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About The Wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-???? | View Entire Issue (Dec. 25, 1909)
WAGEWORKER By Maupin & Hogard WILL M. MAUPIN .... Editor W. P. HOGARD Manager Published Weekly at 137 No. Htb St- Uncolr. Neb. One Dollar a Year. Entered as second-class matter April SI, 1904, at the postofflce at IJncoln, Neb., under the Act of Congress of March 3rd, 1879. TO LABOR UNIONS. Will you assist us by ap pointing some one in your union to furnish us With news? The Wageworker wants to pub lish the news of your local, and In order to do so must have your assistance. It Is our aim to give our readers all the la bor news that is to be had and we wish to do It properly, so that you will be satisfied. By helping us In this way, you not only make this paper more val uable and complete, but your knowledge of what is going on In the labor movement is bet ter and the good feeling among the various crafts is more strongly cemented. When this fellowship idea is instilled thor oughly among us there is less likelihood of a break in the ranks and it is certainly need ed at the present time. DIRECT LEGISLATION. By all means let the trades union ists of Nebraska forward, in every way possible, the work of the Direct legislation League. It is through just such Instrumentalities that the wage earners will be able to occompHsh re sults beneficial to themselves. It sim ply means that the people make dl rectly the laws they want, instead of delegating the work to a few. When ever the people want a law they en act it, and vice versa. At the forthcoming convention of the Nebraska State Federation of La bor. South Omaha. January 4 and 5 Professor Howard of the State Uni versity will deliver an address on the work of the Direct Legislation League, and it promises to be one of the most valuable features or the convention. The Wageworker wants to assure the trades unionists of Ne braska that in Professor Howard they have a warm friend and supporter, and he Is in a position to be of in estimable service to the wage earn ers. He will explain the objects and aims of the league, and will be able to show that the interests of the wage earners lie along the lines -laid down by the league. It is to be hoped that every wage earner who can will take advantage of the oppor tunity to hear this gifted man speak upon a topic of pressing importance. ANTI-TUBERCULOSIS CRUSADE. The trades unions of the country welcome with gratitude the assis tance of every agency that looks to ward the eradication of tuberculo ids. For this reason there should by the heartiest 'co-operation hetween the local trades unions of Nebraska and the Nebraska Association for the Study and Prevention of Tuberculo sis. This society Is doing a splendid work, and asks the hearty support and co-operation of not only the dif ferent local unions, but the Nebras ka State Federation of Iabor. Tuberculosis la the great enemy of the wage earners for the simple rea eon that it breeds and thrives un der conditions that surround workers under present conditions. The soci ety Is aiming to stamp out the great white plague by doing away with the conditions under which It breeds and thrives. If it succeeds In this it will have succeeded in accomplishing that which the unions are trying to ac complish, namely, the bettering of ranltary conditions. Surely the unions will welcome any help along these lines. Mrs. K. R. J. Edholm, of Omaha, secretary of the Nebraska society, has kindly accepted an invitation to address the Nebraska State Federa tion of Labor convention at South Omaha next month on this important topic. Her address will be of inter est for the reasons above outlined. She will doubtless find that the State Federation is willing to co-operate to the utmost with the Nebraska so ciety, and these two agencies, work ing hand in hand, can do much to prevent the further spread and rav ages of this dread disease. The State Journal continues to reit erate the exploded charge that the gas company and other "interests" de feated the city charter during the last legislature. The charter was defeated because of the bullheadedness of those who had it in charge. They refused to Insert a submission clause in a char ter that provided for the initiative and referendum, and organized labor took a very important part in defeat ing that charter. If those who have the charter business in charge now are wise they will provide that the charter be submitted to a vote of the people. If they fail, they will bump up against the same old opposition. We believe in law but if the father of that little girl who died the victim of an abortionist will take it upon him self to be the executionist of the doc tor and the hound who seduced the little girl, we have faith to believe that there are not twelve men to be found in Lancaster county who would convict -him of anything more than "temporary- insanity." We'd gamble on the statement that twelve union men could not be found to convict him of anything worse. If the Traction company will pay its just taxes promptly, squeeze the water out of its stock and after paying a reasonable dividend on the money ac tually invested, put the balance into betterments, the people will be fairly well satisfied. Anything else will not be beneficial to the public. Remember that the women clerks are human, and try and make the Christmas rush as easy for them as possible. We don't give a continental how hard nor how long you work the male clerks. If they haven't got sand enough to protect themselves by or ganization, work 'em to a frazzle. If organized labor wants to know why the federal courts always hand organized labor the lemon, let them study up on the corporation record of Judge Lurton, who has jUBt been appointed to the supreme bench by President Taft. The Board of Education seems de termined upon the Davenport tract. But It may yet discover that the voters have something to say upon the subject of spending a quarter of a million on a building upon that site. Perhaps you noticed that the Gas Co., was the only public service cor poration in Lincoln that published the findings of the. railway commis sion in that recent little local squab ble. Senator Burkett Indignantly denies that he franked anything but "Pub Docs." from Lincoln to Washington. What's the use of all this "holler' Isn't it Senator Burkett's frank. A few would-be bosses in Omaha received a severe jolt last week a Jolt