WAGEWORKER
By Maupin & Hogard
WiLL M. MAUPIN . . Editor
V. P. HOGARD . . . . Manager
Kniered as second-class matter April
1, 1004. at tbe postofflce at IJncoln,
Neb., under the Act of Congress of
March 3rd. 1879.
TO LABOR UNIONS,
Will you assist us by ap
pointing soma one in your
union to furnish us with news?
The Wageworker wants to pub-
lish the news of your local, and
W 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 with to do it properly, so
that you will be satisfied. By
helping us in this way, you not
only make this paper more val-
uabie 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 netd-
ed at the presen time.
"greasy mechanics," if you please,
who will have something to say about
that charter.
Keep that fact well in mind, Messrs.
Com mitteemen !
And if you really mean well towards
Lincoln, wake up and quit dreaming!
Any charter which contemplates pre
venting an electrical worker, or a
printer, or a mason, or a ditch digger
from aspiring to a commissionership
will be knocked galleywest and
crooked.
We beg to suggest to the : charter
committee that it bold a session or
two in the Labor Temple, and there
get the opinions of the men who are
making Lincoln the men who keep
the furniture dealers and the real es
tate dealers, the lawyers, the doctors
and grocers in business. The men
who make Lincoln are not all mem
bers of the Commercial Club not by
about 'steen thousand. Enough, any
how, to put the rollers under any char
ter dream that follows the lines indi
cated by what has so far leaked from
the "star chamber" charter committee
sessions.
The men who are framing up Lin
coln's new charter will have to reckon
with the workingmen the mechanics
and laborers of this city.
Don't forget that little fact!
DREAMS, IDLE DREAMS.
It seenis that the eminent pub
licists who are now engaged in the
work of preparing a commission char
ter for the city of Lincoln are en
gaged in the pleasant task of dreaming.
They are dreaming that a "star
chamber" charter is going to meet
with the approval of the workers of
this city. '
fails to fix beyond cavil all responsi
bilities upon the commissioners will
be acceptable.
They dream that the workingmen of
IJncoln will swallow a charter that
permits only rich men or antiquated
fossils to become the business man
ngers of the city.
They dream of a "legislative coun-
ell" that will meet every two or three
months and solemnly look over the
work that has been done by a lot of
appointees who are not subject to re
call. Ax a matter of fact, from what Mt
tie has been permitted to leak out of
the "star chamber" sessions of the
.self-appointed committee, it seemsthat
the committeemen are ' dreaming of
making a charter that will be the
wonder and admiration of all future
generations, and carve the names of
the framers upon memory's tablets
more enduring than bronze and gran
ite.
It is time for the committee to
wake up!
, There are a lot of us fellows in
Lincoln who pay taxes, who are vitally
mieresiea in responsible and re
sponsive municipal government, who
may not be "dreamers," but we are
possessed of a little "hoss sense." And
.there are a few things we are going
to have in any old charter that is
adopted by this city and don't you
.forget it!
We are going to have a charter that
absolutely fixes responsibility on the
commissioners.
And we are going to have the initi
ative, referendum and recall.
' And we are not going to allow a
rnptinuance of the contract system of
public works.
And we are going to refuse to let
any old commission have the absolute
nay about where paving shall or shall
tot be done.
And we are going to insist on the
eight-hour tday.
Ana we are going to have a sal
arled commission good salaries; sal
arles thnt will warrant clear-headed
men in devoting their time to the
city's business.
.-no a ream about all that, Messrs
Committeemen.
That charter will have to be sub
mitted to the voters of this city.
s It Isn't it will meet the same fate that
was accorded that other commission
charter-
Men who sell furniture and practice
law and deal in real estate are not
the only men who can frame charters,
nor are they the only men who know
all about municipal government.
There are several thousand com
mon, ordinary workingmen in Lincoln
What a lot of "anarchists" those
Toledo, Ohio, barbers are. Just be
cause eggs are selling for GO cents a
dozen those barbers have the nerve to
kiclr because their wages permit them
to purchase only a dozen eggs with
three hours' labor. What do they
want anyhow? They get twelve eggs
for three hours' hard work, and it
takes a hen twenty-four hours to lay
one egg. Those barbers ought to be
ashamed to look a virtuous hen in the
face!
