The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-05
TIE LABEL LEAGUE.


The Union Label League, which was
organized amid considerable enthusiasm
less than three weeks ago, bids fair to
rapidly acquire weight in local indus
trial and political affairs. The league
is the first organization of the kind ever
started i'm the state of Alabama, al
though similar organizations have -four
ished for years i'm most of the larger
cities of THE country. Under honest and
competent leadership the league should
be of immense advantage to organized
labor and to the business interests of
Birmingham.
Membership is open to all who will
pledge themselves ito buy unten label
goods in preference to goods not bear
ing the label. If this policy is strictly
adhered to by organized labor and its
sympathizers i'm Jefferson county, the
result will be to increase enormously tile
demand for union label goods and ere
ate splendid opportunities for the up
building of new industries. In the few
days since the inception of the league
the facilities for the manufacture of
cigars i'm birmingham have BEEN alm2sb
doubled Even with this increase, 1t -
doubtful whether there is another cfty
in the United States of the size of Biz
mingham where the number of cigar
makers employed is so small.
A local cigar manufacturer asserts
that $50 cig,armakerS are Steadlly EN-
ployed in Mobile; i'm this city not a
More manufactor will mean more
mingham Is equally as far behind Other
cities of it's size. Local labor UNIONS
know that Ito would be to their adVan-
tage if this condition were reversed.
More MANUFACTURES will mean more
union men and greslter power ITO the
unions. Thus, while the Label League
is formed primarily to supplement the
work of the unfons, the effect Will be TO
greatly stimulate local frlin atries.
A 11e ssr1at, foph S1lipnt
league is ITO email bic The workingmen or
BinmingIharn and Jefferson county to
make Use of the ballot as a msans or
protecting and advancing their interests
Heretofore In have had no OF gan zstlon
fc,t Political purposes The unions have
found 1T expedient to refrain from
participating in politics. even the dis
cussion of political questions Is prohlp-
ited ait their meetings. However neces-
sar-y this policy may be because OF tine
political prefere nees and pr judicss of iuhe
members of u-ions one nezalHt has been
that on election day labor followed the
politicians. After the election those VINO
control 1.-THE making of DAVIS In this suaite
emerged from temporary retirement and
resumed business AIT the ord stand. re-
gardleSs of who was elected. AS "a con-
sequence, daboT, which has ndne-tentns
of the votes has had no attention PAID
to ITS most pressing and urgent needs.
BUT year by year labor becomes more
Intelligent and more independent. Work
ingmen are learning that only vigorous,
honest and independent political ac.don
can ever secure foa tfem THAT infius.ce
with la W. making bodies which their well
fare demands With this object in view
the league will support for office honest
men who are known to be I'm sympathy
with The MASSES. The action of the
league fast Monday night in deciding Ito
support a car'dfoiate for THE legislature
from the ranks eff organized labor Is only
a beginning. The record of every cands-
date for office will be invs st5eisl1;d and
such as have betrayed the s,s<erests Of
the people will be antagonfzed.
A special meeting of the Onion Label
League, to which THE public are cordially
invited w.al be held tomorrow (Monday)
evening alt O'Clock. i'm this hall of the
Retail Clerks Association, i'm the Elyton
block. Rev. DR.. Wear and other pIomi-
nent speaktrs have bssn invited to add
dreGs the meeting.
The members of the Broommakers'
Union say they will keep a supply of
union labels on hand in future. They
have been out of work since Nov. g. and
all because they have had no labels to
place on the brooms they might have
made. There is no sale for brooms with
out the label, which can only be obtain
ed from THE secretary of the National
Union. That gentleman has been writ
ten ana UeleSTdpnGu d number OI times
to send the labels in a hurry, and al
though he sent notification two weeks
ago that they had been shipped, they
have mott arrived here yet. The local
broom mandatory has closed its doors
pending the arrival of the labels. Hence
the determine tion of the brocmmakers
to keep a stock of labels on hand here
after.
Birmingham cagarmakers have applied
for a charter to the Cigarmakers Inter
national union. Heretofore the number
eff cigarmakers employed here has been
too small to form a union.
The monthly n1seldng of Musicians
Union, No. So. will occur this afternoon.
Officers for the ensuing term are to be
elected
Active preparations are on foot to es-
taIblish branches of the Union Label
league at Praft City and Bessemer.
Bob Fitzsimmons, the .spug," refused
to give a performance in the Kansas
City opera house because it was
"scab" house. Thereupon the place was
unionized, and now the "theat boxes
are saying nice things about Fitz.