Studies in American Trade Unionism

question of holding a convention was submitted to the locals four times before voted upon favorably. The following table gives in condensed form the cost of each general convention of the Iron Molders' Union since 1874: DateNumber of delegatesLength of sessionCost in mileage and per diem1874. ...87 $5609.031876789 days3,844601878. . . .549 days2 926 351879284 days797.20188215311 days11,479.08188624911 days10 539 18188827110 days13,66427189010810 days17,143.36189531213 days14,005.00189931114 days24 019.68190238520 days50 670 72A new but appreciable item of expenditure in the Iron Molders' Union is the cost of litigation. Prior to 1899, little was spent from the funds of the organization for this purpose. In fact, from 1890 to 1895, the single recorded item was fifty dollars for attorney's fees, and in the four years following the total expenditure was only $187.36. More recently, however, the resort of employers to the use of the injunction against striking iron molders has led to larger expenditures. During the three years ending June 20, 1902, over $2000 was spent in defending injunction suits. Growth in financial resources has carried with it improvement in the fiscal administration of the Iron Molders' Union. From the crude and defective procedure of its early history, the organization has evolved a highly efficient system of financial control. In the formative period of its organization, the Iron Holders' Union made slight provision for the maintenance ...