-i r A A V RADES IICOUtlCILfe) 1 J ,-i y
VOL. 4
v LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, SEPTEMBER 6, 1007
NO. 23
V
Among the Live
Here
Three thousand union men, nlne
tenthe of whom are voters in Doug
la county, marched in the Labor Day
. parade in Omaha last Monday. If all
who were voters of the republican
faith bad gone to the primaries next
day and voted for Tony Donahue, an
almighty good union man would have
been nominated for sheriff of Douglas
county. But after parading- on Mon
day and showing their banners and
badges, the union men forgot to vote
the next day, and as a result Dona
hue was beaten. ,
It may be different some day, but
it often looks almighty discouraging.
Right in the center of this page
tl is week appears the portrait of one
Fiank A. Kennedy, the oldest labor
editor in point of service west of
the Mississippi river, and the hand
somest labor editor In the country,
bar one whose name we refrain from
mentioning because of modesty that
cannot be overcome. Kennedy start
ed In the labor editing business when
it was a guess whether the editor
could gather in enough money during
the week .to put meat on the table for
Sunday dinner. But he kept at it,
nnd for the past few years he has
bsen eating three square meals a day
with astonishing regularity. By rea
son of being consistent, a fighter, a
hater of hypocrisy and a believer in
squareness, ' Kennedy : has - accumu
lated a bunch pf enemies of which
any man might well be proud. He
has also Acquired a host of friends
whose friendship counts for some
tMng in time of stress. His Western
Laborer is the "livest wire" in the
labor paper field, due to the fact thait
Kennedy is the original viper and
buzzard and chief of the clan if
vipers' -arid "birastrrdg- tarre-clans-.- He
is also THE executive committee of
the B. O. O. Z.,kan organization that
i.i remarkable for the unanimity with
which its executive council enforces
its mandates. The membership of
tMa organization, made up exclusive
ly of Union Printers,' has been re
cruited a whole lot since the Hot
' Springs convention. In printer cir
cles Kennedy is best known as "Sadie
Maguire," under which cognomen he
name is anathema in sycophantic
circles. He is wise to the labor game
in all of its intricacies; he is a friend
orth having and a foeman who fights
fair. He has been running the West
ern Laborer for fourteen years, during
which time his hair has turned to
gray, not. from worry, as his ene
mies would have us believe, but mere
ly to keep in harmony with the gray
matter inside the skull which the
hair covers. The Western Laborer
is prosperous, and as a result of good
support is putting in some bully good
licks for unionism not only in Omaha,
but throughout the west. In addition
to accumulating friends and enemies,
Kennedy has accumulated a family
consisting of one wife and three chil
dren, two handsome daughters, a
manly son and a wife who is a con
stant help to him in his work. The
Wageworker man is proud to call
Fiank Kennedy his friend.
By the way, Lincoln people showed
where their friendship lies as between
the two street railway companies by
thf patronage given during the fair.
A little observation showed that for
every passenger carried to and from
the fair grounds by the. Traction com
pany, the Citizens' company carried
ten. '
The strike of the telegraphers has
been broken again. If you do not
believe it, just try to send a telegram.
Lincoln is due to receive the "flying
squadron" in a few days. The "flying
squadron" is a bunch of near-operators'
of the feminine gender who are
sent from city to city to make a noise
like strike breakers. They walk into
the telegraph office, sit around and
pretend to work the keys, and the
public is invited in to see how easily
the company can get telegraphers and
be convinced that the strike is broken.
After a few days of this sort of thing
the "flying squadron" is sent else
where. It was sent to Omaha last
Ones
and Elsewhere
week and its time must be nearly up.
The horrible bridge accident at Que
bec, wherein nearly one hundred
bridge workers were killed by a col
lapse of the bridge across the St. Law
rence, -was due to the failure of the
telegraph company to transmit and
deliver a telegram calling the work
men off the structure. The telegraph
company actually has the nerve to lay
the blame on the strikers, claiming
that if they had not quit work the
telegram could have been transmitted
and delivered on time. Now what do
you think of that? '
Here n Lincoln the' striking tele
graph operators are getting along all
tight. Only one man, a fellow named
Johnson, "scabbed" on the union. His
only excuse was that he needed the
money. He has been working a little
side graft for a year, but he will be
piled loose from that pretty soon.
Secretary Taylor is keeping in touch
'with the situation and he is as opti
mistic as a man can be. The Western
Union and the Postal are simply not
doing the business.
When will people get wise? Last
Tuesday The Wageworker man and
a friend hunted the fair grounds over
for a union made cigar, and finally
found one at a little booth near the
agricultural building. It must.be that
lot of union men went without a
smoke on the grounds because there
were no blue label cigars to be found.