What's this? Likelihood of a settle
ment of the differences the city has
with the gas company! If that should
happen wouldn't some journalistic
stockholders in another public service
corporation be deprived of a "good
enough. Morgan" to talk about when
their pet corporation is under fire?
Don't be alarmed at, what you read
in the daily papers about possible
labor troubles" in Lincoln this
spring. There are three guarantees
against any such trouble the good
sense of the employers, the good sense
of the employes and the Labor Temple.
The men who worked so long on
the Labor Temple plan were called
"dreamers." And now the men who
are talking Labor Chautauqua are be
ing called the eeme thing. Here's hop
ing that if they are dreamers they will
not wake up!
No, the workers of Lincoln are not
going to demand higfier wages. They
are merely going to ask for a little
larger snare or tne protection men
tioned by the advocates of the Aldrich
Cannon tariff law. It's a very simple
proposition.
It. O. Jones indignantly protested
against the garment making contract
at the state prison. It was "unfair
competition." Did Brer Jones ever try
to get a similar contract at the State
Industrial School for Girls at Geneva?
It makes us tired to see union men
petitioning congress for redress for
grievances. What's the matter with
electing a few congressmen who will
do it without having to be petitioned?
British voters make the House of
Lords come to time. This gives us
hope that some -day American voters
will make the American House of
Lords come across.
i ne wageworker stops the press
long enough to insert this little para
graph assuring City Clerk Ozman of
its distinguished consideration.
On Lincoln's birthday there wasn't
a single flag displayed by any firm or
corporation in the city that bears the
name of the martyred president.
Those infernal unions are throwing
a lot of ice house chills into Brer Post,
ngui mere in Mine ureek. it is
enough to make the ex-stenographer
have some of her dresses dyed!
We greatly fear that our good friend
George L. Sheldon has managad to sit
down between two stools with his
temperance program.
The ten cents a pound tax on oleo
margarine is a ten cents a pound tax
on the workers, and a premium on the
butter trust..
A union friend of a phrenological
turn of mind suggests that maybe City
Clerk Ozman's bump of discretion is a
dent.
There is a lot
stock yet for sale.
of Labor Temple
President Kirby, president of the
We've had many good sales but this is
the best offer we have ever made for the man who appreciates a
chance to buy high-grade clothing
$ 1 8 to $40 Fine Suits and O'coats
Your Choice of The Entire Lot For
6
This is net a job lot of garments bought for special selling, but it is a sale to dispose of
all our regular $18 to $40 Suits and O'coats Come in and take your choice at $16.40
Winter is not over yet; you 11 have a month or more in which
to wear these clothes-then they are good to keep for next win
ter, just as good next season as this and you can save more
than half on them
Unusually Good Values to be Had in Our Suits and O'coats
Selling at $5, $10 and $15
Armstrong Clothing Company
GOOD CLOTHES MERCHANTS
National Manufacturers' Association,
says the unions are responsible for
the high cost of living. C. W. Post
declares that less than 10 per cent of
the workers belong to the unions. Gee,
we wish those two eminent friends of
labor would get together!
Less than fifty workingmen attend
ed the "Temple Talks" meeting at la
bor Temple last Sunday afternoon. But
It's a cinch that there were a couple
of thousand loafing around and holler
ing that they "don't have any place
to go on Sunday ! "
If your union's annual ball is not
given mention in the columns of The
Wageworker, it is the fault of the
committee having the ball in charge.
Frank Kennedy of the Omaha West
ern Laborer says he is going to keep
out of "printer politics" this year.
That sounds like!
CARPENTERS & JOINERS
A dozen bigger towns than Lincoln
began talking Labor Temple about the
time Lincoln began. But Lincoln has
her Labor Temple.
Only three more days until spring
but don't let that induce you to allow
the coal bin to become empty.
