In THE JOURNAL some time ago (I think the June number) I read an article on the De Vinne Society, of New York, in which it claimed to be the oldest society of its kind in existence, having been organized in 1812. I send herewith a short history of the Philadelphia Typographical Society, which is ten years older than our New York friend, having been started in 1802, and I have the minutes in my possession to prove the above.

Philadelphia Typographical Society held its 103d annual election for officers on January 7, when the following were elected: President, B. F. Tibbott; vice-president, L. M. Meyer; treasurer, J. W. Keating; financial secretary, J. C. Reddy; recording secretary, H. C. King; steward, J. W. Hastings.

This society was organized November 6, 1802, and chartered in 1832. The directors made the award of such sums to sick and distressed members as to them seemed meet and proper. The dues, fines, bequests, etc., not used by the directors were invested in bank stock, the society at one time holding stock in the United States Bank, Mechanics' Bank, and other important stock. No person was admitted to membership who had not served a full apprenticeship to the "art." Each member was required to provide himself with a silver rule (of such size as the board of directors suggested), with his name on one side and the name of the society on the other. The president was provided with a gold rule, at the expense of the society, for the use of himself and his successors. The money given by the society to its members is paid as a right and not as a charity. No member can become non-beneficial; so long as his name is on the roll the benefits to which he is entitled are given. This beneficent provision is peculiar to this society, and accounts for the large sum paid for benefits.

The typographical society has always been a public-spirited and patriotic body. In 1812 it sold its profitable bank shares at a loss of 20 per cent, and subscribed for United States bonds instead, to help the government in its war with Great Britain. It also made appropriations to assist the families of members who had enlisted. In 1824 it turned out to receive General Lafayette, and in 1834 participated in his mock funeral. In 1827 it contributed $100 to assist the Greeks in their struggle for independence, and in 1832 it participated in the centenary celebration of the birth of General Washington. It also took part in the obsequies of President Harrison in 1844. During the war for the Union, 1861-65, it kept its enlisted members in good standing while at the front.

From 1802 until Typographical Union No. 2 was formed, in 1850-a period of nearly fifty yearsthis society was the regulator of all matters pertaining to the trade, and its decisions were acquiesced in by both employers and employed. Upon it was centered the respect of the employer, the faith of the journeyman and the hope of the apprentice. It has been especially honored in its membership by such men as Adam Ramage, the inventor of the Ramage press; Charles Johnson and Charles E. Johnson, of the Johnson Ink Works;

Colonel James Page; Richard Ronaldson, one of the founders of the Johnson Typefoundry; Lawrence Johnson, Thomas Mackellar, John F. Smith, Richard Smith and Jeter A. Jordan, of the Johnson Typefoundry; Louis A. Godey, of Godey's Ladies' Book; Simon Cameron, secretary of war during President Lincoln's first term; John W. Forney, of the Philadelphia Press, also secretary of the senate; Morton McMichael, for years proprietor of the North American, and also sheriff and mayor of Philadelphia; William W. Harding, of the Inquirer; J. B. Lippincott, the publisher; Matthew Carey; Archibald Binney; John C. Clark; George W. Childs, of the Public Ledger, and A. J. Drexel, who, in conjunction with Mr. Childs, made the presentation of $10,000 to the International Typographical Union from which sprung the Union Printers' Home.

From the year 1831 down to the present time there has been paid out for relief over $230,000.

The dues are 60 cents per month and the benefits $5 per week for thirteen weeks in a year. Sixty dollars are paid on the death of a member. The society at present is in a very good condition financially, having several thousand dollars invested in Pennsylvania Railroad stock and Philadelphia city loans.

Any person connected with the allied printing trades can connect himself with a first-class beneficial organization by joining Philadelphia Typographical Society. H. C. KING, Secretary.

CUMMINGS MEMORIAL COMMITTEE.

The work of the Cummings memorial committee is progressing very favorably. While the communications and literature from the various committeemen barely reached some of the unions in time for action at the December and January meetings, yet I have been receiving return postals every day, to a large extent informing me of the action taken.

