THE
A Newspaper with a Mission and without a Muzzle that is published in the Interest of Wageworkers Everywhere.
'VOL. 1
LINCOLN ,NEBEASKA, NOVEMBER 4, 1904
NO. 3()
WAGE WO UK ER
3
The Candidacy
of John E. Miller
The Wageworker advocates the elec
tion of Mr. John E. Miller to the leg
islature, and It Is ready to give its
reason for so doing. LV. Miller is the
.managing partner of the firm of. Miller
& Paine, and has been nominated for
the legislature by the democrats and
populists of Lancaster county. Mr.
Miller's politics does not concern The
Wageworker. His attitude toward la
boring men and women does, however,
concern this newspaper and its read
ers. Mr. Miller's business connections
are entitled to consideration, but the
mere fact that he is engaged in the
mercantile business is not a reason for
supporting him. - But the reasons why
The Wageworker is supporting Mr.
Miller's candidacy are easily given, and
they are reasons that should appeal to
every workingman whose unionism is
of the heart and mind as well as of the
pocketbook and family larder. The reo
mouh are here given: ,
Mr. Miller not only advocates short
er hours for those who work for wages,
but practices what he preaches. 'While
other retail stores remain open until
10 or 10:30 o'clock Saturday night, the
store of Miller & Paine is closed at
i o'clock, and .the . employes given an
opportunity for rest and recreation.
Mr. Miller is opposed to child labor
and will not, under any circumstances
employ children under the age of 16,
and this age Mmlt is raised during the
school year to 18 years.
Mr. Miller believes it " the right and
the duty of working menand women
to organize for mutual help and pro
tection, and has announced his readi
ness to recognize , a Retail Clerks'
Union as soon as one is organized in
this city. , , ,
Mr. Miller, as. the managing partner
of the Arm of Miller & Paine, has
planned and Inaugurated a system of
profit sharing in which .all employes
ore- permitted to take part if they so
desire.
' Mr. Miller sees to it that employes
in the Store of Miller & Paine are sur
rounded by healthy sanitary condi
tions. And every employe whose name
has been upon the pay roll for twelve
months is given two weeks' vacation
on full pay each yiiar.
Union men and women are working
to secure a shorter working day. Mr.
Miller has already inaugurated the
shcirter hour ifrorking week, which is
a long step forward. .. ,
Mr. Miller's honesty and integrity
are beyond question. No corrupt lob
by can influence him to iavor Parry-
ism or anything of that kind. He is
a business man. and as a member of
the legislature he will leud his influ
ence to' secure a more thorough ob
servance of business rules in the con
duct of the state's affairs. This means
much to the laboring man who owns a
little home and pays- taxes thereon.
Air. Miller's candidacy offers union
labor an opportunity to show not only
its strength but its determination to
sHand by those who are friends of un
ionism. If that opportunity is seized
by the union voters of Lancaster coun
ty it will result in some attention being
paid to union requests in future cam
paigns and elections1.1 It is time that
union men quit knocking on each oth
er and hammering their enemies, and
do a little boosting for those who have
demonstrated their friendship for the
r ausc for which unionism stands.
A vote for John E. Miller is a vote
for a "square" man, a good employer
and a friend of organized labor.
What more can tne earnest and un
biased union man ask?
WITH THE GHOSTS.
Novil Hallowe'en Entertainment Given
By Capital Auxiliary.
Hallowe'en was celebrated in a most
, enjoyable manner by Capital Auxil
iary No. 11 at the home of Mr. and
Mrs. C. B. Rlghter last Monday even
, Ing. That is, the guests were received
at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Rlghter.
and then conveyed in a ghostly auto
mobile to the beautifully decorated
'-Aarn of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Odell,
where the evening festivities were en-
Joyed. '
-The guests were masked In ghostly
habiliments, and the illuminated skull
and crossbones upon the door of the
Rlghter home made things look awfully
'spooky." The guests were taken in
pairs to the barn by means of aii auto
mobile that had lost its rubber tires.
