l lilliL Wnlw iyj Ji 1a h-, j
VOL,. 5
LiINCOI, NEBRASKA, MAIICII 20, 1901)
XOt 50
Among the Live
Here, There
Lincoln Local No. 265, Brotherhood
of Electrical Workers, should be
counted among the "'very live ones."
It is hustling at a great rate, and in
order to make progress faster. It has
just elected L. E. Clifford to the
(osilion of business agent. Mr. Clif
ford will devote his time to work in
the Interests of the organization
with a little time thrown in to
help some other unions if necessary.
The local has made no mistake in
selecting Mr. Clifford. He is "on the
job" all the time, and he knows the
game from Alpha to Omaha.
The District Council of the Brother-r-ood
of Electrical Workers, consist-,
ii.g of Iowa and Nebraska, will meet
in Lincoln early next month, and the
local electrical workers are planning
to give-the delegates the time of their
lives. This is No. 6 of the Second
Division, and twenty-flve local unions
in Nebraska and Iowa will be pres
ent, together with the executive
board. The convention will be pre
sided over by E. E. Betz of the Lin
coln union. Mr. Betz was vice-president
of the district, but became
(.resident wheii District President
Fitzgerald resigned to accept the posi
tion of second vice-president of the
International. W. L. Mayer will rep
lesent the Lincoln local as delegate.
The Lincoln union is paying its
allegience to the "Reed" administra
tion. This is true all over Nebraska
and Iowa. The "McNulty-Collins''
tegime seems to be up against it
good and hard, notwithstanding the
fact that it won out at the Denver
convention. Up to date at least 85
per cent of the local unions are re
mitting to the Reed administration,
aud President Reed and Secretary
Murphy are getting out the official
journal in spite of the efforts of Mc
Nulty and Collins to prevent it.
The whole trouble is to be deplored,
but certainly if a majority an over
vhel.mlng majority of the union elec
trical workers want to stand by the
Reed-Murphy administration it should
lie taken as evidence that the Reed
iurphy administration is in the right.
On Thursday evening, March 11,
Mr. Edwin M. Zabel and Miss Mar
guerite Barngrover were united in
marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Zabel will
be at home to friends after April 1
f t 1220 Wood street, Lincoln. To this
joung couple The Wageworker ex
tends its heartiest congratulations and
its wishes for a long and happy mar
ried life. Mrs. Zabel is the daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Barngrover,
formerly of Lincoln but now of Love
lund, Colo. Mr. Barngrover was a
licniber of Lincoln Typographical
Vnlou for many years, and Mrs. Barn
grover was a charter member of
Capital Auxiliary.
Capital Auxiliary No. 11 to Typo
graphical Union No. 209 will hold
its next meeting with Mrs. W. E.
Moore. 721 Soutn Eleventh street.
Several months ago J. P. Morrison,
a linotype operator, and at one time
foreman of ;he Sioux City Journal
composing room, departed from Sioux
City, leaving Ills wife and five children
penniless. Mrs. Morrison would like
to learn of the whereabouts of her
V.usband, that he so heartlessly de
serted. Labor papers will confer a
lavor on the family if they will copy
(Ms notice, and thus aid in locating
Morrison. Address F. H. Lawrence,
secretary Typographical Union . No.
1P0. 1700 West Fifth street, Sioux
City, Iowa.
Louis B. Maupin left last Wednes
day for North Platte, Nebr., where
he will occupy a responsible position
in the McDonald State Bank. For
four yoars last past he has been in
the employ of the Farmers & Mer
chants Bank of this city.
The Dairyman Publishing Co. has
removed from the Western Newspaper
Union building aud is now occupying
the new building two doors north of
the old location. The new quarters
are commodious and well lighted and
vill permit the company to enlarge
its business. The Dairyman Publish
ing Co. is one of the fair printing
companies r Lincoln and is entitled
to the patronage of union men and
women. It publishes the Nebraska
Workers
and Elsewhere
Dairyman, the Country Merchant and
does a general job printing business.
The union musicians of Springfield,
Mo., are certainly live "ones." The
local, No. 150. has just purchased a
twenty-five-foot lot in the heart of
the business district and will pro
ceed immediately to build a home for
itself. That listens mighty good.
