I have been appointed to write for our monthly journal. I shall make an effort to tell all the readers of our paper that Local No. 3 is still in St. Louis. But the conditions here at present in our line of work are very poor, and only a few of us are fortunate to have a job. Almost every meeting night some one of our brothers take out withdrawal cards, in order to look for some other pursuit of livelihood. But we all live in hope that the great prospects that we read about in our daily papers will be carried out, for if the real estate dealers build one-half the buildings that they say they will there will be another boom in this city and all of us will get back to work. Believing that Local No. 3 has been somewhat careless in writing for our journal, and since I have not any ability as a scribe, it will be very hard for me to write anything that will be of interest to our readers. In this city we have a daily paper that publishes letters from the people, and there is some published that start us to thinking a great deal. One was from a wife asking if any one could tell her how she and her husband could live on thirty cents per day, because after paying all other necessities of life out of her husband's salary, she found that thirty cents was all that could be spent for the table. Of course, there were many replies, some very good, telling her how it could be done and was done. Now, we that work hard for our liv ing appreciate all information on how to practice economy at home, especially when there is no work and high prices are asked for food. But I will venture to say that the most of them writing replies know that thirty cents was not any too much for one's midday lunch, and think nothing of spending the same. We thought that the capitalist had figured long ago about what the most stringent necessities of life cost and fixed our wages the lowest possible. But by reading the letters of these learned people he thinks he might make another cut in salary, because two can live on thirty cents per day. To my thinking it is impossible, and why should it be, because in this great big land of ours there is plenty for all, and to those that are trying to exist on thirty cents, join the ranks of those that say united we stand, then we shall live and let live. FRANK WARD. PHILADELPHIA. To the Editor: Monday, August 3d, was a red letter day for Philadelphia. The new subway was opened for traffic from Sixty-ninth Street to Second Street. This will bring the suburban towns close to the business centre of the city, whilst from the eastern end the towns and cities of New Jersey will be benefited. From the surface it seemed the work was very slow, but now when you enter and see the substantial manner in which it has been built-of steel girders and concrete-you will change your opinion. Last Thursday the officials of the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company had a host of prominent engineers and business men as guests in an inspection of the work. They were all impressed with its solidity and completeness in every detail, and declared without exception it was the best subway in this country. On the opening day the large department stores gave concerts by bands of musicians on the platforms, which are on the level with their basements. Certificates and souvenior medals were distibuted. It certainly is worth a trip to see the beautiful display in the basement show windows of the various stores. Their decorations must have racked their fancies to produce such gorgeous results. Since our last letter we have had an election of business agent to succeed Bro. Feeney. Three candidates were in the field. Bro. G. M. Haines was elected on the first ballot. This was quite unexpected, but it proves the old saying, "The unexpected sometimes happens." As you well know, last Thursday night was the first of our semi-monthly meetings. In the absence of the President, Bro. Wm. Young, his son, Bro. John Young, presided. Bro. Wm. Smith retired as Financial Secretary, and Bro. Waldron is now filling that position. It seemed strange to see new faces filling the position of Business Agent, Financial Secretary, and President. Bro. S. Beath, one of our young men, has just returned from a trip to London. Bro. G. Quigley resigned from the Executive Committee, to go to Wildwood, N. J., for the summer, and Bro. Jack Bird was elected to succeed him. When you see Jack, ask him how that colored local is coming along. It certainly has been the good old summer time here for the last two weeks, with the thermometer well up in the nineties every day. Then, by way of variety, we had a very severe hail and thunder storm, which did a great deal of damage, principally to glass windows, while several places were struck by lightning. Work continues to be very dull with the elevator firms, with the exception of Keystone Elevator Company, who have several out-of-town contracts, and quite a number of alteration jobs in the city. They have put on four new men this week. We Bro. Irwin says the Supplee Elevator Company has all it can handle. wish all our firms could say the same. Mr. W. H. Ambler, Jr., is now connected with the Independence Elevator Company. We bid him welcome, and trust he will be as successful as his father, whom we have known for many years. We have a new evening paper, published by Mr. Frank Munsey, "The Evening Times," whose motto is, "For progress and a greater city." We welcome the paper, as all of its employees are union men. It has jumped into popularity from the first edition by advocating