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About The Wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-???? | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 1907)
WAGEWORKER WILL M. MAUPIN. EDITOR Published Weekly at 137 No. 14th St., Lincoln, Neb. One Dollar a Year. Entered ae second-class matter April 21, 1904, fat the postofflce at Lincoln, Neb., under the Act of Congress of March 3rd, 1879. Jl J j "Printers' Ink," the recog- Jl jl nlzed authority on advertla- Jl Jl Ina. after a thorough Invest!- Jl jl nation on this subject, says: J jl "A labor paper la a far bet- jl jl ter' advertising medium than Jl jl an ordinary newspaper In Jl jl comparison with circulation. Jl jl A labor paper, for example, jl jl having 2,000 subscribers Is of Jl jl more value to the business Jl jl man who advertises In It jl js tht an ordinary paper with J jl 12.000 subscribers." Jl Jl J Jl Jljl JlJlJlJlJlJlJtJlJlJ AN APPEAL FOR UPRIGHTNESS. William E. Stewart, one of the re publican candidates for the district bench, has ben denounced by the su preme court of Nebraska as a man of "selfish cunning." The record of the case wherein William E. Stewart was thus designated, reveal a story of how a man who seeks knowledge of the ' law in order to profit at the expense of the ignorance of others while keep ing himself within the limits of the law, may do so without danger of imprisonment. It is an exhibit of how a man may do a thing which is legally right and morally wrong. The Wageworker has no comment to make on Willard E. Stewart's abil ity as a lawyer. It has no comments to make on his political affiliations. It cares nothing about the facts which resulted in his nomination for judge of the district court.' It Is concerned only in the record of a man who pre sumes to ask that he be put upon the district bench to dispense justice, to deal out equity and decide matters of legal dispute between men or be tween men and corporations. Upon that record as is presented by a decision of the supreme court The Wageworker declares its belief that Willard E. Stewart is not the man for wage earners to trust, that he is not a fit man to put in such a responsible position, and that his election would cast further discredit upon courts that have discredited tthemselves by the actions of the occupants of the bench. Of all men, wage earners should be most Interested in fair, honest, un prejudiced and upright occupants of the bench. They have no money with which to employ great lawyers nor to fight litigation through all the courts, They must rest their cases solely up on 'the justice of their cause. Because of this they phould demand that the men selected to deal out justice shall be men upon whose records there is no strain of interlgue or chicane. The Wageworker does not believe that Willard E. Stewart, candidate for the district bench, measures up to these requirements. It bases its belief up on the records of the supreme court of (Nebraska, and the facts brought out before that body in a cause where in Willard E. Stewart was defen dant. John E. Jones, a gentleman who held a public office and met with mis fortune, was forced to the wall. In the settlement of his business money to the amount of $2,609.35 deposited . to his credit in the First National Bank of Lincoln was overlooked. Mr. Jones thought he had paid out every dollar he had in settlement of his just debts. He was ignorant of the fact that the $2,609.35 was to his credit as "treasurer" in the bank. Willard E .Stewart learned of it, but keeping Jones in ignorance thereof told Jones that he knew where a sum of money was due him and would give him the deed to a certain piece of property, lots 7 and 8, College Hill addition, if he (Jones) would sign a couple of papers. One of the conditions of the transaction was that Jones was to sign some papers without being told of the contents thereof. Harrassed by financial difficulties Jones finally con sented and signed the papers. ONE OF THEM WAS A CHECK ON THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK, FOR $2,609.35. ' Willard E. .Stewart, taking advan tage of Jones' ignorance and neces sities, secured this comfortable sum of money and in return 'therefore gave Jones a warranty deed to a piece of property that was subject to a mort gage that afterwards proved just equal to the value thereof. As a result Stew art rid himself of the encumbered pro- erty, pocketed $2,609.35, and Jones not only lost the property but was legally bilked out of the $2,609.35 After becoming cognizant of how he had 'thus 'been legally bilked, Jones sued Stewart for the return of the money. The case was tried in the district court and Stewart Won. Jones appealed to the supreme court and lost, but in deciding against him the supreme court denounced Stewart in language that should forever prove a bar to his ambitions to sit upon the bench. After reviewing the evidence the supreme court said: Much as the court may feel disposed to condemn the selfish cunning mani fested by defendant in this transac tion, and to lament the artless confi dence of plaintiff, yet the legal rights involved are governed by well estab lished principles, of the law, by the law ohly must they be settled. Is a man who "manifested the sel fish cunning" pointed out by the su preme court the kind of a man the wage earners of Lancaster county want to sit in judgment in their le gal matters? Is the man who would thus take advantage of another man's ignorance the man the wage earners of Lancaster county would choose to sit In judgment in matters affecting their legal rights? The Wageworker presents only the record of 'the supreme court as it ap plies to the fitness of Willard S. Stew art for the district bench, and leaves the matter to the judgment of the Wage earners. WHY THE DIFFERENCE? 