u
3
01
VrOL. 5
XilNCOIiN, NEBRASKA, AUGUST I, lv08
NO. 18
l i 7 AD ESJIU N CI L )
Getting Ready For
Labor Day Doings
The work of preparing for the
proper observance of Labor Day has
teen well begun. Acting on the in
vitation of the Central Labor Union
& majority of the unions of Lincoln
ud Havelock sent delegates to a
meeting last Tuesday evening, and
temporary organization was . effected
by electing T. C Kelsey chairman
end XV. C. Norton, secretary. The
following unions were represented by
the delegates named:
Musicians, XV. C. Norton.
Barbers, A. R- McConnaghey.
Bartenders, Ed. Fag an.
Leatherworkers, T. C. Kelsey.
Cigaruiakers, Mr. McMahon.
Boilermakers, No. 197, J. XV. Donor.
Blacksmiths 4 Helpers, E. BBilson.
Electrical Workers, T. M. Anderson.
Plumbers, B. V. XX'y master.
Painters and Decorators, L. Hale.
Carpenters. William Dullenty.
Bricklayers, C. W. Smith.
Typographical Union, H. C. Peate.
Bookbinders, F. E. Selfert.
Pressmen, E. Werger.
Lathers, A. L. BalUell.
On motion the editor of The Wage
worker was made a member of the
committee.
The proposition made recently to
the Central Labor Union that the
unions of Lincoln join the Modern
Woodmen in a celebration at Wahoo,
and turned down by that body, was
submitted to the committee and re
ceived short shrift It was unan
imously decided to celebrate Labor
Ikay in Lincoln, and celebrate it with
C vim. The suggestion that the usual
parade be dispensed with was turned
down cold, and with only one dis
arming voice it was agreed to make
a parade that would make the gen
eral public sit up and take notice.
The parade will be held in the morn
lug. A committee consisting of
l'eate, Dullenty and Hale was ap
pointed to seek a proper place for
holding the celebration, and due con
sideration will be given the avail
able places. It was told the com
mittee that Capital Beach nianage-
i.ient would make some goodly con-
cessions and the committee went to The near-pirate who edits thi.
ti.at place Thursday evening to see humble little labor paper will not be
vhat could be done. The XVage-1 able to attend the Boston convention,
worker went to press before the coin-'c wing to the cussedness of the inter
riittee reported. J tate commerce commission and an
Messrs. Norton and Maupin were , ,,nfee,lnS federal idse. But here's
instructed to look after the matter hPlnS tht the "gang" will have as
cf securing some representative of BOOd a me as u has nad a tne ,ast
biganised labor for a Labor Day ad
dress. Secretary Norton was instructed to
correspond with the union men of
o'her cities and invite them to join
with Lincoln in celebrating the day.
A communication was received
i.oin Superintendent Stevens of the
c'.ty schools, asking what organized
labor thought a boat beginning ths
Ueder Which Flag,
J. W. Van Cleave Says:
"The injunction's purpose is to head off injury for which, if
allowed to be committed, the victim can secure no adequate rem
edy by the courts. It is the promptness, the certaintly, and the justice
of the punishment in contempt cases -which renders the injunction so
effective in preventing attacks on property and life. Jury trial would
bring delay and uncertainty. Thus it would give a license to vio
lence, would make industry and property insecure, would increase
e number and the destrucfiveness of labor contests, and would assail
legitimate trade of alt sorts.
"It is the duty of American business men, regardless of their
party, to bury Bryan and Bryanism under such an avalanche of
votes in 1908 that the work will not have to be done over again in
1912, or ever." Statement by J. W. Van Cleave, President National
Association of Manufacturers, and President of the Buck Stove Co.,
St. Louis.
sciiool year on Labor Day. He will
be informed that organized labor ob
jects strenuously to such a thing.
The committee adjourned until
"riday evening, at which time per
manent organization was effected.
This, however, was too early for The
XVageworker to make report of the
proceedings.
TYPOGRAPHICAL UNION,
August Meeting Will be Held Sunday
and Delegate Instructed.
The Typographical Union will meet
it Fraternity hall Sunday afternoon,
August 2. At this meeting Delegate
I.yman will receive instructions as
to how to proceed to carry out the
wishes of (he local union at the
Itoston convention. The Lewis prop
osition to locate the Internationa!
headquarters at St. Louis has struck
a responsive cord in Lincoln, and Mr.
I.yman will probably be instructed to
work for the appointment of a com
mittee to arrange the details of ac
ceptance.
'Gene Lyman, the local's delegate
to the Boston convention, will leave
Tuesday afternoon for the Bean City,
lie will join the Omaha and Council
Fluffs delegates at Omaha, and go t
Chicago. There he will meet with
tne Chicago bunch and other western
bunches, and move merrily along to
what will doubtless be the biggest
convention in the half-century's his
tory of the I. T. U. St. Joseph, Mo.,
Is after the 1909 convention, and
here's hoping that Joe Robideaux
town will land the plum. Then we
can all attend and wear pretty
badges.
