Evening star., 1903-07-22
A matter Of great Importance to the or


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a matter Of great Importance to the or
ganized bricklayers Of the country. as well
as to labor generally. Is the question of
the affiliation of the Bricklayers and Ma
sons International Union with the Amer
lean Federation Of Labor. which was re-
ferred to the various subordinate unions by
a resolution adopted at the last annual con-
vention of the Bricklayers and Masons In
terna tional Union held during January last
at Memphis. Tenn. So far as can be
learned the sentiments of most of the
unions are favorable to affiliation. At the
annual meeting of the Massachusetts state
conference recently. which was composed
of delegates representing the organized
bricklayers OF that state. they unanimously
adopted the following:
1--WE, the delegates representing the var
ious unions of bricklayers. masons and
plasterers of the state of Massachusetts,
realize that it is time that our parent body,
the Bricklayers and Masons' International
Union of the United States and Canada.
should break away from its isolation and
join forces with other national and inter
national unions of this country. and go
hand in hand in working out the salvation
of the oppressed. and raising our own cra1t
to a higher position than it occupies at the
present. and. believing that organization,
based on sound principles and directed by
conservative intelligence, is the best me-
dium by which the wage earning class may
secure more equitable share OF the
wealth they create. and also promote the
general welfare of social conditions,
thereby elevatng the plane Of citizenship.
and assisting all in the industrial world TO
enjoy better conditions In this life.
The resolution concludes by the delegates
declaring that they believed 1t 10 De tne
duty of the parent body to affiliate itself
with the American Federation OF Labor.
An important question involving the Jur .
isdction of the Bricklayers and Masons
International Union, growing out or the
long standing dispute with a national
stonemasons' organization as 70 lne rlshl
of the latter to exist separately from the
bricklayers and masons' union. has been
decided in favor of the latter organization
The matter was decided finally several
days ago by board of arbitration at flttS-
burg The matter Of trade jurisdiction as
sumad an acute phase in Pittsburg several
weeks ago. which resulted In the suspen-
sion Of building operations IN that city-
Finally, the matter by consent OF the olll-
GERS Of the international stone masons or.
ganization and the brieklayers ana masohs
International organization was submitted 10
arbitration. the arbitrators deciding as
stated. that the stone masons as sepaiate
organization should not pc in resos,ai ~
legally and that they should remain IN
affiliation with the Bricklayers and Ma
sons International Union. According 70
that decision and agreement to submit 10
arbitration. the stone masons must actspe ..
that ruling and d1Sband thelr VI gam "a IVA
within two months ,,
The Stonemasons international Cnlon
wa. organized at Baltimore. September 9:
1880, and at present has Heiiioei silip Va
Z 600 with thirty-niI1e subordinate unions
The hricklayers and masons report an
affiliated membership OF elghty-o one. eA
elusive stonemasons' unions ana 4o' ui'ioiio' y.
termed mixed unions. In Whlch the,e 10 d
hric a
masons.
Tho question Of advance OF wages OF
union hodcarriers, which recently resulteo
in tho lockout OF twenty or moro men by
the employing brcklayers. remains unset
tied. though, 1t Is stated. the employers
have substituted other laborers IN the Plhce
OF the locked out hodcarriers. In referring
to the matter. Mr.. Moses fey'oh, - d p' pna ptlt
nent member of the union. said: The hoo
carriers on the 9th instant asked for an IN
crease of 3lx cents per hour or an ADVANCE
to 50 . per day. They have not hau di'
increase in seventeen years, and the mem
hers of the Master Bricklayers' Association
Of the District of Columbia have refused to
recognize them IS a union and decline 10
submit their differences to arbltrauoh.
Several days ago committees Oh ,il'
Allied Council Of Building Trades. with
which the hodcarriers' organization is al
lied, endeavored to have the matter sub
mitted to arbitration. as provided for In
the agreement between the council ana the
Contracting Builders Association. but the
employing bricklayers, not being allied with
the builders association, refused to arbl-
trate.
At the coming meeting Of the advisory
board of the Amalgamated Association or
Iron Steel and Tin Workers the subject OF
the establishment Of a benefit fund will be
considered 1t was decided al the conVen-
ton held at Columbus in April last that
the association should form an insurance
department. The plan outlined at that
time included per capita taxation OF ~
cents annually for each member Some
members are said to be strongly In favor
OF increasing the assessment rate ana
thereby enlarging the insurance to be paid.
The matter. however. will be settled by the
board which Is composed Of the nat1opal
officers and the three trustees. It Is con-
templated to make the insurance plan ef-
fective from October l next.
The International Brotherhood OF Book
binders has been offered a three-a acre tract
of land adjoining the Union Printers Home
by Gen. w. J. Palmer of Colorado Springs
as a site for home for that organization.
Justice Marean of the supreme court OF
Illinois. in considering an application for
an injunction made by employing carpen-
ters to restrain union men from influencing
their non union employees, recently decided
that striking carpenters were within their
lawful rights in persuading men to leave
their work, SO long as they do not trespass
upon the premises Of the employers while
the men are at work.
The Union Mine Workers Journal gives
some interesting figures on the growth of
the organization under the leadership of
John Mitchell. President Mitchell was
elected in 1893, and at that time the men,
bership Of the union was 80 900. It has ip-
| creased each year since as follows:
l!tD l1O,O-
liUL AoS,oSt
1902 NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 232, coo
1903 MISREPRESENTATION. .264, 43J
On December 81, 1902. according to the
official audit there was in the treasury the
sum OF 81, ,O27, 1909.
The rapid and substantial growth of the
American Federation of Labor, particularly
during the last six years. is the subject of
a statement recently made by Secretary