And what is the most pleasing of all is that with but one exception all report favorable action-and this, too, from some small unions, as well as large ones. Douglas, Ariz., with seven members, believing that 50 cents per member looked too small, sent in $1 each. Now, I like that, and can say that there is no disposition upon the part of any member of the committee to prevent any union, or any individual, from giving any sum they desire, so long as it does not fall below the 50-cent limit. How such a report should get in circulation, if it did, is beyond me.

Quite a number of unions report that while the state of their treasury is not equal to that of Comrade Rockefeller's, and that it may be neces sary to curtail on every other form of donation, they are in line for this work, and will send in the full quota, even if it is in sums of from $2.50 up. Others are running the assessment plan at 25 cents a clip, and some at 10 cents a month. Now, unions with that spirit deserve the best there is, and the worst that I can wish them is that they will get the eight-hour day without the loss of a cent in money or a minute's time.

The committee is going to keep right at this business until it gets them all in the fold. If it

don't get an answer to the first bombardment, it is going at it again, and if you have any regard for your secretary's voice, and want to save him reading and taking up time that otherwise might be .valuable, just jump up and see that the union takes the right action. Remember, that the Japs took Port Arthur recently, but it didn't look at first like they would; but they kept right at it; we are going to do that same trick; we have quite a few postage stamps left and plenty of elbow grease, and all the members of the committee can write. Better do the General Stoessel act early in the warfare for this Cummings memorial extension.

I have met a whole lot of good fellows at Cincinnati, Washington, St. Louis and other placesthat I am getting after as fast as I can, whose unions have not yet sought the proper channel to make good; and to them I say, if you don't want to have a bad half-hour trying to decipher one of my letters, at the next meeting of your union get up and get the proper motion before the house and favorably acted upon. Just to demonstrate how bad I can write, I will say that my union has a resolution on the books that compels me to make any communication or report to it in typewriter, or have some one else write it for me. I have no typewriter now, and Horace Greeley's fist was as small pica is to agate alongside of mine. Take warning. And then, I want to meet all those good fellows at Toronto, if the walking and swimming are good, and thank them for their aid in this work.

We receive such flattering and encouraging reports from almost everywhere, that the committee is thoroughly encouraged. Mrs. Cummings is greatly interested in this renewed effort to erect the memorial, and is watching us closely. Then, too, we should all be proud of the many good words said about the project in the great daily papers. No other union on the top of earth, or under, either, has received so much choice, next-to-pure-readingmatter notice as the printers', and all on account of our Home. This all helps in that eight-hour day business, and the best investment at this time to push it along is to donate 50 cents per member from your union to the Home extension project.

I want to say, also, that quite a large number of unions have voluntarily increased their donation, giving the full 50 cents, in addition to any sum heretofore donated. You notice that Chicago gave $1,500 the other day, considerably over the sum expected. Maybe that didn't make the committee feel good. Among the unions reporting favorably on the matter recently are: Chicago, Cairo, Canton (Ill.), Centralia, Chicago Danish, Clinton (Ill.), Edwardsville, Mattoon, Quincy, Taylorville, Waukegan, Muncie, Richmond (Ind.), Appleton, Milwaukee, Watertown (Wis.), Hamilton (Ont.), Jackson (Mich.), Zanesville, Oakland, Pasadena, Stockton, Los Angeles, Everett, Walla Walla, Reno, Greeley, Pueblo, Salt Lake, Cheyenne, Great Falls, Douglas, Dallas, Houston, Waco, Waterbury, Mankato, Des Moines, Iowa City, Keokuk, Ottumwa, Chattanooga, Memphis, Hot Springs, Pine Bluff, Crowley, Lake Charles, Nashville, Shreveport, Hoboken, Huntington, Wheeling, and so on. That is just a sample.

Keep your eye on that list that the editor of THE JOURNAL publishes each month headed, "Contributions to the Cummings Memorial Fund." Watch it grow and the grand total of the figures climb up. You want to see your union in that list before long.