XX'ork is picking up a little, owing
the opening of the national cam
paign. The job men are getting a
goodly share. The machine men are
somewhat more numerous than they
were a while ago, but everybody who
wants to work seems able to land.
H. C. Peate has been selected to
lepreseut the local on the Labor Day
committee. Peate will do the proper
unouut of hustling.
four or five conventions the editor
attended.
NORTON FOR REPRESENTATIVE.
Fopular- Printer-Musician Urged to
Make Race for the Honor.
The name of W. C. Norton will ap
pear on the primary ballot as a demo
cratic candidate for the nomination
for representative from Lancaster
county. This is not due to Mr. Nor
ton's desire to run for a political
office, but due wholly to the activity
of friends who know that he would
n-.ake a good race and be a creditable
tepresentativ of organized labor if
elected.
Mr. Norton is a member of th"i
Typographical Union and the Musi
cians' Protective association, and ac
tive in both. An acquaintance of
more than ten yars with Mr. Norton
impels The XVageworker to say that
no better man could be selected to
represent the interests of the wage-
earners of Lancaster county. He has
lived and worked in Lincoln for the
last decade, is a property holder ana
well acquainted with the needs of hts
fellow toilers. He is foreman of the
XVestern Newspaper Union. Every
democratic union man should go to
the primaries and cast a vote for
'Billy'" Norton. They don't make any
finer fellows, nor any better union
men.
TEAMSTERS WILL REORGANIZE.
Team Drivers Held Meeting to Revive
Their Once Flourishing Local.
A meeting of team drivers was
held last Monday evening for the
l-urpose of reviving the Teamsters'
Union. This body of hard working
men had a flourishing organisation
in Lincoln several years ago, but the
crookedness of a man entrusted with
the management of the local resulted
in the final disbanding of the local.
Having experienced two years or
work under unorganized conditions
the' team drivers feel that they ought
to get back into line.
The Wageworker is not at liberty
to make all the facts public at this
time, but it may be stated without
violating a confidence that when the
Labor Day parade starts one of the
biggest sections will be that of the
Union Teamsters of Lincoln.
CEMENT WORKERS.
The Work of Organization is Being
Pushed With Vigor.
The men" engaged in working ce
ment in Lincoln have never been or
ganized, and as a result they are
among the poorest paid of the hard
workers in Lincoln. But the lack of
organization will soon be remedied,
for the work of organizing the cement
workers is being pushed with vieor.
Several meetings have already been
fceid, and good progress has been
made. It is expected that applica
tion for a charter will be made in
pienty of time to let a local union
of cement workers take part in the
Labor Day parade.
DR. HALL HONORED.
The selection of Dr. P. L. Hall
of Lincoln to be vice-chairman of the
democratic national committee "lis
tens good" to Dr. Hall's host of
friends in Lincoln. Organized labor
iu this community has reason to feel
; Mr. Union Muni
What Samuel Gompers Says:
"I am very well satisfied with the democratic platform as promul
gated at the Denver convention, and I will do everything to support
these declarations, and of course that means we will work for the elec
tion of the men who stand for our principles.
"I have never expected defeat in any undertaking, never hoped for
defeat, and never have given up fighting for an idea or principle that I
firmly believed to be right and just. I will always be found fighting
for what I believe is right, no matter what the temporary results may
be. I believe that in this fight we now have on hand, that we will win;
and I shall work for Mr. Bryan's election and for the ratification of the
principles that we have advocated as officers and as an organization. "
Statement by Samuel Gompers, President American Federation of
Labor, and now charged with contempt of court at the instigation of
J. W. Van Cleave.
friendly towards Dr. Hall. He has
more than once demonstrated his
friendship for organized labor. The
XVageworker violates no confidence
when it makes known the , fact thrt
to Dr. Hall's1 opposition is due tho
fact- that a "citizens' alliance" wan
not organized in Lincoln several years
ago. . The honor which has come to
this popular Lincoln business man
is well deserved, and in honoring him
the democratic national committee
has honored itself.
DiCKSON FOR REPRESENTATIVE.
Popular Carpenters' Name to Appear
on Republican Primary Ballot.
The name of J. W. Dickson will
appear on the republican primary
ballot as a candidate for the nom
ination as state senator from Lan
caster county. .The petition wa3
filed last Monday. Mr. Dickson is a
resident of University Place and a
member of local No. 1055, Carpenters
end Joiners, of Lincoln, in which local
he holds the office of financial secre
tary. He has agreed to make the
race after the earnest solicitation of
fi lends who know his sterling worth
and his splendid abilities.
Mr. Dickson is president of the
board of directors of the Labor Tem
ple Building association, and has tha
confidence of the entire body of union
men in Lancaster county. The union
men who affiliate with the republican
rarty should see to it that Mr. Dick
son receives such a substantial ma
jority on primary day that his name
will head the list of candidates foi
the senate whose names shall go upon
the regular ticket. There is no bet
ter qualified man for the position.
He is a unionist of energy and abil
ity, and he knows what the wage
earners want and need. Their case
will be safe in the hands of such a
man.
CAPITAL AUXILIARY.
Capital Auxiliary meets Friday, Au
gust 14 ,at the home of Mrs. E. P.
