hardly be just and fair to pass on without saying a few words of praise and commendation of the work which is being done by Brother J. C. Hamilton. It has been a great loss to us to lose him from our midst. but we feel gratified to know that he is doing much greater work for the Brotherhood in the field which he has chosen, that of organizer. Brother Hamilton is a rising and popular young man of sterling qualities, a zealous worker and untiring in his efforts to further the interests of our craft. May we feel justly proud of producing such a competent and efficient young man, and we wish to congratulate the officers of the Grand Lodge upon securing the services of Brother Hamilton as an organizer. Clum. old boy, we wish you much success in your chosen work.

Brothers, no doubt I have some of you guessing as to who the minister's son is. but so long as you don't know so much the better for me. Now, as the gist of the news for this month is very nearly exhausted and as this writing is merely to introduce the members in their new titles. I will have to leave you for the present; but look out for me next month. Yours as B-4,

"THE MINISTER'S SON."

ROCHESTER LOCAL No. 56.

Rochester, N. Y., May 24, 1907. So many moons have elapsed since Rochester Local has been represented in these columns that we fear lest this one be consigned to the waste paper basket. However, we have at last awakened to a realization of the fact that the maxim, "Silence is golden," does not apply in this particular instance, and that it behooves us as Railway Clerks to get busy, lest we be considered dead ones.

At our last regular mecting of 1906, the officers were elected for the year 1907 and were duly installed by Past President Parker on January 3, after which refreshments were served and the newly installed president, Mr. Bird H. Reynolds, in a neat little speech, presented Mr. Parker with a gold badge, the gift of the members as a small token of their appreciation of his efforts in behalf of the local. The gift was accepted with very appropriate remarks by the past president.

On January 17 the executive board reported that, owing to the fact that our hall at 300 North street had been found inadequate on account of its suburban location, they had leased Columbia hall, in the Cox building on St. Paul street, where we now pleasantly located. They also reported the success of the first annual dance given by Rochester local on December 21, both financially and socially.

are

On February 2nd an open meeting and pedro party was held, at which Brother Dare, our chaplain, carried off the honors of the evening in the form of a pipe and case. Wm. Beeney rendered several vocal selections in his usual creditable manner. Other talent also favored us in a variety of ways.

Mr.

Refreshments were served, and the meeting adjourned unanimous in the opinion that the first social venture of President Reynolds ("Blondy") had been a success.

Our April open meeting was also a success, enjoyed by members and friends alike. The evening was spent at cards, musical selections were rendered by Cook's orchestra and refrehments were served by the committee in charge. At this meeting a watch raffle was started for the benefit of the local treasury, which proved a financial success. The watch was won by Mr. Jos. De Roller, a member of one of Rochester's enterprising carting companies, the DeRoller Carting Company.

On account of being obliged to take Saturday nights for our meeting nights in our new hall, our attendance has been anything but encouraging. However, we have now secured the first and third Tuesdays of the month and a decided gain is noted in the attendance. Hardly a meeting in 1907 has passed but that either one or two members have been initiated, the result being that our membership shows a gradual, but continual, increase.

On the evening of May 20th, the members on the New York Central system awoke and elected a most energetic protective committee, consisting of Brother Chas. Murphy. chairman, Brothers M. Doyle and Charles Casey. Brother Murphy will attend the meeting of the new adjustment committee at Syracuse, June 2nd, and before many ray days roll around results of a material nature are expected on this system.

Arrangements are being perfected for the event of the year, our annual picnic, which all members and friends look forward to each year and which will be held at the same lake side resort as last, Island Cottage, on July 21. Should any of our brother readers happen to be passing in or near Rochester at that time, a most cordial welcome is extended them to make themselves known and to join us in our annual outing.

The officers and writer strenuously appeal to the members of Local No. 56 for a more regular attendance at our meetings, thereby aiding us in our desire to uphold our local constitution which goes into effect June 4th and which calls for a quorum of fifteen members at each meeting, and which was unanimously adopted by our local some months ago.

With fraternal regard to all brother locals and the officers of the Grand Lodge, and the assurance that you will hear from us again soon, I remain, yours fraternally,

CORRESPONDENT.

CINCINNATI No. 39.

At the regular business meeting of Cincinnati Lodge No. 39, held Thursday. May 16, we had the pleasure of initiating nine new members, which makes twenty-five we have taken in at the last three meetings. This is self-explanatory and shows that we are not sleeping here in Cincinnati, but increasing rapidly, and we are going to strive

to do so until every railway clerk in Cincinnati and vicinity can show his card and say that he is a member of the B. of R. C.

