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About The Wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-???? | View Entire Issue (Jan. 17, 1908)
r ra. K TRADES KMSffl COUNCILS) VOL. 4 L.mCOIiN, NEBBASKA, J ANITABY 17, 190H NO. 42 "ol D7T? fo Tem pie Directorate Now Has Charge ; The newly elected board of direc tors of the Lincoln Labor Temple Building Association met last Monday night and proceeded immediately to the election of officers and trustees. Before the organization of the new directorate the old committee, which has teen engineering the Temple plan since the Initial meeting on Septem br 8, wound up its affairs. Treasurer Rcas made his financial report, which was audited and found to be correct The various committees then made reports, and at 9 o'clock the tempor ary organisation passed peacefully Away. Now that the organization of the Lincoln Labor Temple Building Association is permanently organized under the articles of Incorporation it may' be Interesting to give a brief history of the movement. From time to time during the past three, and one half years The Wageworker has agi tated for a Labor Temple. At one time H inaugurated the "day's work" plan with view to raising the nu cleus of a Labor Temple fund. While this plan was not successful, i met with such a hearty response that The Wage-worker felt assured that a sys tematic organization would be. Ac cordingly The Wageworker suggested the plan of having eaeh trades union in the city appoint a delegate to a Labor Temple committee. After con siderable delay several unions ap pointed delegates, and there the mat ter huts fire for two or three months. Finally the editor of The Wageworker Issued invitations to the delegates thus selected to meet at his home for the purpose of starting the matter off. On September 8 the delegates met at the home of W. M. Maupln. The commHiee at that time was composed of the following: J. W. Dickson, Car penters' Union; Fred Ihringer, Typo graphical Union; T. C. Kelsey, Leatherworkers' Union; S. L. Chap lin, , Barbers' Union; A. V. White, Plumbers' Union; Alex Weckesser, Pressmen's Union.. At this meeting plans of organization were discussed. Tlie following Monday night the com mittee met at the home of S. L. Chap lin, at which time an outline of the Articles of incorporation was sub mitted. The next meeting was at the home of Fred Ihringer, and the arti cles of incorporation more fully con stdered. The next Monday night the committee met at the home of A. V, White, and at that meeting the artl cles were formally adopted and the money raised to pay the filing fee This money was advanced by the com mitteemen, and the unions they rep resented. Two more meetings were held at private homes, one at the home of Mr. Woelhaff and one at the home of J. W. Dickson in University Place. By this time the committee had reached such a size, and 'business had became so heavy, that it was de cided to hold meetings at a central place. Accordingly arrangements were made to meet at 127 North Twelfth "street. Since September 8 the committee has mt ever' Monday evening with one exception, the regu lar meeting being omitted Christmas week. At the meeting held at Mr. White's officers were elected for the tempor ary organisation as follows: J.- W. Dickson, chairman; Fred Ihringer, secretary; Fred Ress, treasurer. Dur ing the preliminary meetings Mr. Maupln acted as secretary. This temporary organization has raised practically one thousand dollars without any systematic canvas. Seven unions have subscribed 9100 each to the fund as a starter. Individual sub scriptions raise the total to over $1,200. Now that, the organization is permanent and formed under the laws of the state, the work will be pushed to the limit Last Monday night, as soon as the old committee had finished its work, final adjournment was taken, and im mediately the 'directors elected at the first regular election of the Lincoln' Labor Temple Building Association the Tuesday night before, as sumed their places. J. W. Dickson of the Carpenters' Union was elected president by an unanimous vote. As he resumed the chair, he said with considerable feeling: "Brothers, I want to thank you for this honor, but I cannot find the -words with which to do it. All I can Bay is that t would rather be president of this association than to be mayor of Lincoln." Fred Ihringer was elected secretary and S. L. Chaplin of the Barbers' Union was elected vice president. Fred Re-ss absolutely refused to again accept the position of treasurer, but consented to hold over a couple of weeks until the board could make definite arrangements concerning his successor. O .M. Rudy of the Elec trical Workers' Union; G. A. Walker of the Bartenders' Union, and T. C. Kelsey of the 1-eatherworkers' Union were elected members of the board of trustees, which board is composed of the lour officials electee together with the three last named. A committee consisting of J. W. Dickson, O. M. Rudy and W. M. Mau pln was appointed to make up a list of necessary committees and report the same at the next regular meeting. It wa3 decided to keep up the weekly metings so that the interest might not slacken. At the conclusion of the business of the evening several short talks were made, all of them full of enthusiasm. 'No one believes that success is not inevitable. The Interest is increasing every week, and the organization has every encouragement. The hard part of the work the getting started is well nigh over. From now on there Is nothing to interfere with progress. By the first of the month a prelim inary sketch' of the proposed Labor Temple will be ready for exhibition, together with plans and specifications. It is the intention of the directors to fully inform the public of every move made. Before , subscriptions to the capital stock are solicited the pub lic will be informed as to just .what kind of a building is contemplated, and full facts and figures will be sub mitted. No one will be asked fOr a donation. It will be presented as a business investment that is sure ito pay dividends in dollars and cents as well as in industrial uplift for the city of Lincoln and surrounding suburbs. A meeting Is being arranged for be tween the directors of the associa tion and the directors of the Commer cial Club with a view to presenting the plans of the Temple Association to the business men of the city and se curing their co-operation. Another meeting of a similar nature will be arranged for in the near future. 