Ul
NO. ;7
VrOL. 3
LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, DECEMBER 21, 1906
3
o)
A S ADESICOUNClLo)
Still Harping About
That Labor Fab
Elsewhere In this issue will be found
An article taken from the Lincoln
Herald and relating to the present la
bor fair. The editor of The Wage
worker does not know whether to take
It as a roast, a compliment or a joke.
The Herald intimates . that "many
unionists seemed to labor under the
impression that the fair was a scheme
of graft Inaugurated by the editor of
The Wageworker." Such an intima
matlon is neither a joke nor a compli
ment. The Herald, however, is kind
enough to declare its disbelief in any
such idea, for which it has the thanks
of the editor of The Wageworker.
If there is a unionist in Lincoln or
elsewhere who believes that the edi
tor of The Wageworker had a scheme
of graft In connection with the labor
fair, he Is cordially Invited to make his
belief known to the editor of The
Wageworker. If such unionist is fin
ancially responsible he will be haled
Into court as soon as the proper papers
can be prepared and given the op
portunity to either prove his charges
or pay damages. If he is not finan
cially responsible the editor will un
dertake to find recourse in another
way. The editor of this humble little
labor paper Is not going to waste time
paying attention to the "knocks" of
men who are always "knocking," but
he is more than ready to pay atten
tion to the contemptible liars who
charge aim with using The Wage
worker to further any - scheme of
."graft." Mr. Maupin's connection with
the labor fair was not at all secret His
agreement with the Central Labor
Union has been made public. He is
not ashamed of that agreement, but
having having had the experience he
unhesitatingly declares that he would
not make another one like it. As a mat
ter of fact he would not again perform
the work he did and undergo the wor-
J ry he was compelled to undergo in
trying to make the fair a success, for
a sum equal to the gross receipts of
the recent labor fair. He can make
money easier by paying close atten-
tion to his profession, and have his
evenings with his family instead of
walking the streets trying to arouse
unionists to a sense of their duty
The Herald says: "We understand
there is some feeling among unionists
against Mr. Maupin of The Wage
worker because of his constant efforts
to push himself to the front and his
burning desired to lead." We prefer
to believe that this Is one of the Her
ald's jokes. If there are any unionists
who have such a feeling they may lay
it aside and sleep soundly. If there
is any one thing Mr. Maupin does not
yearn to be it is that thing, a leader
If he has any ambition at all in the
labor movement it is to be an earnest,
consistent and helpful worker in the
ranks. He stands ready to further
any good work calculated to advance
the cause of labor, but having seen the
sort of reward handed out by the rank
' ad file to the men who have sacrificed
themselves to become leaders, he is
more than willing to follow. Labor
leaders are usually allowed to do all
the sacrificing in order that the fol
lowers may profit thereby.
We are under obligations to the
Herald for saying: "We do not be
t lleve Mr. Maupin to be a grafter, and
take pleasure in doing what little we
can to dispel this idea." Thanks. In
this connection Mr. Maupin desires to
state that if there Is a man in Lin
coin, or elsewhere, who can prove that
Mr. Maupin ever grafted one penny, in
any manner whatsoever, he will . be
given The Wageworker, In whole, free
of incumbrance, as a reward for sub
mitting such proof. And The Wage-
worker is pretty good newspaper pro
perty,' loo.
The Herald further says. "When the
unionists, singly or Individually, sub
scribe to mtintaln a labor paper, they
feel that the editor thereof is their
1I, man arxA nlinnlil An tYtalf KM
ding. If there is a unionist or a
union on the subscription roll of The
Wageworker that thinks that way, it
would do well to cancel its subscrip
tions at once. The Wageworker Is the
organ of no union, and it is the prop-
- erty of the unionist whose name is at
the head of the editorial column. It
does the bidding of but one man its
editor. The union or the individual
who tries to dictate to The Wage
worker because it or he happens to be
a subscriber, is going to be the victim
of a rude shock. The position of The
Wageworker is well" known to the
unions subscribing for it, and those
who do not subscribe for it are wel
come to think what they blamed
please.. But if they think the editor
of The Wageworker is a "grafter" they
ought to be manly enough to make the
charge openly and not sneak around
behind the bush to do it.