After the business meeting we served refreshments and cigars and had a very nice time and tried to show our new members that we are not what we are termed by some "non's." We also had a large representation from Covington No. 19, and en. joyed several interesting after-dinner talks. viz.: "Child Labor," by Mr. Gahan; "Affilia. tion With A. F. of L.," by Mr. Tarvin, and several recitations by Mr. Shay, which were all hearty appreciated by those present, and for which we extend our most hearty wishes for the welfare of Covington No. 19.

We now have a large membership of clerks, which we hope to double in the course of the next six months. The clerks in Cincinnati are just awakening to the fact that their future welfare depends on the B. of R. C. and are starting to realize the importance of a unity of clerks, and I think before long they will be only too glad to ask for admission; at least, we hope so.

Wishing all lodges the best of success, and hoping to see as favorable reports from other lodges printed, I will close for the "honor and glory" of Cincinnati No. 39.

WELLMAN.

FALL RIVER No. 97.

It is about time the clerks on the New Haven system began to sit up and take notice. On May 1st, 10,000 train employees got a wage increase of from 10 cents to 25 cents a day through their various brotherhoods, while the Brotherhood of Railway Clerks is not recognized by the officials of that company. Meanwhile, the price of living steadily mounts skyward. Pretty soon the railway clerk earning from $10.50 to $15 per week will either have to change his occupation or starve.

The cities which are the Eastern terminals of the steamers of the Consolidated Railways Co.-Fall River, Providence and New Bedford-have locals of the B. of R. C., yet Fall River is the only local of the three with dock clerks in its ranks, and they are our most enthusiastic members, for they have more grievances than any of the others, and the Lord knows they have plenty; and in these same dock clerks lies our strength, especially in Fall River, for freight for the steamers of the world-famous Fall River line (of which two and sometimes three dock here daily) is given preference over anything and they must not, under any circumstances, be tied up. And in view of the consolidation of the Boston & Maine with the New Haven, and of the New Haven's swallowing up all the water lines except those of the Morse syndicate, and also of the inevitable clash between the New Haven and the Morse interests, when every nouri of freight will be contested for and every passenger fought over, it looks to us here that it is time for the clerks in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut to come out of their poor dream of the company's

becoming charitable and voluntarily increasing their pay, and hustle for their rights before Standard Oil and dollar wheat and the packers' trusts and the landlord's union gets prices of life's necessities so far up that they can't scrape up enough money to pay their lodge dues.

Come to life, you round-shouldered, sallowfaced, dopey, discouraged, poorly-paid pencil pushers, and organize!

"WILLIE FROM THE WHARF."

IRON MOUNTAIN No. 6.

Brothers, were you there? I mean at the grand prize euchre given by St. Louis Lodge No. 10. Ladies' Auxiliary, to the Brotherhood of Railway Clerks. No? Well, you missed it. I have to compliment the ladies. They certainly know how to entertain. In a large crowd you will most always find someone who is dissatisfied, but I did not hear a dissenting criticism during or after the affair. An abundance of prizes were distributed to the best players, and very few of the visitors left with empty hands. Everyone enjoyed the occasion and requested the ladies to give an affair like this again.

I have no special news from No. 6. We are holding our own and are anxiously awaiting the outcome of the referendum vote regarding affiliation.

Our chairman of the executive committee, Brother Ed. Nehoul, is ever anxious to keep the Brotherhood before the public and to entertain the members of No. 6 and their friends. He has secured one of the Columbia Excursion Company's steamboats for a complimentary trip to Montesana, Wednesday evening, June 12, 1907. This will be a fine outing for the members, their families and friends, who are cordially invited. Good music and refreshments are guarantee 1.

November 16, 1907, we will entertain our friends with our annual dress ball, given at Lemp's Park hall, Thirteenth and Utah streets. Brother Nehoul expects to make this ball the most successful affair in the history of I. M. No. 6, and he, as a rule. always "makes good."

Brothers, this month's issue of the Clerk, I understand, will contain the printed ballot regarding affiliation with the American Federation of Labor. Do not forget to vote. ARGUMENT.

SHERMAN No. 78.

Just a line to say to the Brotherhood that as a result of two recent short visits to us by Brother J. B. Innerarity, of New Orleans, things are assuming quite a different complexion to that heretofore existing. Of late our local has not been able to hold itself up to the high plane of efficiency that is so much to be desired by all lodges, but with the coming to us of Brother Innerarity, with his general fund of information, his willingness and even persistence in imparting this information, and his unsquelchable enthusiasm for the ultimate success of the cause he represents, we are becoming in

fected by the germ of contagion he let loose among us and are promising ourselves a bright future in point of numbers and in ability to co-operate with our brothers at large in making the order the success of which we have all dreamed. That Brother Braggins deserves to be congratulated upon the wisdom of his selection of at least one organizer is the unanimous verdict of the craft in this part of the "moral vineyard." If present indications are not extremely misleading, things are destined to happen rapidly during the last half of 1907, so far as this branch of trades unionism is concerned.

