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No. 80 is getting ready to inaugurate a fight on the largest institution of its kind in the city, in the hope of eventually making it a union office. X. Y. Z.

Kansas City, Mo.

Norfolk Melange.

It is very evident that our worthy and genial president, Mr. Prescott, still retains a vivid memory of his visit to the "City by the Sea," last summer, for none other in the JOURNAL office could have felt justified in placing the caption "So Like Norfolk, Va.," over the description of a Glasgow, Scotland, Sunday, as it appeared in the last issue. Very few people in Hoosierdom have ever had the precious privilege of dwelling in a prohibition-reform city, where everything is closed as tight as a drum on the seventh day. Newsboys are prohibited from selling the desecrating Sunday papers and the leaves even refuse to rustle and the birds to sing. Mr. Prescott did indeed pass a gloomy Sunday until some of the boys were overcome by his wofulness and in compassion conveyed him out to Huntersville and Ocean View, beyond the city limits. But to the initiated it is said that plenty of the fluid that is supposed to cheer can be had here on Sunday.

President Charles G. Kizer, of No. 32, together with Ben F. Rosson, of the Bricklayers', and C. J. Cannon, of the Oystermen's union, composing the legislative committee of central labor union, have been hobnobbing with legislators in Richmond, for the past week, in the interest of better laws for the workingmen of the Old Dominion, and according to reports their visit will bear fruit in the shape of a new mechanics' lien law and a resurvey of the natural oyster beds of Virginia. Verily in education, agitation and organization there is strength, for the Central Labor Union of Southeastern Virginia, organized last May, has already become an influential body.

Suppose the "rule or ruin" cranks give us a vacation on the Home question.

It is the greatest monument ever erected to the most enlightened class of workmen in America and should not only be maintained, but its scope of usefulness enlarged. The present management may not be the best, but could any of the croakers do better under similar circumstances? Of course it costs money to run such an institution, but from reports submitted I fail to see where any good legitimate kick is coming.

W. M. Canan has given up his machine on the Pilot and gone west-to grow up with the country, perhaps. His objective point was Kansas City. However, if he stopped in Columbus, Ohio, he probably got no further.

Col. M. Glennan, of the Virginian, did the handsome thing by his employes Christmas eve by tendering them a banquet at the Gladstone, besides showering gifts on every one. Speeches were made and the colonel was presented with a handsome souvenir by the gentlemen in his employ. Among the speakers were Chas. G. Kizer, Major Dunbar, Robert J. Carty and Charles T. Bland, of the composing room, and Capt. Dolby, of the editorial force. Col. Glennan responded in his usual happy vein.

A handsome labor directory has been turned off from the press of W. T. Barron & Co. It was issued under auspices of the central labor union.

Work in the book and job line is exceedingly quiet at present, and with the daily papers all using machines visiting craftsmen will do well to veer around at present.

Here's hoping for renewed prosperity and largely increased circulation for the JOURNAL. The craft has every reason to be pround of its official organ. TONY. Norfolk, Va.

The Light Fantastic-Wedding Bells. There are no tradesmen in this city who bear a better reputation for hospitality, jollity and good-fellowship than the members of our organization, and the annual reception and dance given under

the auspices of No. 232, held at Bennett Hall on New Year's eve, fully demonstrated that the local members are up-todate entertainers. In fact, it appears as though "our boys' surpass all others in the line of terpsichorean pleasure. The friends of our union realized this and filled the hall to overflowing. Excellent music was furnished for the twenty-four numbers on the program by the Dickinson-Beman full orchestra. The old year was danced out in proper shape and the new one in, and friendly greetings were exchanged, and the best of fellowship prevailed throughout. All fortunate enough to mingle with the printers can attest that a merry time was had, and that the dance was, in all its features, the most enjoyable held in this city in many months. The committees in charge consisted of the following: Arrangements Jerry Ryan, Frank Greenwood, Abe Cuddeback, Thomas Ringrose, Frank Wood; floor-Frank Wood, manager, J. O'Hare, Charles Keane, Frank Farrell, John N. Quinn, Martin Burke; reception-R. D. Haskell, Harry Carl, O. J. Donnelly, E. C. Hennicke, Geo. King, Geo. Bridgeman and George Hemmingway.

Tuesday afternoon, December 31, occurred the marriage of Owen J. Donnelly to Miss Mary Green, at St. Patrick's church. The ceremony was performed by Rev. J. J. McDonald in the presence of a number of relatives and friends of the contracting parties. Miss Mary Cunningham was bridesmaid and P. J. Donnelly, a brother of the groom, was best man. Mr. and Mrs. Donnelly enter matrimonial life with best wishes of a large circle of friends for future happiness and prosperity. About January 15th Mr. and Mrs. Donnelly will reside at 178 Chapin street, and in the meantime they will enjoy a wedding tour to Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo and other cities in OSSOWATTAMIE.

western New York. Binghamton, N. Y.

WE are cheered with encouraging returns from JOURNAL advertisements.

Notes From the Gem City.

At the present time our city directory is on the tapis. Machines have not as yet made their appearance, although we have four dailies, fifteen weeklies and several monthlies, and many exotic brethren have joined our ranks in view of this fact, thinking work plentiful, until our city is a veritable nest of idle men.

