-
THE
Stat Hiitorieal
Soetet
VOLUME 7
LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, APRIL 1,
NUMBER 2
WW T" A OJ MM M TTK TTMTT lMTT
THE UNION
The third- annual ball or the Musi
cians' Protective Union No. 463 was
held at the Auditorium last Tuesday
evening. Socially and financially It
was a splendid success. In point of
attendance it was the largest ball ever
Riven under the auspices of a Lincoln
union, and the committees in charge
are entitled to the thanks of the mem
bership for their untiring efforts. No
attempt was made at decorating the
interior of the gloomy old building, it
taking the combined efforts of a big
corps of volunteers to get the floor Into
dancing shape and the accuinualtetl
dirt and dust of long weeks, the frag
ments of semi-banquets and the cob
webs of seeming centuries out of
sight. As a result of these efforts the
interior was at least spotlessly clean,
although it took eoiue severe scrub
bing to get down to the floor.
A large number of people who love
splendid band music seized the occa
sion to hear the band concert, and as
a result the balconies were well filled
when Prof. August Hagenow raised
his baton and the forty-piece band
broke into the overture, "Morning,
Noon and Night at Vienna," by Von
Suppe. The remainder of the concert
program was as follows:
Excerpts from "Faust, Gounod.
Paraphrase,' "Lorely," Nesvadba.
Selections from "The Tattooed
Man," Herbert,
"Southern, Airs," Asher.
Immediately after the close of the
concert the entire band took up the
srand march, and at 9:30 the dancing
program was on. The grand march
was led by Governor and Miss Shal
lenherger, State Treasurer and Mrs
Brian, General anj Mrs. Hartlgan, and
Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Purse. The march
was iparticipated in by about seventy
couples, although three times that
number were present. The dancers
AMONG THE LATHERS
The Lathers' Union Is not asleep
these days. Quite the contrary. Sev
eral new members have recently been
added, and a movement is on foot to
offer inducements to former members
to get back into the fold. Members
who have allowed their membership
to lapse will, be reinstated upon pay
ment of the peroapita tax. All mem
lers who are in continuous good
standing from May 1 to November 1
PAINTERS & DECOR ATERS
The Painters and Decorators got
busy last week, and with a little ef
fort, aided and abetted by other crafts
men, brought about Ta settlement of a
little matter of importance to them.
N'ctlng the fact that the painting and
sign writing at the ball park was be
ing performed, or about to be per
formed, by an unfair contractor, they
started a fire under the ball club
management. As a result Messrs.
Stone r and Despain asked for a con
ference, which was readily granted,
and as a result of the conference the
TYPOGRAPHICAL TIPS
The Typographical Union will meet
at the Temple Sunday afternoon at
2:30. Business of Importance will be
considered and all members are urged
to be present.
Billy Bustard has leased the "Merg"
at the State Printing Co. and will
vnter the commercial field.
TALKS AT THE TEMPLE
Prof. Lucille Eaves, of the Depart
ment of Sociology, University of Ne
braska, was the speaker at the Labor
Temple last Sunday afternoon, taking
for her subject "Lessons from the San
Francisco Labor Situation." In many
respects it was the most interesting
and instructive of the several already
given at the Temple. She reviewod
rapidly and briefly the growth of
trades unionism In San Franc 'nco,
which has the credit of being per
MUSICIANS
were so numerous that evm the spa
cious Auditorium floor was crowded,
and had the ball been held in. any
other hall in the city danoing would
have been impossible.
The entire membership joined in
making the ball a success, but the
committees in charge are entitled to
thanks for their untiring efforts. These
committees were as follows:
General H. E. Newell, J. F. Ken
drick, A. J. Bruse, H. P. McGurren,
W. R. Petterman, Mark Pierce, W. T.
Quick, M. E. Bell, W. T. Pinney.
Reception H. , P. McGurren, F. J.
Hampton, A. M. O'Kaine, Lewis Hag
ensiek, Ray Eastabrook, Carl Frolich,
John Schwindt, Miss Ida M. Sidell,
Miss Hazel O'Connor, Mrs. R. S. How
ell, Mrs. F. J. Hampton.
Door N. A. Otis, W. C. Layman, R.
W. Petterman, W. L. Davis.
Floor Manager H. J. Gildersleeve.
Many and enthusiastic were the
compliments paid to the excellent con
cert program. Selected with a view
to pleasing all tastes, the band played
each number with spirit and finish and
again emphasized the fact that Lin
coln possesses one of the finest con
cert bands in the great west.
The programs were very tasty and
will be preserved as souvenirs of a
very pleasant evening by many of
those who were present. There were
twenty numbers, with several extras
thrown in, and the big orchestra re
sponded to frequent encores. The'or
chestra was made tip of volunteers and
averaged about fifteen pieces for each
dance number. The musicians changed
off so that each- one could enjoy the
dance. After the close of the theaters
the orchestras came in and performed
their share of the evening's work.
