WAGE
A Newspaper with a Mission and without a Muzzle that is published in the Interest of Wageworkers Everywhere.
VOL. 1
LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, DECEMBER 2, 1904
IfO. 34
An Open Letter to
Post of Battle Creek
sooooocoooocoocooocoo
A few weeks ago Mrs. C. W.
Pout, of Battle Creek, Mich., se
cured a divorce from C. V. Post,
manufacturer of "postum cereal"
and grape nuts," on the ground
of cruelty. A few days later
S Post married his young and
ft pretty stenographer.
oOSOOOOCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOU
Lincoln, Nebraska, December 3, 1904.
To C. V. Post, Manulacturer of
Grape Nuts and Postum Cereal, Bat
tle Creek, Mich. Dear fe'ir: You will
I am quite sure, pardon mo for ad
dressing this letter to yo'i when you
become acquainted with all the facts
that have led me to turn to you in my
time of trouble. I have long been aa
interested reader cf your advertise
ments, and especially have I been In
terested in the work you have been
doing to free this country from lh?
iiwfuJ domination of these anarchist!?,
i rganizntlons known ns the ' labor
vnions." My soul has been filled with
lejoicincs at your repeated illustrations
of your kindness to and thoughtfulness
lor the hundreds who arc employed in
your factorbs at Battle Creek. I nin
cominced from what I have read froi.i
your pen that, you are a n an who can
ieel for the sorrows of others; that
y ou are a man who will gladly give
time to listening to the woeful tales
of the unfortunate, and that you are
ever ready with advice and money lo
assist the needy.
It is because I have formed this opin
ion of you, after reading what you have
said about yourself and your wort; that
1 turn to you in my time of trouble
I beseech you to help me, Mr. Post,
mid for your. lielp 1 will i ver be deep
1 grateful.
I am not, as you may ha-e concluded
aUer reading thus far, in need of fi
l.E iicinl help. No, indeed. My trouble
!: far deeper ' and greater than the
!cr lack cf money. I have sufficient
tt !-,i'cy for my needs. tlu.nk God, but
Ihere are better things than money
end some of these things I lack. Per-li-ps
the story of my lifs will be thi
U si explanation of my cast.
A number of years ago, no matter
how many.I was a poor glrl.carning my
;wn living. I worked hard to maintain
n.jrlf in respect and to protect my
r.fod . name from the attacks of th-i
scandalmongers and the gossips. While
thus engaged I met a young man. He
was n good worker, but as poor as my
self.' We fell in love, and finally we
were married. We had nothing "but
y love and health to begia our married
' life upon, but we were brave and con
fident. We struggled along as boat we
could. I helped as opportunity ottered
to supply the larder, and I did all that
1 knew how to make a home for my
1 usband. It was hard, bitter hard, tho
struggle, forced upon us, but our mu
tual love lightened tho road and made
plcannt many otherwise dreary days
I hiring all these years I ft It my youtn
iiiul freshness fading bjoause of the
I'artl Htruggle, and more than once 1
feared that my husband's love was
('ying because I no longer offered the
s:nnc attractions as in the old days
when T was a rosy-cheeK? -I and light
hiarted girl. But I totlol on, wear
ing my fingers to the bono to make our
hoiro pleasant for my husband.
Finally there came to ns what
ntcivcd tho last straw that was 'o
I -eak the camel's back. My hubaiid
v.a-? taken ssh k. Our little saving were
won exhausted and starvation stand
tisi in the face. But Hist when things
looked darkest kind friends friends
though r.trangers came to our aid.
AdvonUsts took my husband to their
hospital, and while he was by them
1 .ring nursed back to health he learned
how they made, most of their celebrated
1f.od preparations. When he waj wei!
ho took advantage of his new lound
Knowledge and began manufacturing
some preparations of a limilar nature
but under other names, we struggled
day and night. We schemed and plan
ned,, and success finally rewarded our
jtftorts. Money began pouring in on
18 in a golden flood, and we were soon
able to cease our terrible toil and be
gin taking life easy. I thought then
that the sum of my happiness was com
plete.
