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lilNCOIiN, NEBRASKA, JUE 28, lf07
NO. 12
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Labor Temple Project
Getting Into Good Shape
The open meeting of the Central
Labor Union last Tuesday night, held
for the purpose of boosting the Labor
Temple project was a success. First,
it was the largest meeting of union
men held In Lincoln for many months.
Second, it demonstrated that the union
men have been considering the temple
project and casting about for the best
plans whereby one may be secured.
Third, it demonstrated that there Is no
lack of enthusiasm among the faithful,
although the faithful seem to bear but
a small proportion to the whole num
ber. While the meeting was largely
attended, it should have been ten
times as large. The hall should have
been crowded to the doors. As It was,
fully 200 men were present.
. Governor Sheldon favored the meet
ing with his presence, and he made
two rousing good talks. His attitude
towards trades unionism was made
very plain, for he declared with great
emphasis that It was not only the right
but the duty of worklngmen to organ
ize, and to organize thoroughly. Then
he showed his deep interest In the tem
ple project by speaking words that
evidenced the fact that he had given
the matter more than pasing thought.
He outlined some good plans and In
addition he declared his willingness
to lend financial as well as moral sup
port to the enterprise.
Rev. Mr. Batten also spoke encour
aging words, end he too offered finan
cial aid to the extent of hjs ability.
Other speakers were enthulastlc and
optimistic. 1
After the preliminary work of the
central body had been completed the
meeting was declared open, and Gov
ernor Sheldon was called upon. He had
a clear understanding of the object of
the meeting end went at the subject
without any preliminaries. After the
governor had spoken W. M. 'Maupin
outlined the building plan . he had in
mind, and which has been explained
in detail in The Wageworker. He in
sisted, however, that he was willing
to adopt any plan, his only object be
ing to promote the project. Opposi
tion to the stock company plan was at
once made manifest, Wm. Emberson
voicing the objection. After opposing
the stock company plan he declared
he question before the meeting to be,
"How?" However, he failed to give a
plan, contenting himself with objec
tionsto the stock company idea.
Rev. Mr. Batten moved that it be the
sense of the meeting that the union
men proceed at once to conceive end
carry out some plan of securing a tem
ple. The motion was carried and
once more the discussion was on.
Every speaker declared himself will
ing to go to the limit in an effort to
secure a temple, and all were optimis
tic, but none seemed ready to sub
mlt any definite plan other than the
stock company proposition. Finally,
on motion, it was decided to ask every
labor organization in the city to se
lect a delegate on an advisory board,
the duty of the board being to select
some plan of procedure, the same to
be referred back to the various locals
for adoption or rejection.
The Wageworker has no pet plan,
but it still clings to the belief that
ths stock company plan is the best and
most feasible. It is the plan that has
been followed in the erection of every
labor temple of which it has knowl
edge. Properly safeguarded U is the
most enduring, and under it the money
could be most quickly raised. But The
Wageworker wants a Labor Temple
In Lincoln much more than it wants
v any particular plan adopted. It will
lend Its heartiest support to any plan
agreed upon by a majority. The little
mite its editor purposes giving will be
- given just as freely under one plan as
another.
"You may put down for $100." said
Governor Sheldon to the editor of The
Wageworker. "It is without any
strings."
That's a boost for fair. And there
are scores of men in Lincoln who will
do as much or more when the union
men demonstrate that they ere taking
an active Interest In the matter.
Already there is approximately
$2,500 in sight. That is a mighty good
starter. It is about $2,500 nearer the
goal than we have ever come before.
Governor Sheldon urged the erection
of Buch a building as would not only
provide halls for union purposes end
n assembly room for general pur
poses, but a building that would afford
a gymnasium, a library, bath rooms,
smoking rooms, office rooms and dor
mitories wherein worklngmen could
find clean, sanitary rooms in which to
sleep and make their home when not
at work. He was sure that the busi
ness men of the city would heartily
further such an enterprise because it
would be a benefit to them. 'It would
give more stability to labor. It would
exert an influence for good among the
wage earners. And business men are
among the first to reap financial ad
vantage from such a state of affairs.