At the barn unique and ghostly cere
monies were Indulged in, different
ghosts participating in a program pre
pared for the occasion. The barn was
decorated with jack-o'-lnnterns, corn,
pumpkins, apples, and other agricul
tural and horticultural products, and
"looked good" to everybody. The even
ing was spent in music that was any
thing but ghostly, conversation, etc.
and at a seasonable and reasonable
hour refreshments were served. Hot
weinerwurst, rye bread, onions, coffee,
popcorn and peanuts comprised the bill
of fare. Mother Goose was present and
told fortunes at so much per tell, and
if any of them come true every print
er in town will be rolling in riches
some day.
As a ghost party the function was -i
huge success and reflected great credit
upon - the committee ' having it in
charge.
STAND TOGETHER.
An Opportunity For Organized Labor to
Show It'a Strength.
If every union man in Lancaster
county, regardless of politics, will vote
for John E. Miller for the state sen
ate, he will be elected, and organized
labor will have a staunch friend in
that body. The election of Mr. Miller
will prove that organized labor stands
by its friends and votes in its own
interests. '
The unity of union men will be
judged by the vote given to Mr. Miller.
If the labor vote is practically unani
mous in his favor, it will mean that
in future elections organized labor has
but to make reasonable and fair re
quests of the political parties in order
to get what it wants. x
John E. Miller deserves the vote of
every union man because he stands for
Shorter (working hours.
Pair wages.
Opposition to child labor.
Rigid observance of saiitary laws.
Recognition of merit.
Profit sharing with employes
"Recognition of labor's right to 'or'
ganize.
These facts commend Mm to every
thorough union man. Let us show our
strength and our disposition to stand
by our friends, by voting for this out
spoken friend of unionism.
THURBER TALKS.
But He it Sadly Mistaken as To Who
Are "The People."
i
F. B.' Thurber of New York is prei
uient of the United States Export as
sociation. Recently he made a speech
at St. Louis in which he said; - " ..
"The public is beginning to under
stand that there may be labor trusts
as well as capital trusts. Only that
which is reasonable can last, and the
public is getting tired of the unrea
sonable demands of organized labor,
which represents less than one-fifth of
all the labor in the United States."
Mr. Thurber fondly imagines that he
and men of his ilk are "the public."
What he denounces as ,"the unreason
able demands of organized labor" are
the demands for the. shorter hour
working day, sanitary laws, regula
tion of sweatshops, abolition of child
labor, factory and mine inspection,
safety appliances and similar things of
interest to all men who labor. Or
ganized labor may represent only one
fifth of all the labor In the United
States, as Mr. Thurber claims, but the
fact remains that the work of the "one
fifth" has been of incalculable benefit
to the ' remaining ' four-fifths. The
"labor trust" is not a trust it is a
mutual and fraternal protective so
ciety, just like the Knights of Py
thias, WorKmen, Woodmen and a host
of similar orders. It is an organiza
tion of Gpd-made men who have band
ed togetlier to resist the; greedy de
mands of the man-made corporations.
The labor unions deal in human souls
the great industrial trusts deal in
dirty dollars and ignore human souls.
Mr. Thurbur represents a class of
men who think much more of profits
than of men aud women who toil.
ALL BUT ONE.
Printers Turn Down Salary Increase For
Their National Officials.
It was given out from headquarters
at Indianapolis last Wednesday that
five of the six propositions submitteJ
to the referendum vote of the. Interna
tional Typographical Union had been
carried. The sixth, providing an in
crease in salary for the president and
secretary-treasurer, was defeated. It
seemed to be the general opinion that
the secretary-treasurer is already get
ting ample pay for his work. If the
proposition had been divided there is
little doubt that the president's salary
would have been increased.
PRESIDENT SULLIVAN COMING.
Head of the Bartender's Leaque Will
Visit in Lincoln.,
President Sullivan of the Bartenders'
International League of America, will
be in Lincoln next Sunday, and will
meet with the local at its usual place
of meeting. President Sullivan is on
his way to San Francisco to attend
the national convention of the Amer
ican Federation of Labor, and is seiz
ing the opportunity of visiting various
locals as he-proceeds'sRwly across the
country. If possible, arrangements will
be made to have Mr. Sullivan address
an open meeting of union men while in
the city.
