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VOL. .3
LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, APRIL- 20, 190
NO. 2
0
s
The Plea of Organised Labor
The voice of organized labor is but
the voice of a people crying aloud for
justice. For nearly fourteen centuries
the people doomed by circumstances
to a life of toll were looked down upon
by the people who were born to 'the
purple, and the tollers were exploited
In order that the few might live in
luxury. Aristocracy robbed the cradle
and the grave in order to live in lux
ury. From the time the child of the
worklngman could toddle until it sank
helpless into the grave, it had nothing
to look forward to but privation and
ceaseless toll. God Almighty never
intended that one man should be rid
den saddled and bridled by another
man wearing whip and spurs. And
though for five hundred years organi
zation among toilers was forbidden by
law and punished by heavy penalties
from boiling in oil to imprisonment,
men who loved liberty better than
life persisted, and in time organization
became a fact Instead of an idle dream.
All the concessions that have been
made to workingmen have been forced
by organization among the workers.
Organized capital never voluntarily
reduced the hours of labor nor volun
tarily Increased the rate of wage. In
dividual capitalists have, of course,
done these things but organized capi
tal, never. Through all, the centuries
the workingmen have ' been striving
to secure for themselves and their
loved ones a fair share in the good
things of life. Singly and alone a
worklngman is helpless. .He learned
this sad fact by centuries of bitter ex
perience. Now he joins hands with
his fellows and is striving to secure
by collective action what he so sig
nally failed to get Individually.
Organized labor is asking nothing
unjust or unfair. It is merely asking
for justice and for right. It asks a
share In the good things of life. It
asks for hour3 of work that will en
able its members to have some' hours
in which to rest and to enjoy the ordi
nary pleasures of life. It asks for
conditions that will be conducive to
the physical comfort of the toilers.
It asks for a wage that will enable
the worker to live In comfort and edu
cate his family. It asks for conditions
that will make the lot of the son and
.OOOCOOOCOOCXXXXXX
. ORGANIZED LABOR IN POLITICS.
(From the Washington Post.)
There is abundant evidence that labor desires to be represented
In legislative bodies, state and national, by men who are familiar with
the alms and sentiments of that important body of our citizens. The
recent successes of workingmen at the parliamentary elections in Eng
land and the selection of John Burns to a cabinet position have encour
aged the laboring men of Ihe United States to hope for the same recog
nition here. This is as it should be, and we trust that their ablest,
wisest, and best men will be their representatives in official positions.
There are no existing wrongs of laboring men to right here, as in many
countries of Europe, but there are duties to perform that will result in
u better and fuller understanding of the rights of American citizens of
all classes, and explanations will be made that will tend in a large
ncgree to greater harmony between capital and labor. Free and full
discussion of matters affecting the general welfare should always be
welcomed in the republic; and who have a better to be heard in the
assemblies of the people or in the councils of state than the repre
sntatives of the workingmen of the country?
! CXXXXXXXDCOOOOCOOOCO
THE CARPENTERS' SIDE.
Resent the Unfair and Untrue Inter
view of Secretary Royce.
Last Saturday's State Journal con
tained an interview with Secretary
Royce of the Contractors' Exchange
that is so unfair and untrue that one
wonders how a sensible man could
have been guilty thereof. Secretary
Royce has had ample opportunity to
learn the truth, and he has no excuse
for his misstatements. His assertion
that the demand of the Carpenters for
a closed shop means that they will
not work with the non-union men of
other tiades is absolutely false. His
further htatement that other building
trades do not want the closed shop
is equally false. His claim that the
contractors are denying the closed
shop becuuse they want to stand be
tween the demands of organized labor
, and the general public is a bit of
tommyrot that will deceive no one.
Even Secretary Royce must have
smiled when he said it.
The carpenters are demanding the
closed shop only so far as their own
trade is concerned. They will refuse
longer to work with non-union carpen -
ters or to work for contractors who
employ non-union carpenters.
. When Secretary Royce said that
daughter brighter and better than the
lot of the father and mother. In short,
organized labor Is asking only for the
right to live.
