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the recipient of a handsome gold watch and an address from the staff. Tom made a feeling reply.

The members of the craft in this town, and throughout the province, have been very busy this winter, owing to the dominion and provincial elections. Many of us are thankful, indeed, that elections only come every four years or so.

SLUG FOUR.

BATTLE CREEK, MICH.

The press dispatch mentioned in last month's JOURNAL to the effect that C. W. Post will hereafter pay to the hands employed in the paper box factory which is connected with his establishment the same pay for nine hours as they have heretofore received for ten hours, is incorrect. Post put his employes on a nine-hour day, but with a corresponding reduction in pay. This was done, no doubt, on account of the falling off in business as a result of the boycott. Increasing wages or giving shorter hours is not Post's style. If business picks up, Post will go back to the ten-hour day.

The statements Post makes in his advertisements that the union men of Battle Creek have joined with his alliance are utterly false. The trades council of Battle Creek is sending out a denial of these assertions. The 1,800 union men of Battle Creek propose to conduct their unions on strictly union principles.

The Mormons are going to make Battle Creek their eastern headquarters, and intend to do quite a bit of publishing in the city. They have been working quietly for some time, and claim they have converted two hundred families in our city to Mormonism. They were induced to locate here by the Post alliance.

Marshall Smith, who was president of No. 429 for one month, has left the city. He had been here a little over a year, and had won the confidence of the boys by his untiring efforts in behalf of unionism. He will be hard to replace, but the ten-hour day and small wages which prevail in Battle Creek induced him to leave. No. 429 wishes him every success wherever he may decide to lo

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Trade generally has been very good the past month.

Candidates for city offices made it almost as important a point to have the label on their cards as to have their names on them.

Evidently evolutions somewhat similar to the revolutions in trade circles in New Castle a year or more ago, and from similar causes, are taking place in our sister city, Youngstown. Socialism and International Typographical Unionism won't mix in these two towns.

The local label committee is in evidence. Prominent business men are giving authentic notice that

the "little joker" is desired on their printed matter. Among them is the New Castle, Youngstown and Mahoning Valley trolley system, whose excursion literature circulates largely over Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio.

The evening for the regular monthly meeting has been changed to the first Tuesday in the month at 5 o'clock. No change in place of meeting.

This is one of the places where it has been pretty thoroughly demonstrated that unionism and radical socialism are liable to clash. It has been directly and indirectly the cause of almost the disruption of the trades and labor assembly, at one time a powerful factor in this city. The ruction gained wide publicity and was told by the column day after day. Now that the chief cause of the most of the troubles has been removed (the socialistic business agent), there is a possibility that overtures may be made to the printers and a number of other withdrawn labor unions, and some of the wrongs done them righted, in order to regain them and give the new body some influence and prestige in the future. MILLS.

LA CROSSE, WIS.

For a number of months the two oldest dailiesthe Leader-Press (afternoon) and the Morning Chronicle-said to be controlled by the same interests, have made a practice of borrowing type, ads and machine matter in large quantities, and no action taken by this local to lessen the evil seemed to have any effect upon the management. Recently, however, No. 448 laid down the law in the most decisive manner and issued an ultimatum. After considerable visiting back and forth between representatives of the union and the "bosses" an amicable settlement was reached, and the nuisance has been finally settled.

Another matter of importance is a substantial raise of $2 a week in the job scale, which was signed by every job firm in the city last week, with one exception, now giving the job men, if not munificence, at least living wages. Much credit is due the gentlemen of the scale committee for the masterly way in which they handled the delicate matter and for the success with which they met.

At a recent masquerade given by No. 448, after all expenses were paid, there remained in the treasury nearly one hundred dollars ($91.62, to be exact). Pretty good for a small burg, eh? But then every one knows that the printers always entertain royally.

Work has been quite plentiful here all winter and bids fair to increase instead of diminish.

La Crosse can surely congratulate herself on having as lively and progressive a set of printers as can be found anywhere, and they are fully awake to the advantages to be derived by thorough organization and in pushing things right along in the way they should go. We recently tried to push a label resolution through at a meeting of the county supervisors, and while they refused to pass a bill calling for the label on all work, they promised that none but union offices should have the work. That helps a little. MAJOR.

ITHACA, N. Y.

I have noticed, at different times, sundry jabs and "squirts" at the Wahnetas. Will some one be kind enough to give me an idea of what it or they are, and what mission they are supposed to perform in printerdom? I have guessed them to be everything in the calendar, from a patent shooting stick (nom de plume-quoin wrench) to a technical name for type lice, but seem to be as far away from the truth as ever. So please give to me from out'n your fullness, vhat is?