THE UNION "LAUNDRY.
Starts Off in Good Style And Success
Already Assured.
The Lincoln Union Laundry company
ENTERTAINMENT
And Dance
For the Benefit of the Central Labor Union
Delegate Fund, to be held at! A. O. U. W.
Hall, Thursday evening, November 10, 1904.
THE PROGRAMME.
Introductory Remarks ....Gen. T. C. Kelsey
President of Central Labor Union.
MR. A. L. BIXBY. ' .
At this, stage of the game Mr. A. L. Bixby, poet
philosopher, of the Daily State Jourhal. will dawn
upon the view of the assembled multitude and
deliver himself "of a few lilting rhymes, mixed
with a rightful amount of mirthful anecdotes and
acceptable philosophy. The audience is requested
to wait until after the performance before de
livering to Mr. Bixby the articles of garden pro
duce brought for him.
. MR. SANDS.
Following Mr. Bixby, and before the audience has
time to escape, Mr. Sands will step blithely to
the front and draw a few pictures for the delec
tation of the 'multitude. While"dTawi'ng the pic
tures . Mr, Sands, win -insist ..upon .saying a few
things, and'., will be useless to try to stop him.
He must be allowed to run on until he gets his
conversation entirely out of his system.
MUSIC.
The Guitar and Mandolin Club, under the in
struction of Mrs. Roy W. Rhone, will now occupy
the stage for a little while and discourse .sweet
melodies. , . 1
MR. WILL-M. MAUPIN.
Having had this entertainment largely in his
charge, Mr. Maiiprn seized upon the occasion to
obtrude and get a place on the program. 'Unless
prevented by an indignant audience he will recite
a few things of his own, and also indulge in a
little story telling1. Parties desiring to subscribe '
for 'ine Wageworker may do so while Mr. Maupin
io on the staged as ne will gladly pause and nil
out subscription receipts.
I
MORE
By the same guitar and
same efficient .instructor.
application.
THE LAST OF BlXBY. ' . , '
That is, the last appearance of Mr. Bixby for
the evening.- He. will deliver a few things he
overlooked during his first appearance.
-- .- . ' . THE LAST OF SANDS.
While the tumultuous applause is subsiding Mr.
Sands will hike back to the stage and limn a few
more pictures, conversing in the meanwhile.
- A' LITTLE MORE MUSIC.
Same mandolin and guitar club; same instructor;
same terms.
- -- THE LAST OF MAUPIN.
x iiat is to say. , his last appearance lor the even
ing. He will thank the audience for not mobbins
the performers,' and make an announcement or
two.
- ' TEKPSI CHOREAN.
Which is a Latin word, meaning, "shake your fee',
ivi time to the music." It is at this juncture that
the floor will be cleared while the orchestra is
tuning up, and when everything is ready those
who love to dance may do so until the cock crowa
and the sun peeps over the eastern Horizon.
'Inis intertainment is given- for the purpose ot
raising funds to defray the expenses of a delegate
t-J the Ameriyau Federation of Labor convention
at S'an Francisco. Mr. J. E. Mickel is the dele
gate. rhe admission, including the privilege of
dancing till you drop, is only 25 cents. You can
psy more if you think the entertainment is worth
u. . . r '
OOOOOOQOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCOOOCK
OVER ONE THOUSAND.
The Wageworker guarantees to advertisers over 1,000
actual, bona fide, paid-in-advance subscribers, nine-tenths
of whom reside in Lincoln, University Place, Havelock, Col
lege View and Bethany. The subscription books are open
to inspection by anyone who can show cause and adver
tisers come under that head. .
ooooooooooooooooocxwooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
starts out with a good line of busi
ness assured, and more in sight. Union
men re taking hold of the .idea and
giving the enterprise their hearty sup
port If the wives of union men will
do their" Huty success is assured.- Hold
.your laundry until the collector for
the Lincoln Union Laundry company
calls around. The routes are new, and
some delay will, be experienced for a
week or two, but despite, the delay in
collecting, the delivery will be mucn
moro prompt than that of the local
non-union laundries. " .
