V J A J J-
i
TUT
VOL. 4
LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, JANUARY 3, 190S
NO. 40
ua7a napy
A TRADES' Ijgj COUNCILp)
0
The Mouthings of a
Ministerial Fathead
Organized labor, and especially the
allied printing trades, has had some
knowledge of the Rev. Dr. Jennings,
head of the Western Methodist Book
Concern, a non-union publishing house
supported by the Methodist Episcopal
church.
' The Rev. Dr. Jennings reminds us
of another minister, Rev. Charles
Stelzle -which calls for an explana
tory story.
A new congressman went down to
Washington, all swelled up, of course,
and after being shaved a half-dozen
times by the same barber, made bold
to ask If he reminded the barber" of
any other statesman.
"O, yes," replied the barber. ' "You
reminded me of Daniel Webster ' the
very first time I shaved you."
"Ah," purred the gratified congress
man. "Yes, sir; you remind me of Dan
' lei Webster you are so different."
And that is the way the blatant,
sanctimonious, aristocratic union hat
ing Rev. Dr. Jennings reminds us of
the able, fair genial, Christian union
machinist-preacher, Rev. Charles
Stelzle.
At Cincinnati, on December 23, Rev.
Dr. Jennings opened his mouth and
gave voice to the. following interview:
"The greatest tyranny on earth la
the tyranny of an unsanotifled labor
union," Declared the Rev. Dr. Jennings,
head of the Western Book Concern
of the Methodist Episcopal church.
, "In some places," said Dr. Jennings,
"there is a belief on the part of the
workingman that the church is preju
diced against him. This is not so.
This idea originated largely from the
hoarse mouthings of anarchistic agi
tators and from those who spend $1,
000 a year In saloons and not a cent
In the church." Hardly anything more
than such a misconception can 'be ex
pected from those who hold their
meetings on Sundays in saloons or
back of saloons.
"The wage question has been
crowded to the limit," Dr. Jennings
declared.
"If this thing keeps on much
farther the breaking point will cer
tainly be reached.
"Why, brethren, I could tell you
things that have happened right here
in this book concern within the past
fifteen months that would open your
eyes. The Saturday afternoon's
work is not half so hard on the work
Ingman as his Sunday night's carous
ing. I tell you now that things are
'being crowded too hard in this coun
try. There has got to be a limit.
"If the workingman does not go to
church It is because the workingman
does not want to go to church. I do
not see that he goes to church any
more when he gets his Saturday half
holiday for recreation than he does
when he has to work all day Satur
day, t is the whisky bill that the
workingman pays that is his ruina
tlon."
Lest it be thought that the editor
of this humble little paper may be
criticizing this eminently respectable
and 'broad-clothed union hater without
knowing him, let it be said that this
humble editor has had some expert
ence with the Rev. Dr. Jennings. It
happened in Omaha some seventeen
years ago when the big Methodist
ecumenical council was held there,
and Rev. Dr. Jennings edited and
managed a dally paper which was
printed in the World-Herald office.
Arrogant, assured that all men are
wrong who do not agree with him.
puffed up, sleek after years in a soft
Job at a big salasy while better men
and better preachers were starving
in poverty stricken parishes, this man
Rev. Dr. Jennings, presumes to judge
his fellows in the face of the divine
command, "Judge not, lest ye be
judged."
Rev. Dr. Jennings resorts to decep
tion in order to make his case. His
statement that "in some places there
Is a belief on the part of worklngmen
that the. church is prejudiced against
him," is false absolutely and unquali
fiedly false. Rev. Dr. Jennings puts
forth the claim in order to excuse the
failure of preachers of his ilk to reach
and hold the -working classes. No
workingman believes the church is
prejudiced against him, ,4ut a very
large percentage of American work
dngmen are convinced that the church
Is Ignorant of industrial and social
conditions, and this belief is strength
ened when men holding high position
in a great church body, like Rev. Dr.
Jennings, manifest almost unbeliev
able ignorance on that question.
Rev. Dr. Jennings declares with a
pious look of horror that he "could
tell things right here in this book con
cern tnat would open your eyes.
Horrible! And why doesn't he tell?
Why doesn't he tell that he "ratted"
that big publishing concern because
the printers asked for an eight hour
day and decent wages?
