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lilKCOLlSr, NEBRASKA, ISTO VEMBE1190(i
WORKINGMCN'S
MASS
6
All workingmen, whether union or non-union, without regard to political affilia
tions, who aro interested in electing two workingmen to tho legislature, aro
cordially invitod to attend a mass mooting at
CARPENTERS' HALE, MONDAY EVENING, NOV, 6
At 8 o'clock. Smith and Quick, labor candidates for tho legislature, will
speak briefly, and plans will bo laid for work at the polls on election day.
Workingmen, get into the political game in defense of yourown interests as toilers!
NEBRA
SKA- WORKERS IEI
If the workingmen of Nebraska are wise to their own inter
ests to their interests as workingmen as well as their interests
as citizens they will demand some legislation to which they
are entitled i
They have wanted this legislation for a long time, but so
far they have failed to voice their demands. They have been
content wtih asking it as a favor from their preferred political
party. They have smiled with joy when some smug-faced polit
ical officeseeker promised them to work for the requested legis
lation, and then accepted without a grumble the officeholder's
failure to keep his promise.
That sort of fast-and-loose business will continue indefi
nitely unless the workingmen make up their minds to cut loose
from party machines for a while and act together in self-defense.
There are several laws which workingmen want to see
placed upon the statute books. And there are several proposed
laws that workingmen are opposed to having enacted. Some
of the laws that workingmen want are as follows :
AN ANTI-CONVICT LABOR LAW.
AN EMPLOYERS' LIABILITY LAW.
AN EIGHT HOUR LAW.
A LAW PROHIBITING CHILD LABOR.
A LAW PROTECTING UNION LABELS FROM IMITA
TION AND INFRINGEMENT.
As free citizens who are helping to build up the common
wealth the workingmen of the state are entitled to protection
against an iniquitous system which forces them into competition
with convicts farmed out to a contractor who uses them to make
articles of every day use, and who sells these articles in compe
tition with free labor.
As workingmen entitled to equal protection under the laws
they are entitled to an employer's liability act which will make
an employer responsible for injuries sustained by an employe
while in the discharge of his duty.
As men entitled to some joy in life they are entitled to a
law which will insure it to them a law that will divide the
day into the three parts recognized by scripture and by history
eight hours for work, flight hours for sleep and eight hours
in which to rest and enjoy life.
As parents they are entitled to a law which will prohibit
conscienceless capital from throttling the life of the children.
And as workingmen they are entitled to a law which will not
compel them to compete with the underpaid labor of their own
little ones.
As union men they are entitled to a law which will protect
them against unscrupulous manufacturers who would foist their
tenement-made and "scab'-' made goods upon a discriminating
public by branding them with the emblem of well paid and well
contented labor the union label.
WHAT.S THE MATTER WITH DOING IT OURSELVES?
What's the use of depending upon pinheaded politicians
any longer? What's the use of being continually made the
laughing stock and the voting stock of a lot of fatheaded poli
ticians who lie to us for our votes and then laugh at us for
believing them?
THE LONGER THE WORKINGMEN OF THE COUNTRY
SPLIT ON PARTY LINES AND PULL CHESTNUTS FROM
THE FIRE FOR THE PROFESSIONAL POLITICIANS, THE
LONGER IT WILL BE BEFORE WORKINGMEN GET THE
LEGISLATION THEY ARE ENTITLED TO.
If the workingman who reads this does not believe it, it
is time he had his head bored for the simples.
But while we want some laws enacted we also want to
prevent some legislation threatened by our industrial enemies.
The only way to prevent this inimical legislation is to elect men
to the legislature who are interested personally and directly in
preventing it.
And what is this proposed law?
ENEMIES OF ORGANIZED LABOR ARE SECRETLY
PLANNING TO ENACT A CONSPIRACY LAW THAT WILL
MAKE IT A FELONY FOR WORKINGMEN TO CONFER IN
THE HOPE OF BETTERING THEIR CONDITION!
Don't ridicule the possibility of such a thing! Millions of
capital are possessed by the men who want such a law, and they
have a powerful lot of well organized machinery. With such
a law on the statute books you could be thrown into jail for
even asking a fellow worker to join with you in trying to force
an employer to pay you decent wages or grant you decent hours.
You could be thrown into jail for advocating a strike against
any unjust imposition of an employer. You may think this
impossible. But did you ever stop to consider what has been
done even without such a law.
LAST WEEK FOUR UNION GARMENT WORKERS IN
CHICAGO WERE SENT TO JAIL FOR SIX MONTHS FOR
VIOLATING AN INJUNCTION. WHAT WAS THE INJUNC
TION? A FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERED THEM NOT TO
TALK TO NON-UNION GARMENT WORKERS IN AN EF
FORT TO GET THEM TO JOIN THE UNION. THESE MEN
WERE DENIED A TRIAL BY JURY A RIGHT THAT ANY
CRIMINAL, NO MATTER HOW DEGRADED, IS ENTITLED
TO UNDER THE CONSTITUTION.