'Last Monday the banks of the coun try cooly notified their depositors that no checks would be cashed. We'll pay you what we owe you when we get good and ready,' was the bank dictum. , When a wage earner refuses or neglects to pay what he owes, he is immediately put on the "dead beat" list and his wages are garnisheed. Why the difference? Why is a bank, which has accept ed your money and used it to its own advantage, allowed to dictate when it shal lpay your checks? Why is a workingman garnisheed when he decides to suspend payment for a definite or indefinite time? Which is of most importance to this country, the banks or the work lngmen? These questions are not asked in a querelous mood. We really want to know. We have the utmost cinfidence in the stability of the banks of Lincoln and Nebraska. The money you may have on deposit therein is safer than if deposited in an old stocking or hid den under the rining room carpet. Don't worry! ' Everything is lovely. This "pinch" is only temporary. Hut while you are waiting for the flurry to pass you might be pondering on the above questions. Perhaps the banks have secured an undue advantage because they, have organized in fact as well as In name, and act as a unit in all matters affect ing their interests. If this is a good thing for the banks, why wouldn't it be a good thing for the workingmen to do the same thing? Did you ever make note of the fact that financial Institutions are never partisan? They support the men and policies that promise )the most for them and they make sure of it be fore they extend their support. , If this is a wise thing for financial Institutions to do, why wouldn't it be equally wise for workingmen to do the same thing? "O, I always vote for the man, not for party!" Rats! You've said that so often you actually believe it. Yet every time eltction day comes around you hurt your throat yelling for your party, and you don't know why you do it You vote 'er straight," and couldn't give an intelligent reason for so doing. - You don't catch the banks' trans acting tbeir political business that way not by a long shot. If it isn't too painful you might pro fit by doing a -little thinking for your selves. The supreme court said that Mr. Stewart manifested "selfish cunning" in his deal with a fellow man. Do you want that kind of a man on the district bench? If you do, Mr. Stew art is just the kind of a man the su preme court says you want. As a private citizen Willard E. Stew are took advantage of the ignorance of a fellow man, manifesting what the supreme court of the state char acterized as "selfish cunning." Should such a man be put upon the district bench? The National Bureau of Labor is going into the strikebreaking busi ness. Some of these days organized working men will perhaps learn enough to impel them to stand to gether politically as well as indus trially. The musicians of Lincoln have tak en a hand in the union game. Here's hoping the boys toot up and get there. Mr. Merchant, in these "panicky" times isn't it a good thing to have several thousand union men working reasonable hours and drawing good wages? How would it be if they were non-union men working long hours for low wages? The Electrical Workers of Lincoln are the first to "come through" as a body with a healthy subscription to the Labor 'Temple fund $100. And they have more to follow. Now let it be a footrace to see which local can subscribe the most per capfta. The United States treasury is emp tied when it is necessary to protect the banks. Why not empty it in a time of stress when workingmen are suffering? How? O, by building na tional roads, improving the water ways, erecting public buildings, etc. The judge who enjoined the press men from paying strike benefits would throw up his hands in ,ho!y horror if the pressmen asked him to enjoin the Typothetate from paying the same kind of benefits. Let's see, those men who have brought on this financial panic are thesisame men who have said so many things derogatory to union labor, are they not? The Electrical Workers of Lincoln have set the pace for other unions in the Labor Temple matter. What un ion will be the first to set a new rec ord? ' The government is going into the strikebreaking business but it will call it by some -other name. The re sult, however, will be the same. If the union label is not on the ad vertising dodger, the merchant is not entitled to the patronage of union men. We opine that President Roosevelt found Governor Sheldon's chin about a3 squkre as his own. Here is a good point to remember: Union wages should be spent with union sympathizers. Are you boosting for the Labor Temple, or are you hanging back in the breechin'? It takes more than a paid up un ion card to make a union man of the holder. In