The Herald says it "regrets the fail
ure of the fair." It need not waste
time in idle tears. The fair was a fin
ancial success. It will clear a very
neat sum of money. Again the Her
ald says: "The Herald understands
there Is a financial shortage as a re
sult of the fair, and that it is likely to
fall on the publisher of The Wage
worker." We take immense pleasure
in correcting the misunderstanding of
the Herald. There is no financial
shortage. On the contrary there is a
neat balance in the treasury of the
Central Labor Union as a result of the
fair, and the publisher of The Wage-
worker loses nothing but the time he
devoted to trying to make the fair a
success. His only regret is that the
fair was not more successful from a
financial standpoint.
Perhaps it would have been better
and fairer, if the editor of the Herald
had interviewed Mr. Maupin before
writing at such length upon the fair.
We believe the editor of the Herald
meant to be fair and impartial, and we
cheerfully give him credit for being
honest in his motives. But a very
short talk with Mr. Maupin would have
set him right on several important
points.
As for the union men who think the
acme of unionism is to "knock" and
shout "grafter" at every unionist who
tries to do something for the ad
vancement of unionism well, fudge
on them! Until they accumulate
enough manhood to make their charges
in the open they are not worthy the
attention of a man who has to hustle
for his daily bread.
are necessary to complete the shoe.
So with the workingmen. We are de
pendent upon each other. WTiy re
main' unorganized and alone? Get to
gether for mutual benefit and protection.
WHAT UNIONS DO.
Help
A GOOD START.
the Non-Unionists to Better
Things of Life.
John P. Altgeldt once said: "Every
time union labor achieves a victory it
not only raises the standard of the
union men, nut of the non-unionists,
who receive the benefit' of all that
union labor receives.'' Every time
the non-unionist takes a striker's job
and crushes a union he not only low
ers the status of the union, but him
self and his own family, who must
share the degradation of all labor. But
few working men are capable of stand
ing upon their own bottom during
these days of mad commercialism.
Merit is forgotten in the terrible race
for wealth. A workingman may be
ever so capable, but he will receive
no more wages, except in extraordin
ary cases, than his employer is will
ing to give him. The amount usually
depends upon the size of the employ
er's conscience. This is where the
value of a trade union is manifested.
It makes an injury to one the con
cern of all. Have you ever passed
through a large factory, equipped with
machinery of the most modern type?
If you have, did you notice how each
piece of machinery was dependent up
on the others? In a shoe factory, for
instance, each machine has its par
ticular work to do, anJ all of them
Musicians Should Get Busy Now and
- Organize a Local.
The musicians of Lincoln those
who believe in unionism ought to
get busy at once and organize a local.
There were enough in the labor fair
orchestra to complete an organization
with a little work, and they owe it
to themselves and to unionism . to or
ganize. There ought to be a strong
Musicians' Union in Lincoln. This
city ought to have a first-class union
orchestra and a first-class union band.
An. orchestra made up of union mu
sicians will get lots of work, and it's
a cinch that hereafter there will be
no non-union bands in Labor Day pa
rades. Get bsuy, you musicians! Tou
have a good start. .
Is This a Gentle Roast
Or Jtist a Little Joke?
CARPENTERS OFFICIAL NOTICE.
To all Members of the United
Brotherhod of Carpenter and Joiners
of America, Local No. 1055 : You are
requested to present due books to the
trustees for comparison with ledger
before January 1, 1907, under pen
alty. . . ED BLY,
Recording Secretary.
' The Lyric has a strong
week.
bill this
Big Holiday bill at Bijou next week.
The Pullman porters are organizing
Five hundred silver workers are
striking in New York City.
The labor fair which was on at the
auditorium last week was eonsiderable
of a failure so far as patronage and
interest on the part of unionists was
concerned. Many unionists seemed to
labor under the impression that the
fair was a scheme of graft inaugurat
ed by the publisher of the Wageworker
and thus much patronage and moral
support was withheld. The Herald be
lieves this was a mistaken idea. We
understand there is some feeling
among unionists against Mr. Maupin
of the Wageworker because of his
constant efforts to push himself to the
front and his burning desire to lead,
but we do not believe he is a grafter,
and take pleasure in doing what lit
tle we can to dispel this idea.