Hut alas for human hopes. What
fdiould have been the final seal upop
our love and happiness proved to be
the ruin of our home. My husband
rich, courted, flattered and popular,
tirod of his worn and faded wife, tired
of his palatial home where there pre
sided a woman who could not hold her
own in the matter of beauty and fresh
ness and gaiety with the women who
had never toiled and struggled an I
suffered in tho grip of biting povert.-.
I soon saw that I was the dark spot
in his life. Without me he might hi
rble to cut a great figure in society,
but with me haa was handicapped ar,d
held back. Ho forgot all the sacrificss
I had made to help him t; his envied
situation. He forgot r.iat half the la
bor, half the suffering end most ut
the sacrificing were mine. He selfishly
arrogated to himself credit for all the
success that had come, and looked
upon me as a hindrance instead of a
help. I was in his way to social suc
cess. He was ashamed of my faded
and sunken .cheeks, my toil-hardened
nands, my lack of "taste ' and my in
ability to compare favorably with the
butterflies of society who had begun
to flutter around him.
I tried, O, so hard, to hold him to me,
but I failed. From indifference he ad
vanced to open dislike, and from dis
like to cruelty was a short step. He
deserted me fcr younger and fresher
women. He met me only to taunt me
with my lest youth. From taunts to
open cruelty was only a short step. and
he took.it. And then came the end.
In self-defense I had to take refuge in
the law, and a few weeks ago I secured
c. divorce and a small share of the vast
fortune which I had helped him i'
make. A few days later lie married ;:J
younger and handsomer woman, flaim'
ing her silks and jewels ar.u youth and
freshness in my face.
This, my dear Mr. Post. Is my life
story. Today I am fitting lonely an-."
desolate in the mansion which is nov
to me a prison. All of its gorgeousnes.-:.
all of its glitter of gold and siher, of
cut glass and rich draperies, can not
compensate me for th? loss of my
husband, and I would 'giv'c it ai! for a
return to tho old days of poverty and
heartache and toil if only there came
with it the love of the man to whom
I gave my best years and my heart's
love. '
My sole ambition in life now U, Mr.
Fost, to assist other women that, they
may not suffer as I have suffered. Per
haps you can help mo. I have read
about what a kind employer you are;
bow devotedly you seek to help your
fellows; what a dep interest you take
Hi thewelfare of those less fortunate
than yourself, and therefore I write
you. Will you guarantee me that th-j
habitual use of your "grape nuts-' and
"postum cereal" will cause a husband
to lovo his wife, even though he rise
irom poverty to affluence and his wife
loses the charms that attracted him in !
the days of their youth. Will yon
guarantee me that feeding your uatent
preparations to men will prevent' them
fiom forgetting the toil end sacrifice:-;
of the women, whom, they promised to
love, cherish and protect?
Certainly a man of your well-known
philanthropy will take an interest ii
women who are unfortunate like my
self, and asisst mc in preieiitlns other
women from suffering as 1 am suffer
ing today.
I think you for permitting me lo ad
dress you, and I close with the heart
felt wish that you will join with me iu
an effort to protect my sisters 1'roL"
going through my sad experiences
Yours very truly,
MRS. SARAH CA3TIC LABELEAGUE.
A GREAT SUCCESS.
The Labor League's Social Won Out in
Every Way.
If tne members of the Woman's La
bel League are not proud it is not be
cause of lack of reasons, for they haw.
every reason to be proud of the; im
mense success that attended their box
social last Monday night. Socially
and financially it was by long odds thp
n.ost successful affair ever engineerec
in general labor circles in tnis city,
The-social tock the form of a bo.:
rarty, aud tho number of boxes pro
vided and the amounts realized when
they were auctioned off was au evi
dence of the aroused interest in union
affairs. Many of the boxen were hand
somely decorated, and all cf them wet'!
filled with good things to eat. Mrs.
Wright officiated as auctioneer ar.j
sold the boxes at prices that were ex
tiemely gratifying to those who pre
pared them and to the Lague treas
ury. The League netted about $25 as
a result of the social.