Only a few years ago the employes on a great western rail
road were enjoined by a federal judge now dead from quit
ting work as a sign of protest against inhuman wages and treat
ment. A Methodist minister in Pennsylvania was enjoined
from praying for a lot of striking miners. Striking miners were
enjoined from using the public highways. In Omaha a few
months ago the underpaid and half-starved packinghouse em
ployes were told by a federal judge that "two or more of them"
must not meet on the street to talk about their business.
JUST THINK OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF, IN ADDI
TION TO THE POWERS NOW USURPED BY FEDERAL
AND STATE JUDGES, A CONSPIRACY LAW IS ENACTED!
IF WORKINGMEN DO NOT GET TOGETHER, SICK TO
GETHER AND VOTE TOGETHER, THEY WILL SOON BE
WORSE OFF THAN THE SLAVE WAS BEFORE THE CIVIL
WAR. THE SLAVE WAS AT LEAST SURE OF PLENTY
TO EAT, A PLACE TO SLEEP AND MEDICAL ATTENTION
WHEN SICK.
. Now how much longer will workingmen be content to let
the politicians do all the legislating? How much longer will
they continue to "stick to party" and let their own personal
and family interests suffer? How much longer will they allow
themselves to be used as the instruments of their own indus
trial destruction?
Suppose we vote as workingmen, and not as partisans, just
once and see how it goes!
Suppose we elect a couple of our own umber to the legis
lature to look after our business, instead of electing a lot of
politicians who will look after their own interests.
The workingmen of Lancaster county have their oppor
tunity this year. They have an opportunity to vote for two men '
for the legislature who are personally and vitally interested
in securing legislation in the 'interests of the whole body of
workers. They are as much interested as you in preventing the
enactment of a conspiracy law. They are workingmen them
selves, and as such are personally interested in securing the
enactment of a child labor law which will prevent the labor of
children from forcing their wages down to a starvation level.
HARRY W. SMITH AND GEORGE F. QUICK ARE MEN
WHO WORK AT THEIR TRADE EVERY WORKING DAY
IN THE YEAR. THEY ARE NOT POLITICIANS. THEY
ARE NOT REPRESENTING ANY CORPORATION. THEY
ARE NOT BACKED BY ANY TRUST. THEY ARE PLAIN
CRAFTSMEN WHO ARE ASKING TO BE ELECTED IN OR
DER THAT THEY MAY LOOK AFTER YOUR INTERESTS
AS WELL AS THEIR OWN. 1
Harry Smith is a union printer, a member of Lincoln Typo
graphical Union No. 209. He has been a union printer for
twenty years.
George Quick is a union carpenter, a member of the Broth
erhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, Local No. 1,055.
He has been a union carpenter for nearly twenty years.
THESE MEN ARE RUNNING AS LABOR CANDIDATES.
THEY ASK FOR THE VOTES OF THEIR FELLOW WORK
INGMEN. In point of ability they equal any candidates ever offered
to the voters of Lancaster county. -They represent no faction,,
no interest that is antagonistic to the welfare of the whole peo
ple. They are not running as partisans. THEY ARE LABOR
ING MEN RUNNING AS CANDIDATES OF LABORING
MEN. THEY WERE NOMINATED AS LABORING MEN.
FELLOW WORKINGMEN, THESE MEN WILL BE
ELECTED IF YOU WILL DO YOUR DUTY.
Once upon a time a heathen king thought he would frighten
the sun. He ordered all his subjects to assemble and at a given
signal give a shout that would scare the sun into hiding. Thou
sands gathered in response to the royal command, and at the
proper moment the king gave the signal. There wasn't a sound.
EVERY MAN PRESENT THOUGHT HE WOULD KEEP
STILL AND THUS HEAR HOW LOUD ALL THE OTHERS
COULD SHOUT.
Are you going to act like the heathens just vote your old
party ticket and see whether there is really any chance of elect
ing a workingman before you do your share?
IT IS ALL UP TO YOU, BOYS. IF YOU DON'T ELECT
SMITH AND QUICK TO REPRESENT YOU, YOU 'CAN BET
YOUR LIFE THE OTHER FELLOWS WILL NOT. THEL'LL
ELECT THEIR QWN KIND.
Don't listen to the "con" talk of some 2x4 political boss
who begs for.you to "stand by the party." Stand by your own
self just for a change. Be a political boss yourself this time
and "boss" your own vote.
And here is a most important thing to remember in connec
tion with this whole matter:
IF WE ELECT SMITH AND QUICK THIS YEAR WE'LL
HAVE ALL THE POLITICAL PARTIES AT OUR COMMAND
JUST AS THEY HAVE BEEN AT THE COMMAND OF
(Continued on page 8.)
A,
NO. MO