While it is always commendable in
a man to endeavor to get to the front
and reasonable ambition is always
laudable, Mr. Maupin does not seem
to have learned that the editor of a
labor paper is one who is debarred to
these privileges, while anything even
remotely bordering ' on officiousness
affords a most excellent and wieldly
club for the knocker. And there are
many reasons for this condition of af
fairs. When the unionists, individu
ally or collectively, subscribe to the
maintenance . of a labor paper, they
feel that the editor thereof Is their
hired man, and should do their bid
ding and not assume to lead, or dic
tate, or aspire. If he . attempts any
personal preferment he is using his
paper as a booster. If he proposes any
financial enterprise and figures con
spicuously in it, he has a graft and
there are always plenty of jealous,
would-be leaders ready to hand out
F "KEEPING CHRISTMAS IN THE HEART"
Richard L. Metcalfe in The Commoner
"A gran' rasslin' match is goin' on in ivry
corner iv th' civylyzed globe," says Mr. Dooley in
the American Magazine, "an' we're all in a tangle,
flghtin', quarrelin', robbin', plundhrin', or
murdhrtn', accordin to our tastes. It's what
Hogan calls th" struggle fr existence, an' it'll
always go on while there's a dollar in. the
wurruld, a woman, or a ribbon to wear in our
coats. But on the three hundred and sixty-fifth
day suddenly we hear a voice: 'Gintlemen, gintle- ,
men, not befure th' chlldher.' An' we get up an'
brush th' dust off our, clothes an' shake hands
pretindin' it was all fun. Th' kids have come in."
Wouldn't things be changed if after the truce
observed December 25, 1906, the men and women
of the world failed to renew the fighting and
the quarreling? Wouldn't life be more than worth
the living if after keeping Christmas in the
form, by filling the children's stockings on Christ
mas eve and exchanging gifts and salutations with
friends on Christmas day, we kept Christmas in
the heart for the balance of the year?
One writer gave us a hint when he said that
the kindness and good cheer generally prevalent
during the Christmas season represents the nor
mal condition of society when it shall reach that
perfection possible among human beings. And '
there are those who believe that in spite of wars
and rumors of wars between nations, in the face
of oppression and greed among individuals, we
are moving to that very condition where keep
ing Christmas in the heart men and women will
obtain during all the year the inspiration and ex
altation they derive during the few hours of the
designated season when they keep Christmas in
the form. And those who. indulge in this bit of
optimism tell us that love Is leading the way.
Well, Love knows the way; and the men and
women who follow her call will find it.
And how are we to put in the entire year
"keeping Christmas In the heart?" Certainly not
by hanging up the stockings every evening of
the year: nor by continual exchange of gifts; nor
by making perpetual the strain and labors of
the Christmas season as we now observe it. But
rather by toning down some of the madness or.
If you prefer to call it, the enthusiasm of that
season, so that in our efforts to make a showing
for ourselves and our immediate friends we put
no undue strain upon the pocketbook of our bread
winner, and impose no undue burdens upon the
poorly-paid shop girl. She though we sometimes
forget it is the child of some other parents who
arc just as anxious that their child be comfortable
and free from vexatious burdens as we are that
our child be surfeited with Christmas gifts.
It is by the use of a little leaven that
leaveneth the whole lump; by a little spreading
out of the great pile of friendly salutation, of
generosity, of good cheer and of kindly disposi
tion that now characterize the Christmas sea
son; so that without detracting from the joy of
that period, we contribute to the continuing hap
piness of men and to the permanent well-being
of the world. "But only Love may lead love in,
to Arcady, to Arcady."
One would be thought simple, . indeed, were
he to ask in this day: "What is love?" There
are, ready at hand, so many answers to the ques
tion and most of them are plainly, illustrated in
every day life.
The mother bending o'er her first born tells
us that is Jove and the love light that lies within
that mother's eyes tell us that, at least, is truth.
The father, ready to sacrifice his ay for the .
future of his boy, tells us that is love;- and we
know that he speaks as one who feels, and, feel
ing, knows.
The maiden knows that love is described in
that picture where:
"A warrior so bold, and a virgin so bright
Conversed as they sat on the green.
They gazed on each other with tenderest delight,
Alonzo the Brave was the name of the knight
The maiden's the Fair Imogene."