This pious aristocrat on a fat sal
ary that men whom he denounced
help to pay, defends his stand against
the shorter work day and the Satur
day half holiday by , declaring that
the men benefited toy these shorter
hours spend all the more time in the
saloons. . Rev. Dr. Jennings bears
false witness. But even if he told the
truth what of it?' Would he make
men get up so early in the morning
and work so late at night for a paltry
wage that they couldn't visit any
where, even if they had the disposi
tion to do so? The Jennings argu
ment has been overthrown time and
again by investigation.
We deprecate the fact that so much
wage is spent in the saloons by work
lngmen, but the fact that this is the
case is no argument against the short
er workday or decent wages. By the
same line of reasoning, and judging
by recent ' happenings within a few
miles of Lincoln in which happen
ings a minister of Rev. Dr. Jenning's
faith was mixed it would be well to
protect Methodist ministers from the
results of their own folly by a certain
procedure made popular several years
ago in Falls City, Nebraska.
"The wage question has been
crowded to the limit," says Rev. Dr.
Jennings. - "If this thing keeps on
much longer the breaking point will
be reached."
And mind you, the man who made
this startling statement draws a sal
ary .ten times larger than the annual
wage earned by the average mechanic
in the United States. His employ
ment is steady, his wage assured, his
expenses paid, palatial office room fur
nished him, fed on the fat of the land
by admiring constituents, clad in
broadcloth, traveling in Pullman
sleepers, petted and feted wherever
he goes this Is the ministerial gen
tleman who tells the workingman
who averages less than $600 a year
that he has "crowded the wage ques
tion to the limit!"
"It is the whisky bill that the
workingman pays that is his ruina
tion," says Rev. Dr. Jennings.
It must be admitted that the liquor
bill of the American worklngmen Is
big too big. But that isn't what is
hurting him most. Trust extortion,
wage slavery, all the things which the
church dares not thunder against for
fear of alienating support by antagon
izing the trust magnates in the pews
that is what hurts the American work
ingman most of all.
Rev. Dr. Jennings thunders against
the liquor traffic from pulpit and
through press. Ever hear him, or the
average city preacher, thunder
against child labor? Ever hear them
thunder against the sweat shops?
Ever hear them thunder against the
fat, prosperous pewholders out in
front who contribute so largely to
the support of the church in gold
coined from the blood and sweat and
tears of helpless chilnren, burdened
widows and hopeless men? Ever hear
them thundering "thou art the man"
and telling the plain truth about busi
ness corruption?
Not they.
Because the men employed in the
Methodist Book Contcern of which
Rev. Dr. Jennings is the well paid
head, this professed preacher of the
doctrine of the loving and gentle Car
penter of Nazareth denounces work
lngmen as drunkards because they pre
fer other places than the church
whose most prominent preachers de
nounce them. Because the men and
women in his employ asked for an
eight hour day and decent wages he
denounces organized labor, says they
have "crowded the wage question to
the limit," and accuses them all of
them of spending the hours thus se
cured for their own in the saloons.
Rev. Dr. Jennings, well paid and
well fed head of the great Methohist
Book Concern, is one of those gentle,
loving, humble followers of the Naz-
arene who would dearly love to make
church going compulsory; who would
drive the workingmen from bed to
work and from work to bed; who
would keep him in ignorance so that
priestly or clerical power could ex
ploit him at leisure; who would rule
by a theological despotism, and who
would make the clergy the arbiters of
man's welfare on earth and the judge
of his fitness for heaven.
The Wageworkef knows that Rev.
Dr. Jennings' rabid mouthings of
hatred for union labor does not repre
sent the attitude of the great Metho
dist Episcopal church. He has been
holding. down a fat job so long he has
gotten out of touch not only with
Methodism, but with humanity and
charity. For its own good the great
Methodist church should repudiate
this union hater, this slanderer of his
betters, this misrepresentative of a
great religious body whose machinery
is kept in motion by the contributions
of pious Methodists who toil for scant
wages while Jennings draws his thousands.
RAILWAY BROTHERHOODS.
Conductors and Trainmen Holding
Meeting in Lincoln.
Conductors and Trainmen on the
Burlington system are interested in
a meeting of the general committee of
adjustment of the Order of 'Railway
Conductors and Brotherhood of Rail
way Trainmen, which began In Lin
coln Friday morning. This is the reg
ular biennial meeting ot the two
bodies. In point of numbers the meet
ings will not be large, there being
about twenty representatives of each
body. The meetings will be held in
separate rooms at the Lincoln hotel.