The Wageworker is glad to add the
names of the following gentlemen to
the list of those who have agreed to
boost the Labor Temple project These
names represent much more than one
days work each, but will be added to
the list carried under that agreement:
Fred Ress, 1201 B.
W. T. Abbott, Lin. Tel. Co.
Rev. S. Z. Batten.
Gov. George L. Sheldon.
F: A. Kates, 1020 K.
Fred Eissier, 111 A.
S. C. Foster, 437 N. 10.
Nelson, 2122 H.
C. H. Fowler, 1229 N. 26.
R. R. Cooper, 1237S. 27.
X). T. Stowell, 347 S. 24.
Chas. S. Smith, 2218 Holdrege.
R. J. Adams, 236 N. 19.
G. A. Noyes, 1144 R.
Ernest Eissler, 111 A.
J. M. Quick, 1445 N. 25.
A. R. Gibson, 2135 L.
J. A. Chambers, 425 S. 30.
S. D. Swab, 1536 N. 28.
C. E. Mellor, 2149 S. 15.
Several other lists are out, and next
week's report will undoubtedly be very
gratifying. Now that the movement is
fairly started let every genuine union
man take hold and push. There should
be no trouble in having the money in
sight for a building lot by Labor Day.
And if we succeed in that we can cele
brate the day with a better heart than
usual.
TYPOGRAPHICAL. UNION.
Some Little Note About the Printer
Men Here and Elsewhere.
Lincoln Typographical Union No.
209 held a special meeting last Sunday,
the meeting being called to take some
-action looking towards the immediate
relief of Mr. Rogers, who Is very sick.
It was decided to ask his admtson to
the Home at Colorado Springs. The
local situation was discussed at 'ength
and proper action taken.
The regular July meeting will be
held a week from Sunday, at wtiich
time the officers elect will be sft-orn in.
By that time, too, it is hoped to have a
clear understanding on matters dis
cussed at the special meeting.
The old time printers in Lincoln will
be shocked when they learn of the
death ofyJ. F. Flannigan, better known
as "Kid." Mr. Flannigan died at Hot
Springs last-week after an illness of
several months. He was secretary of
the Hot Springs union and was fore
most in engineering the plans for the
"Pirates' Reunion" at the Springs
when the international convention
meets next August. He worked on
the Journal in this city seventeen
years ago, and was one of the men
who walked out during the memorable
strike of 1892. He was a genial, clever
comrade, a staunch unionist and a
worker in every cause calculated to
benefit his fellow craftsmen. They
made no better men or printers than
"Kid" Flannigan. Peace to his ashes.
Superintendent Deacon of the Home
has notified Frank Swigart not to send
any more books to the Home li
brary without prepaying the express.
Wouldn't that jar you? Swigart took
hold of the library project and made it
a success. But somehow or other he
incurred the enmity of the "big chiefs"
at Indianapolis and President Lynch
notified ' him not to solicit any more
books. Swigart paid no attention to
the ukase and kept sending In books
by the score and all of them valuable
additions to the library. Then he was
accused of lese majeste and notified
he would be tried for his union life at
the Hot Springs convention. Then St.
Louis union, to which he belongs,
butted In and wanted to know why one
of its members was treated thusly.
And No. 8 was politely told to go to
thunder. The executive council would
manage things in its own way. And
Swigart looks forward to a trial on
charges of which he is ignorant be
fore' a jury to 'be selected by his ac
cusers. Pleasant prospect for a union
man who has sacrificed time and
Euoney to boost a work calculated to
brighten the lives of old comrades who
are enjoying the comforts of the
Home. But Swigart stands pat, and
here's hoping he wins out' as handily
In this as he has won out in his efforts
to make the library of the Union
Printers' Home one of the largest and
best in the country.
GONE TO FAIRBURY.