"Art" Canary has resigned the foremanship of the News jobroom and returned to Indianapolis, after being with us over a year. Sorry to lose him, but we gave him the glad hand and wished him the best of luck, but we couldn't hold him here no how. He is one of our charter members, and at the time he left was a central labor union delegate. Duncan C. Lee, formerly a professor in Cornell University, and at present the heaviest stockholder in the company, has assumed the position left vacant by Mr. Canary, but it is hard to believe he is aware of the importance of such a step. There are occasional instances where a man with no practical knowledge of a business will make a success of it, but inere is less chance of it in the printer's art than in any other trade. We wish him no hard luck, but it is more than likely that the next time the books are balanced we will witness a grand rush for a practical foreman, for it takes more than a body blow to put out of business such an idea as the professor seems to have. Nothing short of a jolt on the wallet will do it.

Have recently organized a Woman's Label League, for which we have great hopes. Starting with a membership of twelve it has grown to twenty within a month, and I guess that's going some, especially for the ladies.

A well-known after-dinner speaker, when asked how mules were raised, replied: "Same way houses are; they jack them." Hee! haw! Maud.

When a fellow gives you several kicks in the short ribs and calls you all the names he can think of, wouldn't you be right in calling him a "warm, personal friend"?

On February 22 Frank M. Hall, one of the operators on the News, put on a sub and when he came back a few days later he had cigars for the crowd and a bracelet on his spaceband finger. (Some of us knew it, but said nothing.) No. 379 joins in the congratulations, but at the same time hopes that he will not Hoch every Washington's TERRY THE Fox. birthday.

CINCINNATI, OHIO.

Things in the old town seem to be at a standstill, and business is rather quiet just at present, but probably due to the severe weather we are experimenting with.

The trades unions of this city, with T. J. Donnelly, president of No. 3, as acting chairman, are conducting a series of (six) lectures, by Professor Ira W. Howerth, Ph. D., of the University of Chicago, which are proving quite instructive and interesting to the members and their families. At

the last lecture, February 3, the third one of the series, Joseph P. Kalus, a member of No. 3, rendered several vocal solos, which were most heartily enjoyed by all present.

A monstrous benefit is being planned by the members of No. 3 in the shape of a big minstrel show, to take place within the next month. The committee having the big show in charge, after some investigation, believes that the entire entertainment can be given with talent selected from our own craft-such as orchestra, end men, vocalists, and the olio. What other trades union can present such an array of talent? It seemed like a dream to talk of a printers' orchestra, but this is already secured, and the talent and vocalists secured will be worth coming many miles to see and hear. As it has been quite a few years since any thing of this sort has been attempted by the membership, they are naturally all interested, and rallying around the committee to insure a rattling good show and a big financial success.

Well, what do you think of our old friend (?) A. H. Pugh tendering a dinner to the Most Reverend Cardinal Gibbons, and several other high ecclesiastical dignitaries visiting our city, at one of our swellest clubs, the Queen City? Mr. Pugh is the president of the Employers' Association, and conducts one of the worst non-union offices in this city. After fighting and declaring war on all the labor organizations of this city, it seems strange that he should now try to gain and seek the confidence and assistance of the church. It may be that he has become disgusted fighting labor organizations, and is now intending to reform by gaining the good will and confidence of the church, so they may forgive him for his many bad acts. It has been rumored that he would break up the printers' unions, and intended to first disrupt the pressmen's union (although he has three union pressmen in his employ at the present time), and after he had succeeded in getting them out of the way, he would commence to disrupt the typographical union. No doubt his conscience is troubling him, and if he mended some of his bad habits and devoted a little more interest to the welfare of the human beings he has employed in his establishment he might have a better chance for a crown when Gabriel blows his horn.

OIL CITY, PA.

B. E. N.

The Oil City Daily Times recently made its initial appearance. It is an eight-page hand-set paper, but at present uses considerable plate matter. However, it employs six members of No. 151 as regulars. The new paper is a welcome addition to Oil City printerdom. SEC.

FRIEND HOW are you doing now? Scribbler-First rate. Rev. M. Saintlie and I have gone into partnership. Making money hand over fist.

Friend-Eh? How do you manage?

Scribbler-I write books and he denounces them.-Ex.

WASHINGTON, D. C.