J. P. Strfckler of Galesburg, III., is
the chairman of the adjustment com
mittee of the Trainmen, a position
paying $3,800 a year. O. N. Marshall,
also of Galesburg, acts in a similar
capacity for the conductors, for which
he draws a salary of $2,500. There
will probably he a warm contest over
these offices. J. B. Tanney of Lincoln
is a candidate for Marshall's place,
as is G. W. Schwimley of St. Joseph.
Adjustment of wage schedules will
occupy a large portion of the time of
the two committees. . There is some
grievance because different runs ap
proximating the same service are paid
on different schedules. The idea is
to make all as nearly alike as possi
ble, work considered. The Brother
hood of Railway Trainmen will en
deavor to have a general grievance
man permanently stationed in Lin
coln, claiming that this is due because
Lincoln is the most imoprtant center
of the Burlington system. If such a
man is secured he will draw $2,500 a
year and will be expected to give his
entire time to the work.
The matter of insurance will also
occupy some of the time of the two
committees. Members of the commit
tee claim that their orders now in
clude 90 per cent of the' men engaged
in the 'business. The Brotherhood of
Railway Trainmen includes switch
men, and for some time there has been
friction between that Brotherhood and
the Railway Switchmen's Union. This
matter may also come up for discus
sion. After the two committees have met
separately and transacted' their espe
cial business, they will meet as one
body for the consideration of business
of mutual concern and interest.
LOCOMOTIVE FIREMEN.
Making Great Preparations for Annual
Ball January 16. ,
The Brotherhood of Locomotive
Firemen and Engineers, assisted by
the auxiliary to that organization, is
making great preparations for the an
nual ball of the order, which will be
given at Pitt's Hall, 1124 N street, on
the evening of January 16.
The Brotherhood of Locomotive
Firemen and Engineers has a strong
and energetic local in Lincoln, and
this local has a record for giving an
nual balls that are enjoyable in the
extreme. Nothing will be left undone
to make the coming ball a record
breaker for pleasure. The tickets are
$1, extra ladies 50 cents each.
THE HAVELOCK SHOPS.
Reopen After a Week's Shut Down
With Increased Facilities.
Seven hundred shop men employed
in the Burlington shops at. Havelock
were made happy on New Year's day
by notice of resumption of work after
a week's shut down. During the shut
down a full electric lighting plant was
Installed in the shops, and this will
enable the men to get in more time
and to better advantage. Most of the
work is done under the piece system,
and the new lighting plant will 'be a
big help.
'When the notice to close down was
issued there was a fear that it meant
a long period of suspension. Happily
these fears have been dispelled, and
congratulations are due the shop men
and the people of Havelock.
THE 19 08 DIRECTORY.
Job Now on the Hooks at the North
Print Shop. .
The North Printing company is now
at work on the 1908 City Directory,
and it is expected to have the job
ready for delivery early in February.
It will be more complete than ever
before, and will be acredit to the
establishment and to the city.
One year ago the North Printing
company undertook to issue the City
Directory in, order that this big job
might be given to Lincoln workmen.
,Of course they had a big fight against
the outside directory concern, . but
for several reasons, not the least of
which was the backing or organized
labor in Lincoln, the Norths won out
and gave the cty the best directory
it ever had.
SCHAUPP WON OUT.
Beat Polk-McAvoy Directory People in
Hotly Fought Suit.
Adam Schaupp is loyal to home in
stitutions as well as a friend of or
ganized labor. He demonstrated that
when he refused to accept a city : di
rectory printed in Sioux City when he
had been assured that it would be
printed in Lincoln. Mr. Schaupp con
tracted to put $20 into the directory
provided it was printed in Lincoln,
and the promise was made that it
would be. But it wasn't and Schaupp
refused to pay for it. The Polk-Mc
Avoy company brought suit, and
Schaupp fought it with, vigor. . .The.
first suit was dismissed at the in
stance of the plaintiffs, and the sec
ond suit was fought out in Justice
Stevens' court. Schaupp won the case
and the directory people have served
notice of an appeal to the district
court.
Mr. Schaupp says he will fight it to
the court of last resort, and wants it
distinctly understood that he purposes
having all the work he has done per
formed by Lincoln wage earners in
Lincoln.