H. E. Atterbury, a fair contractor,
has qui Lincoln, at least temporarily,
and has located in Fairbury, where he
has several good contracts in hand.
Mr. Atterbury was a member of the
local Carpenters' Union as long as he
was a journeyman, and still retains
connection with that body. He gladly
conducts e "closed shop" because he
knows that it pays better in the long
run. His many friends here will wish
him abundant success in his new field.
OTICE T8 local
At the mass meeting at Central Labor Union
hall last Tuesday night to consider the Labor Templo
proposition, it was decided to ask all trades and labor
unions to select one member each to act upon an
advisitory committee. This committee will consider
ways and means, and report back to: their locals for
rejection or approval. Local unions are urged to se
lect the best possible materiaLfor this committee,
and to do so at once, without waiting for formal
notice from the secretary of the mass meeting, and
to notify George Bush when selection is made. As
soon as a majority of the unions have reported, the
committee will be called together.
Every union in the count y, regardless of affilia
tion with the American Federation of Labor, is urged
to select a member of the committee, and to do so at
once. Speedy action means quicker results.
THE CARPENTERS.
Will Have Special Called Meeting fof
Tuesday Evening, July 2.
All members of Local 1,055, Carpen
ters and Joiners, are hereby notified
that next Tuesday evening, July 2, will
be a special called meeting for the
purpose of considering Sec. 13 of the
by-laws and trade rules. The ques
tion of the local labor paper will also
come up for consideration, and the la
bor temple proposition will be con
sidered. Other business of great im
portance will come before the meet
ing. These questions are of great Im
portance and every member should
think them over and come prepared to
give their views on each. This being
the first called meeting of the new
quarter members are requested jto
bring their due books for comparison
with the secretary's books.
J. A. CHAMBERS,
Secretary.
Monday night's storm was not with
out its compensations. It did a lot of
damage that will require the attention
of carpenters.
Knoxvllle (Tenn.) carpenters have
reached an agreement with the con
tractors whereby the carpenters will
receive 30 cents an hour, nine hours a
day. and union shop conditions.
The International Protective Asso
ciation of the Carpenters Union re
cently purchased the armory building
in Spokane, Wash., and will convert
it into a hall for headquarters.
Business men who love to advocate
"build up home industry" continue to
give their work to contractors who
bring in outside men to perform the
work and then return home with the
money. This injures Lincoln citi
zens who pay taxes and help support
Lincoln business institutions, and
takes money out of the channels of
Lincoln trade. "Actions speak louder
than words."
Members of the building trades are
peculiarly interested in the Labor
Temple project, as the erection of one
means that the bulk of the money will
be paid to building craftsmen. For
that reason the carpenters should se
lect the best possible man for member
ship pn the temple advisory commit
tee. I
; COMMONER OUTING. ; :
The Commoner force went to Capi
tol Beach Friday evening and spent a
few hours in boating and visiting the
attractions at that popular pleasure
resort. . A picnic supper was enjoyed.
The Commoner "crowd" knows how
to have a good time, and it gets to
gether every now and then and pro
ceeds to put its knowledge into effect.
Little Rock, Ark., plumbers present
ed $407.17 to a member of the union
who had lost his eye-sight.
SOUNDS RATHER GAUZY.
Pinkerton Spy McPartland's Work
Touted Entirely Too High
James McPartland, the Pinkerton
spy who claims the credit of having ex
posed the workings of the so-called "In
ner circle" of the Western Federation
of miners, is the same McPartland
who disrupted the "Mollie 'Magure"
bands in the Pennsylvania coal re
gions. In breaking up the "Mollies"
McPartland became the best known
detective of his time, and it does
seem idiotic to believe that a man with
such a reputation could turn the same
trick again. If the Western Federa
tion were guilty as charged, certainly
the presence of a well known detective
like McPartland in western mining
circles would have put the men on
their guard and made it impossible for
McPartland to again turn his famous
"Mollie" trick.