The best possible work is guaranteed,
and your collars,' cuffs and shirts will
not be mangled to shreds but returned
well ironed and in good condition. Re
member the . office, 1234 O street.
Nominations for officers for the next
term will be made at the Typographical
Union meeting next Sunday.
I
MUSIC.
i
mandolin club, under th'j
Terms made known on
s
Some General
n The Wageworker. entertained a num
ber of the members of the Label
League and Capital Auxiliary last
Tuesday evening, through the courtesy
of the Lincoln Gas company and Mrs.
Elizabeth O. Hiller. Owing to the
shortness of the time for preparation
invitations could not be given into the
hands ,of all, although a strenuous ef
fort was made to do so. The shortness
of the notice operated against the at
tendance, but the score; or more who
were present enjoyed a( pleasant and
instructive evening.
Mrs. Hiller has been instructing a
large class in domestic science in thi'i
city for the past month, and has clear
ly demonstrated that she stands at the
head of her class in this particular lino
of study and investigation. The Wage
worker's guests were given some val
uable hints on the use of gas for
fuel, and they were a unit in declar
ing that this one thing alone amply
repaid them for being present. Mrs.
Hiller's instructions in the art of
measurements were also beneficial be
cause they tend to enforce economy tn
the. kitchen. She quoted the old saying
that "A cook can carry more through
the back door in a teaspoon than a
man can carry in at the front door
In a grain scoop,'', and said, that it con-
tained a great truth.. Then she pro
ceeded to make an omelet, a thin
white sauce, biscuits and broil a steak,
keeping up an interesting and instruc
tive fire of comment as she proceeded.
"We know we will have no failures
if we follow our systems of measure
ments," said Mrs. Hiller, measuring
out the flour and the butter and the
baking powder and all those things.
"There is no guesswork, consequently-no
failure."
When her light and fluffy omelet
came from the oven her guests gave
vent to their delight by hearty ap
plause. When she broiled a tenderloin"
steak that was nearly three . inches
thick, and did it in a steel spider on
top of the stoves the guests gave ex
pression to their surprise and grati
fication. Then she made coffee that
we often read about and so seldom
taste, and baked some biscuits that
would tempt the interior economy of
a wooden statue. - .
At the close of the demonstration
Mrs. Hiller answered a number of
questions and gave some1 good advice.
It was a most successful, affair, and
ihe Wageworker is only sorry that
every member of the League and Aux
iliary could not be present. But there
will be another "party" of the same
kind in the not distant future.
The Wageworker Is under many ob
ligations to the Gas company and to
Mrs. Hiller for their kindness in mak
ing the function a great success.
BECAME UNFAIR.
f
Beatrice Cigar Firm Once Union Goes
Wrong yery Suddenly.
The Underwood". Bros.' cigar factory
at Beatrice has been placed upon the
unfair list because it has decided . to
run on hie "open shop" basis and re
fuses to recognize the Cigarmakers'
Union. Underwood Bros, lately re
moved, from Lincoln to Beatrice, and
for a long time used1 the "blue label."
A short time ago the firm, on the
ground that it wanted the "open
shop," declined to meet the union scale
of wages. The men walked out, but
later one man "scabbed" and returned
to work. He was immediately fined
$75 by the union and suspended. The
Lincoln local, having jurisdiction over
the district in which Beatrice is lo
cated, sent . a committee down to
straighten out the . tangle if possible.
It was unsuccessful. The label has
been ordered out of the Underwood fac
tory, and all brands made therein are
declared unfair. Following are the
Underwood brands declared unfair, al
though heretofore entitled to and bear
ing the union label:
"Little Nan," "Judge Hale," "Full
Leaf," "Damfino," "Open Heart,"
"Comet," "John B. McMasters" and
"Belle of Beatrice."
"UNFAIR PRODUCTS.
Housewives Should look out for the Fol
lowing Unfair Flours.