the cause of the working classes. W. B. MACALISTER. MINNEAPOLIS. To the Editor: We all know that the name Johnson is a very popular one in the State of Minnesota. This fact dawned upon us when we were watching the bulletin boards about the time of the Denver convention. We have four Johnsons in our crew here that are no relation and do not look alike. Well, one of these brothers, by the name of Alfred Johnson, has a camera, and to him we must give credit for rounding up this bunch for a snap shot. The snapshot was all right, but don't know what might have happened if it had been a time exposure.. In order to get Johnson's face in this bunch, some one had to operate the machine. Our superintendent of construction, Mr. C. K. Wisehart, was present. and he was pressed into service. He played the part all right without showing any whistling birds or shaking a rattle. The picture was taken on top of the Palace Building, of this city, where the Otis Company are installing three of those traction machines, under the supervision of Bro. McMunn, who at the time was putting on the finishing touches to these machines. The machines are watched with interest by those interested in elevators. They are quite a departure from most electric machines. The fast speed and control, together with the advantage of having a machine that can be raised to any height without any change of machinery except cables and a few other minor details seems to be practically solved, indicating the great possibilities of electricity. Any one would have to step on my favorite corn and knock my hat down over my eyes to get an argument out of me on this subject, and I am somewhat of a believer in the theory that matters adjust themselves to some extent. Nearly all of the first-class office buildings here are equipped with a hydraulic system. In fact, the selection of machines here seem to suit the place of service for which they were intended to a dot. Yet we have our staunch adherents to electricity, while others can see nothing but a hydraulic system. SOME OF THE MEMBERS LOCAL No. 9, MINNEAPOLIS Reading from left to right top row-Ed. Carlson, J. H. Haley, E. Erickson, O. Anderson, Nels Johnson, A. Daviesen, F. Kreinhop, W. Julien, O. Johnson. Middle row, left to right-F. Pierce, A. Carlson, Carl Anderson, I,. Swanson, A. Wiseman. Bottom row, left to right-John Peterson, Alfred Johnson, L. D. McMunn and C. Glover Bro. Carl Anderson installed six hydraulic machines in the Metropolitan Building, of this city, last winter, and has about completed four electric machines at the Minneapolis Club Building. Carl has the distinction of being one of our oldest elevator men, and, in fact, was building elevators before some of the rest of us ever rode in one. His experience is a valuable asset to his employers, and goes to show that knowledge is power, but experience is master. I was passing along the street here some time ago, and when I came to a ladies' furnishing establishment I had to step out into the street to get around a good-sized bunch of ladies. Wondering what the attraction was, I rubbered long enough to catch sight of one of those directoire skirts with a slash up the side. I took it for granted the model was on exhibition in order to entice the public to "get the habit." If they get the habit here in Minneapolis, all the silken ties that hold the bachelors club intact will certainly be broken. The work here is gettng pretty well cleaned up, and only two or three small jobs in sight, and then the boys say "we shall all go fishing." This sets us to thinking and wondering why this cessation of building operations. I am inclined to think and lay it to campaign year. Business men are seemingly cautious, and are only handling enough goods or stock to meet present demands, awaiting the outcome of the struggle between our two great political parties.. I think the situation may be compared to a system of rivers, the Missis-sippi River Valley, for instance. When there is plenty of rainfall, the land is drained into numerous small streams, the small streams into larger ones, and finally into one large river. This river carries all the water to the ocean, there to be evaporated and carried back to us in the shape of rainfall. Any one knows that when this evaporation ceases, that drouth follows, causing shortage of crops, etc. Now for the comparison. The laboring man's money goes to numerous small dealers, the small dealers' cash to larger ones, till finally the mass of this money falls into the hands of capitalists. Capitalists anticipating a possible change, whereby their continued outlay of money must cease, or, in other words. a large per cent. of this money is laid aside and does not go out to workingmen in the shape of wages. This means thousands of unemployed. I haven't any doubt but what the opinions on this subject are as varied as the size, weight and complexion of the common run of humanity, so will pass it up. In writing to the journal the last 'time, I was aiming to catch the June number, but was not posted as to when it was published. But they say that is DO YOU KNOW HIM? Minnesota style-just a little behind, so will let it go at that and be in line next time. Local No. 2 certainly put things to a "drop test." But the centrifugal force of a well-organized body of union men set the safety all right, and all who can show the emblems of our craft (that is, the button and quarterly working card) mean something. Local No. 9 congratulates all the boys of Local No. 2 on the plucky fight they put up and won. FRED