Our president, Brother J. A. Birdsong, has found it necessary to resign in order to devote himself more fully to important committee work. Ex-Secretary C. S. Underwood succeeds him.

If not too late, we would like to be placed on record as calling for a referendum vote upon the affiliation proposition.

Very fraternally,

P. A. TARDY, Secretary.

ISHPEMING No. 125.

As secretary of our local, No. 125, I would like to address a few lines to the Journal in regard to our progress.

We held our first meeting at Ishpeming, Mich., on March 8 for the purpose of organizing a lodge of the Brotherhood of Railway Clerks. At this meeting there were only nine clerks present; SO we adjourned to meet one week from that date. At the second meeting we secured fifteen charter members and immediately made application for our charter, which arrived in due time.

The boys all seem very enthusiastic and expect very soon to add five or six to our number.

The officers for the year 1907 were installed at the meeting on May 7.

The outlook for Ishpeming Local No. 125 is of a most promising nature. I assure our brothers that Local No. 125 is and will be a live one. All the boys are fine, good fellows and have started out to make our lodge the best there is. With best wishes for the success of the Brotherhood, I remain, Yours fraternally,

Alex. Weber, Orange, Tex.; Alex. Willson, Orange, Tex., now at Echo; J. K. Jorgensen, Orange, Tex., now at Houston; Bertha Richards, Orange, Tex.; Mamie Hayes, Orange, Tex.; Stella Campbell, Orange, Tex.; E. C. Hoffman, not known; O. E. Freeman, not known.

J. K. Jorgensen, Mamie Hayes and Stella Campbell are still employed at this point; others have left, and are wandering over the country. These three "scabs" that are left can be seen daily alighting from No. 6, especially Mamie, better known as the "Indian Chief." She is always to be seen first. All of our boys are working, Brother Carson being chief in the general office of the O. & N. W. at Orange. Brother Reel is agent at Sour Lake for the B. S. L. & W. Brother Blair is yard clerk for the Southern at Birmingham, Ala., and Brother Meadows is working for the G. C. & S. F. Brother Goggan and myself are the only ones left on the fort to fight the scabs and that we will do as best we can.

With best wishes to all the brothers, I am, yours fraternally, C. H. S.

BOOMING OF OLD COLONY No. 143. On Tuesday evening, February 26, 1907, a special meeting was held at 8 p. m., Brother J. J. Sullivan, president, in the chair. It was a very lively meeting, each member doing good work for the welfare of the Brotherhood. It should be the duty of each and every member of the Brotherhood to do the same as the brothers of Old Colony No. 143; take the example and follow in the road of success. There were twenty-six new members balloted on and approved favorably. That goes to show that 143 is beginning to wake up. It is the desire of all of the members of Old Colony No. 143 to be in the race and come in the winner at the finish; So let others follow in our footsteps. Now, brothers, get on the firing line; take good aim, and bring down every clerk that you aim at when you fire, and by so doing you will bring the Brotherhood of Railway Clerks where it belongs-at the top of all other railway brotherhoods.

Hoping that you will favor me by putting this in the next number, which will be the March number, you will greatly oblige, Sincerely and fraternally,

FRANK KUHN,

Vice President Old Colony Lodge No. 143. (Ed. Note.-This report was unavoidably crowded out of the March issue of The Clerk and the printer carelessly misplaced it. At the request of Brother Kuhn, we now print it and apologize for the delay. Do not This be discouraged, Brother Kuhn. will not occur again, so let us hear from you often.)

An article in one of our leading papers a few nights ago called attention to the fact that several of the big railroad companies had granted an increase to several classes of employees, specifying Railway Clerks among them and stating further that this increase in wages was granted to the unorganized labor thereby emphasizing the fact that there is really no necessity of labor unions as these increases in salary would be granted without such drastic measures being taken. Ha! ha! the railroad companies must be fishing for "suckers" and expect them to swallow bait, hook, pole and all, and after they are fairly caught they will proceed to strip them of all that has made their lives worth living.

A great many Railway Clerks, on being approached to join the B. of R. C. now, will point to this newspaper item and think they are using a very strong argument for not joining the Brotherhood, and of course, those poor benighted beings do not have sense enough to realize that if no organization had ever been formed this raise would have. never materalized; they do not realize that the railroad companies are at last ready to acknowledge that when the masses are thoroughly organized the corporations will be absolutely powerless and the people not the Dollar will be Almighty.

This voluntary increase in salary to unorganized labor will no doubt have its effect with a few unreasoning and unthinking creatures, but the average clerk will realize that in time to come this voluntary increase in salary will be withdrawn and then unless he is allied with a Brotherhood he will either have to stand the cut or give up his position; so do not be misled by this sudden generosity on the part of railway companies to unorganized labor.

