jurisdiction, and is the recipient of congratulations from his host of friends.

July 6 saw the largest chapel meeting ever held in the city of Baltimore, perhaps in all the south, when the American-Star chapel elected its chairman and vice-chairman. There were 105 votes cast out of a possible 111. Three of these ballots were defective, and the contestants received 54 and 48 votes, respectively. Your correspondent was the successful candidate, and he had as his opponent John H. Sherwood, the then incumbent. The candidates for vice-chairman were Edward S. Shriver (63 votes) and Andrew Wagner (17 votes). I regret to report the serious illness of Richmond B. Lancaster, the brilliant and jovial printer-editor of the Broadax, and a second attack of paralysis on George E. Frazier, of the John Cox chapel. The many friends of these gentlemen are praying a speedy recovery.

Just a word more. In the twentieth annual report of the commissioner of labor there are some alarming figures pertaining to the product of convict labor. It is stated that the total value of all goods produced by convict labor during the year investigated was $34,276,205. This sum represents the market value; that is, the amount for which the goods were sold, or the estimated amount for which goods would have sold when used in the institutions. It gives the commercial effect of the competition of convict-made goods, the way it compelled manufacturers to cut wages, even driving some factories to close their doors; the amount of free labor it displaced, the wages of free labor, and the comparative wages per year. But it does not state how much this demand cost organized labor in the way of strikes and other causes. What great havoc the label would play with this condition were it insistently and persistently used by union men! It is the greatest weapon we have, and with it we could wipe out the twin curses of civilization -convict labor and child labor. Walter Besant, quite a thinker in his way and day, said: "Brave men act. Philosophers discuss. Cowards run away." Where do you stand? Be consistent; demand the label. JOHN H. FERGUSON.

JERSEY CITY-BAYONNE, N. J. "Boost Jersey City" has certainly been a farce so far as the local printers are concerned. nel day, to commemorate the opening of the McAdoo tunnels under the Hudson river, was slated

as

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a red-letter day here, and subscriptions had been asked of all to help celebrate the event, the committee even soliciting funds from No. 94, the request being made by means of circulars which had been printed in a non-union office and all the other advertising being the result of scab labor. The mayor was appealed to by the label committee before the work had been given out, and he promised he would use his best endeavors to have the work done in a local union office. In conjunction with this, the board of education awarded its printing contracts to a non-union printer in New York. At the July meeting a letter of protest was ordered forwarded to the mayor

and board of education, and also to local newspapers. But what's the use? If we would only remember on election day there would be no occasion for protests.

A committee has been appointed to endeavor to form a local woman's auxiliary. Here's hoping it succeeds. Get the ladies busy and insure a greater demand for all kinds of label goods.

Kenneth M. Forbes was selected to represent No. 94 at the thirty-first annual labor congress of the New Jersey State Federation of Labor, to be held in Trenton.

Hoboken Union celebrated its fifteenth anniversary, July 18, by entertaining the state printers' league. A large number of delegates were present and a very interesting meeting was held. Messrs. Coogan, Bastian and Curtis represented Jersey City. PERCY L. ANDERSON.

PENNSYLVANIA LEAGUE OF TYPOGRAPH

ICAL UNIONS.

On Sunday, June 27, there was held in Philadelphia the first conference of the Pennsylvania League of Typographical Unions. This association, which is a recent addition to the forces laboring to advance trade unionism in the Keystone state, was formed in Harrisburg, March 12, 1909, by the printer delegates to the Pennsylvania Federation of Labor, and aims to amalgamate the efforts being made for the advancement of the use of the union label and to assist to the utmost of its ability in the formation of unions in unorgan ized places. Experience has proven that nonunion towns, villages and hamlets are as so many millstones about the neck of the unions in the larger places, and are a well-nigh impassable obstruction in the path that leads to increased scales, shorter hours and improved working conditions. To the betterment of conditions such as these, the Pennsylvania League has set for itself the task of collecting all available information of such places, so that should a favorable opportunity present, the work of organization would be taken up instantly, thereby saving the time that otherwise would be spent in a search for details.

