Omaha daily bee., 1893-05-14

per day and labors for y 80 and in many in
stances al per dayt, Your reporter would
have the public beliete that 1t is simply be-
cause he chooses 10 do So 1t Is hard mat
ter for him TO convince an unprejudiced pub
1 that his position Is correct.
The interviews themselves help to estab-
lish the correctness ofiny statement. Mr..
Morton, president OF the Iron Molders union,
says that the constitution OF his union does
not prohibit colored people from joining, but
IL an application should be made to IL by a
colored man, there fright be some question
raised as 10 whether they should admit him
or not Bold admission, indeed, Is this.
Why does he make this statementl Simply
because he knows that his society would not
admit him He is kind enough to say that
the color of oaes skin should not cut any
figure. If it did not, in this particular field,
why does he not say so.
MIR. Hopkins, president Of the Machinists
union, says "Yes, the colored man Is eX-
cluded from our order the word white ap-
pearug in our constitution He has stated
the fact as 1t is. And while the same word
may not appear IN many of the others. IL
had as well, Judging from the results of their
actions.
You must remember that these are "oath-
bound secret societies." the law and doings
OF which are known only by their members.
While they have no written law that bars
the negro the fact of his not being large
part of their organizations, as well as the
large number Of applications made by them.
and which have been refused, say to the
world that they have an unwritten law, the
Interpretation of which is: mo negro need
apply"
In evidence of this fact we offer few
statements from gentlemen who have ap-
piled. They speak for themselves:
Mr.. Henry Tyler is firstclass painter
and gentleman. He says, that he made
applications to the painters ,union." His
money and petition were kept for some time,
after which they were returned with no ex-
planation.
MIR. Henry Holiday says that he was served
the same way.
Mr.. Tyler says that he tried to join the
brickmasons union, but was told by them
that they had no time to consider his applica-
tion and up to this morning they had not
found time. And yet Mr.. Parker would have
the people believe that there are no colored
b-ickmasons in Omaha.
MIR. John Bailey is an engineer. He made
application to the Order OF American Sta
tionary Steam Engineers. Mr. 7. A. Murry,
n white gentlemen who signed his applica-
was a colored man. He (Murry) being pres
ent when the application came before the
union knows whereof he speaks.
MIR. Dave Gilbert, one Of the leading en-
gineers of this city, says that he has signed
applications for colored men, but they have
been refused because they were colored.
Mr.. Charles Hdrpster says the same thing.
Mr. George Carl, tirst-clasS painter and
paper hanger, is mother one who is barred
for the same reason.
Mr. Benton Bell acknowledges being guilty
of receiving thirty black balls in the engineer
| union because he was not u white man in
| stead of a quadroon.
| These, MIR. Editor, are few statements
of the many thousands of my race who have
been and are being deprived of fair chance
| to earn an honest living by the sweat OF
their brows for themselves and families
/ admit that some of these organizations
have colored members, but it is fact that
as rule white men will not work with
| them. They cannot secure employment or
that account The man who gives then
work is ridiculed ana in many instances
made to suffer financial loss
1t is not my purpose to create hostility
toward organized labor" No, be 1t far from
that. ALI l ask for my race is that il
be given fair and equal chance in every
and all spheres of life, and enjoyment o.
every right and privilege guaranteed to the
citizens of this grand and glorious republic
that boasts of being sThe land of the FIRE,
and the home of the brave" That l have
the support not only of all truly pious men
but of every man who is an honest Alneri
can, am fully persuaded. I am yours fol
| justice TO all men, 1. H. b. PARKS.