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THE WAGE WORK
ER
A Newspaper with a Mission and without a Muzzle that is published in the Interest of Wageworkers Everywhere.
VOL. 2 , IJJfCOLJf, XEBRASKA, JUXE 3(), 1905 - . NO. 12
Trainmen's Picnic at Seward July 4. A Splendid Program of
Amusements. Trains on the Burlington at 8:30, 10:30 and 1:30
And The Farmers
Should OrganUe
The following little editorial is clipped froni the columns of the
the Albion, Nebraska, News, published by A. W. Ladd. Mr. Ladd is
not only one of the best newspaper men in Nebraska, but is perhaps
better posted on current events than the average man of business.
But it is evident from his comments on the union question that he
is not posted on that phase of our social condiions. The News says:
The teamster strikes for shorter hourse, the miner
wants more pay, the mason and the carpenter demand an
eight-hour day. The section hand throws up his job,
the factories are closed, arid everybody else, it seems, to
work is indisposed. But still the farmer never kicks, he
plants and sows and plows; he works till dark and then
goes home and milks ten head of cows. He never asks
for shorter hous, he stops not to complain, he's up at 4
o'clock the next day and milks the cows again; then to
the field he hurries forth and sings his merry tune, and
wonders what the price of hogs is going to be next June.
Wlel, and in heaven's name why shouldn't the farmers organize?
If there is any class of people on earth, working with hand and brain,
who ought to be organized, it is the farming class. That the farmer
has to work sixteen and eighteen hours a day in order to make both
ends meet is a sad commentary on his intelligence and his enterprise.
The farmer works harder and longer hours than any other toiler, and
gets less returns for it in proportion to the toil and time invested.
Why ? Simply because the farmer has not yet learned the value of
organization. He raises more wool and wears more shoddy than any
man on earth. Owning less than 12 per cent of the land values of
the United States he pays over 50 per cent of the real estate taxes.
He works an average of 50 per cent more hours a day than the skilled
mechanic, and deducting interest on his investment in lands and ma
chinery, he makes less wages. If short crops in one section give him
high prices in his section he forgets all the injustice practiced upon
him by the trusts and corporations. He has failed to learn the value
of co-operation. He has not yet learned that what injures his brother
firmer injures him also. If he is sick he quits earning money, while
the unionist draws sick benefits from the fund which he has himself
helped to create. In short, the American farmer, fronted by golden
opportunities, is allowing himself to be hornswoggled on every side
and is making no attempt to protect himself.
Mention trades unionism to the average farmer and he will throw
tip his hands in horror and see visions of bloodshed and violence.
That is because he has allowed himself to be deceived by interests
that do not want him to organize. He listens to the siren voice of
the trust representative posing as a party leader, and wiirnot open
his eyes to the fact that his prosperity depends not aipon protective
tariffs but upon the steady employmen of labor at good wages. And
good wages depend upon thorough organization of wage earners,
not upon tariffs. The skilled mechanic who imagines that his good
wages are due to the protective tariff ought to have his head bored
. for the simples. It is organization, ORGANIZATION, that has
maintained or increased wages. The tariff on Canadian shingles
makes the American farmer pay more for shingles without adding
p. penny to the wages ofthe Wisconsin or Washington lumberman.
The American farmer owes more to the trades unions than he
does to tariffs, for trades unionism has kept up wages and afforded
a market for the products of the American farm. The farmer, should,
therefore, join hands with the trades unionist. The farmer should
organize, just as the printers, the cigarmakers, the carpenters, the
miners, and all other craftsmen, have organized. Today the farmer
has absolutely no voice in the disposal of his labor. The price of
his products is fixed for him, and he can either take that price or go
without. Being solitary and alone he can not stand out. Were he
protected and sustained by his fellow farmers he could set a minimum
price, and by collective bargaining he could realize more from less
toil.
The farmers should organize. Political organization is and al
ways will be a failure. They must organize on industrial lines, and
after fifty or a hundred years of such organization they may be suf
ficiently of one mind to act together as a political unit.
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PRINTERS' PICNIC.