the meantime look for the label. UNCLE SAM, STRIKEBREAKER.. Bureau of Labor Announces a Policy Dangerous to Workingmen. The daily newspapers last week contained the significant announce ment that the national bureau of labor was about to engage in the strike breaking business. Of course it was given another and higher sounding name man mat, Dut tnat is wnat it will amount to. ' 4" The bureau of labor announced that it was prepared to furnish laborers for the purpose of "distributing the laborers who have congested in the east." Employers short of labor, any where in the country, are invited to correspond with the bureau, where upon the bureau will set about finding the labor and putting the employer in communication therewith. It I is claimed that this is done to keep the alien laborers from further congest ing in eastern cities, and to distribute them more evenly over the country. All this sounds very good, but it will dceive no man who has brains enough to read and 'Write. It is an open dec laration that employers may depend upon Uncle Sam to help them break any strike to enforce a demand for decent wages and fair treatment. The Illinois Steel Company at South Chi cago employs some eight to ten thou sand workmen. These men are worked like slaves and are paid starv ation wages. Most of them are for eigners ignorant of our language and affairs. The moment they become sufficiently Americanized to demand decent treatment, out they riyust go, and Uncle Sam will ship a few thou sand more ignorant ones to take their places. This game will be worked world without end, amen. The big corporations, aided and abetted by the bureau of labor, can import these ignorant and too often degraded for eigners faster than we can unionize them or the country can assimilate them. Uncle Sam, Strikebreaker! Sooner or later the intelligent work ingmen of this country will see the necessity of getting together as close ly in politics as they do industrially. When they do the government will not engage in the strikebreaking busi ness. SWITCHMEN'S UNION. A Local Being Organized Among the Switchmen of This City. The switchmen of Lincoln have at last determined to organize a union of their own, and to that end several meetings have already been held. The matter has been kept very quiet to date, owing to opposition from several quarters, but matters have progressed so far that public meetings are -now being held. The organization has, in fact, been perfected, and a gratifying percentage of the switchmen have signed for membership. The Switchmen's Union of North America is affiliated with the Ameri can Federation of Labor, and as an organization it has been growing rap idly during the last two or three years. There are in the neighborhood of one hundred switchmen employed in Lin coln. Many of them are members of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen, but it is reported that a majority of these are also in favor of separate organization. y Jjj. jjj. jfj jj. jj, TO THE VOTERS OF LAN- CASTER COUNTY. On account of the declination of Mr. I. H. Hatfield, the only Democratic candidate before the primary for District Judge, it devolved upon - the County - Central Committee to fill the vacancy. By a unanimity of agreement, the nomination was . offered to me. , Gratified by the confidence reposed in me by my party, and encouraged by the assur- ance of many of my Republican friends that they would not be averse to a non-partisan bench, and would help to make it po- sible by their votes, I consented that my name might be placed upon the ticket. I have been a resident of Lincoln for nearly a third of a $ century, and, during this time, . my conduct, character, ability and legal attainments have - been such as to commend me to yodr favorable considera- tion, I shall be very grateful for your support in helping to elect a non-partisan judiciary for this 4fr District. Yours respectfully, t A. J. SAWYER. v $ To the Voters of Lancaster County Having been a resident and j taxpayer of Lancaster county for fourteen years I ask your In support at the coming election 3t for coroner. This Is the first political favor I have ever asked, 4 and if you think I am worthy I would be very grateful indeed for your support. I have no bones to pick with anyone. I have one promise to make which will be strictly lived up to. When attending to my official duty as, coroner the relatives' wishes will be carried out as to who 0 shall take care of deceased. 4t Yours truly, E. L. TROYER. THAT LA CROSSE DEAL.