THE WAGE WORK
ER'
A Newspaper with a Mission and without a Muzzle that is published in the Interest of Wageworkers Everywhere. f
VOL. 1 LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, MARCH 17, 1905 . ' . .'-HO. 49
1
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If the. legislature refrains from bungling and butting in, and
the Lancaster delegation doesn't ' utterly ignore the wishes of the
citizens, Lincoln will have an election, next month. In addition to
electing one councilman from each ward the voters will elect one
mayor, two excisemen, a city clerk, city treasurer, cemetery trustee
and two members of the school board. Owing to circumstances the
republicans took up the question of license shall it be $1,000 or
Sl,f)00 and made that an issue. The democrats attempted to ignore
the question, and nominated an excise ticket without exacting a
pledge or knowing where the candidates stood. Later the demo
cratic city convention decided to leave the license fee question to a
referendum. -
In order to dispose of that phase of the question now and for all
time The Wageworker asserts that the size of the license fee is of
no moment to it ; that be it $1,000 a year or $10,000 a year the only
urgument in favor of an increase in the present amount is the argu
ment of selfishness and hypocritical greed, and that the editor of this
humble little newspaper considers it an insult to his intelligence to
have men appeal to him for a $1,500 license fee because it means
more revenue.
The question at issue in this campaign is good government
strict enforcement of the excise laws and rules, clean streets, regu
lation of municipal franchised corporations, and a better and bigger
Lincoln.
The iWagevvorker maintains that an honest mayor and excise
board, backed by an honest and efficient police force and having the
sentiment of the people behind them, can regulate the saloons just
cvs well under a $1,000 license as under a $1,500 license. It is not a
question of dollars it is a question of willingness to enforce the
iaw. And The Wageworker stands for the strict enforcement of the
?locum high license law.
The Wageworker believes that the two candidates for mayor.
Mr. llrown and Mr. Hutton, are both in favor of strict enforcement
of the excise laws, and that Messrs. Harpham, Powell, Thompson
and Pegler, candidates for the excise board are in favor of strict
enforcement of the law. That there may be some difference of opin
ion on the amount of license fee may be true, but this paper does not
care a fig about that. As these candidates take practically the same
ground as to the enforcement of the law, other things must be con
sidered by this newspaper, other things must be advanced as argu
ment why any particular candidate is supported, and other things
must be put forward as reasons why any particular candidate is
AnAppeal That -
Should be Heeded
The Wageworker has been asked to give space to the following
appeal from the United Cloth Hat and Cap Makers of North Amer
ica, and the request is granted with pleasure. It is an appeal that
should touch every union man in the country:
"Washington, D. C, Feb. 18, l!)0o. Editor Wragevvorkcr : Dear
Sir and Brother: Eighteen hundred cloth hat and cap makers, mem
bers of the United Cloth Hat and Cap Makers of North America,
have been on strike for three months. We have had union shop
agreements with our employers for several years, the result of our
organized effort. In these struggles we have expended thousands
upon thousands of dollars.
"The combination of the manufacturers in and about New York
City have sought the destruction of our unions, and declared for the
so-called "open shop." It is against this effort our members have
been contending for the past three months. Not only the Manufac
turers' association, but the elements, the severe winter, has been
against us. The spirit of our members is undaunted. Out of the
eighteen hundred who originally went on strike, scarcely a dozen
have deserted the ranks in all that time.
"Besides the eighteen hundred people on strike, there are nearly
five thousand their wives and
sustenance. Victory is nearly at
bers ask is that they may be given
lives of themselves and their little ones may be sustained during the
contest, and victory will be the result.
"When this contest, having been waged, results in success, it
will not only redound to the advantage and credit of the striking
cloth hat and cap makers, but to the entire labor movement the
working people the country over.
"Irr behalf of the strikers who are making this splendid contest
for justice, for right, and for principle, our organization appeals to
an trade unions and trade unionists
cial assistance as generously and as
"Hoping that this appeal will
yours, M.
United Cloth Hat and
Send all contributions to M.
jew l ork, N. l .
Charley Simmons is the democratic
candidate for city clerk.
Typographical Union No. 209 mceU
first Sunday in the month.
Work in the printing trade was nev
er better In Lincoln than at the pres
ent time.
.1. M. Jessup, having retired from ac
tive work as a printer, has gone on
' the honorary list.