Join the B. of R. C. Have your wives, mothers, sisters and daughters join the Ladies' Auxiliary and then sit back in calm

assurance that although the railroad companies may voluntarily increase the pay of its unorganized labor now, there is a time coming when organized labor can get up in all its mighty might and demand and receive just dues.

If we could obtain all the opinions of the different labor leaders of the present day, they would to a man say that this movement on the part of the railroad companies is the greatest tribute they have ever paid to organized labor and the power it promises to be in the near future. Dams were built to curb mighty waters and the railroad companies are trying to curb the mighty waters of thoroughly organized labor which threatens to destroy them (?) by a flimsy dam built of this "voluntary increase of salary to the unorganized.”

C

DEATH OF MRS. J. W. ATWOOD.

Secretary and Treasurer of Kansas City Lodge No. 2.

For the first time in our history, death has entered our ranks and claims one of our dear sisters for his own and it is with a sad heart that Kansas City Lodge No. 2 will drape it's secretary's chair and omit the name, Mrs. J. W. Atwood, from its roll call. Her life was one of sweet sacrifice and her character was such that it would be well for each and every member to take it for an example. Never would our sister speak unkindly of any one and if some one did err she would always find an excuse to cover their fault or shortcoming. She was also an admirable peacemaker and just, honest and upright in all her dealings.

Mrs. Atwood was stricken with apoplexy on Monday, May 28th, about 9:30 P. M., and her life passed out peacefully at six A. M. Tuesday, May 29th, 1907.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

DON'T BE CONTENT WITH SECOND

BEST.

By Beatrice Fairfax.

It is sad that so many of us are content with our second best. We reach a certain point, and there we stay, smugly complacent.

Not one in ten of us is making the most of life and its opportunities. Moderate success seems to satisfy us, and we sit back content with ourselves. We could all do better than we are doing if we had the grit and perseverance to keep at it.

The trouble with most of us is that we are always going to do better. We have vague ideas as to the great things we will do, but that is as far as we get. In the meantime the precious hours are slipping behind us and nothing has been done.

If we live to man's allotted three-score and-ten years (seventy years) we have 25,750 days to make or to mar. That seems a good many, but can you afford to waste one single day of them?

Already a fair share of those 25,750 days have gone. Instead of being impatient for the hours to pass, we should grudge every flying minute.

So far, what have you made of your life? If you have married and are bringing up a family of girls and boys you have done a great deal; no woman can do more. But even if you do not marry you can still get a great deal out of life.

If you are still young and have the prospect of marrying, you can train yourself to be the kind of woman who will make a good wife and mother.

If you are past the marrying age you can help others and make yourself of use in the world.

No one who lives solely for self can be said to have lived at all. The desire to be of use to others brings out all that is best in one. You must be alert, keen to observe, quick to seize opportunity.

The dreamer lives all by himself, in his rose-colored aircastle; he is of use to nobody; the world is not one whit the better for his having lived.

But the world is the better for every man and woman who have bravely and unselfishly done their duty.

One of your duties is to do whatever work you may be engaged in to the best of your ability. It may be uncongenial work, but do it as well as you can. Shirking one thing will never help you to find another.

Try to find some bright spot in every day.

If you do one kind action during the day your day has not been wasted.

Do not be self-satisfied; that is fatal to progress of any kind. Before you go to bed tonight think over your day. If you had it to live over again, would you spend it just as you have done? Most of us would not. Well, we still have tomorrow, and other tomorrows if we live; but we must begin right away. Our lives are such tiny atoms in the vast scheme of eternity, and yet they are everything to us, and it seems incredible that we should not make the most of our brief chance.

No matter how well you do anything, try to do it still better. Don't be satisfied with anything but the very best that you are capable of.

If you feel yourself getting into a rut, try your level best to get out of it as quickly as possible. Remember that this is your chance. The younger you are the more time you have to make something of yourself. Don't lose your golden opportunity.

GREETING TO TOLEDO LODGE No. 3.

We greet you and welcome you most sincerely, Toledo Lodge No. 3, and we also wish to congratulate you on the number of charter members and also to proclaim you as our banner lodge. We hope that you will continue to prosper both in increase in membership and financially, and we are sure that a lodge coming in with twenty-seven charter members will do great things between now and the Toledo Convention.

We take this opportunity of thanking Brothers Myers, McLeod and Johnson and also Sister Myers for their earnest efforts and hard work in trying to establish an Auxiliary in Toledo, and we, as the Ladies' Auxiliary of the B. of R. C., wish to assure the entire membership of the B. of R. C. that it will always be our prime aim and object to assist and encourage them in all their undertakings and at all times.

Wishing each and every member of Toledo Lodge No. 3 much success, we beg to remain Fraternally and sincerely,