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VOL. :i
LIKCOIiX, NEBRASKA, OCTOBER 5, 190IS
NO. 2
FIGURE IT OUT.
Then See How to Help Make Lincoln
a Bigger City.
We talked wllh four or five cigar
dealers last week with a view to as
certaining as nearly as possible the
number of cigars smoked dally in
Lincoln. The guesses varied, but the
average was about. 20.000. Then we
asked how many 01" them were union
made. The average estimate was about
10 per cent. Every non-union cigar
sold in Lincoln Is made outside of Lin
coln. The bulk of these cigars are of
the 5-cent brand, but the average la
about "hit cents. That means that
$1,450 n clay Is sent out of Lincoln for
goods that would better be made in
Lincoln. It means that in the course
of a year over HALF A MILLION
DOLLARS Is heat out of Lincoln for
Roods that should be made in Lincoln.
The- average cigarmaker makes
about 250 cigars a clay. To make 18,
000 cigars a day would require the
work of 72 more cigar makers than are
now at work in Lincoln. They would
average: about $18 n week. This would
mean that about $1,300 a week would
be spent with Lincoln merchants, with
-v.. Lincoln landlords and with Lincoln
restaurants. The offer of a manufac
. t tiring company to remove its plant
to Lincoln and employ seventy-five
hands would cause the Commercial
Club to hustle to get It here.
We ta lk about loyalty to our home
town, nd prate about patronizing
home industry. Yet only one cigar in
ten consumed in Lincoln is made in
Lincoln, and tor every dollar spent
with Lincoln cigar manufacturers $10
is spent with manufacturers in other
towns. What's the matter with get
ting wist?
By the way, the Commercial Club
does not handle Lincoln made cigars.
Js it because the Lincoln manufactur
ers are not members of the club? If
so, how can a business man denounce
a union man for exercising the boy
cott? '
Suppose you figure on this thing a
-Mttle bit.
PRINTERS WIN A POINT.
Methodist Book Concern Gets Right on
Labor Question. l
Western -Methodist Hook Concern,
headquarters in Chicago, after holding
out astnlnst the printers' demands' for
at, eight-hour day for over a year, has
got Into line. The eight-hour day goes
Into effect In all mechanical branches
of that concern, and the management
withdraws from the Typothaete.
The managers say they have always
- . favored the eight-hour duy, but assert
that condition prevented them from
adopting it until now. The struggle
lias been a long one, and while the
Tyioginphical Union has not scored a
full victory, it has accomplished a lot
and expects to get the rest of it in a
short time.
p How Organised
As long uh organized labor sits idly
by anil waits for the machine poli
ticians to hand it a few favors, just
so long will organized labor be a butt
of ridicule for the aforesaid politicians.
Not until organized labor, as solidly
arrayed at the polls as it is at the bal
lot box, demand the recognition that
Is due 1t, will the machine politicians
be ready to accord It. due recognition.
For thirty years the men who manip
ulate polities in the various counties
of .Nebraska and other states have
taken particular pains to recognize this
or that element of the voting popula
tion. A German has been nominated
to "hold the German vote;" a Swede
has been nominated to hold the
"Swede? vote;" an Irishman has been
nominated to hold the "Irish vote."
liven the church has been used for
political effect and a member of this
or that leading denomination nonii-,-nnH'd
In order to hold the vote of his
church. But during all these years,
while these different elements were
being accorded political recognition,
tliii vote of organized labor has been
ignored. .Perhaps there is good reason
for this. Too long we have allowed
partisanship to override our unionism.
And as long ns the vote of organized
labor Is divided on political lines the
political bosses will see no reason for
according recognition to union labor.
Right ii'iw the union men of Lan
WAS THE
The sources of information concern
ing the workingmen's guilds of two
thousand years ago are very meager,
and for the most part, very unreliable.
But it has been clearly established
that there were powerful labor guilds
in existence at '(hat time, and that
practically every workinginan belong
ed to the guild composed of those
who practiced his craft.
In these days nearly every Jewish
boy learned a trade, no matter what
his social position may have been. So
It hapiened that Paul, the greatest
missionary in the history of the early
church, learned the trade of tent
niaker, even though his father was so
prominent a man as to have the honor
of Roman citizenship conferred upon
him, and even though he had the ad
vantages of a thorough training at the
university at Tarsus.
This apprenticeship made Poul eli
gible to membership in the Tent
makers' Union, or the union which
comprised the tent-makers of that per
iod. It is altogether likely that he
became a member of that organization.