Here's to unbounded success for this
bunch of Missourians.
The union printers of Omaha have
assessed themselves 5 cents a month
each for the benefit of the locked-out
hatters, the assessment .to continue
until the trovble is ended. "A little
fellow feelir-s? makes us' wondrous
kyid." - The union printers of Omaha
have been through the mill, and they
know how to feel.
Lincoln Pressmen are getting into
the game at a lively rate. For a
month past I he local has been prose
cuting a vigorous campaign for new
members with most gratifying results.
A number or new members have been
added, and new life has been instilled
into some of the old members. When
the International meets in Omaha
next June Lincoln local expects to
be represented, not only by a live
delegate, but by a bunch of "live vis
itors" who will le able to boast that
Lincoln is one of the good towns so
far as union conditions are concerned.
Martin B. Madden, president of the
Associated Huiiiiing Trades of Chi
cago, and M. J. Doyle, business agent
of Electrical Workers Union No. 134,
have been indicted on the charge of
extortion. Pond was fixed in the sum
of $5,000 each. They are charged
l with extorting $1,000 from the Nelson
Piano Co., for the alleged calling off
of a strike, and with extorting $700
from Joseph Klioka under similar cir
cumstances. Martin B. Madden, bet
ter known as 'Skinny" Madden, is
one of the editors of the Building
Trades Journal, and Boyle is business
agent of the Electrical Workers, No.
134, an adherent of the McNulty-
Collins faction. In a recent issue of
the Building Trades Journal appeared
a long tirade against General Presi
dent Reid, vhich wound up as fol
lows: "'Witch this ilk' should be
labor's slogan!" The Electrical
Worker, quoting the above "slogan"
got back wi'.h this hot one:
"Thanks 'Skinny' Madden and Mike
Boyle of No. 134. While labor is
watching us grow, the grand jury have
evidently suspected your practices of
extortion and put you under $10,000
bond to prove your innocence. We
ask honest men for recommendations."
And we rather guess that will hold
cm for a while.
John W. Bramwood was secretary
treasurer of the International Typo
graphical Uaion for more than twelve
years. Last month he resigned on
the ground of ill-health and was suc
ceeded by John Hays, second vice-
president. Secretary-Treasurer Hays
came out in the March Journal with
a formal announcement, and the- Jour
nal containe'l the correspondence be
tween Bramwood and President
Lynch relative to the resignation.
But we failed, after diligent search,
to find in the March Journal one
word commendatory of the retiring
official.
The lemons that a man hands out
are not a bit sweeter when they are
returned.
Henry S. Hudspeth, formerly presi
dent of New Orleans Typographical
Union, and candidate for president
ct the International against James M.
Lynch a year ago, was arrested last
week on the charge of fraudulently
obtaining money from the union. Ru
mors of crookedness on the part of
Hudspeth have been floating around
for the past six or eight months.
When Hudspeth was a candidate for
president of the International The
Wageworker supported him. For this
The Wageworker begs forgiveness.
It does not ask pardon for having
opposed James M. Lynch, but it cheer
fully acknowledges that next time it
supports a man for that po.sition he'll
have ' to furnish a certificate of
character.
San Francisco's pressmen have had
the eight-hour day for several years,
but the union in that city paid $16,000
in assessments to help their eastern
brothers secure that twentieth cen
tury workday
"The Street Car Men's Union held
two open meetings this week, which
resulted in the enlistment of several
new members "
Wait a minute! Don't get excited.
This does not refer to the street car
men of Lincoln. Not much. It refers
to the street car men of Omaha.
There is no union of street car men
in Lincoln. That's why they are the
poorest paid men in the street railway
service in any city -the size of Lin
coln in the United States, so far as
this paper is able to learn. And that's
why about 40 per cent of them are
working for loss wages now than they
were receiving ti month ago.