Capital Auxiliary No. 11
will have charge of the print
ers' Picnic on the Fourth of
July. The picnic will be held
at the State Farm In the after
noon, and the basket dinner
will be served promptly at 5
o'clock so that the night men
will have oportunlty to eat
and get In to work on time.
Every union printer and his
family, and every union print
er without a family, is cor
dially Invited to be there.
Take either State Farm or
University Place cars and
walk the rest of the way.
Lots of games and amusement
during the whole afternoon.
Plenty to eat and lots of
water aerated, carbonated,
medicated and mineralized
will be provided.
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maker of the labeling room, but when
she kept on until she got what she
wanted there came a cut in the wages.
Again she kept on redoubling her ef
forts, until at the new rate she could
make the wages that she wanted. The
others followed, and again the cut,
In the end she overworked, and the
strain killed her. Labor Clarion.
THE BARBERS.
A STOCK YARDS GIRL.
Pathetic Story That Tells of One
Girl's Useless Efforts.
Miss Mary E. McDowell, of the
; University of Chicago Settlement,
tells the story of one girl in the stock
yards whom she called the idealist of
the laboring girl a girl whose great
longiifg it was to earn more wages,
not that she could have more money,
' but that the family need not sleep all
In the same room could have some
thing more like a home and privacy.
So expert was she, so eager, that
unconsciously she became the pace-
Going to Observe the Fourth in a New
Way This Year.
The barbers of the city are going
to observe the Fourth In an entirely
new way this year. They are not
going to work at all. For the first
time in local history the barber shops
will be closed all day the Fourth,, and
the Journeymen and "boss barbers'
will proceed to enjoy themselves each
according to his bent. This is an evi
dence of progression and good fellow
ship and employers and employes re
alize it.
The local Barbers' Union Is one of
the strongest and best in this section
of the country. There is not the
least friction and the relationship be
tween the employers and employes is
pleasant. All , pf this is due to the
wise and conservative policy of the
union and the employer. It is safe
to say that all of them will enter into
the celebration of the Fourth this year
with increased zest because of the
interesting conditions surrounding the
day.
The sympathy of the printing fra
ternity and a host of friends In other
circles will go out to Mr. and Mrs
Sam North, who lost their little daugh
ter last Sunday.
THE OLIVER THEATER
Central Labor Union Benefit
WEDNESDAY EVE., JULY 19
By the kindness of the Fulton Stock Company and Manager Frank Zeh
rung of the Oliver, a benefit for the Lincoln Central Labor Union will be given
on Wednesday evening, July J 9t on which occasion the magnificent Labor Play,
"LOST PARADISE"
Will be given. This splendid play deals with the ever-pressing Labor
Problem and should be seen by every employer and employe in Lincoln and
vicinity. It is full of heart interest, replete with thrilling situations, and is pre
sented with a wealth of scenic effect by a splendid company.
See the Great Mill Scene. See the Great Strike Scene.
The proceeds of the entertainment will be turned into the treasury of the
Central Labor Union. No advance from regular prices of admission 25 cents;
J 5 cents and 10 cents. Tickets exchangeable for reserved seats at the box
office on sale by Central Labor Union delegates.
...Specialties Between Acts...
The Fulton Stock Company, now playing a summer engagement at the
Oliver, is equal to many of the attractions playing one night engagements at a
heavy advance over the regular season prices. Its productions are unusually
well staged, its plays the best that can be secured, and the individual members
of the company are artists in their profession.
"LOST PARADISE"
Conveys a valuable lesson to both Labor and Capital. Its love stories are
unique. Its comedy is clean. Let every workingman and woman in the city
take an active interest in this benefit performance.
Wednesday Eve., July 19th
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BOOSTING THE LABEL.
New Association at Elgin for Boost
ing the Sign of Fair Goods.
The American Co-operation Asso
ciation has been launched in Elgin,
111., and has taken its place in the
business world as a promoter of the
consumption of union-made products.
The association assures trades union
ists that it will establish any busi
ness the workers may desire In any
city and guarantee a profitable suc
cess.