There is one weakness among labor organizations the existence of which I have not noticed to any such a reprehensible extent in any other, and that is the abuse of their own officials. Not satisfied with misrepresenting the differences of opinion which they hold regarding matters which the cfficials are elected to execute and administer, the malcontents do not hesitate to impute dishonesty of motive and rascality in official acts to those to whose decisions they take exception. That was a righteous retribution on a maligner administered by the American miners upon the fellow who made that sort of an attack on President Mitchel! recently. President Gompers, of the American Federation of Labor, has been made the object of attacks of this character, as have presidents and other, officials of the International Typographical Union. I am not suggesting punishment for such, but only deprecate the fact that they can reconcile such conduct with true unionism. Honest criticism no one can object to, but that criticism which consists of vilification and charges of dishonesty should never be directed by a trade unionist against those chosen to direct the affairs of the organization, whether he be in sympathy with the administration or not.

The defense that Editor Bramwood makes of THE JOURNAL and his editorial course meets with the warmest approval here, except among the class who enjoy malignant defamation. There is no fault-finding, but only admiration for THE JOURNAL among the solid, hard-headed printers of this city.

Arthur M. Jacobs, for the past ten years or so a compositor in the government printing office, died on January 26, after an illness of several weeks with a complication of diseases growing out of typhoid fever. His remains were taken to Hamilton, Ohio, his former home, for interment. survived by a widow and two children.

He is

Joseph H. Babcock, whom I mentioned in my last letter as having broken his hip by a fall, by which he was confined to a bed at Sibley hospital for several weeks, has sufficiently recovered to be taken home, though it will probably be some weeks before he can return to work. His friends presented him with a pair of crutches as a testimonial of their sympathy.

A veteran printer, James B. ("Uncle Jimmy") Williamson, nearly eighty-seven years old, died January 23, from complications brought on by a fall. He had been employed in the treasury division of the government printing office, the chapel of which passed appropriate resolutions.

Charles E. Hawkes, special International Typographical Union organizer at Philadelphia, and Ernst Kreft, a noted unionist of the same city, now in charge of the advertising department of the Trades Union News, of Philadelphia, spent a day or two in the city early in February.

Maj. A. H. S. Davis, who was foreman of printing of the government printing office from 1877 to 1882, died on February 1, aged about seventy years. He had been employed for some time by the government of the District of Columbia in

connection with street inspection. Originally a Maine man and a soldier during the war "between the states," he was a great admirer of the late James G. Blaine, between them subsisting the sincerest friendship.

E. W. Patton, ex-trustee of the Union Printers' Home, and ex-delegate to the International Typographical Union, one of the editors and proprietors of the Trades Unionist, of this city, has been confined to his room for several weeks with severe illness. While he is steadily improving, he is not yet able to be out. He has the sincere sympathy of his many friends.

James M. Lynch, president of the International Typographical Union, spent February 9 and 10 "in our midst," being here in connection with the copyright law before congress. He is so popular here that those of his friends who succeeded in getting hold of him would not let loose long enough for him to see the rest of us. He seems to thrive on the backcapping administered by his enemies.

I despair of making Herbert W. Cooke see through the subtlety of my jokes, but so far from "knocking his friends," I never knew that he had any, except that so ingenious and lovable a writer must have a lot, and they may be mine, for all that I know-I hope so. Nay, nay, Herbert, pet; nothing was so far from my mind, when I typewrote the paragraph that gave you offense, as malice of any kind. It was only one of my deep, deep little jokes.

From what I hear, the Evening Star of this city, one of the wealthiest and most remunerative papers in the country, will launch a Sunday morning paper before this is printed. As a measure of retaliation, the Post, the really finest newspaper in the United States, will probably put out an evening edition. Then possibly Mr. Munsey will get into the running with a morning edition of his Times, and possibly, also, the Star will get out a regular morning edition. All of which will be water in our mill.

Ex-International Typographical Union President John McVicar, of Detroit, who, with his wife, has recently returned from a trip abroad, spent several days in the city recently.

The union has finally struggled through with its revision and codification of the constitution, bylaws, scale of prices, and rules of order, which has engrossed all the attention of its law committee and some of its own for about eight months.

I feel flattered by the occasional friendly mention the correspondents give me. I enjoy them all so well it is hard for me to discriminate. 1 regard the correspondence feature of THE JOURNAL as one of its most valuable ones, and that's no small compliment either.

The Union Outfitters to Men Company, which propose to sell nothing but union-label goods, the stock of which is held by workingmen, will open its doors in a few days. We are getting right busy in establishing enterprises.

One of my most valued private correspondents is William E. Shields, of Denver, president of the trades ud labor assembly (I may be wrong as to

its title) of that city. There is not, in the whole field of labor, a more earnest worker for the cause, nor one capable of giving harder or more effective blows to its enemies.

An organization has been perfected, principally composed of members of Columbia Union, of a financial company, for the purpose of buying and dealing in real estate, with shares placed at $100, payable at the rate of $1 on the 1st and 15th of each month, the number of shares being limited to 500. It is intended as a side-issue investment for its members, and as an object lesson to workingmen of what they can do by exploiting their own

money.