Before the luncheon a short pro
gram was rendered, Mr. Sidney J. Kent
presiding. Mr. Kent briefly outlined
the work of the League, and urged
union men and women to take a more
active interest.-in it. T. C. Kelsey
made a brief and earnest talk along
union lines, ond W. M. Manpin read a
couple of verses of his own manufac
ture. Little Misses S'wanson and
Classman favored the audience, the
o no with a piano solo, the other with
a song. Little Miss recited a
touching poem about a little millwork
er. Mr. fc.:heirmyer made an inter
esting talk and read a song h) bad
written for the Label League. ?Jisses
and rendered
a piano duet and were loudly encored.
Following the sale of the boxes and
the eating of the contents, dangim;
was indulged in until midnight. From
every viewpoint the affair was a 'huso
success and reflected greai credit upon
tho enterprising women who had it
in charge.
A MASQUE PARTY.
Capital Auxiliary Preparing for Another
Of Its Popular Socials.
Next Monday evening Capital Aux
iliary No. 11 will give its regular
monthly social for the printers of the
city and their wives and sweethearts.
The social will be held at Central La
bor Union hall and will take the form
of a masquerade. All eligible to ad
mission are earnestly requested to ap
pear in costume, but printers and their
uives and sweethearts wdll not be com
pelled to abide by the request. Those
who do not care to masque will be ex
cused on the payment of a small fin?.
The Auxiliary is maturing plans to
make this December social a greater
success than any cf the series, and
judging by the past they will succeed.
Gcod music will be provided and re
freshments will be served. Every
primer in town who can possibly do
si should make, it a point to attend..
HERE'S A SUGGESTION.
How the Allied Prniting Trades Might
Act On This.
The Wageworker offers a sugges
tion to the Typographical Union .the
Slereotj pers Union; the -ISookbinderV
Union and the Pressmen's Union, and
v. ether trades organizt-ions in the
city. If followed Hp it may have a
good effect.
The state printing boar 1 is made nr.
of the state officers, aa-1 this toarl
passes upon all contracts for state
printing. Tho real work of the board
It Means Ttouble, To be Sate!
The Citizens' Industrial association
held its annual convention in New
York fity this week. For the fcenerit
oi" the uninitiated we stjp.the press
to say that the "Citizens' Industrial as
sociation" is the high-sounding title
adopted by Parry and his trang of union
busters for their anti-union organiza
tion. Of course David M Parry made
the principal speech of tho convention,
and told the usual superneated almoa
phere story about what his organizp.
iion was doing to relieve the country "f
the terrible plague of "labor union
domination." He sprang the usual talk
about "individual liberty," and made
the usual tearful plea for the "inde
pendent workingman" Meaning the
"scab" who is willing to work for any
old wages. Ho also tailed loud and
long about the "open shop," but ad
vanced nothing new in tho way cf ar
gument. But The Wageworker is not going io
waste time on .Parry. It wjints to call
attention . to the speech of another
"union buster," Mr. Francis C. Nitnen
macher, whos-e subject woe "Tho Lib
er ty of the Press." Among other
tl ings he said:
"By inauguratine a stiike for an
eight hour day on January 1, 190iv th;;
Typographical Union would paralyze
the entire printing industry from one
end of the country to the other, for
they are now engaged in organizing al!
the smaller cities as rapidly as it can
be done so there will be no non-union
printers to take their pistes in th
larger cities.-- It is iip to, ; ou to mak-i
it sure that the union will not triumph
ii this matter Th United Typotheta J
to a man, will fight it to the end. buc
unaided by their customers it. will cost
some ' of them their fortunes. Let
the union get the eight hour day and
ou know what will hayi'ien in other
lines of industry."
Of course it is very wrong in fact
diabolical for the Typographies'!