The menw who run the concessions
ought to have sense- enough to offer
the kind of cigars that everybody will
buy instead of offering the kind that
no loyal union man ' will buy.
The carpenters seem to have a just
cause of complaint . against Mayer
Bros. That fiiin has boon very aciive
nr -appealiiig 7 fofthe'-'tradg of nrila.l
men, but it seems t'aat it prefer to
lets it construction work to con
tractors who are rabid union hater.
At any rate, the good sized contract
or remodeling " the building on O
street between Twelfth and Th'r
teenth, owned by, Mayer Bros., was
1 t to Contractor Clel Campbell, who
never loses an opportunity to abuse
trades unions, and who prefers to eta
ploy non-unionists and "scabs."
Mayer Bros, were given a li3t of fair
contractors to select from, but it
seems that a difference of a few .dol
lars in the contract price led them to
an unfair contractor. The results are
bring firmly impressed upon the
minds of the members of the firm.
Now that the Labor Day matter is
over for another year, it is high time
to get busy on that Labor Temple
matter. The Wageworker has .been
laying low on that matter for a month,
but it serves notive right now that
it is going to push things from this
time on. Five or six unions have se
lected their member of the temple
committee, and the rest ought to be
getting in line without any. further
delay. ' Next Monday evening The
Wageworker editor wants to meet all
members of fle committee thus far
selected at his home, 1216 South Six
teenth street At that time it is hoped
to frame up a plan for the winter
campaign anil get things in shape to
actually start building operations
next spring. Members , of the com
mittee will confer a favor upon "ye
editor" by accepting this as a formal
invitation to visit bim next Monday
evening and partake of such humble
hospitality as he and his better half
can tender.
By the way, do you realise that
without any organized -effort what
ever, more than 13,000 had been
pledged to .the Labor Temple fund?
That's a fact Now what could be
done during the next1 three months if
a lot of earnest loyal, energetic union
men took hold of the project and
pushed? O, nothing but a Labor Tem
ple that would be . the pride of Lin
coln unionists and a credit to the
capital city of Nebraska. If you get
into the Labor Temple game and help
to make it a success it will be some
thing which you can remember with
pride and satisfaction,
The Electrical Workers employed
"by the Citizens' Street Railway com
pany are feeling -first-rate, thank you.
A short time ago they asked the man
agement for a nine-hour day without
any reduction- in wages, and the man
agement almost immediately granted
the request O. M. Rudy, who is act
ing as business agent -for the local,
acted for the men, and he says lie'
was accorded the most courteous
treatment by the management of the
company. .
The threatened strike of Traction
company motormen and conductors
did not of course, materialize. A
bunch of men who Jiaven't got the
nerve to organize haven't got enough
nerve to ask for decent wages. That's
a' cinch. Its dollars to doughnuts
that the Traction company manage
ment did not lose a wink of sleep
over the rumor that the men would
strike for better wages the first of the
week, thus taking advantage of the
fair' traffic. r Soma of these days, per
haps, the men employed by the, Scud
derized Traction company will get
wise. Then, they will organize and
make a concerted effort to secure jus
tice. But as long as they haven't
got the nerve to organize there is not
the least bit of danger that they will
strike for decent wages. Under the
wage scale that now obtains on the
Lincoln Traction company lines it is
possible for a . motorman or a con
ductor to make ' $2.3'4 By working thir
teen hours at work that not only re
quires experience and skill, but which
is classed as hazardous by all life and
accident Insurance companies. That
Is almost as much as a f union printer
makes in five hours, a union bricklay
er In four hours, "a union carpenter in
seven hours, a union plumber in four
hours, and about the same that union
press feeder makes in eight hours.
The idea of men who have submitted
for years to such a condition having
'the nerve to ask fop better wages!
It is to laugh. " - '
' .
The motormen and conductors in
the employ of the Citizens' Street
Kallway conipany are waking up at
lr st They are now talking of or
ganizing, and there wouldn't-be any
doubt about It ' if the International
body would send an organizer to Lin
coln. : The company has practically
invited the men to organize) and men
high in authority in the company's
affairs have told The Wageworker
that they would be glad to make a
contract with - the employes as a
union. The friendship of the manage
ment towards union labor is actually
advertised in The Wageworker every
week, it asks for the patronage of
cnion men on the ground that it not
only gives the . best service, but has
no objection to the employes organiz
ing. Now what do "you think of a
bunch of worklngmen who wouldn't
jump at the chance to accept such an
invitation? The wage scale of the
: t " : '
FRANK A. KENNEDY, OMAHA
Citizens' ' company is about 26 per
cent higher than that of the Traction
company . ' K
i j . , - y,;--- y ;y . .
GALLED TO FINAL ACCOUNT.
