494 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



the order. 22 The Order of American Mechanics admitted only native- 

 born persons. 



One of the most unique and most powerful of the ephemeral organi- 

 zations was the Sovereigns of Industry, established in 1874. It was a 

 secret order which admitted both men and women. According to the 

 preamble of the organization's constitution, it was "an association of 

 the industrial working classes without regard to race, color, nationality 

 or occupation; not founded for the purpose of waging any war of ag- 

 gression upon any other class, or fostering any antagonism of labor 

 against capital, nor of arraying the poor against the rich, but for 

 mutual assistance in self-improvement and self-protection." The 

 sovereigns repudiated the subsistence theory of wages, and proposed to 

 increase real wages by reducing expenses through cooperation. The 

 ultimate purpose seemed to be the elimination of the wage system. 

 They proposed to " make war on the middleman as the exclusive remedy 

 for the ills of the workers." The sovereigns did not propose to displace 

 any existing labor organization. In the spring of 1875, it was esti- 

 mated that over 50,000 Pennsylvanians belonged to the order. 23 



The International Labor Union was organized in 1877 with George 

 E. McNeill as president. 



In this hour of the dark distress of labor, we call upon all laborers of what- 

 ever nationality, creed or color, skilled or unskilled, trade unionist and those now 

 out of union, to join hands with us and each other to the end that poverty and all 

 its attendant evils shall be abolished forever. 



The chief objects of the union are indicative of the important 

 demands of the labor reformers in 1877: reduction of the hours of 

 labor; higher wages; factor}', mine and shop inspection; abolition of 

 the contract convict labor and truck system; employers to be held 

 responsible for accidents to employees on account of the neglect of 

 employers; prohibition of child labor; establishment of labor bureaus. 

 Although branches are reported to have existed in seventeen states, the 

 membership was small. The union attained its greatest strength in 

 1878. 24 



As early as 1866, organized labor began timidly and intermittently 

 to enter the political field. Editor Cameron of The Working man's 

 Advocate, perhaps the leading labor paper of the period and the official 

 organ of the National Labor Union, was nominated as a candidate for 

 a seat in the lower house of the Illinois legislature, by the workingmen 

 of Chicago. The editor of the National Workman, the official organ of 

 the federated trades of New York City, wrote (January 5, 1867) : 



22 National Labor Tribune, April 24, 1875. 



24 McNeill, "The Labor Movement," pp. 161-162. 



23 National Labor Tribune, April 24, July 31, October 23, 1875. 