'Business men are already exhibit ing great interest in the project. They are asking questions about it every day, and many have volunteered sub scriptions. But to date they have been asked to wait ointil the directors have something definite to present. That time has now come, and in a short time the work of placing the stock of the Lincoln Labor Temple Building Association will begin in earnest. It is now up to the union men of this vicinity to get busy, invest seme of their wages and thus show an in terest in the undertaking, and lend it the aid of their enthusiasm. This Labor Temple plans means more to the future of unionism in Lincoln than any other thing ever brought forward. This fact should be borne in mind by every union man and woman. Let us all get together, give one big shove, and push the plans to a suc cessful conclusion. -THE CARPENTERS. Planning a Rousing Meeting Next - Tuesday Night. Organizer Michler of the United Brotherhod of Carpenters and Joiners will be in Lincoln next week. Next Tuesday evening the regular meeting of the local will be turned over to him, and the membership is 'busy in viting all carpenters(and millmen, re gardless of union affiliations, to meet at the hall and hear what Mr. Mich ler has to say. The meeting will be purely informal ana promises to be especially interesting and helpful. Mr. Michler was in Lincoln for a few days recently and made a splendid impres sion. He is an enthusiast on the ques tion of organization, a man of good ad dress and a happy disappointment to those who have gained their impres sions of "labor agitators" from the unfriendly press. . Every Carpenter ?nd millman in the city is, cordially invited to be present at "Carpenters' Hall next Tuesday evening. It will be well worth their while. Naturally work in the carpenter line has been rather slack of late, but de spite the winter season considerable work has been going on because of the mild weather. The outlook for the coming season is considered especial ly fine, and the local union is facing the future with confidence. The local union is rapidly waking up to the necessity 01 hosting the La bor Temple along. The local has al ready taken 100 shares as a local, and the individual members are rallying to the support of the project in fine shape. Just as soon as spring work opens up the carpenters may be de pended upon to do their share; SURE WE DO. According to the Chicago Tribune Taft is about the only shingle on the roof. .He has got all comers skinned to a frazzle, and is looking for more worlds to conquer. The Tribune gives him sixteen first choice, four second and five fifth choice votes in Florida, While Cannon is non est, Fairbanks barely in sight, Hughes' hat visible on the horizon, while Knox is down be yond the political earth-curve, the merest speck of his presidential light ning rod showing. And, sure, the working man will be delighted wjth the prospect. . We cherfully love an injunction judge, ana vote so dodgast- edly clever. Florida Central Union Times . The Labor Temple Corporate Laws Now that the Labor Temple Building Association has been formally and le gally organized, it may not be out of place to repubKSV the articles of in corporation under which the associa tion will prosecute its labors. Those who have subscribed to the Temple stock, and those who contemplate sub scribing to the stock, should carefully read these articles and familiarize themselves with every detail. If any thing in the Way of safeguard is lack ing, the fact should be called to the attention of the board , of directors. The articles of incorporation read as follows: ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION. OF " LABOR TEMPLE BUILDING ASSO CIATION OF LINCOLN, NE BRASKA. Article I. Name. Sec, 1 The name of this corpora tion shall be the "Labor Temple Build ing Association of Lincoln, Nebraska." Article II. Place of Business. -Sec. 1. The place of business- shall be at the -ffice of the secretary of the Association in the city of Lincoln, Nebrasli, Sec. 2. The books, papers, records, etc., of the secretary shall be kept at the office as above designated and shall be open to inspection at any time by the Board of 'Directors, or, by a duly authorized agent of said Board of Di rectors. . . ( Article III. Officers. Sec. 1. The officers of this associa tion shall consist of a president, a vice-president, secretary, treasurer, one director from each trades or labor organization holding, one hundred or more shares of stock : and affiliated w.'fi the American Federation of La- bo., and six directory elected at large IT IS A TIME TOR ACTION The Lincoln Labor Temple Building Association, duly incorporated under the laws of Nebraska, capital stock $50,000, has elected a board of directors and the officers authorized by the articles of incorporation. Every legal requirement has been complied with) and the Association begins business without a dollar of indebtedness, and with a goodly deposit in the designated depository, the Central National Bank. Of the three thousand union men in Lancaster county, less than one hundred have subscribed individually for the stock of the Association. Seven unions have sub scribed as unions, the maximum amount being 100 shares. Not a dollar has been solicited from outside the ranks of organized labor. Nor will a dollar be solicited by the directors until union men have come to the front and given evidence that they are willing to invest a few dollars each in a proposition that means more to them than it does to the merchants and professional men. That the business and professional men of Lincoln will subscribe, and subscribe handsomely, to the capital stock of the Association when the .time comes, is an assured fact. Many have already asked the privilege of subscrib ing, but they have been told to wait until union men gave a practical demonstration of their desire to secure a Labor Temple. The directors of the Association want $10,000 sub scribed among union men before April 15. With that