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About The Wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-???? | View Entire Issue (Aug. 19, 1910)
THE WAGEWORKER. PUBLISHED EVERT FRIDAY'V BY WAGEWORKER PUBLISHING COMPANY. WILL M. MAUPIN, Editor. - E. L. GRUBB, Business Mnger. EnMrad aa ncond-dus matter April 21.! 1 904. at kVa poatoficaal Lincoln, Nab., under tha Aclaf i of March 3rd. 1879. GETTING READY TO PARADE. The (trades unionists of Lincoln and Havelock are setting ready to make a big parade on Labor Day. Thai's bully I Jf ever there was a time in the history of this community when organized labor should make, a goodly bowiing, that time in norm And we re aoafifent that organized labor i going to measure up to "toe opportu nKy. It tats been the good fortune nd the pleasure rf ttw writer to tar had eorue connection wish every labor Day eelebratlon in Lincoln for the pact eight or nine years, and so far s his recollection runs the interest and the enthusiasm this year la ahead of any previous year. This is good sign. The mere .whisper of oposition in the form of an organized effort to fight the unions Ihas had the effect of solidi fying the ranks. . But as we watch the enthusiasm shown in fche matter of making a good showing on labor day, iwe ean not help but wonder what would happen if the unionists of this county took as much interest and showed as much enthusi asm in concerted political action as they take in concerted Lalbor Day Ac tion: And why should we not take as much interest in getting together on election day as me show in getting together on Labor Dayf Is it not a fact tbat iwe too often nullify our Labor Day efforts by our election day acnionst Honestly now, Brother Unionist, what ' does tlbe politician care for our Lalbor Day demonstrations as long as he can keep us at each other's throats on election dayf Can you not imagine the capitalist cheering us as we march by on Labor Day, and sneering at us the minute we got past him and he recalls that although we anarch shoul der to shoulder in the Labor Day pa rade we split up into foolish partisan factions (when iwe get to .the polling places f .Capital has no polities and no partisan bias. It is republican when lit pays to be republican, and democratic when it pays to be democratic but it is for capital all the time. And as long as capital can .keep .us divided by throwing political clap-trap at us, just so long capital will slip in between the divided ranks and swipe all the fruit and leave labor all the husks. What difference does tit make to you, Mr. Wage' Earner, whether it is a re publican or a democrat that gives you the legislative relief you askt What difference does it make whether the lemon you get is .handed to you 'by a republican or a democrat f The partisan can not be a patriot. We believe in political parties; believe they are necessary. But of there is any one thing that is dangerous to this republic lit is partisanship. The man who votes a straight party ticket and is titrable to give an intelligent reason for so doing, is little less than a simpleton. There is .but one fool equal to "the wage earner who votes the republican ticket because his. fart her did, and that is the wage earner who votes the democratic ticket because bis father did. wouldn't it De one if union men couiu get toge-mer ana iraroe .up a plan to act as a unit on election day, just as union men are getting together these days to frame up plans for get ting together on Labor Dayf There will be fifteen hundred union men in line in Lincoln on Labor Day. If they would pick out a legislative ticket and cast that many votes for it on elec tion day,.they would elect every legis lative candidate. There are 35,000 or ganized workers in Nebraska. If they would pick out their friends irreapec five of political affiliation and vote for tftiem on election day, they could elect to state office men in heantf eym pathy wutui organized labor. Maybe some day we'll have sense enough to lay aside partisanship and personal jealousies and do that very thing. We haven't .made much head way 'in that direction as yet, by the symptoms are growing more favorable every day. A little greater effort along educational lines, a more thorough cultivation of tha independent spiri now (happily, growing stronger and then we'll begin to get real results. to be regretted,' tha so many local unions h'ave neglected or refused to affiliate.- This mjlect or refusal has seriously (hampered the Federation offi cials in, their preparations for the coni ng session.'. Heretofore when labor has wanted anything from the legislature it has "asked f.or -it in a perfunctory manner. The special interest are not content with merely asking for what they rwant they keep mien on the spot to push their bills. It is time that organized labor followed this example. If the State Federation of Labor were receiving the support it is entitled to from the locals of the state it would be 'possible to 'keep a lave legislative committee at the state house during the entire session, introducing labor bills, watching them carefully and push ing them at every opportunity. That is the only way labor will ever get the legislation it wants and needs. But to maintain this legislative com mittee will require money, amd the only method the Federation has of securing this money is by dues from subordinate unions. It is a matter that appeals to every trades (unionist in the state, and it is to be (regretted that personal jeal ousies and vtter indifference have inter vened to binder the work. But it . is not yet too late for the delinquent unions to come forward and help to boost tlbe cause. The committee on 'Sports for the Labor Day celebration is framing up an interesting session, and will . have some elegant prizes to offer. Get ready to take part in the games and show em that you are just as young as ever, and twice as spry. ) Gosh, just supposing we'd have had this "wet" and "Ary' fight when Abraham Lincoln was a candidate for the presidency. Thank heaven, we at least have managed to elect some big men on big issues before this question arose to take precedence over every thing else. . The Labor Day edition of the Wage- worker will be handsomely illustrated, and contain a number of interesting special articles by well known unionists in Lincoln. It will be an issue well worth preserving. It is natural that the man who would pay a woman $2.42 for a week's work should violate the child labor. law by employing a "kid" band because it was a chance to get a big attraction cheap. , ;-- THE STATE FEDERATION. Nebraska will shortly elect another legislature, and this reminds us that the Nebraska State Federation of Labor should begin to prepare for it. It is There are two classes of people who do not drink whiskey those rwiho are too good to drink it ,and those who are too darned stingy to spend ibheir