Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-05-04
A CARPENTERS WORDS.
He Shows How 1t Pays to Always Be
Courteous-An Interesting
Communicable
To the Editor of the Gazette.

have often been told that the columns of
| the big GAZETTE are closed TO man IN my
| position, Z carpenter Certainly if the boys
| have tried to open them they must have
| tried TO DO so with crowbar or IN old
| hand AK
| Now let NE try with that little wedge,
| common sense. And though my grammatical
| mitrebOX. from disuse and abuse has be-
| come so warped and twisted that l can not
| cut with that nicely and precision that
would like, still my English shall be such
| as not to offend. And if my remarks are
rather pointed and cutting, remember am
| accustomed to the use of edged tools.
| First | want word with the union car
| penters. Last Monday morning as | was
| going up Main street to my work was
| stopped by two nicely dressed gentlemen,
| apparently old men. They seemed quite
| glad 10 meet. and l saw at glance they
| We're strangers to me, though little badge
| Worn on the lapel of their coats showed
| they were union brothers. two old eN-Con-
| federates from Mississippi. and with
word of welcome, they were shaking
| hands with the young jayhawker forgetfu!
| of North or . South. cid prejudlceS laid
| aside, we met as brothers and COM
| rades in 4 common cause. They
| had been reading The GAZETTE and
| came out here to see Fort Worth.
| prospecting. / talked with them but few
| minutes. but learned in that time that they
| ii y
| and We're very anxious to know how matters
| stood here. Let me tell you what their OBJ
| seryatiOn had been; forty-eight hours IN
| Fort Worth and the badge on my coat was
| the second one they had seen. Think Of
| that. Sin city where there should be 400
| men wearing that badge they had only
| found two
! Now ! want to draw a comparison for the
| benefit OF the union men who stand around
| the corner and curse and abuse The GA
| ZETTE so much. Who has misrepresented.
| or. TO put it in your own words, who has
| lied about Fort Worth and her attrac
! lions, THE GAZETTE or local union 2t1i To
| those men there could have been no better
| or greater attraction than a well organized
| union of their trade. THE GAZETTE invited
| them here ana by rights they were our
| guests. What kind OF a reception did they
| receive? Let them answer.
And that reminds me another invitation.
| the one received from the Como club. /
| have never known, in my experience, an
! invitation coming from body of gentlemen
| like these, to be treated IN such a manner
| treated with silent contempt. Boys, it IS
shame and an outrage. If YOU don't want
| 10 affiliate with these gentlemen,
| not act like lot OF scabs
| | have been asked by individual members
of the club for 4 reason, and like the little
| boy the calf kicked / had nothing 10 say.
| But | want to say right here, in the way of
| Il prophecy, that before twelve months roll
| around, that local union pa must go to
| these very gentlemen for aid and assist
| ance, or we must go TO the wall. Now take
this for what it is worth and see if ninety
| days don't prove the truth or fallacy OF my
| remarks. Now, if You viii listen to L Sug-
| gestiOn from me, let me advise that we act
and act at once. Wise men change their
| minds: fools never do. 1t is too late for Us
a. lN-.4sl hut
we can do what we can and do il with 4
will. Quite number OF our members have
| already made arrangements TO 90 with
their hose companies and other organiza-
tions that should ana would have been with
us. Is it not strange that individual mem
berS should be making all arrangements TO
participate, while the union as i body is
left out in the cold! Certainly, there must
| be something rotten III Denmark. But if
YOU will not join the other trades, then in
the name OF common decency have the
honor and manhood to give these gentle
men I reply TO their kind invitation.
Brothers, | want to tell YOU from my
eleven years citizenship in Tarrant county
what know of few public men in public
places and the leading traits of character
and characteristics that have placed these
men where they stand. | knew our county
attorney when young man, before he had
reached his ma Ority. d poor boy struggling
mencement exercises before he graduated
that Henry Field remarked to me at the
time: There is outcome in that young
fellow, but it does seem that he might
wear 4 collar. Yes, boys, he went
| through his examination without a collar
He was not there advertising any dry goods
firm; he was there for an education he did
not blow in any money for cigars and beer,
and when he took his best girl buggy rid
ING. they walked; it was more conducive to
good health. He is married all the same.
and is married to as nice Il little lady ~
there is in Yarrant county.
Self-denial and bulldog tenacity are what
have placed him where he is.
have in my mind ntleman marl,
well the world he used to run little
tin shop at Arlington; then he was
| railroad clerk now he is district clerk,
but whether Us timer, railroad clerk or dis
trict clerk K. l.. Taylor is always 4 gentle
man. Boys il pays to be gentleman. Our
county treasurer is a blacksmith by trade
and a Democrat in politics, and it never
| made any difference 10 him If his customers
were Alliance or dark lantern men. They
| always found him ready TO defend the prin-
| ciples of his party; that Is. he has princi-
| pies and the manhood 10 defend the rea-
sons for the faith that Is in him.
Nss1euo | remember when the contractor
lt6en that magnificent Hendricks building was
| Il 0ne-hOfSe contractor IN 4 CUe-nOrSe town,
| What has placed him where he is. Nerve.
| backbone. He is a fighter. not a pugilist,
| but a fighter that will not allow any man.
| body of men on corporation TO run rough
| shOd over him without 4 fight; the nerve 10
| undertake big enterprise and the back
bone TO stand up under the responsibility
Brothers, the Sc men are from among our
| ranks. and if we would have their respect
| and sympathy we must act as gentle
| men; practice self-denial, advocate
| the principles of our cause and
| have the nerve and backbone to wear
| our little badges, and fight for our rights.
| Brave men Will expect the brave and if
| these men and others respect these virtues
| of us il is no more than they have exactcd
| of themselves. To-day our local union tot
| tiers on the brink of precipice. TO go over
| means destruction, and if something is no:
| done and that at once nothing can save Us.
| Where and what is the trouble. Not with
| THE GAZETTE. nor with the contractors, nor
| with the public; but with the carpenters of
! Fort Worth. Union and non-union there is
| where the fault lies. What the remedy2
| The practice of those virtues, that | have
| just shown you. If we can not have a
| membership of 400 good. solid union men
| let Us have 200 or 100 or even fifty be our
| members. What it may give me or any
| other man the assurance that You viii stick
| together and not work with Scabs or non
| union men and furnish what financial aid
| you can and l will stop every stone hammer,
\