. McPartland seems to have worked
upon the superstitious fears of Orch
ard, who has a mania for claiming re
sponsibility for crimes committed by
others. . With a mental defect for
which he should not 'be held responsi
ble. Orchard glories in being looked
upon as -a bloody criminal, although
his cringing before McPartland stamps
him as a coward. His wonderful
nerve on the witness stand Is a sub
ject for psychologists, not crimlnal
ogists, to consider. Aaron Burr had
Orchard's mania, only it was mani
fest In another way. He is said to
have had a mania for being considered
a "woman killer," and it is recorded
that when he heard of a girl who had
made a false step he offered to sup
port her offspring provided she would
say that Burr was responsible. Or
chard seems willing to be charged
with any sort of crime provided he can
receive the reward of public attention.
Bar Association
Little
With nerve almost sublime, and
with a total disregard of the objects
of the new primary law, a lot of law
yers, members of the Lancaster Coun
ty Bar Association, met at the court
house last week and selected the ju
dicial candidates for the voters of the
county.
The action was by no means unani
mous, for strong objection was made
by some of the members. But the "in
side ring" seems to have laid its plans
well. Judges Cornish and Frost were
renominated, and S. J. Tuttle nomin
ated In place of Judge E.- P. Holmes.
The deal seems to a rank outsider to
have been engineered for the dual pur
pose of deafeating Judge Holmes and
putting a damper on the judicial as
pirations of County Judge Frank .Wa
ters. Tuttle was formerly a democrat,
but seems to have laid aside his demo
cratic coat long enough to secure a
plumb from the republicans.
If the people of Lancaster county
stand for this Bar Association game
they are entirely too easy. This is
not said with any purpose or reflecting
upon either Judge Cornish or Judge
Frost. Both have made excellent rec
ords on the bench. But the same ar
guments that demanded their renomin
ation also demanded the renomination
of Judge Holmes. Again, the people
who are so unfortunate as to he
tangled up in litigation have .much
more interest in the judicial candidates
than have the eminent legal lights who
depend upon litigation for a living.
If the lawyers must be looked, to to se
lect proper judicial timber,, then the
bookkeeprs and accountants, of the
county should be allowed to select
the candidate for county clerk, the
bankers allowed to select the candi
date for treasurer, and the bridge'
contractors the candidates for county
supervisor.
The turning down of Judge Holmes
was unfortunate, not for Judge
Holmes, who will undoubtedly be bet
ter off financially hy being retired
from the bench, but unfortunate from
the standpoint of those who are in
terested in making a success of the
juvenile court work. Judge Holmes
has made a splendid success of his
work among the boys and girls, and
now, just as the good effects of his
tireless work in their behalf is being
made manifest, he is to be retired by a
lot of self-sufficient lawyers who claim
the right to select judicial candidates
for all the people. The editor of this
little newspaper has only a passing
acquaintance with Judge Holmes, but
he is acquainted with Judge Holmes'
work as judge of the juvenile court.
That work has been splendid, and
Judge Holmes should be continued in
his present position if for no other rea
son than that he is so well fitted to
have complete charge of the enforce
ment of the juvenile court laws. 'The
fathers and mothers of Lancaster
county who think more of caring for
the boys and girls than they do for
legal quips and quirks ought to unite
in administering a rebuke to the law
yers who arrogate to themselves the
right to dictate bar nominations.
Doubtless Judge Holmes feels that
he would benefit himself by acquescing
In the decision of his fellow members
of the Bar Association. There are a
of people just plain, ordinary, every
day people; who will think otherwise,
and who will demand of Judge Holmes
that he go before the primaries and en
deavor to overturn the action of the
lawyers. Whatever the lawyers may
do with the rest of the court business
of the county, the parents should see
to it that there be no political monkey
ing with the juvenile court. It is al
together too vital to the social and
moral welfare of the community.