The Jewelry Worker, published at
Chicago, advertises that it is the
"official organ of the International
Jewelry Workers of -America. For
several months last past we have
eagerly scanned each issue of the
Jewelry Workers of America." For
find the label of the allied printing
trades, but our search has been in
vain. It isn't there. Yet the Jewelry
Workers' Union is doubtless pleading
for recognition of its- label. Some
body ought to call at the editorial
rooms of tie Jewelry Worker and
wake the editor and publisher up.
The unions of Sioux City united last
week in a series of "labor revival
meetings," &nd speakers of national
reputation were brought on to boost
for unionism. The "revival" was a
huge success, despite the fact that
a lot of men who are always boasting
of their unionism did not exhibit any
interest in the meetings.
. The inaugural parade in Washing-
I ton on March 4 was a big one, and
the line was said to be four or five
miles long. But from the "platoon
of mounted police" at the head of the
column to the "rag-tag and bob-tail"
not a single trades union was to be
seen in the line. Perhaps the unions
were not invited. What?
The bricklayers and carpenters of
Bloomington, Ills., have organized a
joint council and will co-operate on
all construction work.
J. C. Skemp, general secretary
treasurer of the Brotherhood of
Painters. Decorators and Paper
hangers of America, has issued his
semi-annual report covering the period
from July 1 to December 31, 1908,
which has just been received by Ihe
local membeM. The total disburse
ments for the six months are shown
to have been $108,197.06 of which
amount $3o,990 was from the death
and disability fund. For organization
purposes $13,655.92 was put out, and
$23,381.22 was expended from the
defense fund. The receipts were sev
eral thousand in excess of the expen
ditures, and the balance on hand is
now close to $150,000. Charters were
issued to thirty-two unions organized
during the second half of 1908.
By the way, Mr. Union Booster,
did you help things along by patroniz
ing any of The Wageworker's adver
tisers last week?
The attention of The Wageworker's
readers is called to the advertisement
of the Armstrong Clothing Co. in this
issue. It talks right out in meeting,
and it speaks some plain truths that
union men ought to heed. It sounds
like "square . man" talk, too. " The
advertisement will interest you in
more ways than one.
THE BRICKLAYERS.
Demand That Proposed Charter Be
Submitted to the Voters.
The Bricklayers' Union met on Fri
day of last week, and after attending
to the routine business of the local
took up the matter of the proposed
Lincoln charter.
A resolution was adopted demand
ing that the charter be submitted to
the people for approval or disapproval.
There was no argument against it.
The Bricklayers Union, like nearly
every other trades union, is working
under the initiative and referendum.
While there has been more or less
work all winter, the bricklayers are
not sorry to see the spring season
approaching. They can see signs of
a busy season, with steady work.
LOOKS LIKE A DEAD ONE.
Charter Submission Probably Dead,
But the Charter is in Danger.
Thursday afternoon the , Lincoln
charter was up in the house. The de
bate was fierce, the Lancaster county
delegation standing solidly for adop
tion without referring it to the people
The committee recommended submis
sion, but the amendment was lost by
a vote of 40 to 39.
To be effective the charter must
bear an emergency clause, and a bill
with the emergency clause must have
sixty-seven votes to pass. As The
Wageworker goes to press the indi
cations are that the bill cannot muster
the constitutional two-thirds to pass
it with the emergency clause.
' The Wagewoiker has demanded sub
mission. It was promised last fall
when the people were asked to take
s test vote on the commission plan.
Then submission was refused.
If the charter fails it will be the
fault of those who attempted to trick
the people.
THE CARPENTERS.
Another Open Meeting Next Monday,
With Senator King on Deck.
Carpenters' Local No. 1055 is get
ting into the game with both feet.
Next Monday evening it will have
another 'open meeting, to which all
union and non-union carpenters are
invited. The. speaker of the evening
will be Senator King of Polk county.
The Wageworker takes pleasure in
l-commending Senator King to the
?'Vpenters. lie will make them an
address that will be full of interest
and full of valuable information. He
is interested in the welfare of the
man who toils for wages, and he is
opposed to the present-day trend of
legislation. His position was well
illustrated by the address he made
recently before the Commercial Club,
a synopsis of which was published
in The Wagoworker last week. The
meeting should be well attended next
Monday , night, and the union car
penters of the city should do every
thing in their power to secure the
attendance of as many non-union car
penters as possible.