The manly lad with the first touch of down
on his lip knows what love is when, turning to
the sweetheart of his youth, he says: :
"If you become a nun, dear,
The bishop Love will be;
The cuplds every one, dear!
Will chant 'We trust in thee!' "
One poet tells us "Love is madness, love is
sadness;" another that it is "The sweetest joy,
the wildest woe." One grown crusty in bachelor
hood calls it "a delusion and a snare;" and a
hopeless one declares "Love is the tyrant of the
heart; It darkens reason, confounds discretion;
deaf to counsel it runs a headlong course to des
perate madness."
But the biliousness of the poets and the cyni
cism of the despondent can not affect the views
of the man who has walked by love's side; walked
by love's side when he gathered the myrtle with
Mary; walked by love's side when he led to the
altar the girl of his choice; walked by love's side
at the cradle of the first born to that holy union;
walked by love's side and held within his own
trembling grasp love's firm hand by the little
grave in which was centered that common inter
est which binds two hearts closer than any mar
riage vow yet spoken by a priest.
We know that when the maid and the lad,
the mother and the father, and the friend have .
spoken they have told us of love1 and that that is
love, indeed! But all these are but representa
tive of the real thing the out-cropping in particu
lar individuals of that which was to affect all In
dividuals; the triumph in particular quarters of
that which was to dominate in all quarters.; the
hint strong and beautiful, but a mere hint never
theless of that great "truth of truths" which
Disraeli described as "The principle of existence
and its only end."
Keeping Christmas in the heart as a rule of
life rather than as a mere holiday pastime it will
not be necessary "when the children come in" for
us to "brush th' dust off our clothes an' shake
hands pretindin' it was all fun." Then "the chil
dren's season" will last the year 'round; then the
air will be full of music; the world will be full of
flowers; life will be full of hope because the
hearts of men are full of love.
The world is not growing worse as some of
the disconsolate would have us believe. It is
growing better and there flows, at this moment,
from the hearts of men more of the milk of hu
man kindness than at any other time in the his
tory of the world. What if meanness and oppres
sion are revealed? The very revelation shows
the power of public opinion: and shows, also,
, that the trend of men's thought is upward. What
- if doctrinaires complain that men are becoming
indifferent to the details of creeds? That is be
cause they are more determined than " ever in
their efforts to get closer to God. .
Dr. P. L. Hall, one of the best known of Ne
braska bankers, responding to the question : "Is
the world getting worse?" replied, "No," and
added: "There never was a generation in this
country in, which the moral hazard as a basis for
credit entered so largely as in this."
Practical men are turning to the better things
of life. They know that love and the things it
stands for are alone worth cultivating; they know
that to cherish malice, to lay traps for one's
neighbor, to encourage vanity and .indulge in
bombast is a veritable waste of time. They feel
with the poet of old who wrote:
"The warrior for the True, the Right, -Fights
in Love's name; -
The love that lures thee from that fight
Lures thee to shame;
"That love which lifts the heart, yet leaves
The spirit free
That love, or none, is fit for one
V Man-shaped like thee." . "
"Keeping Christmas In the heart" will yet
become the habit of men; and he who adopts that
habit will find
"My bounty is as boundless as the sea,
My love as deep; the more I give to Thee '
The more I have, for both are infinite."
In art and literature the little child is made
the representative' of innocence for obvious rea
sons. The Danish queen who wrote, "Oh keep me
innocent, make others great" voiced what is to
day the wish of many thoughtful parents with
respect to the future of their children, as it well
might be the wish of thoughtful men with respect
to the future of their race. Men of - the
past who were controlled by vanity where they
were not moved by greed, struggled under the
embarrassments and handicaps of those who
would be "great;" let the men of the future be
touched with the satisfying qualities of innocence
and find that contentment awaiting those who arc
willing to seek it along the simple lines where
Love will lead the way. ,
For my own children I breathe this Christmas
prayer:
Give them knowledge; but hold them true.
Ripe;n their intellect; but keep their hearts
young.
Lead them to the heights where by learning
much from their teachers men may give much
to their fellows; but let them retain to the end a
practical trust in the tenderness of men and a
simple faith In the goodness and the allness of
; God.