Union to organize the country printers--and
thus put a chuck uncer the wheels
of the union busters who want to kill
oC the Typographical Union by bring
ing in country printers to take tin
places of union men. We hope the
members of the Typographical Union
devolves upon a secretary .vho receives
! salary cf $1,000 a year. The woil
of the secretary is not so heavy that it
requires all of hi-3 time. The salary
paid is sufficient for the work required.
Now by all means the secretary should
be a union printer who id qualified to
estimate work, judge quality of pa
per and cloth, distinguish between good
and inferior press work, and otherwise
protect not only the interests of the
taxpayers but stand between fair em
ployers and those who employ cheap
and .inferior labor of incompent work
men or children. Certainly it needs
no argument to convince thinking men
that the better the wages the better
it .is for all concerned clear down tho
line.
The big offices of Omaha and Lincoln
pay good wages, but they are forced
to compete with York and Fremont es
tablishments that employ cheap help,
most of it being boy apprentices and
girls. Union men owe ;t to fair em
ployers to protect them, and one way
tc. do it is to use the in"uence of the
trades unions to throw all work pos
sible to the fair offices. The Wage
worker suggests that the Allied Print
ing Trades council and other union?
send a committee to the state printing
board and urge the appointment of a
capable ; union printer to the office of
secretary of the board. l Now is .the
time to do it.
FIDO'S UNTIMELY DEMISE. 1
Master Kenneth Marshall, the seven-year-old
son of Mr. and Mrs. J. E.
Marshall, of 1523 North Twenty-sixth
street, had his first introduction t)
real grief the first of this week. Some
two months ago Kenneth came in pos
session of a young dog, to which he
bed become greatly at'aclied, and
which was his almost constant com
panion. Kenneth and the aforesaid
canine joined Mr. and Airs. Marshall
it; a walk in the northeasn part of the
city Sunday afternoon, during which
the dog got on the street car traeu
ahead of one of the traction company's
l&rge cars, and not being familiar with
the speed of these cars under the new
schedule, was overtaken, with fatal re
sults. to the dog. The. bo, v. was over
come with grief at the sad ending of
his pet, and the htad of the Marshal!
warmly is diligently searcning for some
kind, of a canine that will to some ex
tent, take the place of "Fido" in Ken-;
reth's affections.
will see the error or their ways and dis
continue this cruel wrong. But we
w ant f o call especial att-mt ion tc tho
last sentence quoted above; Here it
is again, this time in capital letters:
"LET THE UNION (pi inters) GKT
THE EIGHT HOUR DAY AND YOU
KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN
0THEH LINES' OF INDUSTRY..'
That's the milk in ,.he cocoanu;
AVhile posing as the friend of the "freo
and independent workim.'men," yclept
the "scab," this union busting outfit is
actuated by something else the desire
to prevent labor from improving its
condition. You see, if the printers
manage to secure the eight-hour day.
other common mechanics would begin
asking for it, too. Why, een the hod
carriers, or the teamsters, or the fire
men would insist upon it, the sassy,
greasy, dirty things: And it tnese
common mecnanics got fn eight-hour
working day they would have just that
much more lime to read and study and
think, and that would be awfully dan
gerous, don't you know.
Of course we know what will hap
pen in other lines of industry if the
printers succeed in establishing the
eight-hour day. Why, eve.-y other me
chanic in the country will ask for it.
r.r.d how are they to be bept in ignor
ance if they are not kept at work
irom the time they get up in the morn
ing until they drag their weary bodies
to bed at nightfall. ThoMdea of a
commod laboring ?nar. asking to have
working hours reduced so lie. can have
jv.st that much mere tin?o to agitato
and educate! It's . ?ust ;oo ridiculous
i'cr anything. These dirty mechanics
must learn to know their places, and
keep them. We can hardl discuss with
patience the insolent demands of these
fellows whose mission oi earth is to
obey the commands of the men se
lected by God Almighty to administer
the affairs of this world. They ac
tually seem to be falling into the no
tion that they have a right to say
something about the disposition of
their own time. Clearly we who have
ben delegated to act for the Almighty
must take steps to compel these in
solent mechanics to remember their
place.
