Omaha daily bee., 1889-02-20
ORGANIZED LABOR'S VOICE,
Journeymen Carpenters Meet and
Discuss the Situation.
THEY DlsPLAYsouNo JUDGMENT
Tailors Have struck and arc Busy
Planning How to Bring Their
Late Employers to
Terms.


The journeymen carpenters, Union So,
numbering about $50, met in Gate City hall,
corner Of Thirteenth and Douglas streets,
last night for the purpose of discussing mat
tors pertaining TO that trade. The meeting
was busiuosslikc throughout and anything
that was not fashioned in "A character to
correspond was Immediately tabled. Several
specch-makers were listed for the occasion,
the principal ones being Congressman-clcCt
Council, Patrick Lynch, Daniel O'Ncefro
and William McGrcggor.
The meeting was called to order by
William McGrcggOr, and w, b. Musscr was
chosen chairman. The latter stated the OBJ
icct of the meeting was bCttcring the con.
dltion of skilled labor, and particularly that
of the carpenters. Robert Lynch was then
announced. He said: Labor at present is
on the down grade. The attention of the
public may be called TO the fact
that unless something is done for
the laboring man he will be on Il
level with the European lauorer. Who is
entitled to a share of the production of labor
more than he who produces! The wages
that are being paid to the craft of this city
are not IN conformity with the skill that is
required. 1t behooves the men Of all branches
of labor to look out for their own interests.
We have experienced in wears past the re-
suit of Reorganization i'll our ranks, while
on the other hand capital is organized against
us. You can see it here in Omaha, where an
effort is now being made to reduce our
wages without reducing our expenses of liv-
ing. The day of a strike as ii remedy, in this
respect, has gone by. 1t is the organization,
a thorough organization with skill behind it,
that is the instrument b. which we eau up
hold our rights. Men versed in labor organ
cations and its aims and purposes are the
last to procipitatc a strike. An eruption of
this kind is injurious. To accomplish thus
You must come together and discuss the
questions in order to drill yourselves. 1t is
about strikes; it is the unorgan-
lied masses. If all the workingmcn
in this country would organize there would
not be a strike from one years end to the
other. The employer would then think twice
before acting. The question has resolved
itself into one feature, and that is, that labor
must be educated, skilled and organized"
William b. M~cGreggor, of Carpenters
union No. IS, was next called. He said: 81
am a member of that craft which is too proud
to beg, too honest to steal, and so | follow the
carpenters business for a livelihood. | will
select as my text Behold. | stand at the door
and knock: If any man hear my voice and
open the door | will come in and sup with
him and he with me-
'But our issue IS one that comes to us all
direct and involves us all. The Carpenters
and Joiners' union has been in existence for
a long time and we still hold out IN good
numbers. l have been up to a meeting at the
armory conducted by Messrs. Potter and |
Smith. | have decided that we as a body OF
men can benefit by paterning after their ex- |
ample. | observed that they worked all
through the assemblies, and | found
the conclusion that in order to %compl |
anything each of us must in turn go among
our fellow craftsmen and workmen so as to
bring about a thorough organization.
think that every carpenter here to- might fully |
understands that he cannot do as much in |
dividually as he can when we all tender him
our aid. The object of orr union IS no, a
strike; it is to avoid a strike. do not an