Omaha daily bee., 1892-12-18
FALSE FRATERNAL FEELING,
To It is Due Much of the Restlessness
Among Wage Farmers.
cHsCKsRED cARttRoF AN OMAHA LABoRER
Left college aud Wealth TO Become a Com
mon Wage workcr-Pians of the Work
ing womcn's Home-Doings In
Local Labor Circles.

One of the most interesting characters in
Omaha is Hiram w. Anderson. He earns
his living as common laborer, but is by no
means "a common sort of n man. Having
lived long In Omaha he is quite well known
here and at labor meetings is frequently
spoken Of Anderson is New Englander, his
father having obeeu a merchant of some
wealth in Portland, Me. Up to
the time he was sent to Co
lumbia university, he LED the life of
an ordinary young man in his position, but
at the college he made the acquaintance of
several young men who were devoting
great deal of attention to the study of So
ciaism and similar philosophy Anderson
became interested. His studies resulted in
his becoming an enthusiast and he neglected
his studies to devote his time to reading the
works of celebrated social reformcrs All
this finally ended in Alderson's leaving Col
umbia and commencing life as "a common
laborer, with a view of studying the Condi-
tion of the working people to determine
whether any of the theories which so greatly
interested him could be practically applied.
AT first his course was merely a matter OF
choice, but when his father died young AL
derson was disposed of with II 81 inherit
ancc Since his fathers death Anderson
has not regretted his early determination
and still earns his living by hard labor,
| though he has frequently been offered more
remunerativc employment
Anderson is now man of about 40 years.
| Since he left college in what was considered
| Il most eccentric manner, he has spent the
greater part OF his time travelling about the
country, from New York to Frisco and from
| st. Paul to New Orleans. Besides visiting
| all the cities and states in this country
he has worked in Canada and Mex
| leo. In appearance Mr. Anderson is a tall,
| mi nrl fn1lnNy IIn CppnrnllV
! jeans trousers, flannel shirts and u corduroy
coat His face is luddy and there is nothing
in the big fisted strapping fellow to indicate
| the dreamer and enthusiast. On the con
trary, his eyes look dull and sleepy and he
! has morose and taciturn expression. He
talks very little and seems to avoid being
spoken to. Many laboring men who work
with him are repealed by his stern and
| gloomy look, while others hold him in high
esteem, having discovered the real good
| qualities of the man. .' .E
There is one growing evil in this country
he said in n conversation with a reporter
| recently (which the labor organizations
should endeavor to correct. That is the
| restlessness of men following the various
| trades. The tendency to roam should
| be checked; if necessary, heroic means
men skilled in any of the trades were
in great demand all over the country
and a mechanic leaving one place
could find work elsewhere without delay.
| lhlS CONDITION SpOlleu nulnDer VI BOou
mechanics and the welcome union now cx-
tend to newly arrived union men is sure to
have the same effect if not changed in some
respects. The very fact that it is possible
to get work elsewhere makes now good men
undervalue their jobs and often on INSULT
cient grounds they quit work and go else
where. Any financial embarrassment or
other inconvenience is liable to set them
wandering. Now what is the effect! The
country is filling up with mechanics and
laborers. The man who leaves job has not
as good a show of getting anol lher place as
formerly and the time will cqne when the
men who have been taught the lesson OF
wandering and half encouraged in it by a
false feeling of fraternality will suffer deeply
Without wishing to appear harsh or un
charitable, l think that rowing should be
discouraged. | have studied the matter
carefully. The men who remain in one
place have homes, care for families and
sometimes save considerable money. while
the men who wander about are homeless
their families suffer and the very help they
receive from sympathetic fellow tradesmer
is a curse instead of a blessing"