COAT-OF-ARMS FOR A "SCAB."
The Flea, the Fly, the Magpie and the
Ham Act Like "Scabs."
Mr. Jackson Mr. Interlocutor,
what do you call a man who will work
longer hours and for less pay than a
union man? '
Interlocutor Do you mean a non
union man?" ' '
Mr. Jackson No (shaking his
head) ; I don't think that is the name.
Interlocutor Oh! maybe you mean
a "scab?" . '
Mr. JacksonThat's it. , Mr. Inter
locutor, what do you think would toe
a good coat-of-arms for a "scab?"
Interlocutor I have no idea, Mr.
Jackson. What is yours?
Mr. Jackson I think a good coat-of-arms
for a "scab" would be a flea,
a fly, a magpie and a ham.
Interlocutor Will you please ex
plain, Mr. Jackson.
Mr. Jackson A flea will bite a
friend or foe; so will a "scab." A fly
will bother a friend or foe; so will a
"scab." ' A magpie 'will talk behind
a friend's hack; so will a "scab." A
ham is to be smoked and hung before
it is cured; so should a "scab." Ex
change. HIS THIRD BIRTHDAY.
Clarence Mlckel, the son of Mr. and
Mrs. Fren Mlckel, is laying plans to
celebrate his thifrd birthday pretty
soon. He has only celebrated two in
almost sixteen years. It so happens
that Clarence was born on February
29, and four, years ago there was no
February 29, owing to the need of fix
ing up the calendar. But in 1908
there will be one, and on that day
Clarence will celebrate Ms third birth
day, which Is his sixteenth anniver
sary. HERE'S WISDOM.
When every union man gets enough
genuine unionism into his being to be
true to the union ' label in his ' pur
chases he will find it much easier to
fight and win his own battles. La
Crosse Labor Journal.
The Live Ones in
Good
The Labor Temple committee held
an informal meeting last Monday
night at 127 North Twelfth street
Owing to the excess of holiday en
tertainment the attendance was the
smallest in the committee's history,
and no regular business was transact
ed. The committeemen spent an hour
in informally talking over the future,
and the sentiment was unanimous that
the outlook was unusually bright. '
Optimism was the rule. For a few
weeks during the financial flurry sev
eral of, the members were in the
dumps, ' but all that is past and gone
now. New applications for stock are
coming in right along, and there is
every evidence that when the time
comes for a red-hot campaign there
will be things doing. , ;
The committee will meet again next
Monday night and prepare to turn
over its' books and accounts to the
new board of directors to be elected
January 7. Most of the present mem
bers will doubtless be retained, but
there will be six new directors at large
elected, and from the time the first
regularly elected board of directors
takes hold there will be a systematic
campaign for funds. The present com
mittee has not felt empowered tb make
any definite agreements binding the
association, but has contented itself
with outlining plans and. getting the
work of organization well started. It
has succeded to a remarkable degree
and will turn the work over , to the di
rectors with a clear conscience.
Tuesday evening from 8 to 10 the
polls will be open at 127 North
Twelfth street for the election of six
directors at large. Every stockholder
is entitled to vote for six directors,
casting as many votes as he holds
shares. ' .
THE MUSICIANS.
Lincoln's "Baby Union" Union Rapidly
Outgrowing Swaddling Clothes.
Lincoln Musicians' Union, (No. 463,
may be Lincoln's "baby union" in
point of age, .but it is about the most
lusty infant one could imagine. When
the enthusiasts began agitating for
the organization of a local" they
thought it might be possible to secure
thirty or forty members. But forty
was about the limit. Today the Musi
cians' Union numbers 116 members,
and there are more to follow. The or
ganization is now complete, ,the con
stitution and by-laws are framed and
adopted, and the local is ready for
business. ;
The following officers have been
elected to manage the local's affairs
for the ensuing term: 1
President, W. T Pinney.
Vice President, W. R. Skinner.
Financial Secretary, W. C. Norton.
s Recording Secretary, N. A. Otis.
Sergeant-at-Arms, A. L. Blair.
Directors, Steve Jelinek, William
Quick, W. Abbott, A. L. Matson, Ole
Olson.
Trustees, A. J. Bruse, W. W. Abbott,
Robert Saffrick.
