The labor world., 1898-03-19
SUPERIOR.

OTANlONe
President c. NJ. Griffin, of the Supe.
rior Grocers' Association, in his speech
before the Minnesota grocers recently,
paid a high compliment to organized
labor. He took occasion to say:
1T is only within the last few years
that began to look ;with favor upon
asso ,iations Of this kind. 1 was taught
in my younger days to depend upon my
self alone. One of the main. points of
my early education was to make my
progress through life unaided, and with
out the assistance of unions or associa-
tions of any kind. After many years Of
business experience, and serious consid-
Grafton of the nature of trade and the
movement of commercial affairs in this
country l have begun to doubt the
soundness of my early convictions. Men
engaged in almost any kind of CONNER
cial business, except the grocers, now
organize for self protection. They have
found that in organization there is
strength, power that produces infiuen
ces even in legislatures and outside of
them. Through legislation laws have
been enacted for the protection of many
branches of trade, and in some notable
instances for more than protection. It
is not my purpose to discourse at large
upon the difference between organiza-
tions designed to protect legitimate
trade from imposition and those promot-
ed for trust purposes, but call your at
tention to- certain difficulties we labor
under in Wisconsin, and through the
discussions here to call in your aid to
help us out. ..
':The laboring people, the so-caled
wage earners' have strong and aggres-
sive organizations, that have made
themselves felt in many instances for
good. Through them lien laws have
been enacted in Wisconsin, and in all
the states personal as we'll as real, as
security for wages due.
Saw mill owners and builders supply
dealers have not been idle these later
years; even engineers and architects
have caught on to the advantage of the
lien law, and what may be called in
broad sense special legislation has been
enacted through their efforts, SO that
now they are fully protected and seldom
lose anything by doing business on
tick Not SO the poor grocer; he is still
out in the cold the exemption law covers
his case to the extent Of $50 a month in
Wisconsin. The policy or liberal exemp-
tions seems permanently fixed in that
state. Some of the grocers tried at the
last session of our legislature to get the
exemptions Of wage Garner reduced
from $50 month to $50 or $45; but the
effort failed. We had no state organiza
tion and the movement in that behalf
was weak. cite the labor organiza-
tions as instances of effective unions
without capital. These latter institu-
tions seem to have unbounded influence
around the state capitals when the leg
islatures are in session. It takes pop.
ulist's orator to explain how it is done,
I won't undertake to tell. Possibly
some of you know. do not advocate
special legislation, but I. do say let us
unite TO oppose such legislation enacted
from time to time for the benefit of a
few at the expense of the many, espec-
tally the grocers." . .s. ..$
Pioneer Federal labor union meets
Thursday evening" .-.'s.
Retail clerks union No. 9 will hold
regular meeting Wednesday evening in
the Hammond block. # -. J.. :. 49,
0The cooper machine workers met
Tuesday evening and Secretary Contine
reported an enthusiastic gathering.
The typographical union label will
be placed on all ballots printed for the
city this spring something that has
not happened before for years.
The trouble between the coopers and
the Freeman Mill company has not been
settled, even though the members of the
Star Cooperative Barrel Co., has joined
the K. of L.
It is reported that number of enter
prises have started, or are soon to start
in Superior. which will give large num-
ber of men employment. Most anything
of the kind will prove welcome change
as Superior's industries have been very
quiet for a long time and the ira desmen
of that city have suffered in consequence.
In short time it is expected there will