The fight for the city directory was long. and lively, the Hoffman Printing Company being awarded the contract over Cadogan & Hatcher, who have printed the book for many years past. Work will begin February 1, giving employment to eight or nine men for about eight weeks.

The new JOURNAL has been received and pronounced a "peach," editorially, typographically and in general appearance. An effort will be made to secure a substantial subscription list from among our ranks. We are very proud of it. Now let more interest be taken in its columns by the craft and work in more correspondence, which is much more desirable and interesting to a larger number of readers than so much single-tax, temperance and other erudite and effete gush which has found conspicuity in its columns in the past.

The Morning Whig got out an elegant New Year edition of some eighty pages, 12 x 18, with colored cover, containing much information and data of the Gem City and what she is doing in manufacturing interests. The well-known printing house of Volk, Jones & McMein printed the annual, which is beautifully illustrated with half-tones, while the artistic ad display is simply marvelous. About ten men found employment on the issue.

Mrs. Julia Pratt, editress of the Sunday Optic, was married last week to Dr. Robbins, Quincy's gubernatorial aspirant. The Optic will continue under Mrs. Robbins' supervision.

To us it is a pleasure and condignly to our retiring president, Claude Conklin, that a word of encomium be conferred upon him for the able and conservative

manner in which he handled the affairs of the union during his reign. He is well thought of and his abdication was of his own volition. Mr. C. is a "swift" on the Evening Herald force. E. A. E. A. Helstein, our new president, comes from the Evening Germania force and is highly respected.

The Evening Journal is running with four to five men less than a year ago. By rigid phalanxing several find their way to the case who otherwise would "carry the banner."

The prospects for the future are any thing but encouraging, and many are anticipating a change to new fields, yet are reluctant to join the peripatetic ranks until sunshine comes again.

Cornie Wolmsdorf, an old-time "swift" of the Morning Whig and ex-secretary of No. 59, is now running the Postoffice Cafe, and is doing a good business. Cornie is right popular and his name is warmly alluded to for the mayoralty, but he is more enthusiastic when the shrievealty is mentioned, and sensible, very.

A rumor has gained currency that our city is soon to be blessed with a long-felt want, i. e., a bright, smart, up-to-date. morning newspaper, befitting a city of 40,000 progressive inhabitants. Capital and brains of Chicago and St. Louis will join hands in its conductivity and unquestionably will meet with warm and hearty co-operation.

Ye typists of aberrant proclivities, eliminate the Gem City from your itinerary, as we have artists in abundance and to spare.

A representative from St. Louis employing bookbinders was in town this week advertising for job rulers and binders to fill vacancies caused by the recent strike. He was promptly turned down. FAUST. Quincy, Ill.

Doing and Undoing. No. 199 gave a ball New Year's eve for the benefit of its sick fund, but instead of benefiting it the receipts were not

equal to the expenditures by about $25. The program was a neat folder, gotten up in imitation of a stick with a composing and make-up rule fastened on the inside, while the dances were named after well-known terms used in a printing office. The program was designed and executed by our president, Mr. H. L. Shryock. The hangers were embellished with a large cut of the devil with a stick under his arm printed in red.

At the November meeting No. 199 passed a five-day law, making it apply to compositors and pressmen. It was a godsend to the subs, but at the December meeting it was amended to include everybody, foremen and all. This immediately raised a howl, and those opposed to the law got up a special meeting before the first week had passed and the whole law was killed by a vote of twentythree to twenty-one. Now the subs are mourning.

At the December meeting all the old officers were re-elected.

Zanesville, O.

N. M. BECKLEY.

For the Unemployed.

The out-of-work question is the absorbing one here at present, and it is to be hoped that it will be soon settled on a basis of right instead of charity, as at present. Also that it will be a legitimate fund for out-of-work purposes. On May 12 last No. 6 decided that a committee of five be appointed to devise an out-ofwork plan. This was done and the committee reported the next meeting. They proposed fixed dues of thirty cents per week for frame-holders on daily papers and twenty-five cents for all other members. The benefits were eight weeks during the year of three dollars per week to members of one or more year's standing. The report was ordered printed, but was unsatisfactory. The matter was then recommitted and two members added who were strong adherents of the assessment plan. The committee, with the exception of your humble servant, and an

other, Mr. Conway, reported a two per cent. assessment-one-half to form an unemployed fund and the other half to defray the expenses of the union. I presented a minority report in favor of fixed dues and Mr. Conway also presented a minority report in which he disagreed with an out-of-work fund and recommended that a premium be given to those getting out of the business, and styled it "an out-of-the-business fund." No. 6, at its October meeting-which was crowded, literally packed-decided by an overwhelming majority to adopt the report recommending a two per cent. assessment. This was thought to have settled it, but matters have turned out the reverse. Considerable feeling against the assessment plan has been shown and it culminated at the December meeting, which was also crowded and literally packed. The meeting decided to reconsider the vote and adjourned to last Sunday. On that day they decided to submit the whole matter to the referendum. The question will be "Are you in favor of an out-ofwork fund?" If this receives a majority vote in favor, an out-of-work fund will be established. In addition the three reports will be printed and the one receiving the highest number of votes will be the one selected. If my report is selected it will be a fitting rebuke to certain individuals who left no stone unturned to make me appear ridiculous in order to prejudice my report and secure the passage of the two per cent. one. I know they had no feeling against me personally, it was only their method of downing a question they could not reasonably attack, and therefore of trying to down the individual. Self-respect prevented me taking any notice of it at the time.