4
The: "lroi Judge" Jackson Has Issued
. t His Last Labor Injunction. v
Judge John Jay Jackson, the most
notorious judge of modern times, died
at Atlantic City on September 2. The
annals' of jurisprudence; recalls ' but
one judge of his class the notorious
Judie Jeffries of England.
Jadge Jackson was a notorious la
bor I hater, 'and, never lost' an. oppor
tunity to obey the behests of the em
ployers. It was Jackson who Issued
an j order restraining a " Methodist
minister from praying in public' for
the; striking miners of Pennsylvania
and; West Virginia. .He sent "Mother"
Jones to jail for daring to exercise
her; right of free speech, in violation
of sis Injunction.' He enjoined .strik
ing inlners from using the public-highways.
It seemed that when an oppor
tunity ' presented itself to bait- union
mei he fairly went insane' in his
haste to seize it.. He wielded a power
as a .federal judge that even the czar
of Russia would hesitate to use, and
any? workingman who dared to cross
I i
him was hustled off to jail like a com
mon felon.
.., The judiciary was , disgraced by
this labor hating judge, and when he
resigned on account ,of age and ill
health the resignation immeasurably
elevated the judiciary. Judge Jack
son is dead now. There are no in
junction writs where he lias landed,
wherever that may be. ',' '
AFTER HASKELL'S SCALP.
C. ' N. HaSskell, democratic candi
date for governor of Oklahoma, has
been expoesd as one of the charter
members' of a "Citizens' Aliance" at
Muskogee, and the author of a resolu
tion declaring for the open shop and
against the "contemptible fanaticism
of, trades unionism." Thatought to
settle the political hash of C. N. Has
kell. It is up to the Farmers' Unions
and the trades unions of Oklahoma to
give Haskell "his'n" without any fur
ther discuslon.
. 1- . :
SPECIAL MEETING . -
All ' members of local No. 1055,
United Brotherhood of ' Carpenters
and Joiners of America, are-.hereby
notified to appear at a special meet
ing next Tuesday evening. Import
ant business. . " ,
v i J. A. CHAMBERS,
' ' ' Rec. Sec.
' Paris. The terrible disasters which
have recently occurred in the coal
mines' of Germany and France have
directed the. attention of scientists.
especially in the former country, to
introducing methods of protecting the
miners against a recurrence of such
calamities, or at least of diminishing
as far' as possible the loss of life. ,
Labor Day and How
Lincoln Obeerved It
It rained all night Sunday night,
and as a result the Labor Day picnic
ex Antelope Park was not as well at
tended as it otherwise , would have
been. People were afraid It would
be too wet - In this they, were mis
taken, for the park was in fine shape.
The weather was delightful, and the
500 'men, women - and children' who
celebrated at the park had a fine
time. . i . '
Gus Swanson showed up ' on time
with his barrel and his lemonade, and
as a lemo mixer he , made good with
the crowd. He kept the barrel full
all the time, and it was surrounded
by an appreciative crowd. The div
ing dog was another attraction. The
intelligent canine dived from a height
Of fifty-four feet and seemed to enjoy
the work as much as the . crowd of
spectators.
The running races created a lot of
excitement The first race, for men
with union cards, sixty yards, ' was
wen by ' Roy Mayes, pressman; . R.
C. C. Buehner, painter, second. Time,
6 seconds, and on a grass track. The
first prize was a watch fob,, and so
was the second. .
The boys' race, under 15 years, was
won by Medford Smith; Frank Need
ham second. Time. not taken. ' There
were eight entries and the boys made
a lot of fun out of it.
The girls' race; under 12 years, was
won by Joy Eagleson; Lora McMur
ray second.
There were' three entries in the race
fot married women, wives of union
men. It was won by Mrs. E. A. Jen
kins, with Mrs. M. D. Hoover a close
second. y-j-.
The Boilermakers cljib of Havelock
failed to show up according to prom-;
isc and the Pressmen were forced to
go without a game. The' game be
tween the Bricklayers adtne-PrInt-ers
furnished' a lot of 'fun 'for six
innings. The Bricklayers worked as
bard as they usually do on a wall,
but without the same results. They
were easy picking, for the Printers,
the score resulting in something like
27 to 3. Thomas of. the printers had
a finger "pied" during the contest and
had to seek the services of a sur
geon. Criesman, also a printer, col
lided with the ball and walked side
ways for several hours. The umpire
escaped injury. . : "
The park commission has erected a
lot of fine swings in the park, and the
boys and girls took full advantage of
them. These swings are made of wire
cable and are as safe as swings can
be. :. . ' y ' y ; y'y - .y
In the evening a lot of families
spread their suppers on the grass and
spent a happy hour feeding them
selves. A lot of people who were
timid about the weather conditions
missed an afternoon and evening of
rare enjoyment . by not going to the
park and taking in the amusements
offered. -.-
After the races a lot of the young
men present engaged 'in a jumping
contest, while the , old hands at the
lebor game sat around and fought
their union battles over again. ; -
The candidates were out in full
force and gave the glad hand all
around. ' They were warmly welcomed
and if they ' did not advance their
chances it was their own 'fault They
told their admiration for the laboring
man, and so far as beard there was
not a candidate on the ground -who
was not heart and soul in sympathy
with unionism. '.
