VALUE OF UNIONS
Results They Have Accomplished
For the Toiler.
THE ARISTOCRATS OF LABOR.
Thsy Are the Wageworkers Who Have
Had the Intelligence to Fight To
gether Denefita For Organization
Clearly Provad.
Let him who questions the value of
unionism pause to consider for a mo
went just oue thing that unionism has
accomplished.
it Is well known that In the early
flays of the present factory system the
day's work extended usually to four
teen or sixteen hours.
This long day existed for all work
ersthe skilled and the unskilled, the
children as well as the men and wom
en. The workers had not yet learned to
organize, and as Individuals they were
utterly helpless to effect a change in
the hours of their labor or In the scale
of their wages.
There were, of course, no laws to
protect them, and so they lived entire
ly at the mercy of their employers.
The normal conditions that existed
little more than half a century ago in
England and elsewhere throughout the
world of the factory system are equal
ed today only in certain plague spots.
When one reads the stories of the
misery and oppression, the long hours
and low wages of those days one won
ders how the workers managed to live
at all.
How much the condition of the
workers generally has been improved
It Is by no means easy to say, but we
do know that the condition of the
workers has vastly improved wherever
they have learned to value unity.
In those trades where the men have
known enough to flgbt for their rights
and to stand together there has arisen
what some scoffers like to call an
"aristocracy of labor."
And If in certain trades there are
Indeed aristocrats of labor it Is simply
because they have bad intelligence
enough to fight together, to pay dues
to one organization and to battle al
ways with unity and solidarity.
And what they have done all other
workers can do. -
The "aristocrats" hold no patent on
their method of action, and by acting
In the same manner all other tollers
can win all the "aristocrats" have
won.
Now. it is difficult to ascertain just
how much union workers have benefit
ed by higher wages.
In that matter there is always 4he
question as to the Increased cost of
living, which makes difficult any com
parison of wages here and abroad or
of wages now with those of. forty
years ago.
The best one can do Is to compare
wages and hours today Id one trade.
that is organized with the wages and
boors in another trade that Is unor
ganised. This bat been well done by the de
partment of labor at Washington, and
the figures gathered by that .depart
ment show beyond dispute the enor
mous benefits that have come to labor
as s result of organization.
Consider for one moment the follow
Ing tacts:
We all know that the workers In tho
Iron and steel trade are poorly organ
Ised, and we find that the hours of la
bor In thin trade are from sixty to sev
enty-two per week.
The hoi blast men lu all parts of
tba country work about eighty-four
hours per week.
On the other band, we all know that
the stone and granite cutters are well
organized.
When we look op the figures of their
hours we find that they work about
forty-eight hours per week.
The bricklayers, the carpenters, the
hodcarrlers. the painters, the paper
hangers and the plumbers are highly
organized trades, and when we inquire
Into the hours worked by these men
we find that they rarely average more
than fifty hours per week.
These worker then nre the arlsto.
crats i,f hil.or xiniiiv lut-uusc thny are :
well united ia their mule, are mya! 10 j
their ii-Kaiii.-.aiiuii. my their lines :mil
tlgbl a i-,, niiimn liaitltv
It would he iliilii ult In ri ml mi nrii
meui in miiihii' ui unionism S1, Mit-m
as this line.
To liml ine set tit workers like, tlx
stoiiiTulters wnrking fnfty elght li"ii!--s
per week ii ml amitlcr set nt wurUi-r-i
lu the' Iron ami stevl tr:nle wurkiii'.
elghty hours per week siimiiil nim, i.,
enough '" cimvini e evi-iy tuinr in ilns
wide luuJ ui the vti'.un ui uuiouiui.
' Think of this and then cousider how
tragic It Is that one must actually per
suade worklugmen to believe in indus
trial unity!
It Is almost Impossible to believe
that any. class of workers should be
blind to the value of unionism or loath
to suffer almost anything to achieve
It.
And what astounding evidence of
working class stupidity It would be If
the workers of this country should
without a fight allow tbeir unions to
be crushed and their right of organi
ze loo takenaway by the capitalist
legislatures aud courts.