Rev. Mr. Marshall
Explains Himself
The Wageworker owes Kev. John 1..
Marshal, Jr., an apology, it nas, how
over unintentionally, dono him an in
justice, for which it is truly sorry, and
for which it craves his pardou.
Taking for its text a quotation at
tributed by the Daily Star to Rev. Mr.
Marshall, The Wageworker said a fesv
things about the reverend gentleman
which would noi have been said had
this newspaper been aware of the facts.
Rev. Mr. Marshall accepted our invita
tion and came to The Wageworker of
fice to talk it over.
We trust that Rev. Mr. Marshall will
all again. Right here it may be said
.r. order' to avoid r.ny mtsuncerstand
mg, that we can not agree with the
leverend tertleman on many things
particularly on the question of labor
..nions and interpretation of the scrip
tures. Wo are frank enough to tell
Mm that we believe him to be narrow
.n many things. But of bis sincerity,
;iis honesty of purpose, his desire to
lo good and his willingness to sacrifice
.'or the good of others, we have not th i
slightest doubt. We confess that we
took a liking to the Rev. Mr. Mar
shall, notwithstanding his peculiar at
titude towards the unions. He was so
delightfully frank in . expressing his
belief that there are too many minis
ters who are cowards, so many church
es that, teach everything but the lovo
of God. and so many-professed Chris
tians who utterly failed to live up to
their professions in other words, lie
was so delightfully frank in admitting
ihat the church is not living up to its
opportunities and its claims thai we
acttoned to him, so to sp-?ak, notwith
standing the wide difference- between
is on fne labor union question.
Rev. Mr." Marshall bases his opposi
tion to labor unions on what seem to
him to be scriptural grounds. He i?
amply able to defend his position, too
But he opposes, them because Chris
tians and non-Chris Uans arc yoked to
gether therein contrary to the words
of the Master, who told I'is followers
not to become yoked i:p with unbe
lievers. But with the chief objects .and
aims o -the :ner. who aro banded to
gether in labor unions ha is in sym
pathy, and as ap. outside? he will help
them; he can not, howeier, consci
entiously .ioiii with them in a society.
Of course this will seem narrow to
r.ict of us, tut' Rev. Mr. Marshall is
I cnest and sincere in hi;i belief. And
most of us wcul l rather meet up with
a narrow-minded man who s honest
in his beliefs than to meet up with a
man so fearfully broadminded that
he had no convictions at all. .
. Rev... Mr. Marshall .say he. was mis
quoted in the Daily Star, and asked
The Wageworker to print the following
which appeared in the Star cV Novem
ber 23 in explanation of bis position
We gladly, giye space to the article, and
assure Kev. Mr. .Marshall that we re
spect his .Views, and apologise to him
for bavins; misunderstood his nosition .
fj.it. we do wish he would learn jnore
about labor anions beforo taking sucu
a decided stand in tpposiuon to Chris
tians becoming members. We opine
that - a - little more of she leaven of
genuine Christianity woiiKl help the
labor unions. . We are absolutely sure
it would bo an almighty .trood thing to
iiiject into most of our churches:
Tc The Star. In the it-port of the
meeting of the Ministerial association
as given in The Star of hist Monday,
my remarks concerning labor unions
were misquoted. Kindly permit me io
make the correction by stating m;- con
victions on the subject.
