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of the chief pusher of the union-president-and is pluming his feathers for something in that line, but may take a little canter on the delegate track. Will Hedley, a job printer, would like to visit Toronto at the expense of the union. For the past few years one job and one newspaper man have taken these excursions, and will probably do so again this year, as the voters are about equal. Quite a few informal talks are taking place, and by the March meeting a number of booms will be launched with the usual accompaniment, after the meetings. We nominate in May.

The Great Western Printing Company, a corporation composed principally of members of No. 49, recently moved into larger quarters and has added to the plant. Henry A. Anger, of Inland Printer competition fame, is foreman and chief stockholder, and Felix Boner and W. A. Wagner are also interested, as is J. A. Payne, of Pressmen's Union No. 40. They are doing a good busi

ness.

"Spud" Wilson, proofreader on the Post, made a trip to Green River, Utah, with a view of acquiring a country newspaper, a vocation that he is madly infatuated with and has been endeavoring to break into for some time.

No. 49 is doing its part to get into the fold all eligible, and is opening the door to all that knock, even going so far as to step out and make the way clear for those who may be a little timid about applying, and lately removed the ban from several who had been tempted and fell by the wayside. While this policy may not always be the wisest, yet under the present circumstances, and what the future may possibly present, it is wise. We are also gathering them in from the surrounding country. The "teapot" would find poor picking around here.

Work on newspapers for operators continues good and in adrooms bad. It is the dull time. The reason for the dearth in operators just now is the temporary night force on state work, espe cially contest proceedings, at Smith-Brooks. It is over by this time, and there will be no longer a scarcity of machine subs. Job trade dull; no immediate signs of picking up.

It is said that the cost of printing the testimony in the Adams-Peabody governorship controversy will run near $35,000. The people will pay the freight; but there is one consolation-the work is done by one of our most liberal firms, and the big bulk of the hard-earned taxes of the common herd finds its way into the hands of the union printer, and you can rest assured that it is soon put in circulation, which would not be the case if it was in the treasury.

David C. Coates, former lieutenant-governor, who went to Idaho a year or so ago, is doing very well at Wallace, where he is editor and proprietor of the Idaho State Tribune, a semi-weekly publication, giving evidences of brightness and push. Several more offices in the city have signed up the eight-hour agreement with the allied printing trades council, and have the label. There are but one or more that are not really in the control of the printing trades, and they are being worked up

on. I venture the assertion that Denver has more one-man offices than any other town of its size in the country, as well as more label offices.

The United States Colortype Company is preparing to enlarge its business, new presses and type being installed. The plant was primarily established as an engraving business, but the last year or so it has cut into the general job printing field. It is rumored that John Gaston, who has a machine in the Merchants, is going to dispose of that one and get a new double-decker and go into the Colortype plant. George Esterling, he of the card fame, is foreman.

To increase the attendance at the meeting, the executive committee has had cards hung up in all chapels, whereupon are inscribed: "The regular monthly meeting of Denver Typographical Union No. 49 will be held next Sunday at Electric Hall, 1739 Champa street, at 2 P. M. You should be an active member. You are not unless you attend the meetings. The member who stays away from meetings of the union is responsible for everything that is done wrong." These are displayed each month several days before meeting. It had the first trial last month, and we had a large meeting, and nobody on the slab either. Wise head, executive committee.

We have an embryo Wanamaker in our ranks. Dave Coleman, formerly of Omaha, Kansas City and other Iowa suburbs, is the silent partner in a growing dry goods and notion store conducted by the chairlady of his household, Mrs. Coleman. Dave holds a machine on the Post, and they say it is worth the price of car fare to see him measure off a yard of calico. However, they are building up a good trade, push all kind of label goods, and I hope that it will soon afford Dave the cpportunity he desires to get out of the business.

I hear a great amount of favorable comment regarding THE JOURNAL from our members, especially the oldtimers who read it from cover to cover, including deaths, elections, etc. All seem pleased with the present policy, and say that it was a wise move when it was made into a monthly. It is looked for about as eagerly as payday on a campaign daily.

No. 49 reported at last meeting $5,051 in the strong box, which is more than $10 per capita. We donate considerable to most every appeal, but our expenses are not so very heavy. A goodly portion of this money is in bonds drawing 6 per cent interest. Dues are per cent and 40 cents extra, with the eight-hour assessment added.

The first month of the eight-hour assessment was collected in February. No kicks were registered, except from one or two small proprietors, who question the right of their being compelled to remain on the active list. Our laws provide if a man foremanizes his own office, and wants the label, he must be an active member. The special tax will bring into the fund about $100 a month.

Denver has enough ex-delegates to form a good association, and there is some talk of doing so. It might serve as a rallying ground to get a number to go to Toronto. You can't hold a session without hitting the name of some gentleman who has rep

resented some union somewhere, as we accumulate such a large number of boys who enjoy our climate.