Organized labor and sympathizers
are requested not to purchase flour
bearing the following brands: :
Washburn-Crosby's Gold Medal,
Humboldt Milling Co.' Supreme, Min
nesota Flour Mfg. Co.'s Rex brand,
Crocker's Best, Washburn-Crosby's
Northern Pacific, Iron Duke, French
Flag, Arlington, John Alden, Jenkin's
Vienna, Royal Milling Co.'s Ben Hur,
Labor Notes
Washburn-Crosby Co.'s Snowdrop,
Queen Wilhelmina, Parisian, White .
River, Superlative, and all brands of 1
the Washburn-Crosby Milling' Co. This -action
has been endorsed by American
Federation of Labor. They have re
fused to arbitrate. . ...
Also the brands Golden . Anchor,
Straight Superior, Our Triumph, Ba
her's Success, products of, Keisers Bros.
Milling Co., Mount Olive, 111. And all
the' products of the Kelley Milling Co.,
Kansas City, Mo. '
LABOR NOTES.
Some Comment on Doings in the Gen
eral Field of Labor.
International Laborers' Union held
convention in Dayton last week. Of
ficers' reports show that 191 locals ,
are organized, who were represented
by 87, delegates, about one-half being
colored men. The v laborers decided
not to affiliate with the American La-
bor Union or A. F. of L. at present,
although union cards of all trades will
be recognized. The convention de- :
clared for industrialism. W. G.
Critchlow of Dayton was re-elected
president, and Z. i'. Trumbo of Pon
tiac.i 111., secretary. ". .
"The general building trades strike
in New York has taken on a new
lease of life. Te plasterers have is
sued an ultimatum that the strike '
would be extended all over the coun
try, wherever the Fuller Construction
Co. and other concerns are doing jobs.
The bricklayers, tile layers, plumbers,
carpenters and electricians have also
declared that there will be no surren
der under any circumstances It is
admitted that . the 'bosses are sinking .
a barrel of money,
The Chicago plutes have discovered '
an old law, passed in 1877, prohibiting
"any person from obstructing the reg
ular pfyation , an conduct; of th? ,
business of any railroad company or .
ether corporation, firm or individual." ,s
i hey. say that this law makes it un
necessary to procure injunctions dur' -ing
-strikes and engage in - expensive
litigation. The law is simply put up ,
to tile authorities, and they do th , .
rest. ' . .-. ,. . . ;
.Despite" the fact that the window
glass .workers accepted a reduction of
fen per 'cent in . wages; leading -manu-facturers
say production will be. cur- -..
tained and under no circumstances will :
there be a -reduction in the price or
glass. They need the money themselves.-
.' - - - ,' - . - ': ; -
THE STRIKEBREAKER.
A Few Facts That Union Men Should
Study Over Carefully.
In the Saturday Evening Post (Phil
adelphia) of this week Robert Shack--leton
has an article on the "Strike
breaker" that should be read by every
union man in the country. ;. it ' is a
startling revelation of the methods em
ployed by the Parryites to defeat
strikes, and shows to what depths of
dishonor workingman will stoop for a
few paltry dollars. There are. bureaus
organized for . the sole purpose of
breaking strikes, and they do it by
keeping upon their payrolls soldiers
of fortune who are ready to slug, bribe,
intimidate or work under any condi
tions merely' to prevent fellow work
ingmen from securing justice. The
Pinkertons in their palmiest days were '
gentlemen and scholars compared to
the hordes kept under pay by the Par ry
outfits for the purpose of defeating
strikes. Mr. Sliackleton goes into the
details of the organization and gives
several examples of how the work is
prosecuted, Union men should read
the article, get next to the scheme and
set about forming plans to put iha '
professional strikebreaker out of bus
iness.. - .... .. " ,
C. L. U. ENTERTAINMENT.
An Evening of Enjoyment Promised Those
Who Will Attend.
Every union man in the city, togeth
er with his wife or sweetheart, as the
case may be, should make it a point
to attend the C. L. U." benefit per
formance next Thursday evening at A.
O. U. W. hall. An entertaining pro
gram has been prepared and a good
time is guaranteed all who attend. The
proceeds will be used to defray the .
expenses of a delegate to the national
convention of the American' Federa
tiop of Labor at San Francisco, Mr.
Jesse E. Mickel saving been elected to
that responsible position. " Get your
tickets early and then speak to your
friends about It. '
X