Surface indications point to a good
season. Residence building will con
tinue to boom, and there are plans
on the table for numerous large blocks
in the wholesale districts.
A letter from Shelby informs the
labor bureau that three or four car
penters are wanted up there.
Local No. 1055 has not grown dis
couraged over the progress of the
"educational secretary" idea. The
membership -s going to keep ham
mering away on it until it is an as
sured fact.
AUXILIARY SOCIAL.
Urinters' Wives Will Entertain Friends
Cn Evening of March 25.
On March 25 at Bohannon's hall,
Capital Auxiliary will give a social
dance to which ail friends are" invited.
Quick's orchestra will furnish the
music and a pleasant time is guaran
teed to all who attend. The Auxil
iary is desirous of raising money to as
sist in the erection of a suitable mon
ument to the union dead at the Union
Printers' home at Colorado Springe.
The object is a worthy one and the
Auxiliary should receive the hearty
support of all who are interested in
worthy enterprises.
A CRACK IN LIBERTY.
That crack in Liberty Bell is ex
citing the country. The cracks in
the constitution don't amount to 30
cents. The crack in the freedom of
the press is not worth considering.
New York Press.
PLAINLY STATED.
It should not be forgotten that
Gompers, Mitchell and Morrison are
to be sent to jail, not for violation of
any law, but for ignoring the order
of a judge. These three men have
never been convicted of violating any
law. Blacksmiths' Journal.
A Little Ray of
Pierces the
It is always best never to holler
until you get out of the woods.
But the victory for . victory it
surely is from Washington, D. C,
in the contempr. -proceedings against
President Gompers, Vice-President
Mitchell, and Secretary Morrison
would justify any one in holleriua;
through a megaphone, that unionists
from end to end of this broad land
may hear the gladdening news.
Newspaper readers will remember
that the injunction in the Bucks
Stove and Range Company case was
originally issued by. Justice Gould.
It was for an alleged violation of this
injunction that Judge D. Thew Wright
sentenced Messrs. Gompers, Mitchell
aud Morrison to varying terms in jail.
Last week the appellate court, in
three practically separate " opinions,
decided:
That the Federationist, the A. F. of
L. official magazine, may tell its
readers not to patronize the Bucks
Stove and' Range Company.
That Justice Gould's decision was
in error in enjoining labor organiza
tions from ' publishing or otherwise
circulating, whether in writing or
crally, any statement or notice of any
kind or character whatsoever, calling
attention to the complainant's custo
mers or of dealers or tradesmen or
the public to any boycott against the
complainant."
Justice Orsdell, one of the concur
ring judges, said: "The sustaining of
such a decree (referring to Justice
Gould's decree) by a court of equity
would violate the constitutional rights
of the citizen."
Chief Justice Shepard, of this decid
ing court, said : "The only remedy
for libelous or otherwise malicious,
wrongful and injurious publications is
by civil action for damages and crim
inal prosecution. There is no power
to restraTh the publication."
As to these words of Chief Justice
Shepard, President Gompers said:
"The opinion of Chief Justice Shep
ard is exactly ,' that for which the
Federation has been all along con
tending, so far as it refers to the
freedom of the press. The right to
freely express opinions is a constitu
tional guaranty. There is nothing
libelous in anything the Federationist
has published in connection with this
whole case."
Of course, this adjudication does
not touch Judge Wright's decision;
but it is the judgment of eminent
lawyers throughout the country that
Judge Wright's course has been sub
stantially and virtually reversed.
This means that the shadow of the
prison no longer falls on the noble,
courageous and brilliant chiefs of the
American Federation of Labor.
Glory, and then some!! Cincinnati
Chronicle.
JUDGE WRIGHT DISTANCED.
New Jersey Court Hands Down Deci
sion That Breaks All Records.