Plans are being casually prepared for the building, and we expect soon to print them in THE JOURNAL for all to see. And we are going to try awful hard to get that cornerstone put in place by May 15, 1905. Give us a little aid; and don't be afraid, friends of the movement, to drop any of the committee a line and get some literature to send to backward unions. Also write a personal letter to some friend in such unions. We want the help of every one in the trade, and on behalf of the committee, I desire to thank those unions and individuals that have so readily come to our aid. This movement is a good thing. Push it along. HARVEY E. GARMAN, Secretary.

Denver, Colo.

NEW ORLEANS, LA.

At the last regular meeting of No. 17 the officers elected at the December meeting were regularly installed, and it is predicted that the union will move onward in its march of progress as it has never done before, under their guidance.

A new scale for the book and job offices has just been agreed to for one year. Several advances were secured: Eight and one-half hours instead of nine; price and one-half for overtime after eight and one-half hours, and double price after 10 P. M.; the same, double price, for all legal holidays; $21.50 for proofreaders. On the whole the scale is superior to the old one, and was secured without much opposition from the Employers' Associa tion.

At the last meeting it was resolved to create a fund to be devoted to pensioning the old members who are unable to work at the trade. This measure, if successful, will add materially to the respect already shown by our membership for the union. During youth, when the members are enjoying strength to perform work, the union secures for them better conditions and greater wages than could be had if they relied upon themselves. Know. ing that when infirmity comes to them this same union will assist them, will instil into their hearts greater reverence for their protectors, and thus strengthen the organization greatly.

No. 17 has unanimously endorsed Philadelphia in its position, believing that the executive council should recognize the justice of its claims. Can it be possible that a request for a referendum vote will be denied on any question, even though, technically, the law denies it? Justice, when possible, should be mightier than the many technical points of law; and when dealing with subordinates where no danger is apparent, especially when a referendum vote is asked, could not the executive council afford to grant the request? It is hoped the membership will by a large vote endorse Philadelphia. It may be of interest to the delegates to the St. Louis convention to know that I. E. Pearson is at work in the Picayune office. He is handling the race table properly, and has always done so, after

being given the chance. In this case justice was triumphant, although the law was held to be greater.

The vote of the membership on the priority question was received by No. 17 with great satisfaction, for it endorsed our position on this particular law by an immense majority. This was right. It would have been a crime to undo the best work that has ever been done, and which (as Joe Jackson has so truthfully written) took a long one-fourth of a century to secure. The conditions existing in Baltimore, if true, are deplorable, and it is hard to believe that men who are part and parcel of a great organization are so unmindful of their oaths as to violate International Typographical Union laws, and degrade honorable holders of the most honorable of all cards, thereby destroying the first principles of unionism-justice and equality before favoritism and subserviency. No. 17 is proud in its position that the membership is mightier and more capable of legislating in the interest of the trade than any foreman or his followers.

DENVER, COLO.

1872.

Denver Union No. 49 held its annual ball Monday evening, January 30. This was the twentieth annual event of this kind and was a great success, as all those in the past have been, being largely attended by the members of the union, and their wives, as well as many prominent employers of printers, public personages and others. It was a strictly invitation affair and was held in Marble hall, being the first event given in the edifice, which is just being completed for like purposes. An orchestra of twelve pieces furnished the music, and refreshments were served by the committee. The hall was tastefully decorated and nothing left undone to make the occasion the success it was. The committee consisted of one member from each prominent chapel and comprised George C. McCormick (chairman), J. Vander Perle, George Esterling, J. W. Lambert, W. N. Green, Ed Schlenz, G. J. Walter, F. A. Bauer, Mardin Speer, E. J. Hines, G. A. Vickery, Charles Seitz, E. R. Randall, Joe Brill, Clarence Poole, C. E. Miller.

Members of Denver Union are well pleased at the progress being made by the Cummings memorial extension committee, and trust that matters will be in such state of advancement that work can be commenced on the proposed building by May 15, the date of Amos J. Cummings' birth. No. 49 was the prime mover in the proposition, and hopes that all unions that have so far failed to take action will come to the front at once. We know the importance of the matter here and the great blessing it is to the craft. Let the correspondents of THE JOURNAL give it a little boost.