No. 49 did not do very much of a startling nature at its last meeting, merely routine business. It did, however, adopt a resolution similar to the one adopted at Washington, endorsing Philadel phia Union in its appeal.

The nineteenth annual ball of Denver Typographical Union No. 49, after being postponed from January 30, owing to the failure of the owners of Marble hall to have it completed as per contract, took place on Monday evening, February 13. All that was said of the affair in the February JOURNAL goes double, and then some more, regarding the hall, orchestra, decorations and committee. When the grand march took place it was led by President Collett and Mrs. George C. McCormick, wife of the chairman of the committee. There were 250 couples in line, and fully 200 more people in the hall, making more than 700 in all. There was a larger attendance of printers and their wives than has been present at any ball of No. 49 for years, and the outside attendance was phenomenal, those in charge having to refuse admittance to many, owing to the crowded condition of the dancing floor. Card games, lemonade and dancing served to pass the evening, and nothing was left undone to make those present enjoy themselves, and the committee deserves great praise. It was one of the best dress balls seen in Denver. A number of out-of-town visitors were present, among them being Mr. and Mrs. Charles and Miss Etta and Master Proctor Deacon of the Home, and C. A. Nichols, of Salt Lake. The affair was also a financial success, and was one of the best advertisements that No. 49 has ever had.

W. G. King, now operating on the Republican, and well known to the oldtimers around Chicago, Kansas City, St. Louis and Texas, had the misfortune to lose his wife by death the past month. He has the sympathy of the membership.

G. A. R. MAN.

DON'T WASTE ENERGY.

The fifty years' existence of the International Union have resulted in the enactment of laws for its management and guidance which, at the present time, rest in the hands of the executive council to be construed and enforced. That the decision of the council in the Philadelphia matter is a proper one under existing law is pretty clear, and because any one differs with such construction is no reason for entering on a campaign of rage and destruction. Don't waste energy. It has a market value.

There are 644 unions on the roll of the International Typographical Union. This grand aggregate of so many years of endeavor has hitherto appeared to be but a rope of sand. When any individual union has been made an object of attack by the opposition it has been whipped into subjection, usually. Every union in the jurisdiction felt the strongest sympathy with its sister, but beyond a few sporadic contributions there was an absence of the sinews of war. The Philadelphia situation is a piece of good fortune to us in being an occasion

which may enable us to weld this rope of sand of ours into bands of iron. How many unions in the 644 will send $1 a week to Philadelphia Union until the fight is won against the Inquirer? Only 200 need respond, and the amount No. 2 has been receiving from the executive council will be met. When the fight against the Inquirer is won the 203-Meter Hill in the eight-hour fortress is captured. The benefits of the victory will be felt by every union, typographical or not, in the land, and won at such trifling cost! It's so easy! Just demonstrate that we can win battles in this way, and the smallest union in our jurisdiction need never fear that it will not receive justice from the opposition. Demonstrate that we can win in this fight, and the necessity for borrowing trouble because of the lack of a big strike fund is ended. Win, and in a year or two we will reduce the scheme to a system that will make us invincible. Fail, and what is there in sight for 1906? An uphill fight. "Now, brothers, to it; and the devil take the hindmost." Bellevue, Ky. C. O. B.

NASHVILLE, TENN.

The attendance at the last meeting of No. 20 was unusually large, considering the almost prohibitive Arctic weather, and this is most gratifying, as it indicates an increased interest in the affairs of the union and tends to destroy the baleful influence of the abominable and obnoxious "street corner session." The members of No. 20 believe that the union hall is the place to properly settle their grievances.

The last meeting was notable for the transaction of a large amount of business and the installation of the officers elected at the January meeting. After the installation ceremonies, J. A. Aul, on behalf of a large number of friends of A. E. Hill, the incoming president for his third consecu tive term, presented the latter with a beautiful silver-mounted gavel as a token of esteem and best wishes. The gavel bore this inscription: "A. E. Hill, from friends of Typographical Union No. 20, 1905." Both presentation and responsive speeches were brief, but directly to the point, and the incident proved a pleasing break in the monotonous routine. The committee appointed to arrange for the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of No. 20 reported two plans, without recommendation, and the question will be taken up at the March meeting. The bill for registering labels and trademarks in this state is now a law, and a copy of same was ordered sent to President Lynch.

The Daily News (afternoon), after a career of something over three years, has suspended publication. This came as a severe blow to No. 20, as there were from sixteen to twenty members of the union involved. It was the only daily paper here flying the union label. The others are entitled to the privilege, but have not yet seen fit to take advantage of it. Another reason to regret the News' demise was the fact that it was very liberal in its views toward organized labor, being outspoken in its belief that the working people had to organize as a matter of self-defense. Owing to the failure

of a number of like ventures in Nashville in the past decade or two, it may be a long time before those with sufficient money can be induced to invest it in the newspaper business here. But the very name of "News" seems to be a Jonah-at least a number of papers bearing that title have recently "retreated in order."