W. B.Parrlsh has taken out his
w H traveling card and hiked Uack to Iowa
for a short spell.
A. J. Schreiber has taken out a trav
eling card and gone elsewhere for a
change of scene and work.
Jack Sigourney and VV. C. Norton,
.'f the Western Newspaper Union, are
alternating on the night shift of the
Dally Nebraskan.
Philadelphia union is !;cep:ng up Uie
fight on the Inquirer, and the Labor
I'nlon News of that city gives the fig
children dependent upon them for
hand. All our heroic striking mem
bread, merely bread, so that the
and friends, to come to our nan
promptly as possible.
not be in vain, we are, fraternally
.UtKtKMAN, Secretary,'"
Cap Makers of North American
Zuckerman, "2 East Fourth street,
ures each week to show that the In-
quirer is fighting a losing battle.
Win. Parrott of Omaha has been ad
mitted to the home, and the applica
tion of Charles W. Hill has been ap
proved by the Omaha union.
Wilson, a member of Columbia union,
Washington. D. C, for admittance to
the home at Colorado Springs, has been
approved by the board of trustees. Mrs.
Wilson is the first woman memter or
the union to make application for ad
mission, although no discrimination on
account of sex i3 made.
When you hear the date of the
' smoker" bear it in mind end be there
on time, prepared to fill the air with
the blue smoke of good union cigars.
Tho Omaha union cleared nearly J200
on Us minstrel show. The Omaha ma
chinists took 200 tickets in a bunch.
The application of Mrs. Neliie V.
Up to date the printers' crusade
against the George W. Childs and
Henry George brands of 'scab" cigars
has been productive of gratifying re
sults. One cigar firm in the city can-
recommended to the vvorkingmen of this city.
How do these men stand towards organized labor, and what are
they doing for men who toil ? '
All other things being equal, it behooves the union men of this
city to lay aside their partisanship and wade in to help those candi
dates who are most friendly to organized labor.
Frank W. Brown, democratic candidate for mayor, is one of the
largest employers of labor in the city. He is owner of the F W.
Brown Lumber company and manager of the Lincoln Sash and
Door Mills, and all told he has in the neighborhood of one hundred
men working for him. The millmen are all union men. In order to
secure work as a carpenter in the Lincoln Sash and Door Mills a
man must belong to the Carpenter's Union. The non-union man ap
plying for work is put on if there is work for him, but told that he
has three days in which to make up his mind whether he will go into
the union or remain out. If at the end of the third day he has not
decided to become a union man and stand with his fellow employes,
his name is removed from the pay roll. In the lumber and mill
yards a number of teamsters are empk3rer, and' they are all union
men. From top to bottom, the Frank W. Brown business enter
prises are strictly union, and Mr. Brown is known as a fair employer,
recognizing the unions and showing a disposition to be fair and
square with his employes.
Frank W. Brown refused to become a member of the Manufac
turers' association, which association had as one of its objects the
establishment of the open shop. 4
The Wageworker, non-partisan and actuated only by union mo
tives, will support Mr. Brown during this campaign.
J. C. Harpham, of the firm of Harpham Bros., manufacturers of
horse goods, and republican candidate for exciseman, is another large
employer of labor. The Harpham factory is a closed shop, every
leatherworker being a union man. the Leatherworkers' Union is
recognized and a contract signed. Mr. Harpham is a fair employer,
recognizes the unions, believes that wages earners have not only the
right but owe it to themselves to organize, and has the respect of
every union man in his employ.
The Wageworker, non-partisan and'actuated only by union mo
tives, will support Mr. Harpham during? this campaign.
Charles A. Simmons, democratic candidate for city clerk, will
receive the earnest support of The Wageworker, first, because heis
honest, capable and deserving; and, second, but not lastly, because
he is a union man from the ground up. Charlie Simmons is a mem
ber of Lincoln Typographical Union No. 209, active in the work of
celled an order for 2,500 of the George
brand, another" cauceliett ail order for
1.500 of each, and another firm that Is
just starting in business cancelled an
order up in the thousands and notified
the printers that It would not handle
the goods under any consideration.
CAPITAL AUXILIARY.
The Auxiliary met this week with
Mrs. Wells Compton, 1315 T street.
Mrs. J. E. Mickel and two children,
Harold and Helen, have gone to Ar
kansas for a visit of two or three
weeks.