No. 49 has one member of the present Colorado legislature, George Hutt, of Rico, Dolores county, who is editor of the Rico News, a paper he has conducted for the past twelve years. He is a stanch democrat, and will do what he can for labor's interests in that body. It was expected that the union would have two of its members in the house, as H. E. Garman was re-elected from Denver county on the democratic ticket; but the su

preme court threw out enough election precincts to allow him to stay at his trade for the next three months, thus depriving the state of a more or less wise legislator and keeping one more sub in the ranks.

Will Adams, formerly foreman of Smith-Brooks, and later of the Merchants, died suddenly, January 7. He had not been well for some time and was compelled to give up his work some weeks since, though no one realized he was seriously ill. He died after being confined to his bed but a few days. He was well known in Topeka and Missouri river points.

Halsey M. Rhodes, a former member of No. 49, but for a number of years in business for himself, has been made printing clerk of the senate by the republicans, who control that body. He is well known to all the oldtimers, having come here when Pike's Peak was a real young hill, and John Bramwood was but in middle age.

W. H. Montgomery, ex-delegate to Louisville from No. 49, and an oldtimer, has been holding down the labor commissionership of Colorado for the past two years as a republican. He is to be succeeded by E. V. Brake, an ex-wagon maker, and formerly a union man, who stood for Peabody and has been a labor politician for some time. "Monty" will hie him back to the business, I presume. Quite a drop from $1,800 per year. Montgomery was one of the few printer republicans during the late election.

At the election for officers of the trades assembly January 7, W. E. (“Kid”) Shields was elected president of the body by a large majority, defeating the incumbent, who believed he was firmly intrenched. C. W. Rhodes, also of No. 49, was reelected treasurer unanimously. In fact, the printers' and the cigarmakers' combination about ran the whole shooting-match. Brother Shields' many friends in Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and other places of his early days, will be pleased to learn of his promotion, and can call on him for any favor from a railroad pass to a temporary loan. He is the same old scrapper and true trade unionist as of yore, and will do much to advance the trades assembly. He is working six per as proofreader on the Times, with no double-headers. Mr. Rhodes reads proof at the Great Western, and was delegate to Atlanta.

Lots of the boys dislike the double-headers, and the last to leave the Post was ex-Washington Delegate Keating, who has gone to the Times. But then, sometimes a sub is hard to get on the latter sheet when wanted the worst.

Alva Adams, whom 90 per cent of the union men and women of Colorado voted into the gov ernorship to oust the delectable Peabody, was inaugurated on January 10, after a bitter fight in the legislature, which is overwhelmingly republi can. The latter-day Benedict Arnold has instituted a contest, and asks the throwing out by the legisla ture of enough votes to overcome Adams' 10,000 majority, and there will no doubt be a desperate, if not successful, attempt to do so, though we all hope not. The corporations are back of the unspeakable, and as they have the supreme court, legislature and all state offices running at their

bidding, the fight is going to be fierce. Adams has removed Adjutant-General Bell, but he says he won't go, and there you are. Democratic senators and representatives are being unseated right and left, and the devil is being raised generally. Politics is a warm one in Colorado, and it is a wise officeholder or runner that knows what the morrow may bring forth. It makes no difference how many votes you get, just so you are on the right ticket. Some day all this business will stop with a suddenness that will jar some people's heads from their shoulders, if the plain people only come out of their shells long enough. Blessed is he that expecteth nothing, tor he shall not be disappointed. However, if the plans of the mine owners, citizens' alliances, corporations, and the riff-raff of that ilk carry in this Adams business, there is likely to be something doing, and the prediction is ventured that if the person who tried to imitate Judas Iscariot is reseated in the governor's chair, a fierce effort will be made to make unions and union men walk a very straight and exceedingly narrow path hereabouts. Trouble may be hoisted up and a stone put underneath.

Work has been pretty good here the past month or so, especially on newspapers and at SmithBrooks', but has slackened up considerably, and quite a number of operators have vanished toward the east.