Already co-operating with the new league are the unions in Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Erie, Pottsville, Wilkes-Barre, Harrisburg, Williamsport, York, Reading and Scranton, and a number of others have signified their intention to join this

movement.

Viewing the initial movement of the league at Harrisburg as tentative, the recent conference decided to effect a permanent organization, and elected these officers: President, H. F. DeGour, Reading; vice-presidents, E. R. Williams, Pottsville, Fred A. W. Woerner, Reading, Charles Bastian, York, Jesse B. Sylvis, Wilkes-Barre, A. W. Garren, Erie, James P. Bowen, Philadelphia; executive council, H. F. DeGour, W. E. Griffis, G. L. Newbold, Theodore Eichhorn, of Erie, and F. C. Hoffman, of Harrisburg.

The next conference will be held in Reading, at a date to be set by the executive council. A discussion of conditions in the state demonstrated the

need for action. In York, declared Delegate Bastian, there were eighty printers, with only twentytwo in the union; offices working variously ten, nine and eight hours for from $12 to $15.

Conditions in Pottsville could be materially improved, said Delegate Williams, but the union is hampered somewhat by the size of its jurisdiction, which embraces Shenandoah, Ashland and Mahanoy City. They are hopeful of bettering themselves, however, when they get a new scale, on which they are working. Mr. Williams' views were coincided in by his colleagues, Messrs. Dietrich and Meschick.

Delegate Woerner, of Reading, said that his union was strong both numerically and financially, and was anxious to bring into the fold the towns contiguous to it.

In Wilkes-Barre, said Delegate Sylvis, they had a satisfactory scale, and nearly everybody was paid above it. The outlook for a new scale looked promising,

President Young, of No. 2, welcomed the delegates and pointed out avenues of endeavor which he believed would bring substantial results.

All typographical unions in Pennsylvania desiring to co-operate are invited to become members of the Pennsylvania League of Typographical Unions. The affiliation fee is $1. Address, Philadelphia, Pa. WILLIAM E. GRIFFIS, Secretary-Treasurer.

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

At the last meeting of San Antonio Union it was decided to offer prizes to members securing the largest number of pieces of printed matter not bearing the label. Now look out for a hustling campaign. The non-label shops will think it is raining printed matter with the sticker attached. The members of this union are certainly awake every minute, and the determination is to put the little joker on all the printing done in San Antonio.

No. 172 has voted $5 per month toward the $25,000 raised for the purpose of advertising San Antonio, and all the printers are boosting the city in every way possible. The knocker is having hard sleddin' at present. The intention of the business men's club is to spend all of the $25,000 telling northern investors and homeseekers what a paradise this part of Texas is.

Robert A. Miles, delegate to St. Joe and president of No. 172, left about July 8 for the conven

tion. The time he is taking to make the trip might lead one to believe that he is walking the entire distance, but such is not the case, for he expects to stop at New Orleans and St. Louis on

the way.

Preparations for a monster Labor day parade are being made by all the unions in San Antonio, and it is said thousands of men will be in uniform and march in the parade. The typographical will be there by a large majority in stunning uniforms. As a member of the uniform committee, your correspondent wanted big "plug" hats with green bands, long linen dusters and "blackthorns," but the other members of the committee

objected on the ground that only a small number of the organization were Irish, and, besides, this was not to be a St. Patrick's day parade. Thus is ambition crushed.

Charles Heacock, Dick Berry, A. J. Johnson and Charles Lunceford are among those who drew cards and departed since my last letter. Those depositing cards were: B. J. Barrett, St. Joseph, Mo.; C. E. Gulick, San Antonio; W. H. Valentine, Nashville, Tenn.; J. D. Stone, Bakersfield, Cal.; C. H. Jones, Houston, Texas, and Bernard H. Tones, Salina, Kan. E. B. MURPHY.

Labor day will be celebrated here on a large scale this year, with all unions participating. The trades assembly has the arrangements in charge.

Otto Linz, our efficient financial secretary, will represent No. 59 at the St. Joe convention. Some of our ex-delegates expect to attend the big doings also.

