163] GOVERNMENT 3 1 



chiefly in connection with the sessions. They consisted, 

 originally, of a president (knov/n as grand master), a vice- 

 president (with the title of grand vulcan), a secretary, a 

 treasurer, a conductor or guide, and a doorkeeper. There 

 was also an officer, with the title of grand knight, whose 

 duty it was to display to the delegates his knowledge of the 

 ritual. The office of grand knight was abolished in 1870, 

 and in 1874 the offices of president and secretary were amal- 

 gamated. The officers were elected for one year, and as- 

 sumed their duties at the close of the session at which they 

 were elected. 



The amount of executive work in the interval between 

 sessions was very limited. The issuing of charters and 

 cards, the preparation of the convention proceedings for 

 publication, the collection and disbursement of the small 

 revenue needed for general expenses, and the collection and 

 distribution of voluntary strike contributions, constituted 

 the important administrative duties during the first period 

 of the union's history. In 1867 the national officers seldom 

 heard from local officers. At first the officers were unpaid. 

 Later, the secretary was voted annually by the convention 

 a certain sum of money. The president was customarily 

 presented with a purse by the local unions.'^ In 1872 the 

 donation amounted to seven hundred and sixty-six dollars. 

 The free will ofifering was always sufficiently large to pre- 

 vent the positions going begging, and the convention usually 

 continued the same men in office for several years. 



The second stage appears with the growth of the activi- 

 ties of the central organization. It is marked by the crea- 

 tion of paid and unpaid officials and boards of management 

 which levy assessments, sanction the declaration of strikes, 

 and perform many detailed executive duties, make judicial 

 decisions, and sometimes exercise a very limited legislative 

 power during the period between conventions. A district 



' The Heaters " aRrcod to pay " their president, known as Grand 

 Worthy Sire, $200 for the year ending July 7, 1874 (MS.. Proceed- 

 ings Heaters, 1874). 



