I95l FINANCES 63 



the number of men who were on strike. In 1909 a new 

 plan of assessment was accepted, graded both as to the 

 number of men on strike and the daily earnings of the 

 members. 



The strike of 1910 proved the inadequacy of this measure 

 to meet the requirements of a great strike. A ten per cent 

 assessment was levied, and the following convention pro- 

 vided that no special assessment of over two per cent of the 

 earnings of members could be levied without submitting it 

 to a vote of the membership. 



The results of the new system were immediate. Whereas 

 prior to 1880 benefits were not paid with any degree of 

 regularity even in local troubles, and the legal provision to 

 pay strike benefits was not effective after that date, the 

 obligations of the national union were met promptly. The 

 sympathetic appeal has not been used extensively as a sup- 

 plementary method of supporting strikes. The union has 

 realized that it is a confession of financial weakness. Only 

 in cases of emergency, as in the great strikes of 1892, 1901, 

 and 1910, has it been employed. In these struggles, how- 

 ever, the income from these appeals was large, and enabled 

 the Association to continue the contest much longer than it 

 otherwise could have done. 



A minor source of revenue to the protection fund was the 

 interest which accrued from the so-called " rebate fund." 

 By the provisions of the rebate plan, entered into with the 

 tin-plate manufacturers in October, 1902, a certain per- 

 centage of the wages of the men was held in trust, and on 

 rebate trade (tin plate sent abroad intended for re-export, 

 thus entitling the buyer to the drawback clause of the Ding- 

 ley tariff) twenty-five per cent reduction from scale rates 

 was paid the manufacturers upon presentation of docu- 

 mentary evidence. This arrangement was discontinued 

 after the 1910 strike. The amount placed in the defense 

 fund from interest on these trust funds was $14.2^0.38. 



In addition to the revenue for general and for defensive 

 purposes, now for some years merged in a single fund, the 