We find, in sacred history, that on :it
Ic-ast one occasion, Paul made his
headquarters in the city of Corinth
with Aqitila and Pricilla, simply be
POOOTECS FOES
A vote for Smith and Quick, Labor Candidates for the Leg
islature, i$ a vote! to guard your interests as workingmen in
the framing of laws under which , you and yours must live
VOTE FOR YOUR OWN INTERESTS THIS TIME
BACK TO THE RANCH.
Last Monday evening Mrs. F. M. Cof
fey and two of the children departed
for Oklahoma, v nere Mrs. Coffey will
get the famous ranch ready for winter
occupancy and then send for the rest
of the children. They will spend the
winter on the Oklahoma claim, whiie
Mr. Coffey wi'l remain in Lincoln and
continue to manipulate a "mill" at the
lourr.al shop. The best wishes of a
big lot of friends will go with Mrs.
Coffey and the children, Mr. Coffey is
now prepared to receive invitations to
Sunday dinners, etc., from all who may
feel for him in iiis lonely condition.
Labor
Can Benefit Itself
caster county have a chance to make
these political bosses sit up and take
notice. Right now we have an oppor
tunity to compel them to come to us
in the future and ask us what we want
instead of waiting for us to go to them
and beg for recognition. The election
of Smith and Quick to the legislatures
would be clue notice to the men who
make the political "slates" that here
after no slate can expect to win unless
its makers recognize the 2.500 union
workingmen of Lancaster county
whose toll has made Lincoln and Lan
caster county rich and prosperous.
The mere election of Smith and
Quick is of Itself of small importance
compared to what may be secured in
the future. Their election simply
means that In the days to come union
men will be nominated for oflice by
all parties, thus giving the bone and
sinew of the commonwealth represen
tation along with the lawyers, the
merchants, the doctors, the corpora
tions and the various elements that j
go to make up. cur composite citizen-)
ship. That is the goal for which we
should strive. "
If we elect Smith and Quick this
time, there will be no trouble about 1 old organization the ice wagon drivers
getting union men on the tickets here-1 could transfer in the fall when busi
after. We have but to show purlness grew slack, and put their cards
strength, our unanimity and our tie-
terminiuion. Let it once be. known
that no uartv which refuses to recog-
APOSTLE PAUL A TRADES UNIONIST?
BY REV. CHARLES STELZLE
cause they also were of the same craft
namely, tent-makers. Here he
worked side by side with them, preach
ing in the synagogue on every Sab
bath day.
We have it from Paul's own pen
that he worked with his hands as he
traveled from place to place, depend
ing upon his skill as a mechanic to
earn his livelihood. It is fair to as
sume that Paul always worked at the
trade with which he was most familiar,
in the cities that he visited, and it
is in entire harmony with Paul's gen
eral policy, to suppose that he took
advantage of every opening which
presented itself, "becoming all things
to all men" in order to more success
fully carry on his great work. Be
cause of the necessity for constant
travel and because of his dependence
upon his trade for a living, it is more
than likely that Paul identified him
self with the organization that would
be most helpful to him in order to
secure employment.
It is not unreasonable to suppose
that parts of the day and surely every
evening were given to preaching to
the workingmen of his craft and other
crafts, as he met them in the public
squares and in the meetings of the
labor guilds. Indeed, according to the
nize organized labor can hope to win
in Lancaster county, and we will have
the offices filled with men to work for
a living instead of men who play poli
tics for a living.
The two union men who ask for
suffrages of the voters of Lancaster
county are in every way qualified for
the positions to which they aspire.
Neither of them wanted to make the
race. They ,merely offered to go into
the fight because of the promise that
it would benefit the cause of organiza
tion. Both of them are skilled mechan
ics who make more clear money at
their trade than they could make as
members of the legislature. Both of
them are square-toed union men. They
have the best interests of labor at
heart, and if elected will make a gal
lant fight for justice and equality.
Harry W. Smith and George F.
Quick are entitled to the support and
the vote of every unionist in Lancas
ter county. Their records as union
men are above reproach. Their inter
est in good citizenship is unquestioned.
Their loyally to Lincoln and Lancas
ter county is beyond dispute. Their
honesty and integrity are integrity are
known of all men. They will be a
credit to organized labor, as well as
to the entire community.
'The only way to compel recognition
of organized labor is to stand solidly
by Smith and Quick at the coming
election.
THE TEAMSTERS.
Gompers in Chicago Trying to Unite
the Warring Factions.