. Tho value of unity is so clear, the
g ilns for those who have united are so
evident and the necessity of organiza
tion for all workers is so great that It
would seem that men. If tuey have in
telligence to fight for anything, would
surely Bght for this. Robert Hunter.
LABOR DAY IN LINCOLN, 1910
The Trades and L'abor Organizations of Lincoln and Havelock
will celebrate Labor Day in proper manner. Parade -art 10 :30 A. M.
In the afternoon there will be plenty of sports and contests with
handsome prizes, all at Capitol Beach. Grand basket supper in the
evening. Fireworks and dancing in the evening. Let every union
man in the two cities take his place lin the pnrade on Labor Day!
FORMATION OF THE PARADE
1 Boilermakers.
2 Steam Engineers.
3 Barbers.
4 Plasterers.
5 Lathers.
6 truetui'dl Iron "Workers.
7 Tailors.
8 Stage Employes.
9 Machinists.
10 Federal Labor Union.
11 Leatherworkers. "
12 Allied Printing Trades
The Band, Boilermakers, Steam Engineers and Barbers will
form on K street, on the west side of Eleventh. -
Plasterers, Laithers and Iron workers will form on K street,
east side of Eleventh.
Tailors, Stage Employes and Machinists wil form on L street,
east side of Eleventh.
Band, Federal Union, Leatherworkers, Allied Printing Trades
and Cigarnnakers, form on L street, west side jof Eleventh.
Street Railway men, Horseshoers, Bricklayers and Painbera,
form on L' street, east side of Eleventh.
Havelock band, Blacksmiths, Carpenters, Musicians and
Electrical AVio risers, form on M street, east side of Eleventh.
Plumbers and Steamfi'tters, Postal Clerks, AVorkingmen's
Circle and Teamsters, form on M street, west side of Eleventh.
Business Men's Floats will form behind Teamsters in line.
THE LINE- OF MARCH.
North on Eleventh to X, east on X, to Twelfth, north on
Twelfth to O, east on O to Seventeenth, countermarch on O to
Eleventh, north on Eleventh to Q, south-on Q to P, west on P to
Ninth, south on Ninth to O, east on O to Eleventh, south on
Eleventh to X, and disband. Each union is requested -to have at
least one American flag in its section of the parade.
PROGRAM OF SPORTS AND CONTESTS.
There will .be a splendid program cf sports and contests in the
afternoon and evening. The committee in charge will, in addition
to the number here presented, arrange for special contests as may
le suggested during the afternoon. For these special coriiesiis
special prizes will be awarded.
No. 1. "Fat Man's Race." Pair of $3 shoes, donated by Lin
coln Clothing Co. -Second prize, fountain pen, donated by C. A.
Tucker.
No. 2. "Lean Man's Race." A $3 hat, donated by O. A.
Fulk. Second prize, gold cuff buttons, donated by Commercial Loan
Co.
"No. 3. "Free for All Race." Pair of $5 shoes, donated by
Miller & Paine. Second prize, watch fob, donated by Polsky &
AVaks.
, ' No. 4. "Boy's Race." -Ages 12 to 15. A $2.50 fountain pen,
donated by Barth Drug Co. Second prize announced before contest.
"M'arried Ladies' Race." A wilk petticoat, donated by
the Skirt store. Second prize, shirt waist, donated by Boston store.
No. 6. "Single Ladies' Race." A pair of fine shoes. Second
prize handbag, donated by Fred Schmidt & Bro.
No. 7. "Girls' Race." Ages 12 'to 15 years. A $2.50 parasol,
donated by Rudge & Guenzel. Second prize announced later.
No. 8. "Three-legged Race." A -pair of $3.50 shoes to both
winners, donated by Rogers & Perkins. Seaond prize to be" an
nounced later. ,
.No. 9. "Standing Broad Jump." Box of Havana cigars, do
nated by Saratoga Pool Hall.