Thompson, 402 South Twenty-fifth
street.
A very pleasant meeting was held
Friday, July 24, with Mrs. Floyd Mc
Kinney. Mrs. E. P. Thompson wa3
installed as vice president
Mrs. A. Aadebach expects to spend
her vacation of two weeks in the
country.
Miss Ethel Sidles of Hastings, Neb.,
is the guest of Mrs. George Locker.
Mrs. Thompson is enjoying a visit
from her niece. Miss Elsie Sellers,
and Miss Leona Gleason.
Mrs. Barngrover has moved to 1421
North Twenty-sixth street.
Mrs. E.-.A. King and daughter Ers-
tie will leave August 5 for a visit to
Mrs. King's mother at Plattsburg,
Mo.
Negro firemen in Pittsburg, Pa.,
will be organized and enrolled in the
ranks of the International Brother
hood of Stationary Firemen.
Denounces Convict
Contract Emphatically
The meeting of -the Central Labor
Union last Tuesday evening was
brief, owing to the fact that the
Labor Day committee . had been
called to hold its initial meeting at
the same time and place. In orde
to give this committee ample time in
which-to get started, the central tody
rushed its work and cut out several
details that otherwise would have
been given merited attention.
The Tailors asked that a commit
tee be appointed to wait on a firm
that recently locked out its tailors
and endeavor to secure a settlement
of the difficulty. The home industry
committee will act.
The following resolution was adopt
ed concerning the new contract en
tered into by the state with Clinton
R. Lee for the labor of the convicts
now in the state prison:
Whereas, At a recent meeting of
this body, the Lincoln Central Labor
Union of Lincoln, Nebraska, a reso
lution was adopted and presented to
the state board of public lands and
buildings, protesting against the far
ther contract lobar system . whereby
convicts were used to produce articles
to be sold in competition with the
product of free labor, and
Whereas, The said resolution of
protest has been ignored by the offi
cials of the state having this matter
in charge, and a new contract made
with Clinton R, Lee for the use of
the labor of convicts in the making
of brooms, said brooms to be sold in
competition with the employers of
free laboring men who seek to sup
port themselves and families hon
estly, and
Whereas, It seems that a little
matter of five cents per day per con
vict is the sum total of the considera
tion felt for free and honest toilers,
that being the finally agreed increase
per convict per day in the new con
tract, and
Whereas, That state officers in
question have refused to give any
appreciable consideration to the pett
tion of the free workingmen and
women of the state, therefore be It
Resolved, That we, the delegates
from the various trades unions of the
city of Lincoln to the Central Labor
Union, do hereby denounce the action
cf the said state officials, and char
acterize their actions as not only an
iv suit to organized labor, in that
said officials did not invite represen
tatives of the protestants to appear
before said board, and only gave con
sideration to the man who profits
from convict labor at the expense of
f.-ee labor and to the paltry nickel
a day secured as an advance on each
convict's day's labor.
Resolved, That this body hold u&
to the notice of free , workingmen
everywhere the names of said public
officials who have shown such dis
regard of the just demands of honest
toilers to the end that said officials
it-ay feel the weight of our disap
proval at the one place where the
workingman stands on an equality
with the idler, the machine politician.
the officeholder ,whp thinks, his office
makes him the master Instead of the
servant, and the contractor who
thinks more of paltry dollars than"
be does of the wives and children of
honest men who are seeking to make
a livelihood and bring up their chil
dren to be good citizens that one
place being the ballot box.
Resolved, That the Central Labor
Union of Lincoln" denounce the re
newal of the penitentiary contract as
an outrage, and that we take advan
tage of every opportunity to show
our disapproval of the mawkish sen
timent that ' seeks to benefit (he
"poor concise at the expense of
men who obey the laws of the land
and seek to -advance the best Inter
ests of society. ..
Resolved, That a copy of these
resolutions be sent to each member
of the state board of public lands and
buildings, a copy given to each of
the city newspapers, and a copy
spread upon the records of this union.
The secretary was ordered to send
copies of the above resolution to the
various central bodies in the state,
and to such unions as he could get
into correspondence with.
Several new delegates were seated,
but owing to the rush the matter
of obligating them was deferred un
til the next meeting. The per capita
tax owing the American Federation
cf Labor for the second quarter of
the fiscal year was ordered paid.
The meeting adjourned without
form in order to give the Labor Day
committee plenty of time to organ
ize and get busy with preparations
for labor's annual holiday. ,
FILTHY BAKERIES.
Mrs. Harriet S. MacMurphy, of the
pure food commissioners' staff, has
teen investigating conditions in
some of Lincoln's bakeries. Her re
port is not an appetizing one, tor sne
says she found most of the bake shops
in a horribly filthy condition. Op
ponents of trades unionism should
take note of the fact that when a
bakery is run under union condi
tions it is always sanitary. The union
insists upon this. There is no bakers
union in Lincoln more's the pity.
The average weekly ' earnings of
watchmakers in the United States
are $16.16, while the women employed
in the same industry, receive $3.93.
which is a remarkably high average
for women workers.