Taken all in all it is doubtful if ever
there was a more successful ball given
in Lincoln.
will not be required to pay any dues
until the opening of the following
season.
The Lathers have not yet asked for
an increased wage scale, although that
may be done in the near future. An
increase was secured last spring. The
lecal meets on the fourth Monday at
the Labor Temple. Harry Williams
is president and Will Jacobs secre
tary. Lincoln Sign Works Co. "came across"
and signed up with the local. At the
same time Messrs. Stoner and Despain
made satisfactory adjustment of sev
eral other little matters, and now ev
erything is lovely and the goose hangs
high. All of which means an even
better Tatronage of the ball games by
union men than ever before.
The local Is adding to its member
ship every day, and additional signa
tures to the new wage scale come with
pleasing regularity. The indications
are that there will not" be the slight
est trouble. ,
The Claflin Printing Co. secured the
contract for printing Bulletin No. 18
of the Bureau of Labcr and Industrial
Statistics the "Bulletin of Organized
Iiabor" in Nebraska.
The Wageworker ptlntery is locatr.c"
at 1705 O street. Call and get ac
quainted. haps the most thoroughly organized
city In the country, especially in the
building trades lines, and asserted
that the splendid conditions obtaining
there are the direct result of organi
zation. She mentioned specific in
stances where the thorough organiza
tion prevented the establishment of
Institutions that would have beaten
down the wage scale had conditions
been otherwise. She emphasized the
ecomonic necessity of organization of
workers in all lines of industry, and
urged upon her bearers the further
necessity of increasing vigilance, un
compromising honesty in all dealings
with the general public and employ
ers, and more intelilgent efforts a'ong
lines of mental and moral develop
ment. Prof. Eaves has given a Hfetima of
study to the industrial problem, and
last Sunday afternoon she gave the
benefits of her study freely to the
workers of Lincoln. While the at
tendance was larger than the average.
it was not nearly so large as dt should
have been. In Prof. Eaves the work
ers have a staunch friend, and organ
ization an avowed supporter. At some
time in the not distant future it is to
be hoped that Prof. Eaves will again
consent to speak at the Temple, and
when she does the capacity of the
largest hall should be crowded.
Judge W. H. England was to have
been the speaker next Sunday, but he
was suddenly called out of town
Wednesday and will not be back until
the middle of next week. The time
being too short to secure another
speaker, there will be no meeting at
the Temple Sunday.
JOHN B. LENNON COMING.
John B. Lennon, general secretary
of the International Brotherhood of
Tailors and treasurer of the American
Federation of Labor, will speak at the
Auditorium on Sunday evening, April
10, in advocacy of a continuance of
the "dry" policy in Lincoln. Mr. Len
non is one of the most eloquent of the,
leaders in the labor movement. He
will discuss the question from the eco
nomic standpoint, and the arguments
he will present should be heard by
the wage earners of Lincoln. -A band
concert will precede the speaking, the
music being furnished by a union
band. The meeting will be for men
only, and every man and boy in the
city is invited.
AT LEAST BE HONEST.
A Cause Bolstered by Misrepresenta
tion Not Worthy of Support.
There will be no option election in
Chicago next month after all. The
courts have found that the "dry" peti
tion had 35,000 illegal names on it.
That's purity and reform for you with
a vengeance. Fort Wayne, Indiana,
Labor Times-Herald.
The Labor Times-Herald ought at
least be fair as fair as it asks other
people to be. Its statement that the
"courts found that the 'dry' petition
had 35,000 illegal names on it" is ab
solutely untrue. No court has passed
upon that petition. The election board
did declare, after carefully studying
the immense petition for a few min
utes it contained upwards of 350,000
names that 35,000 -names were the
names of men who are not legal vot
ers. The honesty of such a question
may, with propriety, be questioned.
First, because no body of men, no mat
ter how honest and able they might
be, could arrive at an honest conclu
sion after considering such an im
mense petition for a few hours, or a
few days. Second, when we' consider
the class of men making up the po
litical machinery of Chicago from
Bussey down to Hinky Dink and Bath
House John, it is easy to understand
why so many illegal names were found
among 350,000 names in such a short
space of time, without official investi
gation and a repolling of the names
attached to the petition.
Any one who would expect the Chi
cago election board to accept a peti
tion like the one mentioned above
would expect a defense of unionism
from Post, a panegyric on virtue from
a scarlet woman or a decision in favor
of labor from Judge Wright of Wash
ington. WE APPRECIATE THE GAIN.
Lincoln Minister Who Left Many
Union Friends in East.
In last week's Lincoln (Neb.) Wage
worker mention is made of an able
address delivered by Rev. Arthur L.