The out-of-work and the short-hour problems are closely related, as is also the machine question where long hours are concerned. The eight-hour law here is bearing its fruits, and as time goes on its evil effects seem to develop and increase. Everyone knows that, as a

rule, machines can not be kept going on daily papers for eight hours without dead horse, bogus, etc. This has been demonstrated beyond the shadow of a doubt right in this city. The daily newspapers advertise for outside work at a price impossible for hand labor to compete with. The result has been that office after office has disappeared and those who were making a living have been relegated to the sidewalk. And the end is not yet. A new phase appears. This eight-hour law in No. 6 has been the means of not only annihilating chapels but it is now forcing book and weekly newspaper printers to have machines in order to obtain and keep the work they have. In conversation with a friend the other day who has been a number of years in an office where machines are being introduced, he assured me that the superintendent was utterly opposed to such methods, but that he was forced to have machines in order to keep his work from going elsewhere. Are the members of No. 6 continually going to assess themselves for the benefit of the unemployed and remain apathetic to an eighthour machine scale? I hope not. It is a question for the book and job and news men alike. It would be a good thing to pass a seven-hour law at the next convention. vention. Let the maximum be forty-two hours per week, with one dollar per hour over time. Also let the employers fix the hours to suit their Sunday papers, as in Boston, and it would work satisfactory. It does in Boston.

Success to the JOURNAL in its new form. JAMES H. MARTIN.

New York City.

A Successful Venture of Typos. As the JOURNAL is eagerly read by the printers of this city I write to tell of a paper run by printers here, thinking that it will interest union printers throughout the country.

The first of March, 1895, the Sun consolidated with the Union under the name of Union-Sun, throwing a number of

printers out of employment, but they were not destined to remain idle very long. On March 27 six of the Sun printers, Messrs. John M. Smith, R. C. Wilson, Eugene Kearns, Thomas T. Feeley, Julius W. Jenss and Frank H. Fogal started the Daily Review, a four-page, seven-column, independent, the success of which has been most gratifying. The paper gained in circulation to such an extent that its older contemporaries, the Journal and Union-Sun, were obliged to reduce their price to one cent. The Review carries a fine line of advertisements. It recently printed a woman's edition of the Daily Review which was an extra fine edition and brought considerable prestige to the paper. Employment is given to quite a few printers by this new paper, which is strictly union. Each branch of the paper has its particular head. Mr. Smith has charge of news room, Mr. Wilson of job room, Mr. Kearns of office, and city local department by Mr. Feeley. The lastnamed gentleman, though a youngster, having but passed his majority by about a year, is one of the brightest newspaper men in the state; he is a ready and witty writer and deep thinker. He is popular with everybody. Being courteous and obliging, T. T., as he is called, is welcomed wherever he goes. Not only does he pick up and write the news, but advertising and job work. The paper is continually on the boom. The success of the printers' paper is marvelous, and shows what work and pluck will do.

Lockport, N.Y.

OSCAR.

Union Affairs in East Tennessee.

Number 111 held its first meeting of the new year on January 5, and the following officers were installed for the ensuing year: Charles W. Buhler, president; J. B. Hopkins, vice-president; Will D. Hendricks, treasurer; Thomas J. Smith, financial secretary; Ed L. George, sergeant-at-arms; Henry C. Collins, doorkeeper.

The above are all good men; have the welfare of the union at heart, and will, without a doubt, keep things sailing along smoothly.

Walter Fitzgerald, the retiring president, has made a model presiding officer, and he retires with the best wishes of all the men. He declined to accept the office again this year.

All of the other newly elected officers deserve notice, but to deal with them personally would take up too much space.

On last Sunday, the date of the meetings, for the year 1896, was changed from the first Sunday in each month to the first Sunday in every third month. By this change there will only be four meetings of the union during the year, unless special meetings are called.

All of the local printers are loud in their praise of the JOURNAL'S new dress, and many were the complimentary remarks made about it. It's simply a "daisy." J. FURNISS BUHLER.

Knoxville, Tenn.

Printers in Mining Circles.

The recent gold excitement in the western mining regions have caused the outof-work printers to prick up their ears in expectancy, furnishing them with a suggestion by which employment can be had without necessitating a second apprenticeship. Some of the printers seem to have a penchant for this particular business and manifest a pruriency to get the first experience. Gold! why the very word sends enthusiastic and fascinating excitement through the machinery of the inner man inculcating on the mind the possibilities that might be encountered, and to such a degree is this fever carried that its only relief lies in securing the practical experience. Printers are now to be found engaged in this melliferous business, swinging the tools that upearth the treasure as if they had made mining a life-long means of subsistence, and as they sit around the fires in their rude

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