M. G. Dettle, a former president of No. 59, who was the delegate to the Hot Springs convention, was elected alderman from the seventh ward at the last election. Dave Ross, a member of the molders' union, was elected alderman from the fourth ward. The city clerk and the assessor are also union men, the former a molder and the latter a leather worker. R. S. BENEDICT.

ALBANY, N. Y.

Messrs. Fraser, Barbet, McGarry, Jordan and Johnston have all been on the sick list of the Albany Printers' Benefit Association since May 1, for a total of twenty-three weeks, drawing $184 in benefits.

Machinist Wilson, formerly of the Argus Company, has opened a monotype machine plant on Beaver street.

The pension assessment is affording a fairly good barometer of the condition of business throughout the International jurisdiction, and, to a certain extent, measures the comparative scales of the various localities. For instance, we find that No. 4 earned for the twelve months, beginning May 1, 1908, and ending April 30, 1909, $309,432, on an average membership of 409. This makes the individual average $756.55. For the same period "Big Six," of New York, with an average of 6,158 members, shows $963.60 for each individual; Chicago, with 3,163 members, $1,004.16; Boston, with 1,266 members, $972.12;

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Troy, with 136 members, $866.76; Rochester, 141 members, $732; and Buffalo, members, $706.92. The whole International jurisdiction earned the vast sum of $40,293,738, showing an individual average of $897. Allowing that business conditions in Albany have been no worse than in the average of other localities for the period quoted, these figures indicate that the Albany scale is below the general average of the whole country. This difference is particularly noticeable in the case of Troy, our neighbor, six miles up the river. The Troy scale is higher than Albany's, anyway, while the fact that Albany is a much larger printing center, having the state work, also accounts for a larger percentage of floaters, who work less steadily than the members of a union like Troy. This seems to cut down the av erage somewhat, especially when we add to that number a large list of pensioners such as No. 4 has; but as other unions have the same conditions more or less, the comparisons afforded are not far from being accurate and significant.

The July checks for pensions will complete the first year of International Typographical Union pension payments. During the year eighteen members of No. 4 have applied for and been accepted for the old age pension roll. One died before drawing any pension. The others have received, up to July 1, $1,680 in pensions since August 1, 1908. The satisfaction that we can feel in seeing these old veterans of unionism receive this pecuniary return, amply repays the slight burden it is to us all in paying the tax it imposes. Of the seventeen members now on the pension roll of No. 4, seven are yet in a position to get some work during the year, and, of course, when so doing, do not draw the pension.

CHARLES H. WHITTEMORE.

GREENSBORO, N. C.

Printing in Greensboro is better now than it has been for a year. All union shops report good business and the label is growing in favor daily. Everybody is at work.

At last, after many postponements, Greensboro's new morning daily is a fact. It appeared Sunday morning, July 18, and it was a hummer of thirtytwo pages. The Daily News is up to date in everything, carrying the full Associated Press service. Most of the mechanical force was already in town, and on July 12, after organizing a chapel, began operations that night. John C. Benson, well known throughout the south, has charge of the machines, while W. H. Fisher, who was the foreman of the defunct Industrial News, holds the same position on the new paper. Harrison Cruikshank, lately managing editor of the Raleigh News and Observer, occupies the same position on the new paper. Z. P. Smith, "Col. Zip," as some of the boys call him, also of Raleigh, is the editor-in-chief and business manager. Both Messrs. Smith and Cruikshank are on the right side of organized labor, and it is hardly necessary to say that the entire force of the new paper is strictly "on the square," the typographical

union label floating gloriously at the top of the editorial page.

No. 397 has a label committee in name only. Lack of funds prevents the committee from pushing the label to any great extent. The boosting it receives is accomplished by individual effort. The only remedy is to increase the dues, and an amendment to that end will be voted on at the August meeting.

Some of our members are agitating the necessity of creating a fund to be used for having our local represented yearly at the International Typographical Union conventions. It is a good idea. Five cents a week per member added to the local dues will do the trick easily. The scheme will probably receive consideration at an early date. LEWIS BURTNETT.

