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About The Wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-???? | View Entire Issue (March 17, 1905)
delegates to the Ministerial Union of that city. The Ministerial Union has decided to send fraternal delegates to the Central Labor Union. The Wageworker commends the idea. It will do the unions and the churches a whole lot of good to become better acquainted. WILL M. MAUPIN, EDITOR AND PUBLISHER HAVE YOU When you have the label on what you wear, you have a moral right to talk unionism. If you wear "scab" clothing and "scab" Published Weekly. One Dollar Year. Advertising Rates on Application shoes it s up to you to keep almighty still about your unionism. THE WAGEWORKER Entered as second-class matter Ap ril 21, 1904, at the postoSice at Lin coln, Neb, under the Act of Congress. WHAT SHALL WE DO ABOUT IT? The city campaign presents something more, and immeasurably above, than petty partisan politics, especially to the laboring men of this city. .Ihe question, what political party snail control the city s affairs," is one that should not appeal to any honest taxpayer, least of all the honest union man. The campaign should be on a higher plane, and so far as union men arc concerned the question of politics should cut absolutely no figure. The question, "What shall we do about it?" is up to every work ingman to answer, and the answer should be made from the stand point of labor's welfare, utterly regardless of the appeals of selfish politicians and wholly apart from partisan prejudice. Ihe working men men who toil at trades or at manual labor constitute a ma jority, probably; the balance of .power, surely; and with them lies the making or the unmaking of the candidates. The candidates who receives the united support of the wage earning classes will be elected. It is up to us, then, as worklngmen, and especially, as union men to be careful, to vote in our own interests, and to lay aside all par tisan prejudices. It is up to us to get into the campaign and work for the election of men who are either fair employers of labor or them selves union men. In a campaign like this all politicians should look alike. It is possible for union men to secure a city administration that will be friendly to organized labor by unitedly supporting men, regardless of their politics, or to divide on partisan lines and secure an administration of the politicians, by the politicians and tor the politicians. The I welfare of Lincoln and the welfare of labor should be put above the welfare of party m this campaign, and union men should get together in support of its friends. The man who is friendly to unions is deserving of support regardless of his politics; the man who is opposed to union labor should be opposed, regardless of his politics. The workingman owes vastly more to his family and to his union than he does to a party machine. Are we now going to divide on partisan lines, or are we going to get together on union lines? Are we going to pull partisan chest nuts from the fire for the delectation of political manipulators, or are we going to roast a few chestnuts for ourselves ? These are questions we should ask ourselves as union men, and then answer as honest union men not as partisans. The editor of The Wageworker has no desire to conceal anything, so he frankly admits that he is a democrat, but he is a citizen of Lincoln first, a union man second, and a democrat third. All things else being equal he would give his personal support to democratic candidates, but The Wageworker would not, under any consideration, support a democrat as such or oppose a republican as such. Politics cuts absolutely no figure in this campaign so far as this union labor news paper is concerned. Ihe democrat who secures this newspapers support must show some other cause than his politics. The republi can who secures this newspaper's support secures it because he is known to be friendly to organized labor, and his politics has neither weight nor influence. This, we believe, should be the position of every earnest, honest, intelligent union man! in the city, but The Wageworker does not pretend 4"sreik for anyone save its editor. It seeks to advance the Interests of unionism, and that is its sole and only' mission, its belief behig that the advancement of the cause of unionism means the ad vancement of all that is good in American citizenship. The Wageworker urges the union men of the city to lay aside partisanship, t'-j refuse to be misled by specious appeals to party loyalty, to ignore appeals to their selfishness, and to stand for the advancement of the cause of unionism because that means the ad vancement of Lincoln's material prosperity. By next week The iWaeeworker expects to have a ticket at the head of its editorial col umns, and union men may rest assured that the names appearing thereon will be the names of men who are friendly to organized labor and not the names of mere politicians seeking office for the sake of the office. WHAT, HAVE WE RECEIVED? What has union labor received from the present legislature that the legislature should be remembered with gratitude? Just what the little boy shot at. Only that and nothing more. What did the little boy shoot at ? O, nothing. Union labor asked the legislature for a convict brand law. The legislature refused to consider it. Union labor asked for a law that would make the Allied Print ing Trades label the standard of excellence for all state printing. The legislature refused to consider it. Has anybody received anything from the legisalture? (What a foolish question, to be sure. 