Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-07

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sition to make final report, and requested
that the convention grant the committee,
or another committee in its place, control
for another year.
What prompts the request for this indul-
gence. he said, us the great work before
US, which we are unable to conscientiously
discharge in the space of one year. While
We wish to give our personal observation
Of your plans laid out at the present for
future operation within the national asso-
citation we find that, among the four state
associations now organized officially, only
ore of them practically demonstrates the
carrying out Of the apprenticeship work
and teaching boys the trade of our noble
art in the shops.
Certificate Issued.
This state organization issues to each
boy who has so finished his trade certii-
cate signed and sealed by the state officers.
The other three state associations are not
yet prepared to adopt the principles of this
state association. We believe that the best
mode of carrying out the duties of your
committee would be, first, to insist upon
every state association organized or yet to
be organized to follow the apprenticeship
rules of the Pennsylvania association Then
let the highest merits of approval upon
each certificate SO issued by the state asso-
citation to their apprentices be given, that
the signatures and seal of the national
association may be fixed.
I'VE have gathered in the past twelve
months data. reports and information which
lead us to believe that especially in those
localities where there is no possibility of.
receiving an education in q trade indus
trial school, the only salvation We have
for recruiting the ranks Of mechanical
journeymen is for the associations of our
entire body to consider the adoption of an
apprenticeship law, which shall be of gen
eral benefit.
An eastern delegate hazarded the opinion
that the committee had not been active
as it might. The discussion which fol-
lowed finally resulted In giving the COM
mi,tee another year to finish It's labors.
John Beattie of New York who official
ly represented the national association at
the annual convention of the National As
sociation of England and Wales, submitted
an extended report of his observations
abroad. At the suggestion of a New York
delegate Mr. Treat, a representative of the
Pan-American exposition, accorded the
privilege of the floor, and. in a felicitous
speech. which pleased the convention, he
cordially invited the association to hold its
next meeting in Buffalo.
Combination of Capital.
AT the meeting Of the executive board
here last August there was assigned to the
Washington association the preparation of
a paper for the convention on THE Combi-
nation of Capital and Its Effects on the
Industrial Arts of America" Charles Mac
nichol, jr., who prepared the paper at the
suggestion Of the local association said
"Of theoretical and partisan material on
the subject of trusts there is no end. The
Civic Federation of Chicago has issued a
report of the speeches made at its now ia
nous convention when it was discussed
from almost every standpoint. political and
social. The Industrial commission is still
grinding out mountain of testimony,
which, though not yet published Is not In
accessible.
Reviews and magazines and the daily
press are bombardng the public with mis-
,n
Politicians laud or abuse as their needs d.
rect; but the question is no nearer an an
swer than before. and it can only be an
swered by history not prophecy. That
cations of mechanical Industries in some
cases cheaper production and bring to the
can be no question. That they are the
cause of much misery in the death of small
competitors the closing of Improbable
works that cripple localities. the abuse Of
power that demands exorbitant profits
and the injury of national character in de-
stroying Individuality, is also most true.
1.-The best minds of the world are now
struggling with the subject and have not
vet Struck a balance of benefits. The most
confident opinions are, as a rule the most
partisan, anda= therefore. the most worth
less: 1t is very embarrassing to be placed
in the attitude, Of Sinking a responsibility,
but in this instance we feel that there is
not one of you, who would not have done
the same thing. There is no adequate ma
ter1al Tor the teIIcSlS Oh trusts on the in
dustrial arts,T and the subject has grown
too close to politics to make discussion
on theories of any use to practical organi-
cation like ours. Our local association,
by unanimousfvote, decided to abandon the
paper and then abandoned me to the thank
less task Of notifying the national associa-
ton. I hopea.yoas appreciate our position
and approve Feur9action."
Mr.. Preston Introduced.
President Holland then introduced to the
convention Thomas Preston, president Of
the national association of England and
Wales. Addressing Mr.. Preston, he said:
"As executive of this association, 1t is
my pleasant duty to convey to you and
through you to your association the hearty
e, Getting and fraterLal feeling felt toward
it by this body. Assembled as we are in
the chief city of our country, with so much
to awaken enthusiasm and patriotism in
the minds of our citizens, l am strangely
affected as / realize that here on this plat
form Is he representative of our brethren
over the sea, engaged in the same calling
turning our faces toward the light of pro-
gress and kindly feeling and brotherly
regard.
! "As has been said by my predecessors
in their contact it would seem that we are
| making history. AS part OF the Anglo
Saxon race, we are sowing the seed that
will certainly produce a harvest Of good,