PITTSBURG, PA.

The secretary has a copy of the scale of prices issued by "The Typographical Union of Pittsburgh" in January, 1836. That was prior to No. 7, the numbers being drawn by respective delegates upon the formation of the National Typographical Union in Cincinnati in 1852. In early

days roller making, presswork and composition were all detailed in the scale of prices as by the piece, and "two balls" were so much per, cards by the hundred, sheet paper by the token (101⁄2 quires), print composition 28 cents, manuscript 31 cents per thousand ems. The January circular has the imprint of E. Lloyd & Co., Market and Third streets, and was signed by Jesse Berlin, P. Louderback, John Foilant, Benjamin Wright, Arthur A. Anderson, William H. Sutton, George Marthens, William S. Haven, George Parkin, William Orr, George Leslie, John W. Cunningham, David Grant, John Barr, jr., C. W. Elton, Porter Sawyer, John Knox, James E. Sheridan, James McCurdy, William Porter, John F. Jennings, James Moorhead, George R. Bellican, A. H. Marthens, Thomas Phillips, Joseph Grant, Joshua Wilson and William B. Stewart. Many of the signers of the 1836 scale were known by some Pittsburg members of today who, as proofreaders, editors or political officeholders, are disinclined to admit it.

Pittsburg was the printer pirate city before the time of Omaha and of the "Missouri river pirates," and through circuitous descent "the pi rates" hung upon Pittsburg's National League baseball club. The original "Big Six" was a New York city fire engine brought many years ago from England, and famed as the biggest of its time. Proud of the "Big Six" of today, until recent years New York as a union printer town

wasn't so much.

Cards withdrawn: Os Snyder, F. S. Atchison, J. C. Hellriegel, W. A. Ferguson, Robert Ethridge, Frank Wilson, W. J. King, C. A. Ruess, Charles A. Kuhn, E. J. Sifling, B. R. Ormston, Joseph Fisher, H. C. Staub, H. W. Osgood, C. W. McCahill, L. A. Gardner, J. H. Weaver, William S. Mills, P. M. Vogel, A. H. Cole, Thomas Sheehan, Jacob Schwartz, W. E. Anderson, jr., W. T.

Cross, S. A. Weisman, Frank Treisize. Cards deposited: Harry Osgood, Mulford H. Smith, E. B. Firth, C. A. Ruess, William Gueske, Edward J. Sifling, James Murray, W. E. Anderson, jr., T. F. Atchison, C. A. McClintock, Edwin H. Witmer, Otto Stuetzel, O. F. Johndrew, George W. Chamberlain, C. J. Steffler, John J. Wynough, J. B. McFarland, H. C. Phelps, S. A. Weisman, William Irvine, William E. Evans, Arthur Ormandy, W. T. Cross, Frank Treisize, A. B. Gifford, W. J. King, Peter A. Grimes.

Some members and families of members of the Pittsburg Typographical Outing Club are spending July on the lake shore at Algonac, Mich.George R. Dabney, F. M. White, Abbey Rausch, F. M. Wright, Charles Penn, Amos Barbin, Norman Burrell, Thomas Williams, James Whalen, Joseph Whalen, Frank Whalen, Walter Griffin, Joshua Mast, August Stoehr, Leonard Kline, Joseph Modispacher.

Will Koch, one of our delegates to St. Joe, will visit the Union Printers Home and other Colorado points prior to the convention.

The new executive committee for the ensuing year is as follows: Eugene Merz, C. M. Leighley, T. H. Dolan, William Newlon, Ray McCleary, Theodore Keifer, Fred Dorn, William E. Rumley, C. Will Koch, J. H. Perry, Frank White, Charles H. Moffitt, C. F. True.

Chairman Thompson, of the Gazette-Times, lost his little son, age 6 years, who died July 1. The remains were buried at Wabash, Ind. Mr. Thompson has the sympathy of a host of friends.

A. B. Gifford is laid up at the Allegheny hospital, where he had to undergo a severe operation. CHARLES Q. LAFFERTY.

VICTORIA, B. C.

