Waterbury Democrat., 1902-04-26

The new rules of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers and Machinists have just been received by the Water bury branch. The rules of this or ganization are revised and brought Up to date every three years by dele gates from all parts of the world. The edition just to hand offers exceptional encouragement and facilities to those engaged in the lmachiniSt trade. Men who have hitherto been debarred are by the latest revision now eligible. Meetings are held in most of the in- dustrial cities and towns in the Unit ed States. Waterbury, Ansonia and Hartford have branches in Connecti- cut. The benefits derived by member ship are numerous-such as unem- ployed, old age pension, funeral, loss of tools by fire, and many others. The chief aim of the society is the general uplifting of the status of it's mem bers. and the records of the fifty years of it's existence prove that it has achieved at least something for it's members.
 A resolution was introduced before the Central Federated union of New York on Sunday recommending that all wage earners refrain from buying or eating beef or mutton for thirty days from May 1. Many delegates fla vored and advocated the resolution, but it was finally defeated by a mar row margin. The chief argument against it was that hard workers at manual labor could not give LID beef and mutton without breaking down their health. This was completely ,e- futed by reference to the robust ply- slcal condition of miners and unskilled | laborers of the hardest races of the world. who eat very little meat. Nev- ertheless majority of the delegates voted to table the resolution. Secre- tary Robinson, who introduced the res olutlon, contended that this disposi- tlon of the matter was practically q confession by the workers that they were at the mercy of the beef trust and dared not resist it's encroach. ments.
 Some two years ago the Pennsylva. nla railroad company adopted a sys- tenn of old age pensions for it's en- ployes. The pensioners are CD every employe who has reached the age of | " anu N-J every emDIOV0 Do- tween the ages of 65 and .69 who has been for at least 30 years in the com pany's service. and who is now inca. pacitated for further work The pen sion is: For each year of service 1 per cent of the average regular month. ly pay for the ten years preceding re l tirement. An example will mak clearer, perhaps, the adjustment of tht pension. John Jones, d clerk, has worked in the company's offices foI 40 years, from the age of 30 to the age of 70. and for the last 10 years of his service his salary has been S15O a month. On his retirement, then, he gets flor each year of his service 1 per cent of the average regular month ly pay for the 10 years preceding his retirement'-tha is to say, l per cen of S150 (the average pay), multiplied by 40 the number of years of his ser vice), or S60 a month. Some of the pensioners get a good deal more thar $6O, some get a good deal less The average monthly rate is $27. Since the inauguration of the plan $536. 310.17 has been paid to the retired employees of the company, who mum Der 1,574. The magnitude of the scheme is appreciated when it is re membered that the company employs 80,000 persons