Our next social will be held some
time in April and we hope to have a
large attendance as these socials are
always novel and entertaining.
Our president, Mrs. Smith, has moved
from the Weber block to 2048 J street.
Mrs. Chas. B. Rlghter, who has been
quite sick for some time is able to be
out again.
Mrs. C. E. Brown is still sick and
will probably not be out for some time.
Mrs. Joe Hatch, a former member
of the Auxiliary, is visiting in the city
with relatives and friends.
The women of the Auxiliary are very
anxious to find out where they can buy
union made brooms. When some mer
chant is wise enough, to lay In a sup
ply of these brooms anod inform the
union people of the fact through the
columns of The Wageworker he will
find that they will be disposed of in a
very short time.
BUILDING LABORERS' SOCIAL.
Will Entertain Their Friends and Give
Them a Royal Good Time.
Next Thursday evening the Hod Car
riers and Building Laborers local will
have a social at the hali at 1034 O
They Always
"The
The 'Wageworker roasted the senate committee on printing for
recommending the label bill without giving the allied printing trades
an opportunity to explain the merits of the bill. And The Wage
worker received four letters from as many members of the iommit
tee complaining that this paper has done them an injustice for the
reason that the committee did not
notes with pride that it is thus carefully read by the members of the
legislature, albeit sorry that it did do the printing committee an
injustice. The Wageworker has apologized to the committee, and
takes this occasion to say that if the members of the committee will
read this newspaper regularly, and digest what they read, they will
learn a whole lot they may not now know. The lieutenant governor,
who referred a printing bill to the committee on public lands and
buildings, is "evidently in a position to learn from almost ny old
kind of a newspaper. The amount of knowledge that he could ab
sorb from lhe Wageworker is
street, and preparations are being
made5,ur a rousing good lime. A pro
gram calculated to interest all work
ingmen and their wives is being pre
pared, and in addition there will ' be
good music and singing and a general
social time. i
This local has been doing splendid
work in the line of unionism for sev
eral months past and has enjoyed a
gratifying growth both in members and
influence. It is to be hoped that there
will be a good attendance, and all who
come will have a royal good time.
THE ROYAL IN LINE.
Hotel Now Displays a Union Card on the
Back Bar Mirror.
The Royal hotel bar now sports a
union card. It happened in this wise:
A member of the focal Bartenders'
Union had business with Manager Mun-
son the other day, and after the busi
ness was transacted, asked:
"Look here, Levi; why don't you
square your bar?"
"Isn't the bar square?" asked Mr.
Munson.
"Well, you haven't a card, and your
bartender is not a member of the
union."
"Well, I'll have a card and a union
bartender," said Mr. Munson.
And so it came to pass. The bar
tender, who had lapsed for non-pay
ment of dues, squared himself and got
a new card, the union card was hung
in the center of the back bar mirror,
and the Royal was "squared" without
any friction. It was just as easy as
anything could be, and the manager
and the union feel equally good.
WANT BETTER TRANSFERS.
Omaha and Lincoln Workers Want Bet
ter Treatment from Street Railways.
The house committee on municipal
corporations met at the Lindell hotel
Read
Wage woke. f f
have the bill. The Wageworker
remarkably large. 1
the union, and is the only ''card man" in the whole bunch nominated
for city office. A vote for Simmons is a vote for one of our own kind
of people. ' ,
So far, the candidates named above are the only ones to whom
The Wageworker can give its support. It supports them for the
reasons given-reasons believed by the editor to be sufficient, Any
other candidate, no matter what his politics, who can show equally
good reasons will have the hearty support of The Wageworker.
The iWageworker is now preparing letters to each of the coun
cilmanic candidates, and those who give satisfactory answers to the
questions propounded therein will be recommended to the union
voters of-the city.
The questions at issue in this campaign are immeasurably above
the sordid question of amount of license fee. The Wageworker
stands upon the following platform, constructed by itself : '
Strict enforcement of the excise laws, rules and regulations,
without fear or favor.
Segregation of the social evil and its restriction to the narrowest
possible limits, and the possession of a government liquor license to
be prime facie evidence of the sale of intoxicating liquors on the
premises where said government liquor license is displayed.
An ordinance compelling the Lincoln Traction company, or any
other street railway company that may hereafter begin business, to
sell six fares for a quarter, the tickets to be sold by all conductors.
