American Flint Glass Workers' Union - 1899 Convention - Muncie, Indiana

COMING OF THE FLINTS

Committees Appointed and Preparations

Made to Receive Visitors.

THE INDIANA DELEGATION

Amalgamation of Various Branches in

Glass Trade to be Discussed — The Wage

Question to be Settled.

One week from Monday, will begin probably the greatest glass convention from several points of view, that ever convened in the gas belt. It will be the twenty-second annual gathering of the American Flint Glass Workers' Union of America, and it may be a history-making convention for the trade. The subject of amalgamating the different branches of the glass trade will be advocated and this of itself will make the meeting one of international importance both to glass workers and manufacturers.

THE LOCAL COMMITTEES.

There will be more flints present during the week of July 10 than the gas belt ever dreamed about. Preparations for giving the visitors a suitable welcome and for entertaining them after they arrive have been nearly completed. The following people compose the general committee appointed from the local lodges of flints, that will have the affair in charge directly:

L. U. No. 2 — C. N. Edmons, Chairman; John Fitzgibbons, Wm. Finley, A. Burkhardt, F. E. Duke, J. Creamer, George Cahill, George McAvoy.

L. U. No. 23 — T. J. McElheron, Jas. A. Sullivan, secretary, James Burke, Charles Curtis, Alf Meacham, John Sullivan, Charles Jenkins, George Brunning.

L. U. No. 91 — James McMonagle, treasurer, F. Gass, C. Schehan, C. Canning, George Wilson, P. Casey, J. Pollock, S. Hudson.

Press Committee — James A. Sullivan, George Cahill, F. Gass, Alf Meacham, John Sullivan.

Convention Hall Committee — James McMonagle, T. J. McElheron, John Fitzgibbon.

Soliciting Committee — Geo. Brunning, Alfred Meacham, T. J. McElheron, John Creamer, Geo. McAvoy, J. Fitzgibbon, Fred Gass, George Wilson, Chas. Schehan.

Demonstration Committee — T. J. McElheron, Geo. Mathison, W. Finley, Andy Burkhart, C. N. Edmonds, Fred Gass, J. Pollock.

Committee on Hotels — George Brunning, Con Canning, A. Burkhart.

THE INDIANA DELEGATES.

The delegates from Indiana who will take part in the deliberations of the body are: C. N. Edmonds, John Clark, William Floto, and Michael Short of Local Union No. 2, Muncie; T. J. McElheron and Alfred Meacham of Local No. 23, Muncie; Samuel Hudson, Fred Gass, Con Canning, and John Hinckley, Sr., of Local No. 91, Muncie; Thomas Conby and J. Fitzsimmons of Local No. 3, Alexandria; Thomas Kenney, Hal Murray, Thomas Conroy, Theodore Ring, W. Pritchert, Louis Winsel, and E. J. Dillon of Local No. 6, Marion; Auburn E. Long of Local No. 35, Marion; Harry Roessler of Local No. 45, Marion; Carl Stiglitz, George Carey, and Daniel Kretz of Local No. 50, Elwood; Chris Smetz of Local 61, Greentown; John A. McKeen, Joseph Havick, and David Taylor of Local No. 73, Marion; Samuel C. Stancliffe of Local No. 75, Elwood; James Morrison of Local No. 88, Anderson; Fred Whitefield, Thomas Cavanaugh, and P. J. O'Hanion of Local No. 114, Elwood; James Wilcox of Local No. 116, Summitville; C. Brown of Local No. 123, Albany. It is probable that there are other delegates yet to be selected.

PROMINENT SPEAKERS COMING.

There will probably be many speakers of prominence present at this gathering. Chief of these will be Mayor "Golden Rule" Jones of Toledo, who is expected to speak at the opening session of the flints. Others who may be present are ex-Governor Altgeld of Illinois, Governor Mount of Indiana, and Eugene V. Debs. Other men of equal importance have been invited.

AMALGAMATION SCHEME.

The thing that will attract the attention of the entire glass world will be the introduction of a scheme by which all the workmen in the various branches of the glass trade may be united in one common fraternity presided over by a common head. Hitherto the different branches of the trade have been torn by dissensions many time at critical periods. The result has been a loss of many thousands of dollars both to the workmen and to their employers, and long. . . .

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. . . . cannot belong to the union of the flints, and the reverse is also true. There is now a surplus of greens owing to their having been displaced by machinery, and a scarcity of flints. Under the amalgamation regime, it would be possible to equalize the difficulty. The idea is similar to the one conceived before the birth of the American Federation of Labor. It will be a gigantic affair, probably embracing as many as 75,000 glass workmen within its folds. The movement toward the amalgamation is progressing rapidly. Locals No. 2, 23, and 91 of the flints and No. 12 of the Green Glass Blowers' Union of this city have adopted resolutions favoring the plan. At the same time the flints are meeting here, the greens are holding a convention in Atlantic City. At that meeting a resolution similar to the one that is to be presented there, will be placed before the convention for adoption. It is said that the plan has met with general favor with the numerous local unions to which it has been submitted, and it is thought the resolutions will pass both conventions without difficulty.

THE WAGE SCALE.

The thing for which the convention is called is the settlement of the wage scale for the next fire. It will be upon this point that a discussion will be had. There is a large per cent in favor of an advance and there also is a considerable element opposed to such a course. It is argued by the conservative portion of the membership that owing to the existence of several non-union shops with which union manufacturers have to compete it would be unfair to ask an advance of the manufacturers at this time when competition is known to be unusually keen. Some of the union manufacturers declare they cannot pay any considerable advance. Another per cent — and this is thought to contain the majority of the members — desire a rise in wages. These men say that the manufacturers have been unusually prosperous during the past year and that prospects for increased prosperity next year are good. The workmen declare they want to share in the general prosperity of things. Although it will be impossible to determine in advance which element will be in control of the convention, it is commonly supposed that a request for an advance will be made.