10. "Running Broad Juiup." A $5 rocker, donated by
Hardy Furniture Co. Second prize to be announced later.
No. 11. "Ladies' Nail Driving Contest." A $4.50 rocker, do
nated by Robertson. Second prize anounced later.
No. 12. "Laughing Contest." A box of "Queen of Hearts"
cigars, donated 'by Herman gfraus & Hellwig.
No. 13. "Ladies' Base Ball Throw." A $3 hat,' donated by
me famous
No. 14.
Mayer Bros.
'Men's Base Ball
No. 15. "Shoe Lacing Contest." A pair of $1.75 slippers, do
nated iby A. Bramtwaite.
No. 16. To the man wearing the most articles bearing the
union label, a $5 pair of trousers, donated bv Speier & Simon.
BASKET DINNER IN THE EVENING.
Everybody is invited to briing well-filed baskets and eat an
eVtoiing dirner at pretty Capitol Beach. Let us nuake it a merry-
making w"fhy of being remembered. Married people would help
by seeing to 'A that the bachelor boys are invited to fill up on home
made eo. king.
DANCING AND FIREWORKS
Iater 'in the evening there will be a display of fireworks and
other attractions to be provided b yithe Beach Management. Thds
will be followed by dancing in the pavilion and you may dance till
tne cars stop running, and later
-r At 1
N. A. OTIS. LINCOLN
Barbers' and Musicians' Unions
Looking Backward.
"I always inherited the hand-me-
downs as a kid."
"Got tne old things, eh?"
"Some of 'em. My older brothers
soon outgrew their coats and shoes,
but never seemed to outgrow their
skates." I-ouIsville-Courler Journal.
' Questioning Grandma.
"Grandma," Inquired her little grand
sou ttie day of her arrival, "did you
sleep on your face last night?"
"Of course not, dear. Why do you
Mk that?"
' 'Cause it's all wrinkled." Ex
stance. -
13 Ciga'rinakers. .
14 Street Railway Men.
15 Ilorseshoters.
16 Bricklayers'.
17 Pahiteia.
18 Blacksmiths. 4
19 Carpenters.
20 Musicians.
21 Electricians.
22 Plumbeis and Steamflttera.
23 Postal Clerks.
24 Workers" Circle, '
Throw." A fine shirt, donated by
it you so desire.
r" --.Mt
:r
R. V. ROBERTSON. LINCOLN
Secretary Barbers' Unioe
Naples and Coral.
Coral manufacture is an important
trade in Naples. The tourist will be
i:a to ii is lied at the number of shops
w'uk-li sill this article in all forms,
jewelry an 1 table ornaments especial
ly. The l.,u- price of labor there is an
liujjoi'tant factor.
Arms and the Girl.
Sue-What Is it you like best abwat
a girl V
lie My arms. Judge. .J
To Singe ChicKens.
To singe chickens hold them over m
saucer of burning alcohol. It does no
leave soot on the flesh.
n
50
FRONTIER
Rock Island Press
GLASS BOTTLE BLOWERS.
Workers and Employers Raach Amica
ble Agreement.
Wage conferees of the Glass .Vial
and Bottle Manufacturers association
and the Glass Bottle Blowers' associa
tion of America. In conference recent
ly at Atlantic City, reached an amica
ble agreement.
Wages for the coming year are to
continue the same as during the last
bottle blowing season. This decision
was reached when the representatives
of the men realized that It was useless
to ask for an Increase in the face of
machine competition. Further than
this, the manufacturers acceded to a
proposition from the men for three
shifts instead of twq In the bottle
plants, thus providing for a consid
erable number of employees who have
been displaced in regular shifts by the
automatic machines. Working rules
and regulations were satisfactorily set
tled. The manufacturers also acceded to
a proposition from the blowers that
the apprentices should be apportioned
on a basis of one to each twenty blow
ers instead of one to ten or fifteen
journeymen, as in the past, the purpose
being to shut off as far as practicable
the Invasion of new men.
The manufacturers refused, how
ever, to abandon their demand for the
total or partial suspension of the sum
mer shutdown which has been opera
tive In bottle plants for twenty years.