The Elgin Trades Council and other
unions, also reliable business men
friendly to the labor union movement
are interested in the venture. The
purpose of the association seems to
be to supply a substantial method by
which workmen themselves, or a
trades union, may set up opposition
to unfair concerns. It will likely
prove a formidable weapon against
the "open shop" employer, if properly
appreciated by the wage-earners them
serves. Motorman and Conductor.
and Philadelphia. The "scab" cigars
made in the east are aften made by
consumptives, syphillitics and scroful
ous workers crowded into foul quar
ters. Lincoln cigarmakers are our friends.
They help make Lincoln a good busi
ness town. They assist materially In
advancing the cause of unionism. The
Lincoln unionist who Is smoking
"scab" cigars is no better than a
strikebreaker, and as between the
"scab" and the alleged unionist who
buys "scab" goods, , we prefer the
"scab." You always know where the
"scab" stands. The alleged unionist
who buys unfair goods is not to be
trusted In union affairs.
If you are not smoking union made
cigars and giving the preference to
those made in Lincoln you are fall
ing far short of your duty as a union
man.
GET RIGHT!
Quit "Scabbing" on Your Friends and
Buy Union Goods.
Are you smoking union made ci
gars? If not, why not? The cigars
made In Lincoln are made by union
cigarmakers. Lincoln made cigars
are just as good as any other cigars,
and they are cleaner than the tene
ment made "scab" goods of New York
FOURTH OF JULY RATES.
On July 1, 2, 3, and 4 the Union
Pacific will sell round trip tickets to
points in Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado,
and Wyoming at one fare plus 50
cents, except where rate of fare and
one-third makes less. Final limit
July 6. City office 1044 O street, de
pot O and Fourth street.
The hod carriers' strike at Kansas
City, involving 1,400 men, mostly ne
groes, was called off June 24. It last
ed twenty-four days. Both sides made
concessions, but the hod carriers did
not win a substantial victory.
TOO OFTEN THE WAY.
A Little Complaint That Should Be
Attended to by Unionists.
When the Shoe Workers' National
union is in trouble it will ask the la
bor papers to do Its knocking and
boycotting, but during peace and
plenty it gives it money to have dead
walls In dead parts of Omaha covered
with advertisements in favor of the
union label. How . natural it Is for
men on the pay roll to play the part
of big men vommercially. The Gar
ment Workers' union did the same
thing, and when it got into trouble
the street car and high-class magazine
had no room for boycott signs or
hard luck stories. It does not neces
sarily follow that a man on the pay
roll is always a union man. Western
Laborer.
IN OMAHA.
Good Audience Turned Out to Hear
Col. McCullough's Address.
Col. T. W. McCullough delivered
his address on "The Doctrine of Col
lective Bargaining" at Creighton hall,
Omaha, Wednesday evening of this
week under the auspices of umaha
Typographical Union. About 300 were
present and listened to the able ad
dress with the closest attention.
If the editor of The Wageworker
had lots of money he would pay Col.
McCullough a big salary to deliver
that address in every city In the Uni
ted States. . . ,..
Another Injunction
Against Unions
Under date of San Francisco, June 23, the following interesting
item sent out by the Associated Press appeared in all of the daily
newspapers of the country:. '
United States Circuit Judge Morrow has granted the appli
cation of Dietrich E. Loewe & Co., of Danbury, Conn., for tem
; porary injunction against the California State Federation of La- '
bor and the San Francisco labor council, which has been boy
cotting a local firm, jobbers in the hats manufactured by Loewe ;
& Co. i Injunction "pendente lite" was granted on the ground
that the unions had conspired not only to protect themselves,
but to destroy the property and ruin the business of the com
plainants. The defendants' contention was that they had used '
neither force, threats nor intimidation and had only urged upon
the friends of labor the necessity of using their patronage for the
benefit of labor a constitutional right. "But can it be truthfully
said that this is all that has been done by them in enforcing the
boycott?7' The court proceeds, and points out that this is the
power of "combined numbers" and that the company is helpless
"unless they surrender the management and control of their pat
ronage for the benefit of labor. All employes have the right to
quit their employment, but no right to combine to quit in order
thereby to withdraw from a mutually profitable relation with a
third person for the purpose of injuring the third person when
the relation thus sought to be broken had no effect whatever
upon the character of the reward of their services." ' : '.. '
In other words, when men organize a union for mutual benefit
and protection they forfeit their right to exercise functions calcu
lated to benefit and protect them. As long as they remain unable
to organize for mutual benefit and protection they are in good standing-
Wouldn't that jar you? V .