Organized labor asks no favors it
merly asks for an equal show. It
demands for the child of the worker
the same advantages possessed by the
child of the drone.
Organized labor pleads for better
American homes, for a better Amer
ican citizenship, and for a higher type
of civilization. It asks-that the child
of the worker be given the playtime
of youth instead of being forced by
corporate greed into the mill, the shop
and the factory, there to be stunted
mentally, morally and physically. It
asks that equal pay shall be given for
equal work, regardless of the sex of
the toiler. It asks that safeguards be
thrown around womankind to protect
the wives and daughters and sisters
from the corroding touch of organized
greed.
Organized labor opposes child labor.
It opposes "sweat shop" slavery even
more than it opposed chattel slavery,
for while the latter enslaved only the
body, the former enslaves both soul
and body.
Organized labor pleads that it be
judged according to its average in
stead of by its worst. It is willing to
abide by the judgment of honest men
who are unbiased by selfish interests.
Organized labor, while admitting its
fallibility, points with pride to its
record of achievement in behalf of the
toiling millions. It has reduced the
hours of labor from sixteen to eight,
nine and ten. It has raised the wage
scale from the minimum of bare exist
ence until today the toiler is able to
hold his head up with his fellows. It
has forced legislation safeguarding
the life and limb of the workers. It
has compelled safeguards for the
health of men and women in mills
and mines. It has given millions to
the sick and the destitute. It has
robbed the potter's field of thousands
of victims. Its record of good works
is as long as the centuries in which
it has been fighting for the betterment
of mankind.
It seeks nothing to which it is not
entitled. It denies nothing that in
justice should be given.
the Carpenters' Union did not take
into consideration the competency of
the workman he gave utterance to an
untruth. The carpenters have not ad
mitted to membership a single man
who has not drawn the minimum scale
of 32V4 cents per hour from some
member of the Contractors' Exchange.
The carpenlc-s have not made a de
mand for an exorbitant increase in
the wage scale. They have asked, for
an increase of less than 10 per cent,
which is less than one-half the in
crease in the averagfj cost of living.
They are asking for a minimum wage
of 35 cents .an hour, which is 7
cents less , than the minimum in
Omaha.
This sudden interest in the welfare
of the non-union man manifested by
Secretary Royce is really very touch
ing. But it deceives no one, least of
all Secretary Royce. Wiien the cor
tractors figure on a building they fig
ure so much per hour per man. If
they can get the man for 25 cents an
hour the contractor, not the man put
ting up the bailding, gets the benefit.
The union carpenters are merely ask
ing that the contractor make an
1 equitable division of the profits
The opposition to the Saturday
half-holiday is not well founded. The
contractors lose nothing by it for the
simple reason that the carpenters take
it on their own time.
The refusal of the union carpenters
to work with non-union men is well
founded. Through the efforts of the
union the hours have been shortened
and the wages increased. All this has
cost much in time and money. The
non-union men profit by these things
without paying their share. Naturally
the union men resent working with
'"snitches." The man who will not
pay his share of the expense of se
curing and maintaining better indus
trial conditions is not a fit associate
for men who make these sacrifices to
obtain the bettered conditions.
THE GREAT DIFFERENCE.
Union Printer and a Street Railway
Man Argue.
There was a little conversation be
tween a union printer and a conductor
on the Lincoln Street Railway the
other day, and it was both amusing
and instructive. The printer had just
been up to pay his 10 per cent assess
ment and the conductor had just re
ceived his semi-monthly pay envelope.
"I don't have to give up any of my
wages in dues and assessments,
boasted the conductor. "Can do just
I please with my wages without
asking the consent of any union."
"Quite true," said the union printer.
By the way, how much have you got
in that envelope?"
"I've got $23.80," proudly replied
the conductor.
"And you worked how long, that is,
how many hours, for it?"
"Why, I worked let me see." The
conductor looked at his time book.
"I worked something over 160 hours."