- Rev. Charles Stezle Tells How the Matter Was Finally Adjusted. The local labor paper in La Crosse, Wis., recently contained the follow ing paragraph: "At the last meeting of the Trades and Labor Council the Pastors' Union was reinstated by a unanimous vote. Labor papers will please note that they would not have -been taken back had they been "ousted" as alleged. We' hope that delegates from both parties will now attend meetings reg ularly." It appears that the fraternal dele gate from the -Ministers' Association thought that it was not necessary to attend the meetings of the central body while the Ministers' Association suspended its meetings for the sum mer months, although he had, up to that time, attended as often as possi ble. ,It should be said, however, that the fraternal delegate from the Cen tral Labor body had also been remiss. The delegates to the central body thought that the ministers had lost interest, and they sent the preachers a polite note reminding them of their apparent neglect, stating that they preferred to discontinue the relation ship which had been in existence for two years. But, as indicated in the above item, the plan of the exchange of fraternal delegates between the Ministers Association and the Trades and Labor Council has again been put into effect by unanimous vote. To indicate the progressiveness of the Central body in La Crosse, the following item which appeared in the same issue, will be of interest: , "The latest plan of the Trades and Labor Council is to have one mem ber of all locals join the Board of T';ide. A good plan, indeed. Let us get acquainted and settle disputes in a friendly way." NO PANIC. Don't get scared! There is no "panic. The Wageworker will receive cash ier's checks, clearing house cereifl cates or personal checks drawn . on Lincoln banks in payment of subscrip tions and advertising accounts. The few paltry dollars The Wageworker had in the bank last week are still there, and are just as safe as they ever were. Just keep your overalls on and don't get excited. 'It is a flurry that will soon subside. POLITICAL MR. BAER'S TAXES Charlie Branson, Democratic Candidate for District Clerk, Again Flashes the Records on the Republican Nominee. The voter who has not held a lucrative office and has yet paid his taxes for the support of the government will perhaps be interested in the following showing from the public records of Lincoln an j Lan caster county as it affects J. S. Baer, the republican candidate for clerk of the district court. Mr. Baer has held office for fourteen years and has received from the treasury of this county the munificent sum of more than $23,300 as follows : 1892, Salary as County Superintendent. 1,800.00 , 1893, Salary as County Superintendent 1,800.00 1894, Salary as County Superintendent 1,800.00 1895, Salary as County Superintendent 1,800.00 1896, Salary as County Superintendent. ..... 1,800.00 1 1897, Salary as County Superintendent. ..... 1,800.00 ' ' 1900, Salary as Deputy District Clerk. ...... 1,800.00 1901, Salary as Deputy District Clerk ... 1,800.00 1902, Salary as Deputy District Clerk. ...... 1,800.00 1903, Salary as Deputy District Clerk. ...... 1,800.00 1904, Salary as Deputy District Clerk 1,500.00 1905, Salary as Deputy District Clerk. . ; . . . . 1,500.00 1906, Salary as Deputy District Clerk. . . . . 1,500.00 ' ; 1907, Salary as Deputy District Clerk, 2y2 mo. 817.00 Total salary for 14 years....... . ...$23,317.00 During all this time, which included the years of the drouth and the panic,' during which time the taxpayers were taking care of Mr. Baer at the rate of $1,800 per year, he was making the following con tributions as a taxpayer: j ., ; -. ( - --. - 1892 Personal taxes paid. , . . .$ .00 1893 Personal taxes paid. . ............. . i . , ; .00 ' 1894 Personal taxes paid .00 1895 Personal taxes paid. . . . , T .00" ! . v 1896 Personal taxes paid. ... 1 ., ..00 ';. 1897 Personal taxes paid. ... ....... . . , . . . ! .00 ' 1898 Personal tiftces paid .00 1899 Personal taxes paid. ...... r . .00 1900 Personal taxes paid .00 ' 1901 Personal taxes paid .00 . 1902 Personal taxes paid. L'.i ,", i'. '.00 . 1903 Personal taxes paid. .00 1904 - Personal taxes paid, City Taxes. ....... , ! 1.60 1905 Personal txes paid, County Taxes, . t . .i . 6.04 . 1906 Personal taxes paid. ........ . .-. . , . , , .00 1907; Personal taxes paid. , .00 Grand total $23,317$ 7.00 What do the laboring men, farmers, business men, honest tax payers who walked up to the captain's desk and paid their taxes dur ing the trying times of the early 90 's, and since, think of the brand' of patriotism of the man with such a recordf 'Is he a square dealer? Is a man who has drawn more than $23,000 from the public treasury and shirked the payment of taxes to such an extent entitled to your further support ? V ' ; ' , Mr. Voter, under the conditions and the light of these facts, can you afford to vote for Mr. Baer this time T . Mr. Baer is a single man. He has never taken upon himself the responsibilities of a family and a home. His contribution to society has been exceedingly small. - He is not a Roosevelt republican. : .. - ' i Don't Forget the Figures. Collected from Lancaster County in salary, over. : $22,000.00 Paid in personal taxes in state, county and city in 20 years 7.64 Thinking About Coal will not keep lyour bouse warm tt'i quick act km that b needed now. This isn't April, with the whole summer be fore you. If you keep on thinking, you will wake up some morning with the sbiveis. Order Now and have it over. Let us send you enough to cany you through the winter. If you order your usual quantity you will find some left in the spring; for our kind of coal goes much further than oth . era. Try us this year and see. Adam Schaupp Coal Co., 1218 O Gt. BELL 182 kCl II HARDWARE, STOVES, SPOBT- P. Hi I ING GOODS, RAZORS, RAZOR W W OUII STROPS AND CUTLEBY At Low Prices Hoppe's Hardware, 100 North IQIh WM. ROBERTSON, JR. OTOVEC, PUaWITUE AMD OA Q pET o Cosh or Credit ADVERTISING AUTO 3812 1450 O STREET