The Musicians meet on the first and
third Sundays in the month at 11 a.
m., at Bruse's hall. At the meeting
next Sunday delegates to the Central
Labor Union will be selected, and
steps taken to have the local repre
sented on the Labor Temple commit
tee. -
THE BARTENDERS.
Showing Up Strong In the Labor Tern-
pie Project These Days.'
The Bartenders ot Lincoln are par
donably proud of their activity in pro
moting the Labor Temple project. The
union has taken a block of 100 shares
and paid for them, being the second
local to come through. In addition in
dividual members are planking down
their good money for shares and are
selling other shares to friends of or
ganized labor. , (
Herman Sundean played : it ; fine on
his many friends by getting married '
about a month ago and kept the mat
ter a profound secret from even his
closest friends until a couple of weeks
ago. Then he fessed up and blushing
ly acknowledged the congratulations
that were showered upon him.
During the year just closed the lo
cal, union increased its membership
and developed a more thorough union
spirit than ever before '.witnessed in
the ranks of the profession. The local
Old Lincoln
is prospering under the present re
gime. i
The Wage worker acknowledges re
ceipt of the season's greetings from
Jere Sullivan, head of the internation
al union. And may Jere live long and
prosper. v
TYPOGRAPHICAL UNION.
Will Meet in Fraternity Building Next
Sunday Afternoon.
Lincoln Typographical Union will
hold its first meeting in 1908 at the
third floor hall of the Fraternity
Building next Sunday afternoon. Be
cause it is the - first meeting of the
new year, and also because there is a
lot of important business to transact,
the meeting should be large. The an
niversary committee will have' a re
port to make, and this Js a matter that
demands the, cp-operation of ..; every
loyal member. ; .
Some new plans for pushing the
label, campaign will be outlined, and
other matters of great importance will
be given due attention. '
THE BARBERS.
Preparing to Start New Year With a
Big Social Event.
' The union barbers of Lincoln are
preparing to, start off the business of
the new year with a social event that
will be worth going miles to enjoy.
The event will be pulled off on Wed-
nesday evening, January 15, and will
be in the nature of a smoker and oys
ter supper. The employing - barbers
will be asked to participate as the
guests of the union, - and the union
will also invite non-union barbers with
a view to becoming better acquainted
and securing an opportunity for some
effective organisation workj.tr-,, -
The local union has been prosper
ous during the year just closed. It
has increased In membership, has se
cured some advantages and has main
tained friendly relations. Its finances
are in good shape and the outlook for
are In god shape' and the .outlook for
the new year is bright. The union
has taken a block of stock in the La
bor Temple, and individuals are "com
ing through,, in a gratifying way. .
The following officers have been
elected for the ensuing term: '
President, R. L.McBride. 1
Vice-president, Joe Long. '
Financial secretary, A. L. S winker.
Treasurer, Charles Pierce.
Recording secretary, Mr. Wood.
Guide, Mr. McConeigh. '
Guard, Joe Parkman. i ' .'
On Christmas morning the members
of the local gathered to perform the
sad duty of burying the remains of
a brother member, Mr. Moore, who died
oh Monday,. December 20, of typhoid
pnemonia. The services were 'held at,
the home of the deceased, 4428 T
street, and interment was in Wyuka.
The local sent a handsome floral offer
ing and had entire charge of the ser
vices. . Mr. Moore leaves a wife and
two little daughters, to whom the
sympathy of the comrades of the -dead
father and husband go. oat in
unmeasured quantity.;: Mr. Moore
worked at the Bartelman 'shop on
Eleventh street. . ' '
THE PRESSMEN.
Make Peace With New Century Shop
. ' and 8end Back Men.
' The Pressmen's Union has settled
its differences with the New Century
shop and Mr. Yates has returned to
work there. The Wageworker con
gratulates Col. McCartney - and also
the pressmen. ' '
' The union pressmen of Lincoln con
dole with their brother, Charles Cam-'
eronf who lost his little four-montha-old
daughter on Christmas day. ,
. Work has been a little alack daring
the past two or three weeks, but with
the opening of the new year things
are picking up in good shape. The
union has prospered during the past
year despite injunctions and 10 per
cent assessments, and faces the future
full of hope and good will.
CANADA WANTS UNION LABOR.
Labor unions in Montreal,' Canada,
are petitioning the Ottawa and' Que
bec governments, ' requesting that In
future all government construction
work throughout the provinces be
given ionly to union men at current
rates of wages. '.. i