The Nashville Plumbers' Union has signed a contract with the master plumbers, effective May 1, for two years, which provides for eight hours a day and seven hours on Saturday, at the rate of $3.25 per day. The former scale called for nine hours a day at a $3 scale. Another step forward in the great eight-hour movement. The contract also provides for arbitration of differences. The bricklayers' union has also signed a contract with the employers, effective May 1, for two years, providing for nine hours a day at 55 cents an hour, with eight hours on Saturday. The old scale was 35, 45 and 50 cents an hour, nine hours a day; there are to be no sympathetic strikes, nor will the union men handle convict-made brick. This is a healthy advance over the old scale.

The legislature has made a law of the bill to give grand juries inquisitorial power in cases of public drunkenness, and thus will the grand jury become a temperance society. The legislature has also passed a bill prohibiting the sale of tobacco in any form to boys under seventeen years of age. At this writing A. E. Hill, International Typographical Union organizer, is in Alabama on official business, and is reported to be very successful in gathering the unorganized printers into the fold. B. A. RATTERREE.

NIAGARA FALLS, N. Y.

Meetings of No. 233 are still being as largely attended as any in the past, and the members are taking a greater interest in demanding the label, not alone on printed matter, but on everything they purchase. Especially is this true of tobacco and cigars, probably on account of the fine for any member found with a package of non-union tobacco upon his person. At the February meeting the scale presented by the new scale committee, to be presented to the proprietors, was adopted in its entirety, section by section, by a secret ballot, showing that the members have great confidence in the committee and the justness of the demands, for not a section was changed. The scale that will go into effect June 1 calls for the same wages as received in Buffalo at present, and leaves the eight-hour day stand until January 1, 1906. It was thought best to be moderate in our demands, so as to be sure of accomplishing the end desired. The eight-hour day in January will not cause any dif ference in Niagara when the International demands it.

Financial Secretary Dwyer is in the hands of his friends to bring up the amnesty question again before the convention. John J. is a good, conscientious hustler for the union, and, no doubt, will receive a good vote.

J. G. Campbell, delegate to the central labor council, is always at the meetings and has been honored by several good committee appointments.

Jim is one of those tried and true English unionists that believes in the cause all the time.

Every meeting night a new candidate to attend the coming turbulent sessions in Toronto starts his boom-or boomerang.

Funny how the treasury always gets away. In the February JOURNAL, in the last line, it should have read, "Without International treasury support."

On February 10 several of the members journeyed to Buffalo to attend No. 9's big smoker to secure funds to entertain convention delegates. All were highly pleased with the entertainment and reception.

Ex-President P. J. McCarthy, well known by delegates to Milwaukee convention, lies at death's door with typhoid fever. The sick committee and his numerous friends have been unable to see him, but we all hope for a change, as "Pat" was one of our best workers.

For some time we have been waiting to hear if "Louie" Dickelman, of Binghamton, had organized a branch of the 101's. The breezy new little Labor Enterprise, in its "Cassidy the Printer" column, has failed to record if the branch had been formed. The consensus of opinion in No. 233 is that the sooner all differences are settled and Philadelphia is thoroughly organized the better it will be for the eight-hour movement in the east.

Here is one that probably Herbert W. Cooke has not heard of: Why should not a man live on breakfast food when barbers live on shavings? Postum is not thought of as a breakfast food in Niagara.

And the man on the banks of old Lake Erie woke up. Good.

If you have attended the Detroit, Cincinnati or St. Louis conventions, probably "Uno"

GEORGE EDWARD LOCK.

STREATOR, ILL.

At the February meeting of No. 328 the recently elected officers were installed.

The president has appointed the following eighthour committee: G. W. Bonham, Robert Jefferson, and R. E. Mowbray.

John L. Perry has been president of No. 328 since 1899, having been unanimously elected to that office each succeeding year. He has served the union well and faithfully, and will undoubtedly continue to do so.

The Free Press recently installed a new Scott perfecting press, the first one in the county of I.a Salle, and now employs an experienced stereotyper and pressman.

The Independent Times is not much behind the times, so it has put in a Cox Duplex press. Charles Jewett, of Kankakee, is at the helm, and things are now running very smoothly.

Trade has been very good for this season of the year in this city.

THE JOURNAL seems to be more appreciated by the members as it grows older, and "I saw it in THE JOURNAL" is beginning to be a byword with J. F. M.

us.

LABOR CONDITIONS IN NEW SOUTH WALES.