calculated to make them sit up and take notice of public sentiment. Now we can all get ready for the formal opening of the Lincoln Labor Temple the prettiest labor headquar ters In the trans-Missouri country. Iu 1910 we elect another congress. But will it he another corporation congress like the one we elected In 1908? Formal opening of the Lincoln La bor Temple, Wednesday evening, De cember 29. You are cordially in vited. Judge Lurton has been confirmed. How did Senators Brown and Burkett vote on that matter? We wish every one of you a happy and prosperous new year. The Iabor Temple is open to visit ors. You are invited. Now for another and a better year! SOME NEW STATISTICS. V Bureau of Labor Engaged in Gather ing Some Important Figures. The Bureau of Labor and Industrial Statistics is engaged in gathering statistics that will not only be inter esting to the wage earners of the state, but will be valuable for future reference and comparisons. For the first time in the history of the state statistics are being gathered on "the cost of living." Commissioner Maupin has selected twenty-five families, liv ing in various parts of the state and representing some twenty different oc cupations, and these families will keep an accurate record of living expenses for the month of January. Blanks have been prepared for the use of these families. The results of this Investi gation will be ready for publication about February 15. In July the same families, or as nearly the same as possible, will keep a similar account, thus furnishing a good working aver age for the year. Commissioner Man pin believes that this work will be Useful Holiday Suggestions Just at this time there's wondering what to give a man for Christmas. The man can't tell you, probably he doesn't know, but the chances are that be coming in here after 111 i you could nave given mm. Suggestions for Christmas One off our Wile & Co., Union Made, suits or ODercoats for dress or business wear, a lib eral, usefful gift, $10 to $40. Just bring in an old suit or tell us his size, afftertoards, iff they don't ffit him right, we'll change or alter them free- Fine Necktoear, rick silks, many ffine color ings, ffrom 25c to $3. A great stock off glooes, including Dent's, Perrin's and H. & P. ffor dress and street wear, ffrom $1 to $3. Fur and fur-lined glooes ffor toarmth, ffrom $2.50 to $5. Stceaters and sweater coats. Weber shooting coats, $2 to $10. Eoertoear, guaranteed sox, six pairs in a nice holiday box $1.50. Combination sets off tie, handkerchieff and sox to match, all colors, put in neat box ffor holiday boxes, from 50c to $2.50. Armstrong- Clothing Go EVERY SHOE "UNION MADE" HERE continued by future managers of the bureau, thus giving the public valuable information. v The Bureau of Labor and Industrial Statistics is also engaged in collecting statistics for 1909 concerning the labor organizations of the state. The secre tary of every trades and labor union has been furnished with blanks and asked to report on some twenty or thirty questions submitted by the bu reau. With the wage statistics thus gathered a good comparison may be made between the Increase in wages and the Increase in cost of living. The bureau management is asking the unions to co-operate freely with the bureau in this important work, and the indications are that they will see the value of the work contemplated and give every possible assistance. THE ELECTRICAL WORKERS. Cheering Reports Coming in From All Over the Country. The electrical Workers are not al lowing cold weather, nor anything else, to interfere with their work of pushing the organization to the front. Reports of increased wage scales and new members come in with happy regular ity. President Perrln of Council No. 6 of the Second District reports an in creased scale at Cedar Rapids, where splicers will receive $3.25, $3.50 and $3.75 after January 1. The "inside lo cal" organized in Des Moines last Sep tember has more than doubled its membership, has secured a 50 cent per day raise in wages and established the closed shop. "None but union electrical workers employed in this shop," is now a familiar sign in Des Moines. Secretary-Treasurer Mayer, who is many a person who soon after Christmas he 11 something he wants that GOOD CLOTHES MERCHANTS Thompson Shoe $3.50 & $4 Handcraft Shoe $5.00 All New--"F0R MEN"-All Ne Men's Bootory 12th & P Sts. located in Lincoln, is getting out a "Budget" every now and then, gener ally on the first of the month. It al ways contains some cheerful "dope" and the boys are beginning to look for it with eagerness. LOOKING FINE. Labor Exchanges Come to Wageworker Desk in Handsome Array. Gee, but the holiday issues of the labor papers of the country were mighty fine. The Wageworker gets a lot of them, and so numerous were the handsome holiday editions that it would be useless to attempt to give them individual mention. But it re joices us in spirit and makes us ex ceedingly glad to note the increasing prosperity of the labor papers of the country. The labor editor is coming into his own, and if he will only hold up his head and insist upon being treated as a business man he will con tinue to prosper in increasing meas ure. This Temlnds us that there arc about a hundred of them who have not yet affiliated, with the International La bor, Press Association. They ought to come in and help put the business on a higher and better plane. They car. learn something to their advantage by addressing the secretary-treasurer, Will M. Maupin, Lincoln, Nebraska. It's a little late, but here's hoping that every labor editor in the country had a Merry Christmas, and that every last one of them will enjoy a happy and prosperous new year. Looking Ahead. Some men pay their debts promptly merely for the purpose of establishing credit that they may siome time abuse. is We are Headquarters for M. Wile CS Company UNION MADE CLOTHES .50 a set. Fancy Silk Suspenders in 3C r FCOMO The best coal in the market for the money LUMP, EGG OR NUT $6.50 For Furnace, Heating Stove or Kitchen Range. Try it. Bell 234 Auto 3228 FORMERLY A LEON E. CLDFFORED PIANO WITH PRESCOTT UNION-MADE PIANOS Artistic and High-Grade Let Ted Dyefor Yoi or clean, repair and 235 N. 11th Street E. Bell FI600 Auto 4876 Special Equipment for Ladies' Wear i 1 We Wish You a cMerry Chzistmas and a i Happy SJew Yeaz COA'L WHITEBREAST COAL CO. 1108 O STREET UNIOX MAN TUNER MUSIC CO. press your clothes V. MARRIMPP Cleaner - Presser - Hatter - Si