This question was accordingly left
open. '
Unless a compromise is effected in
the meantime glass factories which
have always shut down during July
CAPITAL BEACH
PROGRAM STATE FAIR WEEK
' ANNUAL
LABOR DAY CELEBRATION
MONDAY' SEPT. 5th AT
CAPITAL BEACH
SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS
ALL DAY . ALL DAY ALL DAY
2 - BALL GAMES -2
25 - ATHELET1C CONTESTS - 25
DARE DEVIL SKYLO
DANCING ALL DAY
SHADY PICNIC GROVE
ELECTRIC COURT
ATTRACTIONS
Boating Sailing - Fishing
GRAND CONCERT
EXTRA FEATURES
INTRODUCING
WILD HORSE RACING
TEXAS STEER ROPING 6c RACING
BRONCHO BUSTING, THE FAMOUS STEAMBOAT
OUTLAW HORSE
THE ONLY MAN IN THE WORLD THAT THROWS
A STEER WITH HIS TEETH
TWO CAR LOADS OF OUTLA W HORSES
WORLD'S CHAMPION IjlDERS
THE ORIGINAL AND GENUINE
JEFFRIES - JOHNSON
FIGHT PICTURES
Moving Pictures of the Famous Contest at Reno, July 4th, 1910.
GRANDER AND BETTER THEN EVER
THE ERUPTION of MT. PEELE
GLORIOUS FIRE WORK DISPLAY
Admission To Park 10c.
20 Lincoln,
and August jvill work throughout the
year.
Representatives of the men claim
summer work in the plants will bo
"barbarous.". The manufacturers' con
tention is that they cannot compete
with the machine blowing plants with
the midsummer suspension. One of
those automatic machines was in op
eration during 1904. Ninety-two will
be working during the coming blast.
The Bottle Blowers' association haa
a membership of 11.000 workers.
HYPOCRITICAL CANT;
Opan Shop Defenders Care Nothing
For Nonunion Workers.
A correspondent of the New York
Times, writing to- the editor of that
paper, says truly:
"It is not true, as you say in your
editorial article on the garment work
ers' strike, that the 'uplift of labor
means the exclusion of all but union
ists from the privilege of earning
wages.! The uplift of labor means
that a living wage shall be paid for all
work done. Those who pretend to
shed, tears over the injustice of the
union shop are not sincere. They cry
over , the poor nonunion worker, while
they laugh In tliolr sleeve at the way
they are fooling the uninformed pub
lic. ;
"In very few cases do the nonunion
workers get union wages. Does it
make no difference whether the hun
dred . or live hundred workers In a
given factory receive $2 a day or $37
In either .case all ..will be spent and
not in some foreign country,. but right
here, where the Times, as well as the
rest of us. must make a living and
50
Nebraska
wake It ultimately from these same
workers. The umnufucturer who
pleads for the "opeu shop' is not hon
est. He cares absolutely nothing for
tho nonunion worker. He wants the
opportunity to get his work done for
less than living wages, and he knows
he cannot do it when his men are
pledged to stand by one another."
Autos For Business Agents.
Many of tlii Imiltling trade unions of.
Chicago maintain automobiles for the
use of tneir business agents.
Some of the unions which have pur
chased automobiles for their business
agents and the number of the ma
chines they possess are: Plumbers, 3;
bricklayers. 2: carpenters. South - Chi
cago, 1; steamntters' neipers. i; run-
The Steamntters' union and the Archi
tectural Iron Workers' union recently
voted to pure-base automobiles for
their business agents, and committees
have been appointed to make the pur
chases.
The Plumbers' union has three busi
ness agents, one for each side of the
city, and recently it bought three ma
chines for their use. The president of
the Bricklayers' union has an auto
mobile lor nis exclusive use, wnue an
other Is maintained for the use of the
two business agents.
"We can cover . more territory In a
day with an auto than we could in a
week by street car or walking," said
one of the business agents. "It means
more work and is a good investment
for the unions."