The Post now has sixteen machines, five of which are extra. Extensive changes are about to be made, enlarging the composing room, and rumor goes that more machines will be added. The larg est press in the west is on the way, and a bird on the 'phone wire chirps that sixteen pages a day will be the smallest issue, which woula mean more work. Let 'er come. That paper issued seventysix pages New Year's.

The News and Times have lately added several machine situations and run large batteries of machines. The newspaper rivalry and pace here is something worth while. May their check books never give out.

George Tyson has returned from conducting a job shop at Cripple Creek, bought the South Denver Bulletin and put in a machine.

No. 49 is commencing to pile up its eight-hour assessment. We have had it here for nearly two years for everybody in the printing trades, and have had a committee working upon towns for miles around to get them in line. Cripple Creek, Victor, Pueblo and Colorado Springs are all on the same basis, and will be ready to aid those not so fortunate financially and morally when the time

comes.

The Evening Post asked the union at its last meeting to enter into a contract from January 1, 1905, to January 1, 1907, for all our members in its employ to work seven hours and forty minutes daily, at the scale of $23 per week, with price and a half for overtime. This is the same scale as given at our last arbitration a year ago with the Post, Times, News and Republican. It was for one year, and expired January 1. The Post is not a member of the publishers' association, nationally, and has pulled away from the local combination, which has gone to pieces from fierce rivalry. The

union instructed the officers to make the contract, which has been signed up. Up to date nothing has been heard from the other papers regarding the matter, and things go on just the same as under the old agreement; the Republican, News and Times are members of the National Publishers' Association. The Post acted very nice in the matter, and its management was the recipient of a number of choice compliments. Don't seem as if it was following Parry's advice regarding con

tracts.

Let the prir.termen in every union go out in the by-ways and lonesome places of the towns surrounding them and get into the fold, without money or price to him, the printer outside. We may need the man in the country town quite badly sooner or later. Let's take that employing printer's advice in St. Louis, and make real his nightmare about us gathering them all in. It would be a great joke on the typothetæ if we gobbled those country fellows all up. Try it; don't bother about their dues; what we want them to have is our membership cards. It is much easier to keep a man with a card in the union than to get him in in time of trouble.

That versatile and eloquent product of the Kaw City, K. C. O'Rourke, was wafted into our midst lately. His many friends were glad to see him and know he is to remain with us.

Ex-Delegate to Cincinnati Hahn, of Lafayette, now gazes permanently at the Rockies, and is holding a machine at Smith-Brooks'.

They tell a story about a few Denver printers, an engineer and a visiting coal miner, who not long since pledged anew friendships in a popular thirst parlor, and ran the drinkable scale from beer, hardware, oyster cocktails, wine and a bottle of champagne, and then down to beer again. The strange part of it was that the seance broke out at 4 P. M. and ended at 5:55. M., and all went home to supper and worked the next day. Maybe that wasn't going some! It may be said in passing that the occasion was made possible by hitting the slot machine consecutively and hard while imbibing the first amber; the reason of the last beer was, slot machine won.

President Martin Higgins, of the International Printing Pressmen, stopped over here on his way back from 'Frisco and was entertained by his craft.

The local political pot is just bubbling, not hardly simmering. Only talk of delegates is heard. At present the one avowed candidate is Jacob Vander Perle, chairman of the Post, and it looks as if he was going to make a hot race and a fast finish. Others reported as casting loving glances at a delegateship are Will Ashley, of the Times, Otto F. Thum, Max Roesch and one or two others. For officers of the union no one has yet been exercised.

The Allied Printing Trades Benefit Association held its annual meeting Christmas day. W. H. Neighbor was re-elected president, and our Own and only Frank C. Birdsall the perennial secretary-treasurer. Both are members of No. 49. The society is in a very flourishing condition, paid many hundreds of dollars the past year in relief, and has nearly $3,000 in cash on hand. It has about 200 members. A death benefit of $50 was

added. Together with this and the International and local death benefits, it would almost be a pleasure to die under their auspices.

Denver had 460 members on the rolls January 1 -almost, if not larger than in the palmy hand days at 50 cents per 1,000.