President Gompers spent a portion
of last week in Chicago trying to bring
together the two factions of the team
sters. The situation is somewhat
mixed. In that city the teamsters are
organized into separate locals, each
one being in a class to itself. That is,
the ice wagou drivers are together, the
van drivers are together, the coal driv-
ers are together, etc., etc. Under the
into the local of coal drivers, for in-
J stance. Now the double organization
i complicates matters. President Gom
best information to be had, so effective
were the great Apostle's labors in this
respect that the labor guilds of his
day became the most important cen
ters of Christianity of that period. He
met with no readier response any
where than among his fellow-craftsmen.
It is interesting to note that
Paul visited first of all and established
his greatest churches in the cities in
which trades unionism was .strongest.
Unquestionably, he operated very
largely through the labor guilds in
these cities.
It is not necessary to prove that
these ancient guilds were similar to
present-day labor unions. Of course
they were not in every particular.
But if one were looking for faults in
these older organizations, as one finds
them in the more modern ones, it
would not be a difficult task. It is
enough to say that these guilds were
composed of workingmen, sometimes
including the employers, in order to
improve the condition of the toilers of
that period. And that is precisely the
object of the labor unionism of this
generation, although it is adapting
itself . to pre;sent-day needs, through
piesent-day methods.
It should be an inspiration to work
ing men everywhere to read the won
XWOKKDNGRflEKI 1
pers is trying to restore harmony.
Lincoln teamsters have held their
organization in spite of repeated dis
couragements, and are making some
headway. The chief difficulty encoun
tered is the opposition or negligence
of the very men who should be most
interested. The union got quite a se
vere "bump" a year or so ago by the
dishonesty and crooked practices of a
member who had been trusted fbr a
long time. He forgot to report a few
collections made, and also neglected
to pay a few bills which the union had
allowed and given him the money to
pay. The Wageworker has a safe de
posit vault full of promises that this
man made to pay a bill owing it, and
for which he had drawn the money
from the union treasury. Up to date
he has not paid the bill. A few ex
periences like this is calculated to
make it difficult for any union to get
along well. But the teamsters have
been gritty and they are slowly mak
ing gains.
Business is reported very good, and
the opening of the coal season prom
ises a continuance of worfc,
THE INTELLIGENT COMPOSITOR.
Not Blamable For All the Mistakes
Made in Newspapers.
The "intelligent compositor" is usu
ally blamed for all the mistakes that
creep into print. But seldom does the
blame, rightfully belong to him. Last
week "ye editor" made one. He said
the Typographical Union would meet
the next Sunday, but it didn't. There
were five Sundays in last month and
the printers meet on the first Sunday
of the month. That's how it came
about.
The Typographical Union will meet
next Sunday (sure) and will look after
a lot of business. They will also have
a little rejoicing over the decrease
in the assessment. The question of
dispensing with an executive commit
tee and leaving the business transact
ed by that committee in the hands of
the president, vice president and sec
retary, will be discussed and settled.
"Hher business of importance will be
transacted and every member should
be present. i
derful letters which this apostle-work-ingman
wrote to the members of those
early labor guilds, for, while not ad
dressed directly to them as an organi
zation, nevertheless they were intend
ed for the unionists who had been so
loyal to him when he was a stranger
in their city.
Thirteen of the books in the New
Testament were written by Paul. Read
his plea for the slave Onesimus in the
letter to Philemon. Read his master
ful presentation of the universality of
the benefits of Christianity in every
one of these epistles. Read, that beau
tiful "love-letter" which he sent to the
working-people of Philippi, when they
sent him a "missionary basket" when
he was in the Roman prison. Follow
him in his fight for the common people
of every nation as it is told in "The
Acts of The Apostles," and go with
this workingman-preacher as he trav
els over almost the entire then-knowa
world, bringing a message of joy to
the masses, who, for generations had
been told by the philosophers that they
had no souls that they were made of
the same stuff as the dog which upon
his death was kicked into the ditch
and then say that you are proud of
Paul Paul, the apostle-trades union
ist. Rev. Charles Stelzle.
THE ONION CLUB.
This famous organization that has
never organised is getting ready to
resume its winter functions, and some
good times are anticipated during the
winter. The onion crop was bountiful
last season, and the members are look
ing forward to many a sweet-scented
affair this winter. The Omaha branch
of the Parent Bermuda began, its win
ter sessions last week, and the in
augural peeling was said to be ex
tremely odiferous. A joint meeling
will lie held some time during the
winter, perhaps at Ashland.