In form the arbitration laws of New South Wales closely resemble those of New Zealand, but in its work the Australian court does not seem so effective as that of the sister colony. A great cause of complaint has been the excessive delay in reaching a decision after a case has been filed. A dispute between the bookbinders and their employers lay in the court for two years before it was heard, and at present there is a case of utmost importance to the printing trades which will be delayed for at least an equal length of time. The case in question is an appeal by the local typographical association on behalf of job compositors and hand men, in an endeavor to raise the job scale from $12.48 to $14.40 for a week of fortyeight hours, and to make certain alterations in the piece and machine scales. The claims were filed on June 11, 1903, and there is no hope of a decision being given before next winter, in June or July, at least two years after the papers were filed with the court. As in New Zealand, agreements may be signed between employer and employe, pending a decision by this leisurely court; but it does not seem possible to enforce such industrial agreements as have been entered into by the local typographical union, and at this writing the trade is in a somewhat demoralized condition, pending a definitely fixed scale of prices under authority of the arbitration court. The judgments of this court are given as common rules applicable to all offices, union and non-union, within certain districts, and in this way all employers and men within such a district are placed on a common footing. The local union asks that the scale of prices at present in litigation be made the common rule for all offices within forty miles of Sydney.

The New South Wales arbitration court has been in existence a little more than three years, and while its rulings in the past have been reasonably just, a great deal of fault is found with it by both employer and employe, each party claiming that it favors the other. The court consists of three men, two members and a judge. The two members are representatives of employer and employe, elected to serve a term of three years, and the judge is from a high court.

The fear in New Zealand has become the reality in New South Wales. Six weeks ago, in settling a dispute between the laundry workers and their employers, a "no-preference" judgment was handed down by the court, the first decision of that character ever given by the local court, or, I believe, by any state arbitration court. Hitherto all judgments have given preference to union over nonunion men, the decisions providing that all competent union men must be employed before outsiders could be accepted. On the ground that there were more non-union than union laundry workers, the arbitration court heeded the employers' request, giving a decision which means that they may employ non-union men and women exclusively if they so desire. And yet the judge acknowledges that without a union the men have no standing in court, for the arbitration act specifically states that the men must be organized to appeal for redress.

The overwhelming importance of this dicision lies in the fact that it is a precedent under which employing printers or others may "farm" non-union men, and presumably secure like judgments. A great deal is being written by college professors and other well-informed persons about the beautiful labor laws of these colonies. Personally, I think it well to suspend judgment for a few years longer until it has been demonstrated what the outcome is to be. As yet, the American workingman is undeniably in a far better position than his Australasian cousin, and his future would appear safer than the future of these men who are working un der compulsory arbitration laws.

Sydney unions have a total membership of about 25,000, and have their own trades hall, a substantial five-story building, with ample provision for offices, social rooms and meeting halls. Under the arbitration act they are not permitted to be very demonstrative, and under other laws they are prohibited from having union labels. There is, however, a union label clause in a trademarks bill now before the commonwealth parliament, but it seems destined to an untimely death. Employers' associations cite the "terrible consequences" following the union label boom in the United States and Canada, and the country's lawmakers have practically decided that no distinction shall be made in public between union-made goods and the product of sweatshops and Chinese factories.

In Sydney there are about all kinds of typesetting machines except the Baltimore Mergenthaler. Of the newspapers, the largest plant is that of the Morning Herald, twenty-five Canadian linotypes. The morning Telegraph follows with seventeen Brooklyn linos, the Evening News with twelve Brooklyn machines (one a double-decker, the first installed in Australia) and two English linos, and the Evening Star has eight Brooklyn linos. The Sunday Times, a weekly newspaper and job composing plant, has five Brooklyns, and W. D. Brooks' job printing establishment has four English linos. There are also a number of one-machine plants among weekly papers, besides a miscellaneous assortment of monolines, monotypes, and other machines in jobrooms and on weekly papers. Work is done by the piece, and among operators the Brooklyn linotype is unquestionably the favorite machine of all represented here. The union rate is 12 cents per 1,000 ems, day or night (or, as spoken of locally, 3d. per 1,000 ens). All the newspapers are nominally union, and standing time at the rate of 42 cents an hour is supposed to be charged for all stoppages above five minutes in length. The hours vary anywhere from a possible five on Sunday night to a possible twelve on Friday night. There are no Sunday editions, but large papers are issued on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The men work an average of perhaps forty-two hours a week, and earn anywhere from $15 to $29 a week, the average scarcely exceeding $20. Newspaper measures are about fourteen and two-thirds picas, and this measure, with the "skinny" nonpareil, minion and brevier fonts in use, looks like a good thing at first sight, but the Amer ican printer who comes here to operate is almost

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The city of Toronto is now becoming noted for its fleet of excursion boats. On a summer afternoon 40,000 people will leave the city for a trip to Niagara, Hamilton, Grimsby or some other summer resort so easily reached by an hour's sail on Lake Ontario.

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