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Typographical Union

a society of compositors banded together for mutual protection, for the regulation of wages, fixing the number of apprentices allowed to each establishment, the length of time each apprentice must serve in order to become a master workman, and for extending general aid to the members of such association.

With the extension of the printing business in the United States, and especially with the development of newspapers, there arose a necessity for mutual protective associations among compositors and other cognate trades connected with the art of printing. These associations were at first local in their jurisdiction. But the migratory habits of journeymen printers suggested the necessity for an organization that would secure for these nomads the comity and extension of favor and protection which the members of a common craft should always receive from each other. From this necessity arose the International Union, which is composed of delegates from subordinate unions in the United States and Canada. While the International Union is the supreme body, the management of the internal affairs of each union is left almost entirely to the subordinate divisions. Thus each local union may regulate the number of apprentices, the scale of wages for composition, time work, etc. Whenever a member of one local union comes within the jurisdiction of another local body, he at once is subject to the by-laws of the lat ter. Traveling cards are granted to members, but these cards must be de posited with the local union within the jurisdiction of which its holder proposes to remain for a given length of time, and dues must be paid into the local union with which the card is deposited. There are numerous local unions in the United States, that of New York City being the largest, having a membership of some delphia, Boston, St. Louis, and other thousands-followed by Chicago, Philalarge cities of the country. The International Union meets once every year, at different places in the United States or Canada, while the local unions usually hold a meeting each month to transact regular business.