The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-03-09

| deemed their peculiar rights was the
organization of bodies known as guilds.
! Long before guilds of working people
were formed, however, there had been
guilds of merchants and religionists.
But craftsmen were not permitted to
join these guilds.
1t is asserted that the organized la
Dor movement as is known today was
first started in Massachusetts,, when, in
september, 1912, meeting of farmers
and mechanics was held in the state
house, Boston. The meeting was called
to protest against the excessive hours
of labor required daily of the mechan-
les and other manual workers and
against imprisonment for debt. The
meeting was the result of considerable
agitation and friction between capital
and labor, which cause one writer Of
that day to remark: 1.-The American
labOrers resist the continuation of this
prevailing economic system which gives
even to single daring capitalist in any
one of the trades the power of reducing
the incomes of all persons engaged in
it,"
The first trade union, American at
least, was organized on January 21,
1884, in the rooms of the common coun-
lcll OF Boston. In March following a
constitution had been drafted and rati-
fled, and then, imbued With a devo-
ltional spirit, the members of the union
decided to hold religious services on
July 4.
The labor movement spread through
tout manufacturing towns of Massachu-
Isetts, and, although it met with many
lrebuffs, refused to give up the ghost.
Even the women workers became inter-
Tested in it, and the first union strike on
lrecord occurred in Lowell, Mass, about
lS49. It was strike of factory girls
|against a reduction of wages, and one
Igirl II years old was characterized as
the ''ringleader." These girls must not
only have been aggressive but also
possessed of their full share of brains,
because they published a small news
paper called The Offering. Its motto
was, 1.-THE worm of the earth may look
up to the stars
The first national centeral body of
mechanics organized in this country
was that of blacksmiths and machin-
lists, which was formed in 1859. In the
same year the iron mOlders signified
their intention of forming national
union, and applied to the United States
government for charter, but their ap-
1plication was refused. The breaking
out of the war of the rebellion did much
to retard the labor movement in Amer
lea, although in 1860 as many as rs or
80 trades had formed national organi-
cations. Four years later the first con-
lVention or congress Of trades unions
was held in Cincinnati, and similar
meetings were held in New York, Phil
adelphia and Chicago. The result of
these meetings of the labor unions was
the beginning of the agitation for the
lelght-hour workday. About the same
year the agitation for organization
spread among the employees of the rail-
roads, and the Brotherhood of Locomo-
tive Engineers, one of the most power
full and influential labor bodies in the
world was formed. Ten years later
the brotherhood of Locomotive Fire
men was organized, and the movement
then became general all along the line
OF the mechanical trades. 1t even
reached the miners of the vest and so
successfully did they accomplish the
objects of organization that from 1875
to 1880 they kept the wages of manual
labor in the mines at IS a day,
by this time other trades not only
had their local unions in all the cities
and larger towns of the country, but
many of them had formed national or
CARNATIONS, including the cigarmakers
and the printers. The knights Of La
Dor, a national body, was also formed.
The organization, which became pow
erful one, was founded as an educa-
tional order by Uriah Stevens, but it
became rather an aggressive labor Or
ganization' and played a prominent
part in a number of great strikes At
one time it was said to have reached a
membership of one million, but it's
power and influence waned largely
through dissensions among its leaders,
until now 1t has only a. remnant of it's
former greatness, Since then the labor
movement has grown apace, and other
great organizations, some international
IN their scope, have come to the front
among the them American Fedora ton
OF Labor, with a. membership of one
million, and with affiliated unions in
all parts Of the country. Business re-
lat1ons have also been formed with the
Igreat labor organizations Of Europe,
Especially those of Great Britain, until
today organized labor Is no longer an
experiment, but an established fact
which enters into the life of the nation.
In no branch of the industry has the
labor movement spread more widely
than among the employees of great
railroads. Almost every employee in
one or the other of the mechanical de-
partments of the railroads is member
OF a union. There is not only the Bro
therhood of Locomotive Engineers and
the Brotherhood of Locomotive Fire