The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-09-26

tinue in session for at least ten days,
if the ~precedents of conventions of
recent years are to be followed.
The press dispatches from day to
day relative to the transactions of the
delegates may be expected to contain
news so varied in character, if We are
to judge by the past, that the general
reader viii be puzzled by them, or
perhaps pleased or Vexed, accordingly
as he may be imperfectly Informed as
to what it is all about, or shall have
his prepossessions confirmed or his
p~rejudices aroused. Our friends the
reporters present will seize the points
which in their judgment may interest
their respective newspapers. Hence.
in the pictures certain of them will
paint. there may be-Once in 81 while
"a ~preponderance of black color, if
the taste of their readers is for black,
and contrariwise as to white. In Ell
their case or ever when colorless
news matter is sent out perfunctorily
day by day, the reports are
usually fragmentary. Besides. seeing
a new set of facts Just as they are.
uncolored by ones own eyes, is q
point Of efficiency not always devel-
Oped even among observers drilled by
the most modern scientific reportorial
methods. Hence, the reader is often
left uncertain on many matters relat-
ing to convention legislation as we'll
as trade union aims and tendencies.
Fer such reasons, on the suggestion
of various sympathizers with the truth
for the employer as we'll as for the
wage Garner, I am going to offer in
these columns something of fact and
something of opinion bearing on Ia
Dor questions Of the day. ] may help
readers in general to familiarize
themselves with the work of organ
lied la Dor, not only at conventions but
all the wear rOIJn6 These OhSarV2-
tons are not to relate to I'M Of the
purely organization questions at pres
ent in controversy, but rather to the
larger social problems which the trade
unions are having their share in try
ing to solve and on which the major
itS of active union men are in accord.
These articles are not to be pts
at formal essays or treatises, are not
in the least to be in the form of Sys-
tematized statistical and doctrinal
statement. They are merely to be
talks, from one citizen Of our big re-
public, on a subject which he has at
heart, to such Of its citizens as may
care to hear what he has to say there
on.
First, then. as to organization.
Union men. ON meeting people of
those branches Of society not organiz-
able. as are Wage-earners, are fire.
quently surprized at the 1atter's want
Of knowledge Of the methods. forms
and mechanism Of trade unions. With
regard to labor organization they are
IN the mental state of the boy who is
accustomed to seeing his mother fire.
quently sewing on his buttons. or he
girl who lets her mother do the kitcA-
EN- work, without further inquiry.
Children SympathiZe with mother, Ger
talnly, but they are engrOssed in their
own important affairs and let her
sweat. Today. perhaps the majority
of our people may understand how a
trade union is put together. held IN
tact by a system of dues and assess
ments. II engineered by officers who
nave 6een instructed Oy the members
which way to head. But there is a
minority by no means small. who nave
mastered that elementary chapter in
trade uniOnism and who because OF
ignorance on this point cannot see the
why or the wherefore of much that
occurs in labor agitation and trade
unlcn procedure.
* the major points
needed in the instruction of anyone
IN this minority. | invite him to look
ahead with me to the established rou-
tine OF the proceedings at Atlanta The
meeting is to he the annual convention
OF the American Federation of Labor
This Federation IS an organization OF
organizations. Federated, it is to be
ttc IInitCd- ~ - 10
say, each of it's affiliated organizations
is autonomous with respect to the af-
fairs Of it's own Jurisdiction This lies
either within Il single occupation or
within the several closely related oc-
cnrations OF an industry. or. in case
Ct the subsidiary central union. With
IN q State Or q city.
Last year. in St. louis. the conven-
ton was made up of 3s7 delegates, Of
whom 226 were sent by IS national
Uniors Cor International which signi-
fes they include Canada). % State
FeCeraSiOns. 81 City Central Unions.
sc Trade and Federal Unions. 1 De-
Iartinert. and 8 fraternal organiza-
tors. The number Of votes allotted
these various clasSifications. however.
tells 4 soy not suggested by the mere