amount a site can be purchased. With that amount raised among unionists the directors can, with good grace, ofier the stock to business men. An average of $3 from each union and brotherhood man in the city will provide the required amount. J Let it be known, now and forever, that subscriptions to the Labor Temple Building Association are not dona tions they are investments. Every dollar invested will earn dividends. The investment will grow better every day, because Lincoln is a' growing city and real estate is constantly advancing. . Because real estate is advancing the directors want to purchase a site now, believing that it will mean a great advantage to the Association. " - Every stockholder will be entitled to a vote on the lo cation. . The directors aim to secure prices on several sites, and then submit the question of purchase to the stockholders. The stockholders' will at all times have absolute control of the Association's affairs. ' t The following unions of Lincoln have each subscribed for 100 shares of stock in the Lincoln Labor Temple Build-. ing,: Association: Carpenters, Printers, Painters, Bar tenders, Leatherworkers, Barbers, Electrical Workers. The Plumbers have each bought five shares and donated them to their local Individuals have purchased from five to twenty-five shares each. Capital Auxiliary has sub scribed for five shares. Everything considered the movement for the erection of a Labor Temple in Lincoln has been well started. It now remains for the union men of the city to arouse them selves, to show by their actions that they are awake to their own best interests, to lay aside indifference, to get together in a work for the common good. The Young Women's Christian Association is already at work on a fine building for that organization. Will the 3,000 well paid union men of Lincoln consent to being pointed at as & bunch that let less than 500 women beat them out? Now what are you going to do about it? Sec. 2. The hoard of directors shall , elect seven trustees, five of whom shall he members of a trades or labor organization affiliated with the Ameri can Federation of Labor, and no two of whom shall belong to the same or ganization. The president, vice-presi-' 'dent, secretary and treasurer above provided for shall he members of the board of trustees and shall constitute a majority thereof. Sec. 3. The term of office jof the trustees shall be two calendar years from the date of their installation into office, or until their successors are legally elected and duly qualified. Provided, that in case any trustee elected as a member of a ' trades or labor organization affiliated "with,' the American Federation of Labor shall become delinquent in his does to his loca union, or shall through any rea-' son whatsoever forfeit membership or good standing in said local, said trus tee's ox trustees' term of office shall be deemed at .an end and the Board of Directors shall proceed at once to elect a successor. ' , , - Sec. 4. The president .shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and directors and trustees, shall have general superintendence of all the other officers of the company and) shall see that all resolutions and or ders of the directors and trustees are caried into effect. His name shall be affixed, together with that of the sec retary and treasurer, upon all bonds, mortgages and shares of stock exe cuted by the association, and they shall approve in writing all bills ren dered' against the association before -the same shall be paid. ! ' , Sec. 5. The vice-president, in the absence or because of the disability fof the president, shall exercise all powers and transact all duties resting upon the president. Sec. 6. In the absence of both presi dent : and vice-president, the stock- ' holders, if a meeting of stockholders, the directors, if a meeting of direc tors, or trustees, if a meeting of trus tees, shall elect a president pro tem pore, who shall, for the (purposes of said meeting, have the powers of the ' president or vice-president, and shall perform the duties of said officers. , Sec. 7. The secretary, who shall -toe elected by the Board of, Directors above provided for, shall give or cause to be given notice of all meetings of stockholders, directors- and trustees, and all other notices required fey law. -In case of his absence, neglect or re fusal to perform these duties, then such notice may , he served by any director thereunto directed by the president or vice-president to do so. He shall keep a 'true record of all meetings of stockholders, directors and trustees and perform such other duties as may he prescribed -by the Board of Directors or board of trus tees, under whose general' supervision ae shall be. He shall be 'sworn to a faithful performance of his' duties. He 1 shall give a 'bond in such amont and ' with such sureties as the Directors shall fix an,d approve for the faithful performance of his duties. Sec. 8. The treasurer shall keep a full and accurate account of all of his . receipts- and disbursements in books belonging to the association, and shall deposit all moneys and valuable ef fects in its name and ko its credit in such depository or depositories as may -be designated by the board of trus tees. He shall disburse the funds of the association as may be ordered by the board' of trustees, and shall render to the president and the Board Of Directors at the regular meetings of the Board of Directors or whenever said board shall require it, an account of all transactions as treasurer and of the financial condition of the associa tion. He shall sign all checks, drafts or orders for the payment of money, together with the president and the secretary of the association.. He shall give approved indemnity bond in such sum as may be designated by the board of trustees, which said bond shall be approved 'fey 'said board of trustees, for the faithful discharge of his duties and for the restoration to the association in case of death, resig nation or removal from office of all books, papers, vouchers, money or other valuable property of whatever kind In his possession. , Article IV. Qualifications. Sec. 1. No one shall be eligible to (Continued on Page 5.) .'.' 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