Drug stores doing a saloon business shall be required to take out
a saloon license, the mixing of intoxicants into alleged soda water
fountain drinks to be considered a regular saloon business. ' f.
Preference given to union labor in all departments of the city '
government, and the Allied Printing Trades Union label on all city
printing.
The rapid extension of the water, sewer and gas service.
No franchises to be granted without being referred to the voters
of the city, and in no event shall a franchise be granted that does not
contemplate remuneration to the city..
Clean streets, and the beginning of a park system that will in
time provide Lincoln with suitable parks and playgrounds.
The city streets belong to the people, and the city council shall
not, under any circumstances, give the same away to any corporation :
or private individuals, but shall refer the matter to a referendum vote
of all the legal voters of the city.
Candidates for the offices having to do with any or all of these
things- must stand for the principles outlined above, or they can not
receive the humble support of this union newspaper. .
The Label League Is
The Woman's Union Label League met in regular session last ,
Monday evening, with more than the usual number of members pres
ent and an increased interest manifest in the work of the league.
Five new members were initiated.
The committee appointed to
the purpose of arousing interest in
The Teamsters and the Carpenters
reported cordial greetings from
prospect for more earnest and
other committee was appointed to visit other unions this week, and 't
this will be repeated until every union in the city has been visited.
By unanimous vote it was decided to have an open session on
March 27 at C. L. U. hall. Everybody is-invited to attend, and an
evening of rare pleasure is promised. A committee was appoitned to
look after all arrangements. Ihere
and light refreshments will be served.
Mr. Schiermeyer submitted a
unanimously recommended to the international for adoption. The
application sets forth the objects and aims of the league and is pre
pared in such form as to make it possible to keep it on file withbut
trouble. ' 1 '
The secretary. was instructed to write 'the managers of the
Deshler broom factory and urge them to unionize their factory,
promising them the patronage of the union women of Lincoln. .
Several of the members recounted amusing experiences in their
efforts to find union made goods, and some experiences much more
annoying than amusing were related. The league adjourned and the
members spent a half-hour informally, visiting, talking up plans to
make the social a success and preparing for a more thorough label
campaign.. ,
Thursday night and had an unusually
large number of visitors. Among them
were a lot of laboring men who wanted
to boost the bill compelling street
railway companies to give better trans
fer facilities. In both Omaha and
Lincoln workingmen and others are
compelled to pay two fares to and
from work, owing to the limitations
placed on the transfer privileges. The
committee was shown wherein this
was a hardship and a lot of argument
presented to show why this was not
just.
The committee listened courteously
to the supporters of the bill, but gave
no intimation of what it would do.
Other bills supported by organized la
bor have been ruthlessly slaughtered.
CENTRAL LABOR UNION.
Secures Attendance from Another Union
and Transacts Important Business.
In the absence of President Kelsey
and Vice President Mickel last Tuesday
evening, the meeting of the Central
Labor Union was presided over by
Chairman Caster of tae executive com
mittee. The Lathers' Union sent in Us
delegates and they were enthusiastical
ly greeted and then obligated. The
Bartenders also presented a new dele
gate. It was decided to take especial
pains to enthuse a number of we&k
and dilatory unions and secure dele
Boosting the Label
visit the various local unions for,,
the work of the league reported.
were visited, and the committee
each of the unions and a bright ,
cordial support in the future. An
will be no charge for admission
new application card and it was
gates. This work will be pushed this
spring, and it is hoped that inside of
the next sixty days every local union
in the city will be regularly represent
ed by delegate at the Central Labor
Union's meetings. ,
The labor temple committee , is not
idle, but as yet nothing has been done
calling for a report. The individual
members of the commli.iee have been
talking the matter up and say that the
idea i3 popular. There is every evidence
that the union men of the city will
take an active interest just as soon a3
p. good working plan 4s proposed.
WANT THE WORK.
Local Electrical Workers Want Work on
Municipal Lighting Pla-tt. '
The Electrical Workers' Union wants
an agreement with the construction
company that is to wire the city for
the municipal lighting plaint. Con
ferences to that end are" under way,
and the union men believe they stand
more than a fair show of winning out.
This job means several months' work,
and the local union men deserve it be
cause they are citizens of Lincoln, and
many of them are taxpayers.
' ,The Coopejrs' International Union
has just engineered an agreement for
an 'increase in wages and a reduction
of the hours of work. s ,
1
