Natchitoches populist., 1898-12-23

Amalgamated Association or iron anu
Steel Workers to assume the duties OF
collector of the port at Pittsburg, to
which position he had been appointed
as a reward for his services to Hanna
ism, and gave the Pittsburg Dispatch
an interesting interview on trades
unionism, from which the following
is taken:
"You ask why we unite. 1t is be-
cause we must. 1t is not question OF
sentiment or charity. 1t is one of bust
ness. The blood often tingles at the
sight of some brutalities Of industrial
chaos, but while this is an incentive 1t
is not the foundation of tradesunion-
ism. We are trades-unionists because
there is no other agency that will Sc
cure for us good wages, shorter work
day, partial independence in the pres
ent and some time, we hope, complete
independence. No school of economic
thought but acknowledges the necessity
of union to attain as well as to hold
what has been obtained. One indiyid-
ual cannot lift ten hundredweight, but
ten men can do it with ease"
Are trades-unions progressive?"
eyes, progressive and slow; slow be-
cause they have the mass to educate
and progressive because Of the educa-
ton. During the last ten years the
trades-unions have found common
ground upon many new ideas. Wheth-
er they are all correct or not / will not
attempt to say; such are nationalist
ton Of what are thought to be inevita-
BILE monopolies, mines, railroads, tele-
graphs, telephones, municipal control
Of street cars, light, water, the aboli-
ton of land monopoly; also of money
monopoly, direct legislation, the Aus
tralian ballot system and others. All
have been Endorsed by trades-unions
1T is worthy of note that a greater
public spirit is being manifested in our
municipal life, and municipal owner
ship of public works, a bugaboo of q
decade ago, when first demanded by la
Dor, is now becoming popular"
Quite true. The platform OF the
Federation of Labor advocates the
above reforms, but such misleaders as
Mr.. Garland support the platform only
when there is No political campaign on
The Populiss platform includes al
of the reforms asked by organized la
bor Why are Mr. Garland and others
like him Republicans instead of Popu
lists? The answer probably is tina
collectorships may be more freel.
gathered in the Republican pastures
but what good does that do the ranl
and file of Pennsylvania workingmen-
such men as we're shot at Hazleton ant
Homestead?
The abolition of the money monop
oly' is admitted by Mr.. Garland to b
one of the principles of organized la
Dor. He does not mention the fire
coinage of silver, but 1t is fact tina
every convention of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor declares with actua
unanimity for silver at 16 to /. Doe
any sane man imagine that the moue
monopoly will ever be overthrown b
the Republican party?
Public ownership of monopolies
an original Populist doctrine, and Ina
this year been Endorsed by severe
Democratic conventions: but not a
atom of Republican support has 1t eve
received.
Direct legislation has been voted vi
on in several state legislatures, receiN
ing the solid support of silver men
bers and the uniform opposition of R,
publicans. No Republican support h;
ever been given to direct legislatio
anywhere, while Populists all advoca
it. The Democrats, too, in eleve
) states this yea. Endorsed direct legi
lation, and William ]. Bryan is on re
ord in it's favor. What excuse has
trades-unionist for being a Republi
an?