"Correct," said the printer. "You
worked ten hours a day for fourteen
straight days, and you get $23.80, not
a cent of which you have to pay out
for union dues and assessments. Now,
I worked 96 hours while you were
working over 160 hours, and in the 96
hours I made $36, of which I paid $3.60
to my union, leaving me $32.40. That
is $S.80 more than you made working
64 hours longer than I did. In other
words, you worked eight more days of
eight hours each than I did, and you
get $8.80 less than I did. That is be
cause you don't have any union calling
on you for dues and assessments. But
I rather think I'll continue to pay
union dues, work short hours and
make more money. Better think it
over, old man."
Just then the printer reached his
corner, and 'he hopped off the car,
leaving the non-union railway man to
think it all over if he could bring
himself up to the point of thinking.
METHODIST BOOK CONCERN.
Eaton and Mains Plead the Baby Act
for Their Misdeeds.
Revs. Eaton and Mains, publishing
agents of the "rat" Methodist Bool;
Concern, have entered the baby plea,
and a lot of their Methodist comrades
have sanctioned it. It is charged that
the Methodist Book Concern shop set
up and made the slates for a lot of
whisky and cocktail advertisements,
and that it set up and made the plates
for the "Author's Defence" of Bernard
Shaw's filthy play, "Mrs. Warrener's
Profession.'.' It Is also charged that it
set up and printed a list of the "re
sorts of , New York," giving street
numbers and exact location.
Revs. Eaton and Mains now come
fcrward with the plea that they didn'
know anything about the whisky and
cocktail advertisements, therefore they
are not responsible. They tacitly ad
mit, therefore, that these advertise
ments were set up in the shop of the
Methodist Book Concern.- The super
intendent noticed it, however, and actu
ally protested to the fitm sending the
iOCOCOOCOCXXXXXXCC
LABOR HAS HAD TOO LITTLE.
(From Collier's Weekly.)
The decision to enter politics, taken by the American Federation
of Labor, is one that sooner' or later was bound to come. The division '
into two big parties is disappearing. The group system is gaining
everywhere, and i3 the natural condition where no one overshadowing
question divides mankind. A labor party would not do congress any
harm, and most of the ends for which organized labor works are just.
The unions make mistakes. So does everybody else. On their whole
record the unions deserve the approbation of all liberal minds. They
should be kept from despotism, as should every other power, but there
is not apparent danger of their acquiring more influence than is wielded
by certain other and less admirable combinations. The financial, mer
cantile, and professional classes have had the world's ear too much.
The laborers have had it too little, and whatever gives them a more
attentive hearing makes for good. ''
Jcooccococococooc
advertisements in. BUT HE SET UP
THE ADVERTISEMENTS JUST THS
SAME.
' Rev. Er. Buckley, editor of the
Christian Advocate, make3 a pitiful
plea for the defense and offers as an
excuse that Revs. Eaton and Mains
can not "personally inspect" all tie
work that comes in. Of course not.
But the men who want wlhisky adver-,
tifcements set up and made into plates
certainly knew they could get it done
there, else they would have sent the
work lo other shops. They got it dona
at the shop of the Methodist ! Boole
Concern. Dr. Buckley further states
that because Revs. Eaton and Mainj
can not personally inspect all the work,
"definite instructions are given to tha
st-perintendent and the heads of de
partments that under no circumstances
shall work of a questionable character
be handled in the manufactory." But
such work has been handled in the fac
tory and if the orders of Revs. Eaton
and Mains have been violated, then
someone is responsible. If Revs. Eaton
and Mains have not punished the vio
lators then Revs. Eaton and Mains
are morally responsible by reason of
having condoned the fact.
The "Defense Committee of New
York Typographical Union No. 6" ha3
proved every charge it brought against
Revs. Eaton and Mains. Those two
reverend gentlemen are now "flying the
flag of the open shop," so they say.
They never hoisted that flag until after
the union (printers demanded the eight
hour day. They were perfectly willing
to "fly the flag of the closed shop" as
leng as they could enforce the nine
hour day.
The Methodist Book Concern, repre
senting a, denomination made up large
ly of workingmen, is a "rat" concern.
It is managed by preachers who are
unfriendly to organized labor. It is
defended editorially by the chief news
paper organ of Methodism. Anl
Bishop McCabe, a leader in Methodist
circles, announces his opposition to la
bor unions. ' .