PIERCE. WHEN WILL UNIONISM DIE? "The foreman told me." "The foreman wants to know." "What would the foreman say?" "I am afraid the foreman won't like it." Does the foreman know it?" "Some one told the foreman." "The foreman thinks the world of me." "Named the kid after the foreman." "I go to the same church as the foreman." "When my wife was over to the foreman's house." "Better ask the foreman.” "The foreman says the chairman is a crank." "The foreman says the union is going too far." "The foreman says the executive committee is ruining the union." "The foreman said I was a fool to vote as I did." "The foreman never goes to a meeting, and I think he is about right." "The foreman's family and mine are intimate." "The foreman thought that story of mine a rich one." "The foreman can see in an instant all through a piece of work." "The foreman's judgment on union matters is good." "The foreman is a member of my lodge." When the lion eats grass like an ox, And the fish worm swallows the whale; When the terrapin knit woolen socks, And the hare is outrun by the snail; When serpents walk upright like men, And the doodle bugs travel like frogs; When grasshoppers feed on the hen, And feathers are found on the hogs; When tom-cats swim in the air, And elephants roost upon trees; When insects in summer are rare, And snuff never makes people sneeze; When fish creep over dry land, And mules on bicycles ride; When foxes lay eggs in the sand, And women in dress take no pride; When Dutchmen no longer drink beer, And girls get to preaching in time; When billygoats butt from the rear, And treason is no longer a crime; When the humming bird brays like an ass, And limburger smells like cologne; When plow shares are made of glass, And the hearts of workingmen are stone; When ideas grow in jackasses' heads, And the country won't be worth a A Friend. True to his nature, old General Humidity still sticks to us. PHILANTHROPIC WORK OF TRADE UNIONS The Practical Spirit that is Practiced by Them The fraternal and beneficial features of the International Typographical Union are many and varied. New phases of these sterling trade union traits are constantly coming to light, writes a Boston correspondent. As an illustration, a printer recently met a severe accident, and his death followed. The man was identified by his union card, and the officers of the Boston local were notified. They immediately took charge of the body, made all necessary arrangements for the funeral (the member having no relatives there), ascertained his religious faith and had a minister of that church officiate at the burial, which was largely attended by printers and members of the Woman's Auxiliary to the Typographical Union, who accompanied the departed brother to his last resting place. After the funeral his effects were shipped to his relatives in England. All expenses were paid from the International and local death benefit fund. Another somewhat similar case followed shortly afterward, and was treated in the same manner, which goes to show that the same course is pursued in every instance. In this case the member died from natural causes, but rather unexpectedly. As he had no relatives in this country, the Typographical Union provided Christian burial, closed up his affairs and forwarded his property to relatives. The services were largely attended by his fellow-workers, and the beautiful floral tributes attested the esteem in which he was held. He had been a prominent member of the local union. To prove that these brotherly acts are not confined to the well-known members, however, the case of a poor unfortunate, who died from a lingering disease, during which he was visited and comforted by members of the Woman's Auxiliary, may be noted. At his death the union officials assumed full charge of all arrangements, financial and other wise, and his funeral services were as largely attended and as much regret shown at his death as had characterized that of the members who had been more fortunately placed. The foregoing cases are cited merely to show that, while the trade unionists are regarded in some quarters as hardhearted business organizations, and meet with considerable opposition from superficial and academic observers because of this idea, there is another side to their activity that is seldom brought into public notice, but is as much part of the union's existence as is the question of hours and wages-the fraternal side. And. in this respect the International Typographical Union, as its records will prove, takes rank with the greatest and best of fraternal organizations, aye, with the very church itself; for did not the Carpenter of Nazareth say: "What ye have done to one of the least of these my disciples ye have done it unto me?" And this is only one of the many phases of the fraternal spirit that is daily practiced and preached by the trade unions. UNION MEMBERS MUST WORK TOGETHER. No organization will disintegrate so long as those composing it "stick." No union is disrupted because some one outside the organization does not come to its assistance. The only reason labor unions become disrupted is because those who make up the membership have not the staying qualities. No organization is going far toward making itself a power, that depends on outside assistance as the means to an end. No organization can hope to succeed by having its members stay at home. No organization can succeed unless its members work to help each other member. No organization can grow with its membership knocking. Get together and boost. Ex. |