Let them be kind to every creature to every
man grown weary, to every woman grown faint,
' to every child made homeless, to every bird in
the air and to every beast in the field finding In
all things something to command their concern,
and in all beings something to stir their
affections.
Keep Christmas within their hearts, Swork-day
and play-day alike, making each one feel, during
all the journey through life, that:
"Whatever mine ears can hear,' " ; .
Whatever mine eyes can see, ,
In nature so bright with beauty and light,
Has a message of love for me."
packages that will asperse his mo
tives, and class him as a unionist for
revenue only.
Labor unionists, are always suspi
clous. They have been the victims of
so many fakirs "and fakes that the mo-- - .
ment a man of .their rank becomes
conspicuously active, he is looked, up
on as having an ax to grind, particu-.
larly if he is the editor of a labor pa- '
per. Air. Maupin does not seem to
realize the delicacy of his position or
else he would not have undertaken a
labor fair and mourning now that it .
was a failure and in a fair way to
cost him a neat sum, individually.
The Herald regrets the failure of ( '
the fair. Though not a member, of:'
any union at this time, a long life of -unionism
gives me the most kindly "
feeling and a real interest, in . union '
ism of the genuine character and I
regret any failure of unionism where; '
directed to a legitimate purpose.
Unionism means more ' than high
wages, short hours and union label.' .... ,
It means brotherhood, co-operation in- .
stead of . strife and antagonism, it -means
education, elevation and the
bettering of the laborers social condi
tion. It ought to mean,, above all union '
at the ballot box, but in this it has
thus far signally failed. While Lin- . ,
coin is -strong in unionism the Herald
would like to see- more harmony pre- ' ,
vail; more interest, more ' general
good feeling and less scabbing at the ... ,
ballot, box. Pardon this seeming . .
boost, but the Herald household is -the
best unionist In the community. i
We pay the union scale for all labor ' '
we give out, have no scab- prices on - ;
advertising and when it comes to the
ballot box we cast our vote in favor of ,
giving to the laborer all he producer,
which can only be attained ; by the
adoption of
i. The Herald understands there is a. ... .t)
financial shortage as a result , of .the . t
fair and that it is likely to fall on the .
publisher of the Wageworker. j1 We -.
trust the union boys will cease to
question the honesty of any one's in- -tentions
connected with the fair, put
away all criticism along 'the line of ' , ,
mismanagement, put '. their shoulder ,
to the Wheel and pull out the shortage,
turn their faces hopefully to the future,
give the white winged dove of peace -an
opportunity to settle down to busi
ness and let the tomahawk be buried. -
Lincoln Herald. . . 1
LEATHeRWORKERS ELECT.
Officers Who Will Conduct-Afftirs for
a .Time., '
. The local union of , Leatherworkers
in Horse Goods have elected the fol
lowing officers for the ensuing term:
President, F. M. Lewis.
Vice president, Jos. Lantry. T
Secretary-treasurer, J. J. Stone.
Recording secretary, Frank Porak.
Chaplain, C. M. Smith. .,
Marshal, W. H. Schleifer.
Guard, Hoory McPherson.
Executive Board, L. H. Neff, L. E.
Marti, Peter Schmitz.
Delegates to C. L. U., G. H. Bush,
T. C. Kelsey, J. J. Stone. ,
- SUCCESS OF HIGH DUES. . .
The United Hatters of America is .
one of the most remarkable labor or
ganizations in the country. Its offi
cers state that its success , dates from ,
the time It adopted high dues. Every
member pays 3 per cent of his earn
ings into the union treasury. Two per
cent goes to the international union, ;
while 1 per cent is used for local ex- ,
I-enses. There are 9,000 members in
the union out of $12,000 engaged' in
the business in North America. Piano
Workers' Journal. .
A CHRISTMAS STORY.
The Wageworker calls especial at
tention to the article, .. "Keeping
Christmas in the Heart," which ap
pears in this issue." It was written by
Richard L. Metcalfe, associate editor
of the Commoner, and reproduced by
courtesy of , that publication. It is
written in Mr. Metcalfe's best vein
the vein that shows him at his best,
and no one can read it without being
bettered. By the way, none, of us Is
so good that we can not be bettered,
so read this beautiful Christmas story,
"Keeping Christmas in the Heart."
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