An increase in membership of 300
per cent inside of a month! That is
the record set by Carpenters' Union
No. 1055 of Lincoln. On February 1
No. 1055 had' an even fifty members.
On February 25 the membership was
201, with thirty applications for mem
bership on file. At the meeting last
Monday evening thirty-five members
w.ere obligated. At the meeting next
Monday night as many more will be
obligated. Recruits are had from the
suburbs, several joining from Have
lock. University Place and Bethany.
Organizer Michler is devoting his
entire time and energy to the work of
building up the Lincoln local, and he
is being assisted by a live committee.
One of the startling facts revealed
by the campaign for membership is
the number of carpenters in Lincoln
who had never heard about the bene
fit of unionism, and who had become
imbued with the idea that the union
merely meant trouble. These , carpen
ters came from the country towns
during the last two years, aXfr until
this month had never been asked to
join the union, nor had the matter
been explained to them. Now that the
Don't forget that the workers of
Lincoln will have the last whack at
any charter proposed.
Tou can demand the label yet.
And you should!
Always.
Let's not talk about the weatht
Remember and give the horse
square deal. ' 1
campaign of education is progressing
it is learned that these men are union
men at heart and only need a little in
formation to induce them to become
members in fact.
The carpenters of the Pike's Peak
district, which includes Colorado
Springs, Pueblo" and neighboring
cities, have secureS an increase
amounting to 50 cents per day, mak
ing the day's wage $4.50. This in
crease for the carpenters was immedi
ately followed by an increase of 25
cents a day for the building laborers.
More than 600 carpenters are bene
fitted If' the increase.
The shorty warm spell enabled
masons to finish up several walls,
with the result that when the cold
snap came carpenters were able to
work on the inside. The Lindell hotel
job is keeping a big bunch of carpen
ters employed. ,
If No. 1055 grows much more it will
be necessary to permanently engage
the big hall on the ground floor of the
Temple. The carpenters' union is
once more at the head of the list in
regards to membership.
firms which manufacture and retail.
The two big firms are manufacturers
only. . Work in this craft i$ by the
piece, and the new scale asks for a
slight increase over and above the
present scale, based on the eight-hour
day instead of the nine-hour day. "In
creased cost of living" urged as
reason for an increased wage, and ad
vancing civilization might well be
urged as a reason for demanding the
shorter day.
To date nothing definite has been
decided upon in Lincoln, but -all ru
mors to the effect that a strike is
likely may well be discounted. Such
rumors always bob up every time a
new scale is mentioned. The relations
between employers and employes in
the horse goods industry in Lincoln
have been very pleasant for the past,
two years, and there is every reason
to believe that there friendly relations
will be continued.
THE LEATHERWORKERS
The last convention of the Brother
hood of Leatherwoftcers on Horse
Goods decided to maVe a demand for
the eight-hour day ' irt the craft, and
1910 was selected as a good time for
making the beginning. The Toronto
convention of the A. F. of L. voted
unanimously to endorse the demand
and pledge the support of the organ
ization to the makers of horse mil
linery. The Lincoln local has prepared its
new scale on the basis of the 'eight
hour day and has presented it to the
employers of the city for their consid
eration. There are two big employing
firms in Lincoln, Harpham Bros, and
Buckstaff Bros. There are smaller
CONVENTIONS OF 1910.
Where the Big Meetings Will Be Held
This Year. ,
April i, ai. raui, 3111111., initmauou
ail Association of Fur Workers.
April 18-23, New Orleans, La., Broth
erhood of Railway Clerks.
May 2, Philadelphia, Pa., Chartered
Society of Amalgamated Lace Opera
tives, of America.
May 9, Louisville, Ky., Amalgamated
Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen of
North America. '..
May , Cincinnati, Ohio,' Tin Plate
Workers' International Protective As
sociation. May 11, Cincinnati, 'Ohio, American
Federation of .Musicians, j '
May 23, Buffalo, N. Y., National
Print Cutters' Association of America.
June 6, Chicago, 111., International
Association of Marble.' .Workers. ;
June 13, St. Louis, Mo., International
Brotherhool of Boilermakers, Iron Ship