W t TX.T
interesting mews rNOtes
rfom
Spokane, Wash., Oct. 2. Master
plumbers in Spokane have run up
against the real thing, and, while, no
trouble irt the way of strikes or walk J
outs are threatened, the union have
adopted a resolution declaring that in
the future" all plumbers are forbidden
from working on non-union jobs. In
the event of a violation of the rule
the master plumbers may be fined in
any amount from $10 to $50. This, it
U believed, will help the other build
ing crafts. Heretofore the owners of
union shops have taken 1 all the non
unior work they could secure, but thi
will be stopped.
Mayor Floyd L. Daggett of Spokane
has been appointed a delegate by the
street car men's union of this city to
confer with officials of the Washing
ton Water Power company regarding
the reinstatement of employes who, it
is said, were discharged for. joining
the union.
' Local teamsters, No. 202, has with
drawn its delegates from the Central
Labor Union of Spokane, because of
alleged differences in regard to a wage
scale. The teamsters demanded that
their schedule be recognized, but the
central body would not consent.
Spokane plumbers' union entertain
ed the delegates of the Northwestern
Association of Journeymen Plumbers
to the Toronto convention at a smoker
THE NORTH DIRECTORY.
Canvassers Now in the Field to Get
Material for It.
The North Director" company, made
up of home people, has begun the
work of collecting material for the
new city directory, and the work will
be pushed to the limit. The union
men and women of Lincoln should
take especial pleasure in giving ail
the aid possible to the people who are
setiius uui una uireciory. 11 win an
be printed in Lincoln, and the mechan
ical work in all departments will 1m
performed by union men and women.
The gentlemen composing the firm are
all citizens of Lincoln, and all . the
money collected will be retained in
Lincoln.
Unionists will remember, that the
publishers of the present directory
played double with the people of Lin
coln last year. They thought this town
made up of easy things, but were sud
denly awakened. Then they hustled
out and with a great nourish of trum
pets announced that they had made, a
deal with a local firm to do all the
publishing. Far be it from The Wags-worker-
to "knock" 6n a fair print
shop, but the Polk-McAvoy Directory
company deserves absolutely nothing
from the people of Lincoln, and it has
earned the everlasting opposition of
local trades unionists. The directory
to be issued by the North people is the
one that should receive the support
of all Lincoln people. ...
KENNEDY'S ANNIVERSARY.
Printer Celebrates It in a Manner That
Pleases Him.
October 1, 1906, was Roy Kennedy's
first anniversary as a union printer,
and he celebrated it by working all
day at the Independent shop. Ken
nedy was admitted to full membership
in the union on the first Sunday in
October last year. He had , hardly
taken the obligation when the assess
ment of 50 cents a week was chuched
on. Two months later the 10 per cent
assessment was voted on and Kennedy
voted "yes" and began paying it. He
paid for nine months without .a mur
mur. His first anniversary as a union
man was celebrated by ordering the
assessment reduced to 7 Der cent, and
Kennedy rejoices that the executive
council thinks so much of him as to
mark the anniversary in ' that way.
However, he is hoping that the council
will not have to wait another year to
take off the assessment entirely.
CAN NOT COME.
For a time it was thought that Pres
ident Gompers could be prevailed upon
to visit Lincoln before ' election and
make an address. ' Word has been
received from him to the effect that it
will be impossible for him to make a
date in Lincoln.
TIT j
tne iNottnwest
on the eve of ther departure for Can
ada. The Northwestern Association of
Journeymen Plumbers elected these
officers at its convention in this city:
President, G;us Busch, Seattle; . ( Frank
Armstrong of Spokane, vice president;
and treasurer
vjiui kh uuiuu ui jspunaiie Hits ueeu
revived by E. A. Cooney, local organ
izer for the American Federation of
Labor. Officers for the year will be
named at the October meeting.
Walter Thomas Mills, a sociologist
and economist, will come to Spokane,
October 13 to deliver his- lecture upon
"The Struggle for Existence" before
the working people of this city. Pre
vious to the address there will be a
reception under the direction of H. W.
Mangold, J. S. Lichy and E. J. Tam-i
bliii. Judge Richardson will preside
at the gatheiing.
Spokane Chamber of Commerce has
donated $2,000 to secure the next na
tional convention of the United Car
penters' and Joiners' Association.
have inaugurated a movement looking
to the erection of a home for aged and
incapacitated miners of that state.
A strike of the Southern Pacific
Railway company's repairers, which
extends almost entirely across the