Weatherly in a series of Sunday after
noon talks in Lincoln's new Labor
Temple.
The Rev. Mr. Weatherly, who until
a few years ago was the pastor of the
South Unitarian church in this city,
will be remembered as having held
bread views concerning the labor
movement, and was just becoming in
tensely interested in the local move
ment when he left for the west.
His loss to Worchester, while sorely
felt by a number of staunch friends
in the local movement, was, however,
a big gain for Lincoln trade unionists
whom we are certain have already
learned to esteem him for his consist
ent and liberal views he entertains
toward the movement, and his willing
ness to co-operate in making the lives
of wage-earners happier and more con
tented. Worcester (Mass.) Labor
News.
MAY DAY DANCE.
Labor Temple Benefit Ball Will Be
I Held on Monday, May 2.
The Labor Temple benefit ball has
been deferred until Monday, May U,
and! will be a "May Dance'' that prom
ises to go down in history as one of
the i finest celebrations of May Day
ever held in the west. The ball will
be held at the Auditorium. The tick
ets will be ready for distribution the
first of the week,' and the committee
will call on each union and ask its
hearty co-operation in their sale. If
less than a thousand tickets are sold
it will be due to the negligence and
indifference of union men and women
who ought not to rest content with
the , sale of less than 2,000 tickets.
The proceels will be fo rthe benefit of
the Temple.
A May pole dance will he qne of the
features of the evening. It is not nec
essary to say that the music will be
of the best, and that no effort will be
spared to make the occasion one to be
long remembered with delight by those
who participate.
THE CEMENT WORKERS.
Final Organization Will -Be Completed
in a Very Short Time,
The Cement Workers will doubtless
have a live organization, duly chart
ered, before the middle of the month.
A couple of preliminary meetings have
been held, and another one in a day
or two will make final arrangements
for permanent -organization. More than
enough names have been secured in
order to get a charter,, and it is be
lieved that a union of practically 100
per - cent will be secured before the
seam is well started. . The cement
industry is growing' with leaps and
bounds, and right now is the time for
the men on the mixing boards, with
the barrows, the trowels, the levels
and the tampers to frame rip condi
tions that will be of (permanent benefit
to themselves. It will be easier to do
it now than it will be a year from
now.-
STEAM ENGINEERS.
They Expect to Effect Permanent Or
ganization Saturday Night.
The Stationary Engineers expect to
effect a permanent organization to
morrow (Saturday) night, a meeting
having been called at the Labor Tem
ple for that purpose. Sixteen men
have signed the roll and the charier
has been sent for and is expected here
before the meeting is called to order
unless something unforeseen inter
feres. A membership of more than fifty is
in sight within a short time after per
manent organization is effected, and it
is believed that this organization will
speedily be built up until it is even
larger and stronger than the virile or
ganization taht existed several year3
ago.
DARROW AT AUDITORIUM.
Hon. Clarence Darrow of Chicago
will speak at the Auditorium Sunday
in advocacy of a return to the license
system. , Mr. Darrow was the leading
counsel for the defense in the famous
Moyer-Haywood cases a year or so
ago. His legal and oratorical ability
is beyond question, and the advocates
of license could have secured no
stronger man to present their case. A
cordial invitation is extended to the
general public to hear this eloquent
gentleman.
A FAKE SCARE.
"Hookworm" Only an Effort to Mini
mize the Evils of Child Labor.
"Apparently the hookworm is the
last morsel of bait the southern de
fenders of child labor can dig tip,"
says Owen Lovejoy, general secretary
of the National Child-Labor Commit
tee, commenting upon an article in a
current magazine defending the em
ployment of childrt-n in the cotton
mills1 of the south on the ground that
it is better than exiposing them to the
danger of hookworm infection in the
mountain homes of the poor whites.
And this, defense certainly savors
of the week-end angler's excuse for
an empty creel. Dvtluth Labor World.
CENTRAL LABOR UNION
A special called meeting of the Cen
tral Labor Union was held at the La
bor Temple Wednesday evening for
the purpose of considering the fight
now on between the Gas Co. and the
Electrical Workers. President Parker
called the meeting to order. Organizer
Crowley of the Printing Pressmen and
Assistants' Union of North America
responded briefly to a call for some
remarks, and urged upon union men
the necessity of educating themselves
along union lines, and of taking a
deeper interest in the necessary work
of the organizations to which they
belong. i
District President Perrin of the
Electrical Workers then took the floor
and briefly recounted the struggle now
on with the Gas Co. He told of the
utter failure to secure anysettlement
with the company, and explained how
Manager Adams had refused. to nego
tiate either with a committee from the
ELECTRICAL
Every effort to negotiate a settle
ment of the difficulty with the Lincoln
Gas and Electric Light Co'. ' having
failed, the Electrical Workers have
decided to begin the fight in tamest.