The Wageworker mistakes the tem
per of the people if the action of the
Bar Association is endorsed at the pri
maries. This paper, while not a par
tisan of Judge Waters, admires h'm
for his refusal to stand for the action
of the Bar Association. His indepen
dence is refreshing under the cir
cumstances. A republican nomination Is equivl
lent to an election in Lancaster eoun
ty, and if the action of the Bar Asso
ciation Is allowed to go by default at
the republican primaries, the Bar nom
inees will be foisted upon the people in
open disregard of the intent and pur
pose of the direct primary law, which
seeks to eliminate just that sort of po
litical chicancery. Neither Judge Cor
Works
Political Game
nish nor Judge Frost can afford to al
low themselves to be used that way.
As to the personal differences between
Judge Frost and Judge Holmes The
Wageworker has no interest either
way. But The Wageworker has a deep;
Interest in the success of the juvenile;
court law, and it believes that Judge
Holmes, t with his experience and his'
success in that work, is the man to
continue in that position. He should
be made to see that It is his duty to
oppose the action of the Bar Associa
tion and go before the republican pri
maries and ask a renomination. . The
people should eagerly sieze the Oppor
tunity to rebuke the lawyers who ar
rogate to themselves the right to se
lect the judicial candidates, and spe
cially when these same lawyers have
clearly demonstrated jthat. they- were
actuated by personal rather', than pat
riotic motives. ' ' " ":. l.
THE PRESSMEN.
Local Members Anxious to Know Facts
About New York Convention.
Members of the local union of Press
men and Assistants are. anxious to
learn the facts about the New York
Convention. The defeat of -President
Higgins and -Secretary Webb, and the
practical repudiation of the agreement
entered into by these two officials with
the United Typothate, has aroused
unusual interest. Delegate . Brooks
will make a full report at the next
meeting.
A number of Lincoln pressmen are
well acquainted with Fred M. Toungs,
formerly , of Omaha but now Seattle.
Youngs Is a "hustler" for unionism,
and those who have watched affairs in
pressmen circles can see hs fine
Italian hand.! Some time ago- Youngs
asked Higgins and Webb for Informa
tion' concerning the financial affairs
of the international and was politely
informed that it was none of his busi
ness; that the officials would report
when they got good and ready.
Youngs immediately laid' the wires to
force a report, and the defeat of Hig
gins and 'Webb is doubtless due in a
large measure to. the snub they gave
the "live one" from Seattle.
President-elect George Berry of San
Francisco, is a red hot allied trades
agreement man. San Francisco print
ers and pressmen got together despite
the disagreement between the inter
nationals, with the result that both se
cured the eight hour day without any
trouble worth mentioning. The Hig
gins agreement meant that the San
Francisco pressmen would have to go
back to the nine hour day without an
increase in wages, and naturally they
objected. They put Berry into the
race for president, and the anti-Typo-thate
agreement men got together to
back McMullen for Secretary Webb's
place. Webb has made a splendid of
ficial, but the rink and file seem de
termined to make a clean sweep while
about it, and as a result Old Dog Tray
went down with the rest of the bunch.
With Berry at the head of the press
mens' organization, and an . equally
strong allied agreement man at the
head of the printer's organization,
there is no reason , why the allied
crafts should not get together again
In close communion and win by ' a
united front.
EVANS-ERICKSON.
Thos. W. Evans, treasurer of,1 the
Central Labor Union and secretary of
the Cigarmakers' Union of this city,
was married on Monday evening , to
Mrs. Alma L. Erjckson of this city.
Mr. Evans is one of the best known
and most popular trades unionists in
Lincoln, and his host of friends will
join with The Wageworker-in con
gratulations and sincere wishes for
the happiness of himself and Mrs.
Evans.
ANOTHER INJUNCTION.
The striking molders, machinists
and metal polishers of Detroit, num
bering about 1,000, have been made
the victims of another blanket Injunc
tion. They are restrained from doing
about everything they have a right
to do as citizens, the chief one being
that they are enjoined from the ex
ercise of the right of free speech.
This is done under cover of preventing
them from picketing or interfering in -any
way With the imported strike
breakers.
V.