The Wageworker is content to let the
Working men and women ' within the
Methodist fold draw their own conclu
sions. .
KEPT THE AGREEMENT.
Has Not Bought Any "Scab" Roelof
Hats Since Then.
On April 15, 1905' A. H. Armstrong,
manager of the Armstrong Clothing
company, agreed with parties in Lin
coln not to buy any more of the "scab"
Roelof hats. Early in April of the
piesent year, the Armstrong Clothing
company advertised Roelof hats, and
iu-mediately the Central Labor Union
proceeded to investigate.
It developed that Mr. Armstrong has
not purchased any Roelof hats since
his agreement with the parties in Lin
coln, but having a few left in stock
pioceeded to advertise them in order
to get rid of them. The matter was ex
plained to the satisfaction of the com
mittee that waited upon him, and tha
incident may 'be considered closed.'
A PIPE DREAM.
The Evansville, Ind., Union Label
says, "The International Typographical
Union has now $2,000,000 n its treas
uiy.'" Holy Smoke! The editor of
the Union Label ought to lay his pipe
aside for a few minutes. He is only
about $1,950,000 wide of the mark.
GIVING THE WIFE A CHANCE.
A good bill is under consideration
by the Iowa legislature in regard to
the assignment of wages. If it be
comes a law it will require the wife's
absent and signature before a work
ingman can make an assignment of
'his wages.
Oar "Friendly
The Wageworker points with pride
to its "Friendly List Edition for 1906."
It does not claim that the individuals,
firms and corporations herein ' men
tioned comprise all of the friends of
organized labor. It merely claims
that those represented herein have
seized the opportunity to make their
friendship known. Neither does The
Wageworker claim that all represent
ed herein are tried antf true friends.
It merely claims that it has left noth
ing undone to separate the sheep from
the goats. Some designing ones may
have slipped past the guard. It will be
remembered that of the Twelve chosen
by the Master, one was a traitor. The
Wageworker merely claims that it has
exercised every care to prevent any
unworthy ones from securing mention
in this "Friendly List.". If convinced
that its confidence has been misplaced
the guilty ones will be pointed out
without hesitation.
The task of getting out this edition
has been immense. Nearly 3,000
pounds of paper a ton and a half
will be consumed. The composition
apart from the advertisements exceeds
320,000 "ems." It took 60,000 impres
sions to print the sixteen pages and
cover. Upwards of 400 individuals,
firms and corporations are represented
herein.
It is the largest single issue of a
labor paper ever printed in the United
States so far as we have been able
to learn. And all this is possible be
cause The Wageworker has hundreds
of staunch union friends whose sup
;COCOCX30CXDCCOCOC
SOME OBJECTIONS ANSWERED.
(From " Collier's Wekly.) '
Limiting apprentices in number often called, with hostility, pre
venting the American boy from learning his trade is a step taken to
meet the employers' habit of juggling half-trained laborers in every
way they can to keep the general wage standard down, the habit of
using them as a chea.p-labor wedge. Restriction of output also was
originally a defensive measure against the practice of reducing the
rate of pay as the output was increased', thus putting a fine on energy
and penalizing ability. The waiting list does protect the old and slow,
but is this human charity so surely bad? Probably there is no moral
substitute for it but old age pensions. The unions have fought for
steadiness and for protection of the feeble, the old, and the young, as
well as for education, health, leisure, and recreation; for all, in brief,
which makes life -worthy and of interest for the mass of men. .
;ocococoocococoooc
WOULDN'T THIS CORK YOU?
The Labor Exploiters Asked to Help
Support Their Stenographers.
The Young Women's Christian Asso
ciatoin of Omaha is just now trying to
raise money enough to build an asso
ciation building. The Wageworker
Lopes that the young women will suc
ceed, but not for ttie reason advanced
by the Omaha World-Herald. Thi
World-Herald, pleading with the busi
ness men to subscribe to the fund, de
clares that "business men have more
interest in helping the Y. W. C. A. than
in promoting the Y. M. C. A." Then
the World-Herald proceeds to explain
ty saying:
"As a matter of fact also there
are in Omaha hundreds of busi
ness and professional men who
are the real beneficiaries of the
Y. W. C. A. work. They emplby
stenographers, typewriters, clerks
and shop girls who could not work
for the salaries they receive were
it not for the help the girls get
from this organization."
