Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1890-12-01
help organized labor on its surest and
safest road let him say so; but he should
not talk about unjust burdens" and the
like.

like.
Talking about political action by or
ganized labor brings to mind the situa-
ton in New York city. The Peoples
Municipal league of that city, composed
almost entirely of clergymen and Jim
Archibald. has been casting it's net at
the unions and assemblies, but so far the
hauls have been without fish" There
are several grand men connected with
the league. and they deserve better fate
than the one which seems to await them.
No independent political movement in
New York city is admitted as able to
cope with the powers that be unless sup
ported by labor, but the bulk of the
clergylnen in the Peoples Municipal
league are opposed to allowing labor
any rights beyond that of voting as the
league machine dictates Father Hunt
ington proposed the following resolution
at arecent meeting of the league. but it
was put under the bench
Resolved. That the Peoples Munich
pal league will support no candidate for
mayor of this city who is. not accepted
as Il candidate by a majority Of the labor
organizations Of the city"
Bit the situation looks better in other
localities. From the south and west
comes word that the artisans and farm
ers are joining hands, and will go to the
ballet box to there demand their rights.
The old conservative. Absurd idea that
labor union must not discuss political
matters is fast wearing away. What All
absur,lty it is to ask Legislators to enact
certain labor bills. and then for the mem
bers of the union making such requests
to 60 to the polls and vote as if they had
no interests beyond those Of the old
worllingman who voted against the leg
islative measures advocated by his or
gam cation was as much scab as one
who took strikers place. Was right?
P. M. Arthur. grand high cockalorum
of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engi-
neers and paragon especially installed
by the capitalist press. had Il meeting of
his henchmen in New York recently.
Mr.. Arthur is not worllingpan. and
beg his pardon for referring to him in
this connection. But he is ut the head
of society that has in its ranks many
good men who are proud of the fact that
they eat their bread in the sweat of their
brows Mr. Arthur minds his own
business. and his business in this New
York meeting seemed to be fixing up
things so as to secure Il reelection as
chief of the B. of l.. e. The meeting,
according to the New York papers,
which are the umpires of the qualifca-
tons of labor men for leadership, was
unanimous in its support of that wise
and conservative leader" and especially
was his course in the New York Central
strike Endorsed. In this connection it
may not be out of place to give para
graph from the report which appeared
in one of the local papers:
1T was expected that Chauncey M.
Depew would be present. but he sent a
letter of regret. The press committee
refused to give Mr.. Depew's letter for
publication"
There are rumors Of trouble in the
coal camps of Illinois and Indiana before
the snow flies. There are grievances,
sore grievances, in many camps. But
the worst of all is at Spring Valley, Ills.
Who has forgotten Spring Valley? Dead
must be the memory OF the human be-
ing who has forgotten the story of that
mining town. And the end is not yet.
At this writing w. l.. Scott, president
of the Spring Valley Coal company, lies