locals, as well as the eastern, western and northern, will have their full number of delegates here. Our business at the present writing is brisk, and all our members are working.

The Fourth of July was a big day for labor here. The A. F. of L. dedicated its new temple and most all the local unions of the District of Columbia turned out in parade. Federal Secretary of Labor Wilson acted as spokesman at the ceremonies. President of the A. F. of L. Samuel Gompers gave quite a lengthy talk in support of the toiling masses. United States President Wilson succeeded him and dwelt strongly on the accomplishing of deeds. The new home of the A. F. of L. is now a fact and not a vision. Our international officers did the honors for our craft by participating in the parade and ceremonies. Brothers Dunn and Rowan, of Pittsburgh, also took part as visiting delegates. Our President, J. F. Murphy; Jack McDonald, Secretary Frank Schneider and Brother Feeney thought the Fourth was a hot day in the District of Columbia.

Guided by rails that is put there by brawn.

You can look at the calendar and there see

No traffic conveyor that will outshine thee.

These men that construct are just human hands

And within this country are a band like one man,

With a heart for pleasure just like boys.

But for those unscrupulous machinists that sometimes annoys

We have built up from naught a union grand.

Now the lathe hands want to take all and command.

That be damned! That be damned! Local No. 10. J. W. REYNOLDS.

BUFFALO, N. Y.

To the Editor:

Buffalo Local, No. 14, held its Annual Outing on June 17th, and all the boys had a good time, and every one came home sober. There was a ball game in the forenoon between the married and single men, which made all the married men smile, as they defeated the single men, 18 to 2. We think the sherry and egg, which was an eye opener to every member, affected the heads of the single men. Brothers Francis and Allmendinger said the sun was very hot, and that was why they lost. After the game the boys walked over to the bar and Brother Cragey bought a drink for the bunch.

Then the boys went in for their chicken dinner, as this is the day every one can eat. Brothers Reichard, Steep and Ferguson were in the chicken-eating contest. Brother Reichard, who has been the champion chicken eater for years, lost to Brother Steep. After the dinner was over and the boys were all filled, the cigars were passed around and every one had a good smoke.

Then the real day's sport began. The first on the program was the baldheaded men's race, which was a 100yard dash, between Brothers C. Saurs,

money began to change hands; Mr. Briggs, of the Otis Elevator Company's office, was cleaned out of $11.00 so quick that he didn't know the game was started. "Hereafter," he said, "I will play penny-ante." Mr. Wilson and Spang also were hit so hard that they would have had to walk home only for their friends giving them carfare.

Then the afternoon ball game was called by Umpire Schell, between the Otis Elevator Company and the C. W. Smith bunch; this was a game worth

J. Reichard

PORTLAND, ORE.

To the Editor:

My term as correspondent is just about up and I haven't written once, but it was not through unwillingness, but because I did not think I had anything to write about, as work here is and has been so slack that most all the Brothers have left for other parts and I hope they have all bettered their conditions.

Brother Jack Smith is in Akron, O.; J. D. McDonald is in Connecticut, and I think Wm. Boyer is there, too; W. E. Hubbard is in 'Frisco; J. J. Erickson is in 'Frisco, and others who started out I do not know where they landed.

Brother J. H. Geil is in Walla Walla, Wash., for the Otis.

The Portland Elevator Company has a job in Oregon City which will start in a few days, and that is the only new work I know of just now. There is some repair and change work to keep things moving, but we are hoping for better times soon.

I am sure many besides myself were pleased to see Brother Ed. Poole's optimistic articles take their place in the Journal again, and we all hope he has fully recovered from that accident.

As this is July the Fourth, and having just finished reading the Declaration of Independence, I am moved to say that I hope that we will never see the day when America's sons of toil will allow their rights to be abridged by those who are doing their utmost to do so. We have combines of men who would to-day practice the same despotism that the King of England practiced against our people in its early history, and which they so earnestly opposed, the result of which resulted in our glorious freedom from tyranny. Did I say our freedom? Yes! from crowned heads. But I fear that if the workers of this country do not each one become organized scouts and workers for their rights and stand as firmly and four square for them as those of seventeen hundred and seventy-six did, we will be wrecked on the rocks of wealth combinations. They are laying in wait for us, and when the opportunity comes rest assured all advantage will be taken. Speaking directly for the I. U.