Evening star., 1902-08-27

thorlty, with the object of perfecting and
protecting the mechanic trades, in accord
ance with the policy and methods of the
medieval guilds. In 1893 the Economic So
ciety, which was the body having super
vision Of matters of this sort, resolved to
propose simple plan for forming in Ha-
bana gremios (guilds) Of the mechanic
trades with due regard to distinctions of
race and civil status. similar so far as pos
s1ple to those already existing in arcelona
and other Spanish cities. Either this or
some subsequent attempt to attain the
same object was more or less successful,
for such organizations existed in Habana
and have had an influence upon the later
grouping of labor along trade union lines.
These gremios consisted of both en-
ployers and employees and of members of
both races. They never acquired much
property or became established on so Sc
cure and permanent basis as the Span
ish guilds. They were Spanish rather than
Cuban in conception and character, and
their main functions, aside from regu-
lating trade skill and requirements, have
been assumed by the various clubs and
semi-benevoent organizations of Habana
to be mentioned later
Result of War.
''The trade-union movement in Cuba be-
gan about 1875 at the close Of the ten
years war, and was indirectly result Of
that conflict. During the insurrection many
Cuban cigar makers emigrated to the
United States, where new factories were
opened and tobacco manufacture received
a great impetus. Many of these operatives
eventually returned to Cuba, bringing back
trade-union ideas acquired in their new
home. These extended first among the to-
bacco trades which have always been the
best organized of Cuba, but We're rapidly
adopted by the working people in other
occupations. Many radical theories were
promulgated at first and unwise policies
were adopted The early organizations
were therefore short lived, but the move
ment had come to stay
1.-The earliest labor periodical in Cuba was
La Razon Reason), founded In July, 1876
and published weekly until 1884. This paper
did not represent any special labor organi-
zatfon or movement, but it's title stated
that it was dedicated to workingmen
There was nothing in the least radical or
revolutionary about its utterances and it's
columns contain only casual references to
meetings of unions strikes or other mat
ters relating directly to organized labor
Most OF the articles were rather academic
but contained much sensible advice to the
working people. The policy of the paper
seems to have been to conduct an educa-
tional campaign for the elevation of labor
as a class, deprecating strikes and other
conflicts between labor and capital. and
confinlng Its efforts to the advocacy of
positive measures, such as the extension of
the common schools and the formation of
cooperative societies. One gathers the I'M
preston from scanning it's files that La
RaZon prea ched the ideals of a eroup of
men who were In education and culture
considerably superior to the average work
lngfnan Inc labor papers published in
Cuba at present, while much more closely
In touch with practical labor interests. are
lar below their predecessor in breadth of
view and general literary excellence"