The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-07
FINANCES OF THE |. T. U.
THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL FINDS THE
FUNDS AT Low EBB.
Per Capita to BE Levied to Meet the
Federation of Labor As
scssment.

The executive council Of the International
Typographical Union closed a three days
session in this city yesterday morning, and
Immediately afterward President s. B. Dom
nelly, First Vice PresidSpt ]. NJ. Lynch. of
Syracuse, and J. G.. Derfiinger, of New
York, second vice president, departed for
the East to arrange for the holding of a
conference with the pressmen and book
binders, covering the right of these bodies
to share IN the distribution of labels. At
present the indications are that the confer
ence viii be held in New York city at an
early date
The discussion OF the privileges accorded
TO affiliated bodies brought out the informa-
ton yesterday that the recent stereotypers'
strike in Chicago was the result of a pc
culiar state OF affairs into which the In
ternatonal Union was dragged without
having any defense TO offer the public. At
the breaking out of the war the ste1eo-
typers of New York city felt that the
proper time had arrived to force an in
crease of wages. and accordingly presented
TO the different papers an ultimatum de-
handing pay at the rate of 50 for day of
seven hours. The papers were at that time
in no condition to make an issue of the
matter. and conceded the demands with the
best grace possible. The fact was at once
communicated to the Chicago papers, and
when the Chicago stereotypers made their
request for advances the managers felt that
they were about to be treated as the New
York men had been, and refused TO grant
anything with the result that all papers
suspended publication for several days. The
action was taken by the New York stereo-
tyners without consulting the international
body, the rules under which they are ar
fhated not requiring the submission of any
plans Of action by affiliated bodies, except
where there is a controversy between the
union and the employers with a strike i'm
minent. It is understood a the interna-
uonal headquarters that the reason for eX
President Prescotts refusal TO uphold the
position of the Chicago strikers was the re-
suit of a conviction that the action of the
New FORK stereOtypers was an outrage and
should not have been allowed, and that the
embroil the International Union by arbi-
trary and uniusthable actions when the
parent organization had not been consulted
beforehand.
Probably the most important development
of the meeting was the action of the coun-
ell recommending the levy of scent per
meet the recent assessment made by the
Federation Of Labor on the International
Union. This brought to light the fact that
the funds or the union are at a low ebb.
There is In round figures $500 in the treas
ury of which amount $6.795 is invested in
government bonds. The cents per capita
assessment amounts in round figures to
over 81 500 and. as the assessment was
national body and not against the members.
II was expected that the parent organiZa-
ton would pay il out OF the funds in the
treasury. a study OF the finances during
the past few days showed that IL was inn
practicable 30 use that amount of money
without embarrassing the treasury. and
that the proper thing TO do was to levy an
assessment of cents per capita against all
members.