A half-dozen railroad managers organize a pool and compel all
the people to pay tribute. That's "good business management."
A million workingmen organize to protect their own interests
and secure fair treatment. That is "the power of combined numbers"
and must be restrained by the courts. '
Restrained by what courts?
What a silly question to ask. Restrained by the courts con
trolled by the half-dozen corporation managers' who organized the
legal railway combination. ;
r And if yott dare think this is wrong you are an' 'anarchist" and
a "dangerous character." ' . ' .
Carried to its logical conclusion the union man who refuses to
buy a "scab" article can be thrown into jail unless he can give some
other reason than his unionism for his refusal. ,
Note this striking fact : the judge who handed down the above
decision was appointed, not elected. Can you guess what influences
were behind his appointment?
THE OLIVER'S SUMMER SEASON.
Fulton Bros. Stock Company Drawing Great Audiences and Giving
Complete Satisfaction to All.
The summer season at the Oliver is affording splendid enter
tainment for the people, the Fulton Bros.' Stock company giving a
series of dramatic productions that are equal in all respects to the
average productions of the high priced attractions. The company
is unusually strong, and the productions are staged in a most satisfac
tory manner. Then, too, the dramas presented are of a high order
instead of the cheap and hackneyed melodramas usually presented
by repertory companies. ; ;
"Young Mrs. Winthrop" is the bill for the remainder of the week.
It is a clever comedy and will be heartily enjoyed by all. The Wage
worker unhesitatingly recommends this company to its thousands&of
readers. , ' . . ,
THE PAINTER8.
Union Men Prosperous While Unfair
Employers Are Worrying.
The Painters and Decorators' Union
is prospering, and without having
made any fuss whatsoever about it has
achieved a marked success in a little
trouble that showed up last spring.
Every union man in town is working
at the scale of the union, or better
mostly better and the fair employ
ers are crowded with orders. The
unfair shops have been struggling
along shorthanded as regards num
bers and sadly handicapped by Incom
petency. ,
A union printer having a house that
needed . repapering stepped into an
unfair shop the other day, and said:
"You have always done my work,
and I have some more that I want "
"Yes, sir; yes, sir; we can " began
the unfair employer.
"No you can't, either," said the
printer. "I've spent lots of money
with you, but I just dropped in to
tell you that while I want a lot of
work done you can't do It now, or ever
again, unless you get square. My
unionism impels me to employ only
union men. Good day."
The unfair employer has been "beef
ing" so loudly about It that the story
is going the rounds. A little more
of that sort of support and there will
be no unfair shops in the. city.
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PRINTERS' PICNIC.
Capital Auxiliary No. 11'
will have charge of the print
ers' Picnic on the Fourth of
July.. The picnic will be held
at the State Farm in the after
noon, and the basket dinner
will be seived promptly at 5
o'clock so that the' night-men -will
have opportunity to eat
and get in to work on time. '
Every union printer an his
family, and every union' print
er without a family, is cor
dially Invited to be there.
Take either State Farm orr
University Place cars and,
walk the rest of the way.
Lots of games and amusement '
during the whole afternoon.
Plenty to , eat and lota of
water aerated, carbonated,
medicated and mineralized
will be provided. - ,'v '. '
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H. Wiggenjost, engineer at the court
house and prominent in B. L. E. cir
cles, has returned from -an extended
trip through Wisconsin, Michlgaft and
Illinois. He was accompanied op his
journey by his daughter. Miss Qttie.
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Independence Day
All hail the glorious Fourth ot Juljr
(Bang! There goes an eye.) .
With flash of flag and noise of band
(Boom! There goes a hand.)
Our glorious Independence Day
(Crash! That took, an arm away.)
We're free! We're free! Hip, hip, hur
' rah!
Fang! That took a jaw.)
cannons roar and marshals .
prance
(Call the ambulance.)
We licked the British In Seventy-six
(Gee! That gun kicks.)
And midst great nations took a place
(Took off half my face.)
Crash! Bang!! Roar!!!
July 4. ' '. :
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