The Evolution of Photography: With a Chronological Record of Discoveries, Inventions, Etc., Contributions to Photographic Literature, and Personal Reminescences Extending over Forty YearsWerge, John, active 1854-1890
History
The Evolution of Photography: With a Chronological Record of Discoveries, Inventions, Etc., Contributions to Photographic Literature, and Personal Reminescences Extending over Forty Years
Werge, John, active 1854-1890
Photography -- History
While the subject of a photographers' provident or relief fund is before
me, I may mention that in the Report of the Friendly Societies recently
issued by Mr. Tidd Pratt, he speaks in the highest terms of those
societies which are managed by the members themselves without salaries,
and condemns the extravagance exhibited by the societies of a similar
nature which are conducted by salaried officials. Now, as it is a
friendly society pure and simple that sick or needy photographers ought
to look to for future help, in my opinion the former is the kind of
society that should be established. The movement is not to be started
as a business speculation, and there should be no salaries attached to
any of the offices. Each member joining the provident society should be
prepared to submit to the tax on his time and energies, if elected to
office, as part and parcel of the amount he subscribes for the general
welfare of the body and relief of individual members. For my part, I
object to the contemplated society taking the form of a relief fund
depending upon donations, collections at dinners, &c., for its support.
Such means for raising the necessary funds to start the society may be
allowable; but after it is commenced, every individual connected with it
should be a subscribing member, and not allowed to receive any benefit,
except under the most urgent necessities, until he has paid a certain
number of subscriptions.
During one of my peregrinations about town lately I stumbled upon a very
ferocious doorsman. My attention was suddenly arrested, while passing
one of those photographic establishments which keep a kind of two-legged
hyena prowling up and down before their doors, by hearing the somewhat
startling and cannibalistic exclamation of "I'll eat yer!" Looking
round, I saw that one of those prowling bipeds had fastened upon two
quiet-looking young gentlemen, evidently strangers in town and to town
ways, and had so importuned them to sit for "a correct likeness," until
they turned upon him, and threatened to give him in charge if he did not
desist; when he retaliated by threatening to eat them, and used a great
deal of sanguinary and abusive language as a substitute for more
palatable suavity. Is such an "outsider" or hanger-on a fit and proper
person to join a photographers' provident society, or be the recipient
of a benevolent relief fund?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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