Evening star., 1903-07-22

not terminate until September 30 hence the
memnership .hrnmeh a,o total is subject to change
during the next two months: 1897. 2G5, ,6n:
1898. 279.O0O: 1899. $50. 400; 1900 800 800;
1901: 7sS,Jo; 1902, 1,025, 800; 1893. 1.4o7, ,593.
1t Is generally understood that the
Brlcklayers and Masons' International
Union will affiliate with the American Fed
GRAFTON of Labor; if SO, that will be an ad
dition Of SO0o0.
In 1897 the income for twelve months
was s1s,fO. During the first nine months
of this fiscal year ending July l the in
come amounted to sl13.1G 1G011. A marked
increase In unions, and in membership and
! a remarkable increase in funds. Without
the slight increase of per capita tax from
the international unions from IA to Ia,
cent i'll 1897. and 1-3 to ID cent per member
per month in 1901 the work of the fedora
ton could not have been carried on so
successfully.
The increase of per capita tax from one
cent in 1896 to two cents in 1897, to five
cents in 1898 and to ten cents per member
per month in 1891, for local trade and
federal labor unions has been a source of
considerable revenue, notwithstanding that
five cents of the ten is set aside each
month to be used for the defense of the
members of the local trade and federal
labor unions in case of strike or lockout.
There is now $50 S9f.jD in this defense fund.
There are in the field at the present
time thirty-siX paid organizers who are
devotins all their time to the work of
settling grievances and organizing unor-
8
have over /. 100 district organizers.
/ The outlook is satisfactory. The inter-
nationals are making rapid headway. The
| general success of the labor movement
along the lines Of organization has been
phenomenal. The officers of the interna-
| tional organizations should direct their ef-
forts to protecting the rights of their men,
| bers. They should advise and assist the Of
! fcers in their local unions to Strengthen
! their position in every possible manner.
The employers are awakening to the fact
that organized labor is truly a power, and,
| fearful Of what is sure to foilow-that is,
q more pronounced desire for shorter hours
| and increased scale OF wageS-they are
| organizing for the purpose of resisting the
| efforts of the trade unions to shorten hours
and increase wages The employers ef-
| forts Will be futile. The constant vigilance
| of the officers and members of all the
unions affiliated with the American Fedora
| ton OF Labor will more than Offset their
hostility and the great labor movement will
steadily march forward.
The history of the strikes and lockouts
! can be explained in one WOrd-suceSs. 1t
| is true that in a few spots the members of
| the unions have not been able to secure all
| their demands. but such Instances are not
| numerous. We hear OF strikes that are
successful that are partial failures and
complete failures but little note or men
| ton is made Of the shorter hours and in
creased wages conceded to our members
without strikes or lockoutS.'
trail Labor Union has under consideration
| the advisability of granting a charter to
| q number of employees IN the mail bag re-
| pair shops OF the Post Office Department.
| 1t is stated that recently the canvas work.
ers in the shop applied to the American
Federation Of Labor for a charter as q
| canvas workers union. The Mail Bag
Workers and Repairers' Union. which is
| composed OF leather workers employed in
| the shop. and which is chartered by the
| American Federation OF Labor. has form
ally protested against granting the canvas
| workers a charter. They assert that a
| canvas workers union would be dual or
| ganizatton. which II Chartered and rec
| ogniZed by the American Federation of
| Labor. would secure the canvas workers
| in their claim. exclusively. to all canvas
| work which the leather workers assert
they are competent to do. The leather
| workers claim that the best interests of all
| concerned would be advanced if the canvas
workers were affiliated with their union
and the committee of the Central Labor
Union having the matter under consider
alton. is requested to SO recommend to the
| central body.
The leather workers Organization, which
| Is known as Mail Bag Workers and Re-
| pairers' Union. has petitioned the American
Federation of Labor for cha nge OF title
| to Mail Bag and Pouch Workers and Re-
| UairerS' uiOn