1 believe that Christian laboring men
slould not b united witi non-Christian
laboring men in unions. It is
equally true, of course, that Christian
employers should not be federated with
r.on-Christian employers. The declara
tion of God's Word which is binding
upon every Christian is, "Be not un
eciually yoked with unbeliever:!, for
what fellowship have r ighteousnesa
e.nd iniquity? Or what communion
hath light with darkness' And what
concord hath Christ with Belial? Or
what portion hath a believer with an
unbeliever? (2 Corinthians, 6:14-15
R. V.)
Men who are true Christians are no-:
actuated by the same motives that
prompt men who are not Christians. A
consecrated Christian man desires to
glorify Jesus in every thought, word,
and action. When Christians and non,
Christians are associated together iri
brotherhoods, it is manifest that thpso
who are not Christians sometimes der
mand that the Christian members, put
sue a course tnat 13 mctonaistenc with
the teaching of Christ. The princip;
not only applies to labor unions, but to
all the other relations of i.ien, whethe
commercial, political, soc al, or matri
ironial. There is a great difference between
opposing the labor unions as conducted
and opposing the interests of the labor
ing men. Labor ue ions often demand
nothing more than the men an en
titled to just wages and . teimn, but
frequently their methods - and their
spirit are un-Christian. '
I believe that the Christian employe:
should furnish employment to the man
who needs work the more, whether he
is a union man or a non-union man.
The minister of Christ who is not n
sympathy with the laboring man is
r;ot in harmony wuh his Master; Tin;
burden of Proof is on him to show that
he is a minister of Christ at all, Jesus
of Nazareth was a carpenter., Ha was
the friend cf those who toil. He is tho
friend of those who toil today.
It is not to tie wondered al, that non
Christian laborins men band them
selves together in unions for, their own
defense, for in many places the heel
of the oppressor is upon tnem. It is
not surprising that they res;ort to un
christian methods for they do not
knoW- the better way. Bt,t Christian
laboring men should know the better
way. ' ,''-.' ' '
If prayer end Christian persnasion
do not bring employers to agree to
just terms, let the Christian employes
leave the results with the Judge cf
the Universe, rather than resort to the
un-Christian methods of unsaved la
boring men. The God who sent tho
lavens to feed Elijah will not let his
most insignificant child starve, if he
obeys arid trusts Him. ' Though that
kind of sentiment is foolishness to the
unbeliever, it is true , wisdom to tin;
man who knows God and believes hii
Bible. This promise of Jesus is still
Worth its face value: . -"But seek ye
fiist his kingdom, and hi3 righteous
nes; and all thes-3 things shall be added
rnto you." : (Matthew, 6:3.' ' ?
I wish to recommend to every labor
ing man, and to every man, that h
study the Bible and learn God's view
of the problem of labor t-.nd capital.
There arc many passage- on the sub
ject, but I will simply quote this one:
"Go, to "now, ye rich, weep and howl
for your miseries that ara coming upon
you. Your richef are corruptii, and
your garments -are rr.oth -eaten. Your
geld and your silver are rusted: and
their' rust shall be for a testimony
against you, and shall eat your flesh
as fire. Ye have laid up your treasure
ii'. the last days. Behold, the hire of
the laborers who mowed -your fields,
which is of you kept back by fraud,
crieth out; and the cries of them that
reaped have enterad into, the ears of
the Lord of Sabaoth. Ye have lived
delicately on the earth, and taken your
pleasurj; ye have nourished, your
hearts in a day of slaughter." . (James
5:1-5.) ' ; ,.- - '
I wish to be a true friend to every ,
man who earns his bread by the sweat
of his. brow. True friendship, how
ever, does not encourage a man in
wrong-doing, hut makes an. earnest ef
fort to enable him to do right. Tours
ii. the name of Jesus.
JOHN L. MARSHALL, Jr.
THE UNION LABEL
A Powerful Weapon for the Advancement
Of Labor I nterests
With every accession to the member
ship of the trade unions the potential
value of the union label iE increased.
Its real value, however, depends upon
t he support given it by the unionists
and their friends and sympathizers. Or
ganized labor must demand union
made goods and the services of union
men. The union label and the union
card must stand steadfastly and con
sistently for honesty and against
scamping and aduleration. A campaign
of education is needed as to the mean
ing and purpose of the label, and the
desirability and necessity of discrimi
nation by union men in favor of unioi.-
ruade goods. Then, and tot until the;1..
will the union label become indeed "or
ganized labor's mcst powerful wea
pon" a weapon which cum both ways,
benefiting the union man in his dual
capacity as a consumer aid a producer.
P. T. Colton in the Federationist.
The reason a girl doesn't scream
when a man is kissing her against
her will is she is afraid some one will
hear. ' : '