The supreme court of New Jersey
has decided that the Machinists' Dis
trict Council shall pay $3,847 to the
Speedometer company for putting
that company to the expense of hir
ing detectives and strikebreakers
during a strike of the machinists
against this unfair firm. Well, if this
is not the most ridiculous use of the
"law" we have ever heard of! 'The
court reasoned that the strikers had
put the company to this expense of
hiring guards and strikebreakers
and consequently should reimburse
the company paying the company
money to break their own strike for
better conditions. It surely seems
that the courts of the country have
been taken possession of by the em
ployers' associations and that by
awards of money damages against
them and sending their leaders to jail
they hope to give labor organizations
their death blow. '
The government and courts repre
sent the propertied class, and it is
but logical thar they should render
such decisions against labor unions.
It is the lack of recognition of this
fact that keeps the workingmen di
vided and impotent on the political
field. However, these unjust and
destructive decisions will serve to
educate labor as it has not been pos
sible to educate by other methods and
there will come an awakening which
vill solidify the workers at the ballot
box and give them possession of the
government and courts. Machinists
Sunshine
Gloomy Clouds
and other workers, read and ponder
on this decis'on and what it mean
to you. Spokane World.
GUESS AGAIN, BROTHER!
Iowa Contemporary Misses the Marn
in Referring to Lincoln.
Lincoln printers last week signed
sn agreement for an increase in
wages. With this agreement tbey
have again united friendship of em
ployer and employe, something that
has been lacking in Lincoln for lo
these many years. Council Bluff
(la.) Times.
Our esteemed and youthful contem
porary has another guess coming.
Somebody has given it a "bum steer."
It has been a decade and more since
anything but the friendliest feeling
existed between the employing
printers and, the jurneymen printers
in Lincoln. The mere fact that em
ployers and employes can not imme
diately agree upon a scale is no sign
of a lack of friendship. But what
about the conditions in Ltncoln "for
lo these many years?"
Lincoln Typographical Union No.
2C9 was one of the first of the west
ern unions to secure the eight-hour
day. The eight-hour ' law. went into
effect on January 1, 1906, and on
February 17, 1906, the Lincoln union
was working under it. It would have
wtrked under it sooner had it not
been for the fact that its nine-hour
contract, made three years before, did
not expire until February 17, 1906.
The agreement that went into ef
fect on February 17, 1906, was not
reached in one session. It took
weeks, but at every session only the
utmost friendship between employer
and employe was manifested. For
upward of ten years the " anion
printers of Lincoln and the employers
of union printers have been enjoying
l harmonious relations. Ninety-five per
cent of the printers working in Lin
coln are union men yes, more than
that. The union is using every ef
fort to promote the welfare of the
fair employers, and the fair em
ployers are ready any time to ac
knowledge the fact. , We are at a loss
to understand how our Council Bluffs
contemporary managed to get its
facts on so crooked. Come down to
Lincoln and see a good town where
printing conditions are away above
the average. The Wageworker rather
opines it knows something about the
conditions in Lincoln and elsewhere.
CENTRAL LABOR UNION.
Second Marrh Meeting Will be Held
Next Tuesday Evening.
The Centre-: Labor Union will meet
at Druse's hall next Tuesday evening,
that being tne regular date of meet
ing. The newly elected officers will
take their nations, and it is hoped
that President-elect Hanna will be on
hand to take the obligation and as
sume his duties. He was prevented
by illness from being present at the
last meeting.
The appointment of standing com
mittees is ou the slate, together with
the appointment of several special
committees to look after Important
matters. Several committees are also
expected to make report.
There are several unions whose
delegates have been very derelict in
their duties. They have failed tj
attend even occasionally. As a result
the central body is handicapped In
its work. Every union affiliated with
the American Federation of Labor is"
required to .'.ffiliate with the local
central body, and provision is made
for revocation of charter, for fines
and for suspension if the representa
tion is not regular. These penalties,
however, - should not be necessary.
Unions and union men should take
enough interest in local conditions
to give the central body hearty
support.
During the last year the central
body was instrumental in organizing
two new unions, and has under way
plans for organizing two or three
more. But it can not push the work
of organization as it should be pushed
unless every nnion is regularly repre
sented by a full quota of delegates.
With a view to wiping out the pos
sibility of further "night riding'
trouble, a legislative committee is now
in session taking testimony relative
to the purchase of Rcelfoot lake by
the state of Tennessee.