'Ask the railroads, which have asked for many favors, both of omission and commission. Ask other corporations. Has the legis lature refused to pass any law the corporations wanted? Has the legislature passed any laws the corporations opposed? Nary a one. .. . Strange? Not at all. The corporations are not partisan they stand by their friends. Union labor is partisan, and votes for its party candidates regardless of what the candidates may or may not do. The politicians know this, and that is the reason organized labor gets it in the neck after election. Is it not about time for union men to do a little free and inde pendent thinking? ; HERE'S A UNION CANDIDATE. We take especial pleasure in recommending to the union men of Lincoln the "square man" and democratic candidate for city clerk, Mr. Charles A. Simmons. We know Simmons. We've met him in the union's halls; we've met him on the;streets, and we've met him in a business way. And everywhere and all the time Charley Sim mons is an out-and-out union man. He carries a working card from Lincoln Typographical Union No. 209, and it is always paid up. He not only talks unionism, but he practices it. Mr. Simmons is an able young man and amply qualified to dis charge the duties of city clerk or any other office in the city. He is honest, energetic, progressive and in favor of a bigger and better Lincoln. It should be a pleasure to every union man in Lincoln to cast a vote for Charles A. Simmons, union man, good fellow and de serving citizen. The Wageworker warrants that Simmons will "make good" if elected. More than lfi.OOO children work for the tobacco trust at an aver age wage of less than 34 cents a day. If you can not find union made tobacco and cigars, in the name of sincere unionism quit chewing and smoking. All things else being equal, you confer a great favor on The Wageworker by patronizing its advertisers and telling the advertiser why you do so. The Omaha Central Labor Union has decided to send fraternal When organized labor sets about bettering the conditions of those who toil, it works in the open. When the opposition to these things gets to work, it always works secretly and under cover. The union man with a suit of non-union clothes on his back should have the good grace to keep his mouth shut when union wear ers of union made clothing are talking about unionism. General Sherman Bell went down to Washington and swelled around in his uniform. At swelling up and attacking defenseless men and women, Sherman Bell is a "peach." There are not less than 1,500 union labor votes in Lincoln. This vote holds the balance of power. Why not wield it once just this once in the interests of union labor? The trouble with the New York subway employes was that they struck first and thought afterwards. Post-morten thinking is the bane of unionism' If publicity will kill the trusts, why will it not kill the Parryite organizations? Labor,, anions are riot opposed to 'publicity. The Parry ites are. Isn't a little matter of $500 in the amount of the saloon license fee a rather low plane upon which to make a campaign in a city like Lincoln ? Remember the Woman's Union Label League social at C. L. U. hall on March 27. You are invited, and it will cost you nothing. Vev have lost a little track of time, but isn't C. W. Post about due for another frantic fit of anti-unionism? When you patronize Wageworker advertisers you boost the union game as well as The Wageworker. It looks very much as if Kansas had caught the Standard Oil gang in the act of betting a four-flush. The American Federation of Labor is about to be "busted" again. - Is the label on your shoes? If not, we hope they give you corns. Properly Labeled PLEASE PASS THE HAT. If you're really kindly then you sure ly must Have pity on woes of the pauper beef trust. Cursed by the cattlemen raising the steers . For keeping the prices downj fear fully low; Cursed by the public that sheds bitter tears Over "dressed" prices that heaven ward go. "But," is young Garfield's appalling comment, "The packer philanthropists make 2 per cent." A 2 per cent profit please pass 'round the hat. We've got to do something for poor men like that. Slaving away like the far-fabled Turk, Bent on the care of ths great pub lic's weal: ' Asking no pay for their long hours of of work, Actually give away beef, pork and veal. Cease, then, abusing the kind packer gent He's making a beggarly oid 2 per cent. He puts up his money in hugest of gobs And gives countless thousands a chance to get jobs. He thinks not of profits, but free from all greed He puts up his money and takes every chance; For he would supply us with food that we need With never a thought his own good to enhance. Benevolent packer on charity bent, Who'd grudge him a margin of but 2 per cent? Nay, pass 'round the hat; a collection is due. For packers go broke doing good unto you. They sell below cost you have Jim's word for that He's looked the thing up like a good little man. The packers need money, so; pass 'round the hat And let everybody chip in all 'they can. Help the packers pay coal bills, and help 'em pay rent; Jim says the poor fellows make but 2 per cent. ' Here's a penny for Armour; 'twill help the man some. Another for Swift, who is looking quite glum. There's Hammond near broke, and Nels Morris quite blue; S'ulzburger half crazed by the wolf at his door. Dig deep, for the hat is now drawing near you, And you should be willing to help out the poor. They're bound for the poorhouse be cause they re content With a measely rake off of but 2 per cent. Along about the year 1S74 or per haps 1873, or 1872 an illustrated al manac that has been a family favorite for more than half a century, con tained a joke. It was not a very good joke, but still it had its element of humor, and it tickled the risibilities of the genera tion then on earth. It was to the effect that a