The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-28
WHAT TRADES UNIONS ASK.
BY N. M'GLYNN, PRESIDENT OF THE SAN FRA
CISCO IABOR COTNCJI

By NJ NJ GL1NN, PRESIDENT OF THE SAN FRAN
CISCO LABOR COUNCIL.
A short while ago rumors of anticipated up
risings of the wageworkers of San Francisco
Ter flying thick and fast. They were, / sus-
pect, born OF the desire of an imaginative
space-writer's wish to lengthen his "string.'
They certainly had no firmer basis, although
it appeared they were sufficient to cause
Brgadier-General WaIfield to hasten to the
City Hall and tender the Chief of Police the
use of the State militia. The offer was declined
with thanks, as Chief Crowley affirmed he had
ample force to quell any probable uprising OF
the sansculottes. Truly, he had, since now, if
ever, there is not the slightest sign of a pre-
meditated industrial clash in this City or State.
Items of interest among the unions are scarcer
than hens teeth. The dull times are not en-
tirely passed yet.
do not say that there is not possibility OF
an industrial uprising all over this country,
but do say that when it comes, if it ever does,
1t will not be the result of secret plotting and
planning among the trades unions. Aside
from every other reason this is unlikely, be-
cause the Anglo-Saxon race never was of the
timber of which plotters are made, and, de-
spite the taunts and insinuations that many of
them are foreigners" occasionally applied to
trades unions, their membership is Anglo
Saxon by large majority. History proves
that of all the uprisings of the Anglo-saxon
laboring classes not one was planned be.
fore the outburst. They came like the light
ming stroke from a clear sky. Some trivial
happening aroused resentment that spread
like wildfre, and what was petty local incl
dent became national concern. From such g.
possibility we in America are not secure, and
the materials for a great cataclysm are being
piled higher and higher every day. now re-
fer to ''Ihe amy of the disemployed.'
ant RI he NJ tnra 1oas
of ''labor agitator" calamity howlings and
attribute his motives in calling public atten-
ton to matters OF grave portent to desire for
cheap notoriety. To avoid such aspersions
will make no assertion not easily substantiated
by unquestionable authority.
There are to-day in the United States, accord
ing to the figures of Carroll D. Wright, Com
missioner of Labor Statistics. 100000 men
constantly out of employment and supported
wholly or partially by charity. Estimating
but three persons depending upon each man
we have O,00O, 600 constant supplicants for
charity-or nearly one-sixth of our Nations
popula ton are beggars. Please remember these
are the figures of National official not likely
to be swayed by the motives OF the derided
labor leader. visitor from Mars or any other
planet, viewing the resources of the United
States, would doubtless laugh to scorn the idea
that taking care of such a tri1e as z, 500, 900
idle men would constitute grave problem,
but we certainly do not seem to progress very
rapidly toward solution of it. Why we do
not is question possible of being answered in
many ways. The rapidity with which this
army of disemployed has grown has not per-
mitted the people to comprehend its porteQt
nor to cast about for remedy. The hetero-
gently OF our people is another obstacle in the
way of solution. The immensely OF the coun-
try and the consequent lack OF familiarity by
the citizens with its varied conditions is yet
another. But greater and above all these is
the apparent apathy of the American people as
a whole to the moral disgrace to civilization
and the stigma upon Christianity which the
existence of $500, 900 toilers forced to beg
gary must cast.
apathy were all, there would be cause for
more vivid hopes of speedy solution OF the
labor question but to 1t is added the ridicule
of the unthinking. They are not content to re-
main inactive in the work of reform, but must
exercise their wit to disparage the plans of
those few who are striving as best they know
how to better and brighten the world. I am
sorry to say the scoffers do not suffer from lack
of influential newspapers to aid them. This is
what discourages and embitters the reformers.
70 have their accounts of the miseries and
necessities of mankind accepted wit h the care
less remark that sit has always been so and
will always be So" makes them doubt the wis
dom of further struggling to move the great
mountain of apathy.
Now, do not intend to launch into a pane
gyric OF any particular politico-economic
theory, nor to join in the jeremiad over the in
difference of the public Indeed, my idea when
started this letter was merely to protest
against the uncalled-for and reasonless hostil-
ity to the trades unions manifested in some
quarters. The foregoing facts were adduced to
emphasize the necessity of our statesmen doing
something to relieve the men willing to work
who seek in vain for an opportunity to earn a
livelihood, and to remind the opponents OF
trades unions that between law and anarchy
there is only one bulwark, namely, organized
labor.
You need not credit the unions with a soli-
tary moral virtue; you may denounce their
methods and their personnel but you must adj
NIT that they are the only force that has par
TALLY withstood the crushing and degrading
influences of trusts and monopolies.
Take away the trades unions; set the
2, 500 900 disemployed competing without in
reference with the 5000, 900 employed; as
sent, as our laws and some newspapers do, to
taking the children from school and place
them in the fields and the workshops; picture
to yourselves the industrial and moral status
of your country after this has been done-then
will listen with patience to your diatribes
against OTRhnlZeu IdDOT. anu remember, 700,
that the trades unionists are intelligent enough
to know and realize that, unless something is
done to prevent it, these evils viii surely come
upon us with the march of invention and the
growth in power and influence of trusts and
monopolies
The trades union has Its limit of resistance
We hope that limit will not be reached until
the American people are sufficiently versed in
economic science to formulate plan whereby
this country may be governed in a manner
BETTING its possibilities, its avowed purposes,
and worthy of the civilization of the twentieth
century. In this hope the trades unionists live
and strive. So inaugurate your single tax, or
remonetize silver, or start cooperative settle
ments. or secure municipal and State ownership
of public conveniences such as water, light,
railways and the like-but do something, do
something. M. MCGLYNN.
OPINIONS OF EASTERN EDITORS.
A Topeka Conundrum.
When q man is arrested for being drunk on