Ex-Delegate to Cincinnati T. G. McCluskey has gone to Los Angeles. His place as vice-president has been filled by John Sterling, Oklahoma City's delegate to Birmingham.

Quite a few of the boys have been on the aqua pura vehicle for a while past, but, alas! so few seats are secure on that modern conveyance, and great changes have taken place. Several fell the same day that Port Arthur did. But they didn't lose as much.

A juicy plum, the state superintendent of printingship $2,500 per year-is to be given out by Governor Adams, if he stays long enough, to some good union printer, and democrat. Otto F. Thum, foreman of the Miners Magazine; Howard ("Hop") T. Lee, proofreader at the News; C. J. Hyland, delegate to St. Louis, and Vincent Cranshaw, operator at the Western Newspaper Union, are said to be applicants for the position. Pueblo, Colorado Springs and all other state towns are among the also wants. The law provides that the holder must be a practical printer. Governor Adams says he will follow the law. The person who occupied the governor's chair prior to January 10 didn't, and appointed a man who didn't know a type from a top.

Frank Morrison, secretary of the American Federation of Labor, and Ed Hirsch, of Baltimore, a delegate to the convention at 'Frisco, stopped over a few days on their way home and were entertained by the boys individually.

The three pressmen's unions are arranging to entertain all delegates to the convention of the International Printing Pressmen and Assistants' Union, which meets in San Francisco in June, who pass through Denver, and they want them all to come this way. They gave a dance that was a hummer on December 26. They will have plenty of funds, and what they won't do to the easterners that fall in their clutches, will take a very small space in an encyclopedia. G. A. R. MAN.

CHARLESTON, W. Va.

Donnally got it all. In the awarding of the contracts for two years for printing, stationery and binding, Donnally secured the first two, and afterward bought the contract for binding from the Acme Printing Company, of Morgantown, this state. Two new linotypes have been ordered and are expected by the time the legislature is in session. This will make four machines for this plant, and it is expected that they will be able to handle the great volume of work very rapidly.

The Kanawha Rubber Stamp and Printing Company has been organized and incorporated. Quite a lot of new material has been put in and several improvements introduced.

There was a smoker given at the hall a few nights since by one of the local organizations of the building trades, and it is reported that Joe J.

At the January meeting of No. 20 officers were elected.

No. 20 this year rounds out the fiftieth year of its existence, and at the last meeting a committee was appointed to arrange for the celebration of the union's golden anniversary. This would seem to be a splendid opportunity for the members of No. 20 and the proprietors of the union and non-union offices to meet on common ground, to the end that old friendships might be renewed and new friendships started well upon the road to final accomplishment of something beneficial. Money spent in strengthening good will at this celebration might prove a profitable investment to No. 20.

At the December meeting Rev. D. C. Kelley, D. D., who was a splendid supporter of the International Typographical Union representatives at the Dallas (Texas) Methodist general conference in an effort to unionize the M. E. Publishing House in this city, made a brief talk along the line of co-operation between the church and organized labor. The officers of No. 20 were instructed to confer further with Dr. Kelley, whose address and its import were well received.

If distant visions of peace are not deceiving, Nashville may once again have the pleasure of furnishing to the religious publishing houses here those who stand highest in the art preservative— union workmen.

The firm of Ambrose & Bostelman will soon install a monotype machine. B. L. Foster & Company have recently placed a linotype, with genial "Bob" Cuthbert as operator.

On January 2 the Tennessee State Federation of Labor convened in this city, with about sixty delegates in attendance, eight of whom were printers. It was the most successful and important convention ever held by this body, and was coincident with the assembling of the legislature. W. L. Bork, a printer, representing the central body of Chattanooga, was elected president for the ensuing year. A. E. Hill, president of No. 20, a delegate from the central body, was elected a member of the legislative committee and re-elected as a member of the executive board, being second vice-president of the federation. H. J. Loser, financial secretary, represented No. 20 at the convention. Governor Frazier's address of welcome was very gratifying to the members of organized labor, as it abounded in sentiments favorable to the union labor move'ment. Mayor Williams also welcomed the dele