Just pause and ponder over that in
sulting proposition for a few minutes!
We presume that the idea of de
manding decent wages and decent
hours of work for the3e young women
never entered the cranium of the emi
nent editor of the World-Herald. In
effect the World-Herald invites the
business men to contribute to a Y. W.
C .A. building as .an investment, that
being cheaper than raising the salaries
of the stenographers and shortening
their hours. "The girls can not liv:
on the beggarly salaries they receive,"
says the World-Herald in effect, "there
fore their employers ought to build
a place where the girls can get meals
for 9 cents each." In other wordd, "'le
World-Herald advocates that charity,
not justice, be accorded to the women
wage earners of Omaha by the em
ployers. The members of the Omaha Young
Women's Christian Association may
feel flattered by the World-Herald's
peculiar 'logic, and argument, but wfi
have our doubts about it.
List" Edition
port and confidence has enabled it to
live for upwards of two- years.
The interests herein -represented
have shown their friendly interest in
organized labor, and it is now organ
ized labor's duty to reciprocate. Give
your patronage to the friends of -organized
labor, and when in doubt,
look in the "Friendly List." -
The union men and women of Lin
coln, Beatrice, Nebraska City, Platts
mouth and Fremont spend upwards of
$6,060,000 a year with the retailer
of their respective cities. This is a
powerful weapon for the upbuilding of
the cause of organization. If that
money should be spent exclusively for
union made goods the result would be
such a scurrying on the part of the
merchants to load their shelves with
union made goods that it would be
difficult to see them through the dust
they raised. And why should organ
ized labor further refrain from do
ing it? '.'.
Life is short and entirely too valu
able to be wasted in "knocking." In
stead of "knocking" against labor's
enemies, let us put in all of our spare
time "boosting" labor's friends. A!
"booster" is better- than a "knocker"
any old time. -
We believe The Wageworker will be -pardoned
for exhibiting a little pride
in this issuei While it is not all that
we would have It, it is' so much better
than anything else ever published in
this section of the country that we
feel inclined to brag about it just' a
little.
9
LOSES A GOOD MAN.
Sidney J. Kent Leaves Nebraska, .Lo
cating at Laramie, Wyo. ' .
Sidney J. Kent, personally known ti
eery trades unionist in Nebraska, and
for many, years a citizen of Lincoln,
has located permanently in Laramie,
Wjo. He has accepted an imiportan:
position with the Denver, Laramie &
Northwestern Railroad company, and
we assure that corporation's managers
that they have secured the services of
En able and faithful man. Mr. Kent
las been a resident of Nebraska for
many years, and has always" taken
f:ont rank in the union cause. For"
four years he was deputy commissioner
cf the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and
during the year prior to his departure
from Lincoln was business agent cf
the local Carpenters' Union. He w-ill
be greatly missed in Lincoln. , '
Mr. Kent's family left for Laramie
this week. A few days ago the Ladies
ot the Maccabees, of which Mrs. Kent
is a prominent member, tendered her a
farewell reception. , She wa3 the re -
cipient of a number of substantial
tokens of friendship and esteem. Tha '
lost wishes of a host of friends wiil
accompany Mr. and Mrs. Kent to their
now home. -
A FORCEFUL REMINDER.
Did you ever go to a theatre and
see that stunt in rvhicha girl puts her
arms around a man pretending to em
brace him but at the same time ex
tracts his money from his vest pocket?
Does not this stunt remind you of
Parry and Post embracing and slob
bering over the "independent work
men?" Potter's Herald.
POLICE MAY ORGANIZE.
Mayor Dunne of Chicago has thrown
down the bars which have prevented
organization of policemen into what
amounts to a labor union. He declares
he has no objection to the organiza
tion of any wage earners. He said in
effect he would not oppose affiliation
of the policemen with other organiza
tions. - .