Miss Sadie Gompers, daughter of the president of the American Federation of Labor, is earning golden praises by the progress she is making and the talent and proficiency she is showing in her studies for the operatic stage in New York. A recent number of a musical magazine devoted a long article to a description of her manner and personality.

The candidates are beginning to make themselves known, but such vast changes occur between the writing of a letter and its publication that I do not feel like venturing either information or guesses.

An eight-hour day for everybody-especially printers. We will get it. Banzai!

A. F. BLOOMER.

UNIQUE ENTERTAINMENT AT THE UNION PRINTERS' HOME.

"Union Printers' Home, Wednesday Evening, January 25, 1905. First and only appearance this season of Deacon's All-Star Minstrels! Tenebrosity Tenaciously Tackled by the Home's Own Troupe of Titillating Titans! Twenty-count them -Twenty-hear them-Twenty!"

That's the way the announcement read which headed the program of the "oldtime" show given in the Home assembly room on the above date. A more determined or tenacious bunch of gloom busters was never gotten together, and from "Gentlemen, be seated," to curtain fall, two hours by the clock, it was "worth the money." Many a dollar-four-bits has been extracted for a worse performance.

The entertainment opened with the regulation first part. The setting was stunning. Sim Nye, of the opera house, supplied the immaculate chair dressings; Ed Pierce, the Home's landscape gardener, showed his sense of the artistic by filling in with palms, etc., from his hothouses, and the "troupe," attired in evening dress, and arranged appropriately amid the draperies of the Home stage's pretty interior, presented a picture that Lew Dockstader's press agent would, without a doubt, have called the "latest achievement of modern refined minstrelsy!" And it was strictly up to date; for besides the circle of sweet singers, there were two "lady end men"-the Misses Douglas and Duff- and four other young ladies, all employes, added the grace of their Gibsonian figures to the pleasing ensemble, and would have

contributed their beauty had it not been hidden by burnt cork. These were the Misses Edinger, Cherry, Suter and Galbraith. Charles O. Hull (New York) was interlocutor, and a good one, too. The bones were manipulated by Lebbeus Thaddeus Whitson (Las Vegas) and Miss Ella Duff. The former, known generally as "Whit," was a clever end man, and could give many a professional a tight race for Ethiopian honors. On the "tambo" end were Charlie Carter (New York), whom the program calls Mr. Charles Maxson Carter, and Miss Elizabeth Douglas. When these artists cut loose with the tambos there was something doing for sure. The songs were well ren dered and catchy, and no joke was permitted with a vintage older than Hostetter's Almanac, 1876. The vocalists consisted of Frank Gutierez (Phoenix), William Dunn (Rochester), Alex Crawford (New York), David Pollock and Carlos B. Tomlin (Washington), S. J. Leis (Johnstown, Pa.), David Kenneth (New York), and Charles M. Loughlin (Norfolk, Va.), all residents of the hospital but two.

Master Proctor Deacon, the clever little son of Superintendent Deacon, and his sister, Henrietta, possessing a remarkably sweet voice, added materially to the success of the entertainment, appearing both in the first and second parts. Superintendent Deacon acted as stage manager, and Matron Deacon as "costume mother," and both had their hands full. Following is the song program of the first part:

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The second part opened with a violin and piano selection by Miss Beulah Whaite, an accomplished Colorado Springs violinist, and Clarence D. Sears, who has conducted the musical part of the Home's entertainment this winter. Charlie Carter, in his monologue, called "The Worst of It," kept the audience in laughter for fifteen minutes; Gail Hoding (formerly of Oklahoma) demonstrated his thorough familiarity with the dances of Dixieland; Miss Henrietta Deacon sang prettily, in Chinese costume and fashion, "Oo Long Li," and Mr. Whitson delivered an unique stump speech, entitled "Unforgotten Lore," in which he "rounded up" a large quantity of tenebrous material, and proved, in his humorous way, that there were other things worse than cheerfulness, even for a consumptive.

The show wound up with a characteristic southern levee sketch, called "Where Is Bill Bailey?" which brought out some clever character depicting by Dave Pollock, as "Sue," and introduced the Home Kangaroos, a number of the residents who perform variously on several string instruments. When the rollicking and "raggy" songs, dances,

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GROUP OF THE HOME'S ALL-STAR MINSTRELS."

From left to right, top-L. T. Whitson (Las Vegas); Master Proctor Deacon; C. M. Carter (New York). Center-Miss Henrietta Deacon. Bottom-Frank Gutierez (Phoenix, Ariz.); Gail Hoding

(Oklahoma) and Proctor Deacon; David Pollock (Washington).

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