Taken all in all, the celebration was
a success, and those, who missed it
either from timidity or carelessness,
missed a mighty good time.
Now for Labor Day, 1908.
TYPOGRAPHICAL UNION.
September Meeting Well Attended and
a Lot of Business Transacted.
Lincoln Typographical Union, No.
209, met in regular monthly session
last Sunday afternoon, and the atten
dance was even larger than usual. By
ar. overwhelming vote the union re
scinded its action putting a fine on
members attending the league bail
games, and all fines imposed were re
mitted. It was admitted that the. res
olution was a mistake in that it did
not reach the party sought but rather
injured a friendly management, but
It was plainly to be seen that the
action-had resulted in Stirring up a
lot of label agitation with resultant -good
to the craft. -
Frank M. Coffey, who is looking
after the Interests of the striking
printers in Fremont, was present and
gave pleasing reports of the situation
In that city. He is instructed by the
international to remain in- charge at
Fremont until further notice. - '
The quarterly report of the execu
tive committee shpwed the union to
be in good financial condition. One
new member-' was Initiated ' and an-1
other transferred. from the two-thirds,
to the, full membership list '
y During the month Mr. Rogers" was
sent to the Home at Colorado Springs.
- It was evident from chapel reports -that
the state of trade is good. .
OPEN SHOP OPEN HOME.
Mr Post Evidently Believes in Prac
ticing What He Preaches.
, Charles W. Post declares that the
"optn ' shop means good citizenship, ,
prosperity and industrial freedom."
We opine that Mr. Post is better
qualified to speak on the subject of -"open
homes." He has had some ex
perience in marl tl freedom, as well as
industrial freedom, and we cheerfully '
admit that we would - much rather
hear Post tell about the "open home."
Believing that an employer has a
right to employ whom he pleases, and
a workman to work for whom he '
pleases, it naturally follows that Mr. '
Post ; advocates similar elasticity of
the marriage tie. The open stoop ad
vocate believes that as soon as an
employer has squeezed all the work '
he can out of an employe, and given
, as. lttlfiJsreturnas possible, the em
ploye should be . thrown aside like
the rind of ! a ' squeezed lemon; : Fromv
that it is a1 logical step to believing
that as soon as a, man has squeezed
the bloom from a wife's cheek and
the plumpness from her form he has
a right to throw her into the discard"'
sad tie up with a "peachier" female
who . can wear to better advantage
the silks and satins and laces that
the prosperous man can buy for her.
We say . this is a logical step, be
cause a lot of the loudest advocates
of the open shop have, demonstrated
by their -practice that they also be-..
Iieve in the open marriage tie. There's .
Mr. Charles W. Post himself. Just as
soon as he was rich enough, to throw
down the gauntlet to organized labor
ha suddenly discovered that another
woman looked better to him than the
faithful wife who had made sacrifices
fo- him during the. early years. The
other woman happened to be Mr. ,
Post's stenographer, and he worked
his game, by so treating his wife that
she bad to seek a divorce on the
grounds of cruelty. Within a dis
giacefully short time after he was
freed ; from the wife whose cheeks
had lost their bloom, Mr. Post went
to the marriage altar with a "peach"
who just happened to have been his
Stenographer while the discarded
wife's cheeks were losing their bloom.
And there is Ellis Corey, president
of the steel trust He is another
open shop advocate. The wife of his
youth was good "enough and hand
some enough to hold his love during
the days when sacrifices were to be
made, but when prosperity came and
Mr. Corey had more money than he
could haul In a hay wagon his wife
ceased to "took" good" to him The
fact that the bloom on her cheeks had
been wiped off by toil and motherhood
didn't appeal to Mr. Corey. The fact -that
care and trouble had made that
good woman, lose some of her youth
ful lines never struck Corey. He bad
profited .by, the loss of bloom and
figure, and that was enough for him.
So with his pockets bulging with
money ; he looked for, something
peachier than the good woman who
had helped ' him ' to riches, and he
found It in the animal beauty of, May
belle Gilman, a variety actress. So
the wife was discarded and Maybelle
installed In the palatial home that the
discarded wife had helped to acquire.
We might extend this list a lot fur
ther, but what's the use?