F. C. Pink, one of the operators on the Post, was married recently to Miss Lillie May Gordon, of this city. Among the wedding presents received by Mr. and Mrs. Pink was a handsome tea set, from the "boys" working in the Colonist and Post newsroom.

The ex-Winnipeggers here have received an addition to their number by the arrival of James Clinton and W. Melville. The latter gentleman, until recently head machinist on the Winnipeg Free Press, has taken charge of the linotypes at the government printing bureau, where a third Mergenthaler is being installed.

Victoria will shortly have a labor temple, if the proposals of the trades and labor council are successfully carried out. A site is already under consideration, and it is proposed to form an association of labor unionists, incorporated and capitalized at $30,000, in 6,000 shares of $5 per share. Delegates from the trades and labor council attended the last meeting of No. 201 and briefly out lined the scheme. As the lease of the building at present in use as Labor Hall will expire in the near future, prompt support of this movement is

very necessary.

My information that Winnipeg intended to bid for the International Typographical Union conven

tion in 1912 was derived from a press dispatch published in the local papers, which stated that Winnipeg intended to try and arrange for the convention the year of the Selkirk centennial. Perhaps I ought to have been less credulous, but, to tell the truth, I was unaware that the Winnipeg prevaricator of famous memory still did business at the old stand.

I hate to tell any more stories about the "Peg," but a little bird (little "birds" are always arriving here from Winnipeg-it's so cold there) whispers that the afternoon newspapers have given their employes a Saturday half-holiday of late, publishing at an early hour on that day of the week in order to accomplish this.

So the birth rate of Chicago Typographical Union has increased 22.9 per cent since the advent of the eight-hour day! Is the International Typographical Union being blamed or praised?

The interesting article in the May JOURNAL, "Union Printers as Churchgoers," reminded me, in its reference to "the father of the chapel," of an incident I once witnessed. The term "father" is still in general use to designate the chairman in union offices in Great Britain, but a traveling printer who tried "panhandling" in a country printshop, with its usual foreman and staff of "apprentices," once imagined he was getting the "icy mitt" through using the expression. Approaching the "apprentice" who appeared nearest years of discretion, he made a request to be directed to the "father." "Feyther! Who d'ye mean? My feyther doan't work here!" "I mean the father of the chapel." "Oh, you mean the Rev. W-? He lives up on street!" The pained expression on that traveler's countenance lingers with me even yet. I fear he missed the opportunity to do a little missionary work for his union, but I remember that, first carefully ascertaining there was no danger of being offered a job, he finally sought the foreman and succeeded in satisfying his modest requirements.

The 1909 convention (after it gets through with priority) ought to give the International Typographical Union Commission several pats on the back. After reading the "letter sent to a student," in the "Supplemental Education" department of the June JOURNAL, I marvel more than ever at the thoroughness, carefulness and patience of the instructors. Especially their patience. Then, since an educational commission is such a success, why not appoint some kind of commission to deal with sanitation? Some help should be given those locals who are making genuine efforts to improve sanitary conditions, while others would be better for a stirring up in this regard. Special knowledge is needed in many cases to convince the employer that in poisoning his workmen he is injur ing his own pocket. Sometimes-nay, often-that special knowledge is needed to make the workman himself understand where danger lurks. If all our members read THE JOURNAL they might be bet ter informed on some of these important matters, but we are not all like the member of No. 201 with whom I was talking a while ago. I remarked: "You read THE JOURNAL, of course?"

The answer was prompt: "Bless you, man, from cover to cover! Got a stack of 'em at home that high!"

Cards received: J. H. Warren, O. R. Been, A. Reuben, C. Frolich, William Melville, James Clinton, W. Westall. Withdrawn: Joseph Niles, T. Wilson Ashe.

At the last meeting of No. 201 the following motion was unanimously adopted: "Resolved, That this union go on record as being opposed to compulsory insurance." JOHN L. NEATE.

BOWLING GREEN, KY.

No. 629, like all other small unions, has had its ups and downs for some time, but now seems to be in a flourishing condition.