The implied' threat tnat if they insti
tuted reprisals there would be an or
ganization of a "Business Men's Asso
ciation" was the last straw, and from
now on,, the Electrical Workers will
"go to it," and the gas company will
soon realize that it has a fight on its
hands.
Wednesday evening the facts were
laid before a meeting of the Central
Labor Union, and as a result the gas
company is going to have to deal with
two or three-thousand union men, and
women instead of with a little bunch
of Electrical Workers. ' The proceed
ings of the special meeting of the
PRESSMEN &
.
' The Pressmen and Assistants are a
busy bunch these days. They are ne
gotiating a new wage scale with the
assistance of Organizer Crowley, and
already that gentleman is producing
results. He is not only getting there
with his negotiations with the em
ploying printers, but he is instilling
new life and enthusiasm into the lo
cal's membership. '
The Pressmen and Assitsants arte
getting ready to give their new home
for Union Pressmen and Assistants a
big boost. President Barry of the in
ternational says he is going to raise
CARPENTERS & JOINERS
With next Monday night's meeting
the series of "open meetings" of the
Carpenters and Joiners will cease,
and the local will get back to the reg
ular way of meeting. The revival cam
paign has been a glorious success,
nearly 200 members havings been
added since the revival began.
Good speakers will he on hand at
Monday night's meeting, and It Is ex
pected that the last of the revivals
will be the king pin of the whole lot.
Organizer Michler is expected here,
and he will start oft the rejuvenated
union in great shape.
THE CIGARMAKERS
"Business about the same, and noth
ing doing so far as news is con
cerned." That is about all the satis
faction that could be gotten out of the
cigarmakers who spend an occasional
leisure hour around the Labor Temple.
There is mighty little "dry" sentiment
A. F. OF L. FINANCES.
The Income and expenditures of the
American Federation of Labor for the
quarter just ended show, according to
Secretary Frank Morrison's report,
$88,770.71 of income which added to
the balance in the treasury brings the
total up to $204,074.17. The expendi
local or a committee from his own
employes. Then be made a plea for
the support of organized labor in an
effort to bring about a settlement. The
matter was discussed pro and con, and
finally a motion was made to the ef
fect that union men and women be re
quested to withdraw their patronage
from the Lincoln Gas and Electric
Light 'Co. and from the Armstrong
Clothing Co. until 1 such time as the
matter is adjusted. The motion was
carried by a unanimous rising vote.
A committee was then appointed to
prepare a. statement for the public.
Another motion was made and carried
that the directors of the Labor Temple
Association be requested to discon
tinue the use of Gas Co. current in the
Temple, resorting to candles if necessary-
The Armstrong Clothing , Co. rs
brought into the controversy by rea
son of the fact that Mr. Armstrong is
president of the Gas Co. '
WORKERS
Central Labor Union will be found
elsewhere.' " ;. -
One of the gas company's imported
strikebreakers, hailing from Iowa, did
not last any longer than the strikers
could get to him. He said he never
would have come had he known the
conditions; but he came with the un
derstanding that more men were need'
ed on account of new work.
Two imported "scabs" from Mont
gomery, Ala., are : still .. here, having 1
been advanced transportation and
sleeping car fare. They said they
were not told of existing conditions,
but all efforts to get them to tote fair
with their fellow workers have been
useless so far. ' "
District President Perrin - is still in
Lincoln conducting -the- struggle from
the Electrical Workers' standpoint,
and 'he is being ably hacked by a
committee of "live ones."
ASSISTANTS
$50,000 all by his lonesome, and, the
rest of the members are ex.pected to
come across with one day's pay some
time during the month of May, 'all the
money . thus raised to go towards
equipping and endowing' the Home.
The international has purchased 500
acres in the mountains of Tennessee,
and will erect thereon a home for the
aged, disabled and superannuated
members, and also a tuberculosis sani
tarium. It is a big and humane pro
ject, and the loyal union men of that
organization are bound to make it a
huge success.
The Carpenters and Joiners show a
disposition to . fight shy of ' participa
tion in a building trades council, a
motion not to - affiliate having been
adopted at the last meeting, j It is
hinted, however, that a reconsidera
tion will be had soon and the matter
discussed at greater length.
The building season has opened up
in fine shape, and there is lots of
work on hand and a lot more in sight.
The Carpenters are well satisfied
with the conditions prevailing at the
ball park, and have no specific com
plaints to make.
among the cigarmakers, as they know
full well that "wet" means a largely
increased demand for the product of
their labor. The local meets the first
Monday in each month. John Steiner
is president and T. W. Evans secre-
tures were $50,907.46, leaving a net
balance of $153,166.71. '
Striking cigarmaker girls In Cincin
nati, who returned to work pending ar
bitration,, are again on strike,' New
berger refusing to agree to the terms
of arbitration.