Pennsylvania Dutchman, after accumulating a tidy sum on his rock bound Pennsylvania farm, decided to move into town and engage in the mer cantile business. He sold the farm, moved . into town and opened up 'his little general merchandise store. He asked his customers to pay him just twice what he had paid for each arti cle, and when remonstrated with, re plied: "Veil, don'd I vas ontitled to mine 1 per cent?" Of course the joke doesn't sound so very funny all by itself, but just wait a minute and think a bit. Doesn't it remind you of something? : That's right.' You hit it. It reminds you of the 2 per cent that Mr. Garfield says the packers make in their business. "But you make an immense profit on your goods," we protested, being compelled to buy of the dealer. "Ah, but you are mistaken. I make less than 2 per cent on the goods I sell." Still we protested, feeling quite sure that the dealer was waxing rich by reason of his monopoly and unbridled greed. "Well, look here," said the dealer, "I have a million dollars invested In this business, building and all. After paying myself rent for my building, paying my salary as manager of the business, deducting the cost of maintaining- my family, paying my coach man, chaffeur, gardner, butler, my wife's maid, the cook, the servant girls, defraying the expenses of the annual visit I make to the seashore in order to maintain my health and secure a reserve of strength to last me during the remainder of the year after de ducting all of these expenses, I find that last year I made only about $20, 000 on the capital invested." While we were as yet unconvinced. still, not being skilled in figures, we were forced to retire gracefully. will have to get up early in the morn ing and move out." Moral: When : the people quit dele gating to "commissioners" the - work of busting the trusts, and go about the business on their own. account, some thing worth while will happen. She married a man to get a home. He married a woman to get a house keeper. She married his pocketbook instead of his manhood. i He married her because she was the prettiest girl in town. She dressed up when her sweetheart came, but wore dowdy clothes when her husband came home from work. He took his sweetheart to the opera, but he : wouldn't take his , wife on a social visit to a neighbor's nor any where else. She complained because her husband wouldn't, or couldn't, buy furniture as fine as that possessed by some of the neighbors, and he complained because she couldn't make bread and pie like mother used to make. "Incompatability of temperament" was the grounds mentioned in the petitions. "Man wants but little here below," A poet once did say. He gets it, too, as you well know Who toil along the way. 'Tis precious little as a rule A man gets day by day. But I'll not murmur or repine A lot of earthly joys are mine. WHAT UNIONISM DJ'tS. A Little Bit of Carpenter History That Makes Interesting Reading. The carpenters of Denver, for ex ample, worked for $2.25 for ten hours SEEN Oar new elevated Oven Gas Range? Telephone us and our representative will call and tell you a few "of 'the reasons why it should be in every household. He can also tell you interesting facts regard ing hot water heating by gas. . Call ns up today. LiECOln Bas & Electric Light Co. Auto Phone 257S. . Open Evenings.. 'Bell Phone 75. NULL & McGOY I - Manufacturers of ...SHOES AND SHOE UPPERS... And Dealers In F-IINE READY MADE SHOES f The Only Union Shoe Dealer in Lincoln. I 1529 O Street, Lincoln, Neb. COLORADO - AND RETURN. ": EVERY DAY to April 30th, 1905, inclusive, with final return limit June 1st, 1905, via UNION PACIFIC $26.00 FROM LINCOLN Be sure your ticket reads via Union Pacific. Inquire of E. B. Slosson, Gen'l Agent. until they formed their union and joined the Building Trades ' council. Now they get $20 per weex of 44 hours or 5 1-2 days of 8 hours each, at $3.60 per day. Their card costs 6 per year. At an average of 250 work ing days yearly the union - carpenter gets $350, per -year more than the .non union and works 500 houra less or -is days of 9 hours each. What business in the land can show an annual re turn of $350 for an investment of $6? All this aside from sick and funeral benefits, increased independence ana intelligence of the workers, and gen eral advance of the' standard of liv ing. , This is just as true of other trades as of the carpenters. Denver Labor Clarion.. one-half tablespoons butter, l cup brown sugar, 3 squares chocolate, 1. lb. English walnuts, 2 cups mclasses, 1-2 cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon salt. Put butter into, kettle; when melted, add molasses, sugar and mHk. Stir until sugar is dissolved and when boiling point is reached, add chocolate stirring constantly until chocolate is melted. Boil until a firm ball may be formed in the fingers, -;when tried In cold water, add vanilla and nuts after taking from fire. Turn into a buttered pan, cool, and mark in small squares. Nut Bar. Cover the bottom of a but tered shallow pan with 1 1-3 cups of nut meats. Pour over this one pound of sugar melted in smooth granite sauce pan, and constantly stirred until melted to a syrup, taking care to keep sugar from sides of pan. Mark In bars. Nut Chocolate Caramels. Two and PAGAN'S C A F Western Farmer "The corn crop is ruined. Why, sir, the hot winds Just 122B O STREET HANDLES EVERYTHING IN SEASON MODERATE PRICES. FIRST CLASS SERVICE MEALS, I5cts AND UP ALL NIGHT Have your orders for Groceries and Meat filled at : : : : The Royal: 102B Phones: STREET BELL, 224 AUTO 1224 $00000C&00000080 burned it right up." Western Real Estate' Man "The great and glorious west is the place to live. Why, sir, this summer we just feasted on hot roast corn right out in the fields."