Work has been very good here for the past three months, but we have plenty of men to handle it.

It is rumored that the Third District Review (non-union), published at this place, is soon to change hands, and the new management will run a strictly union shop. This will leave only one "rat" shop here, and it seems to be lost beyond redemption.

Drue Burton, an honorary member of No. 629, has returned from an extended visit to Colorado. While there he visited the Home and honored us by registering as one of our members.

Harry Smith, who resigned his position as foreman of the Daily News a month ago to take a position at Nashville, has returned and is on the old job again.

Messrs. George R. Vanarsdall and Joe B. Sublett have abandoned the trade for the summer months and embarked in the moving picture show business. Our entire membership wish them unbounded success in their venture.

The writer joins the majority in boosting Minneapolis for 1910. C. B. ROBERTS.

INDIANAPOLIS, IND.

The deaths of E. H. Thorne and W. M. Hefler, members of No. 1, occurred during the last few weeks. These are the first to pass away since last October.

Unintentionally the name of William H. Pierce was omitted in the list of No. 1's candidates for city offices in the June JOURNAL. Mr. Pierce is in the race for the nomination for city clerk, and Charles P. Froschauer, of the pressmen's union, is a candidate for councilman.

The label committee would be grateful if the members would turn in all printed matter not bearing the label. Chairman Wiley and his assistants are planning to do effective work in booming the label, and any assistance will be appreciated.

No. 1 is contemplating putting on a minstrel show in the near future. We certainly have the talent, if we can just dig it up.

A labor crusher who has made Indianapolis famous is at the head of a $1,000,000 corporation to make automobiles, so the daily press tells us. The factory is to be in this city and, it is claimed, will

employ 2,000 people, mostly cheap labor, as the renowned David M. Parry is at the head of the

concern.

Governor Marshall is investigating the affairs of the printing department of the reform school for boys at Plainfield, W. C. Ball, of Terre Haute, a trustee, and connected with a manufacturing concern, has been having his work done at the school, contrary to law. The following dispatch from Terre Haute explains the case fully:

It is learned here that trade unionists exposed the fact that W. C. Ball, member of the board of trustees of the boys' school at Plainfield, had been having printing done at the institution. For many years, as chief proprietor of the old Gazette, Ball was in a constant war with the typographical union, which spent much money fighting him, and the paper lost through years of boycott. Ball finally retired from the newspaper business, the Gazette being absorbed by the Tribune. There is no non-union office in this town now, and when Ball sent the printing for his manufacturing estab lishment to Plainfield the union printers got busy. B. F. WHITAKER.

CHARLESTON, W. Va.

How dry we are since the first of the month, when the saloons were put out of business by the council refusing to grant them further license, even the clubs and the brewery not selling.

The printing offices are all reporting a largely increased business over June, and this in defiance of the fact that July is usually considered a very dull month. The Mail, the state plant, has received as many as eighty-four requisitions for work for the state in one day. There have been a few tourists here who have not caught on, but about all the regulars are at work, if they want to work.

The Huntington printers came up to play the local team on July 5, that being observed as the Fourth here. They only lacked seven of having a nine when it came to count their strength, so the game was off.

Foreign parties are working hard to get a new weekly going here. It will be run with one-half local and the remainder foreign capital.

The Tribune Printing Company, of this city, was the fortunate bidder in the letting of the contract for the printing of the supreme court reports for the next four years, its aggregate bid for machine work and binding being considerably below any competitor. This brings the work back here again, after it having been printed at Morgantown for the past four years, the type having been set by hand. There are, it is given out, ten volumes of reprint reports to be let soon. The current reports will amount to about three volumes, or about twenty-five hundred pages per year.

The title of a new combination in the city is the "Goodrich-Snyder Company," the principal stockholders being Lewis P. Goodrich, well known as a machinist-operator of this place, and F. W. Snyder, of the Snyder plant. The latter plant has been absorbed by the former. They are installing a Whitlock pony, also a No. 5 linotype, and making other extensive improvements to handle their increased business. D. C. LOVETT, JR.