money for it. Senator Aldrich says it is the .best tariff law ever enacted. The senator holds a lot of stock in the rubber trust and rubber is handsomely protected by the tariff law. We .believe that the Labor Day com mittee could be prevailed upon - to in vite the members of the Business Men 's League to participate in the Labor Day parade. For an example of sticking to it under adverse circumstances, commend us to the striking boilermaikers of Have lock. There's a loyal union bunch for you. The primaries .are over. Now select your candidates with reference to their friendship for your interests rather than because of your partisan bias. The legislative candidates in Lancas ter county have been selected. Scan the list and see how many union men you can find among them. Lalbor Day in Lincoln will ibe cele b rated at Capital Beach than which there is no more delightful pleasure resort in the country. The gentlemen who feared that the primary system would destroy interest in politics have another guess coming, The smaller your union all the more reason why you should march beneath He banner on Lalbor Day. If Sawdust Post fails to throw an other fit between now and Lalbor Day we will feel slighted. Get ready for Labor Day. And go after some of the big prizes that will bo offered. ' "The injury of one is the concern of all!" Get together on Labor Day. 001 GREAT w? i;r,rv;i-vi:4 . .... HIE . . t of men's fine suits which range in price from $1 0 to $40 at $5.00, $10 .00, $15.00 has attracted the attention of practically every man in this city, a good thing is easily pushed .along Men who have secured one of these Bargains for themselves; are busy telling their friends about it, and so the good word isdalo that is booming this sale and making it one of this store's big successes Our word for it We will not ceurry' one ', of these suits over to next season, for the prices we have named are unheard of and the; values and styles, offered are the best to be had in the state of Nebraska at any price '.' i ' " . . . I, . : "' ' Here They Are-See What You Get--ee What You Save $5.00 Is all that jrou will have to pay for an? of our fine suits that sold for $10.00 and x $12.50. $10. Gives you choice of any $15, $18, $20 and $22.50 suits. You save more than half -here. '""" ;'f $15.00 For the very finest suits made at any priceimported wool ens hand tailored. Regular price $25.00 to $40.00. , Armstrong Cloraieg C GOOD CLOT H ES M ERC H ANT S Shoulder to shoulder, and heart to heart, on Labor Day. LAND MONOPOLY. How It Has Practically Enslaved Amer ica's Working Men. Land monopoly led to the settlement of America. It is tire landless citizen of thie fatherland .who comes te this country as an immigrant. It was not so much the form of government which sent him forth, as the inability to earn a living. The free Iai(d of America was a louder call than its democratic form of government. But the oppor tunity to obtain free land in America has now gone by. The three million square miles an the public domain of the United States cost the nation $4.70 an acre. In the disposition of this im mense area the nation .has become al most land impoverished. The Pacific Railroads alone acquired one-twelfth of it. In addition to a right of way across the continent of one hundred to four hundred feet wide, with such land as was needed for sidings, stations and yards, a subsidy of every altern ative section of one square mile on either side the right of way was added as an aid to construction. It is said that the grants to the Northern Pacific Railroad alone were worth one thousand million dollars. The dealings of the Pacific Railways with Congress "with regard to land transactions have been notoriously scandalous. Following the railways, came the land grabbers and ranchmen, -who have ap propriated great tracts of land which they are still holding unlawfully. One individual 'became the owner of four teen million five hundred and thirty nine thousand acres of the richest land in California and Oregon, an area three times as great as the State of New Jersey, with its population of one mil lion and a half. The Public Lands Commission appointed by President Roosevelt reported that in the acquir ing of the large number of estates which they investigated "almost with out exception collusion or evasion of the letter and the spirit of he law was involved." Land values are increased according to the dema-nd for land. Therefore, with the increase of population land values in every part of the United States are bound to advance. It has been calcu lated that by the mere fact of his arrival each immigrant increases the value of the territory of the United States by about four (hundred dollars. Others' have 'said that the figure is nearer one thousand dollars. When thf immigrant lands upon the American shone he practically makes a eontribu- tion of a year's earnings to the Value ! of the land. But at the same time he makes tlhe ninety million people already living here poorer by his coming, be cause the burden of rent of all the people is increased in consequence. Scarcely a century ago the ancestors of the Astor family invested a' few thousand dollars in farming land lying about the outskirts of what was then a mere village. In less than fifty years time the crowding of five million peo ple around Manhattan Island has given a .value to the Astor estate of $450, 000,000. And tihis great increase was brought about not (by What the Astor family .has, done but by what society has accomplished. Meanwhile those who actually created this great for tune havie been compelled to pay the price in increased rentals. In New York approximately one hundred million dollars was raised by taxes on real estate out of a total budget in 1908 of $143,000,000; in 1910 about $106,835,000 out of a total bud get of approximately $163,000,000; or about 5-8 of the total is Taised by taxation upon real estate. The tenants unquestionably pay the greater part of this tax and the question of rent for the poor is an almost unendurable bur den. New York is merely typical of every other city in this respect. Rev. Charles Stelzle. :' ' " V ! A lot" of literary "guff" is going around about "Labor should be repre sented in the president's cabinet." If laboring men elect corporation judges to the presidency they may expect to see corporation men appointed to cabi net positions, whether one or more has "lalbor" itacked to his title or not. n Have Your Natural Complexion Nature intended everyone to have a perfect complexion. Palmolive is Nature's own aid to the skin. The soothing, healing palm and olive oils of which it is composed bring back delicacy, softness, beauty to face and hands. Baby, mother, father every member of the family will appreciate it. It's the one perfect soap for all the uses of the toilet . A single cake will prove it to you. Jos.Deklotz 123 O Both Phones