strength. or the $50 members only
ffty attended the meeting Tor the dissolu-
ton Of the organization. Taere was but
little Interest manifested In the meeting
and none at all outside of that over the
distribution OF a part Of the funds. The
function Of the first newsboys' union of
Omaha had passed. Rates had been main
tained, equality among all the members IS
tablished and fairness In settlement of the
disputes obtained. The exposition season.
which proved a good thing for all the news
bows, had passed and the newsboys union
was no more.