The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-06-26
UNION MADE CIGARS,
A Plea For the Homs Product By
Worker.
of The Herald:

To the Editor of The Herald:
May We not ponder apd reflect for a
few moments upon class of workers and
an industry that secures to the federal
government millions of dollars in revenue
taxes. to the tobacco planter a comfort
able living? While not having absolutely
correct figures. an approximate estimate
OF those engaged in the manufacture OF
tobacco; that Is. including all who make
cigars or VINO work in the production OF
smoking tobacco etc. not excluding any
who aid in the distribution of these arti-
Giles. would embrace 10000 persons.
We hear frequently much about the vice
and iniquity of the habitual use OF to
DaccO- 10 Sermomze as 10 its injurious
effects does not remedy the sO-called evil.
The use of tobacco increases in all forms
regardless of protests from well-meaning
people. even from those who have never
used it. and presumably have no clear
knowledge of its injurious effects except
so far as they may have tried 1t on dog,
and thus reached the somewhat doubtful
conclusion that it is not fit for human
beings. On the other hand. facts could
be obtained from among the brightest
minds in literature. art. science and the
been a Solace to the troubled brain-
worker and given comfort to the artisan
and the humblest worker, as also to thosa
who wear a crown and rule empires.
Why, then, would it not be more wisdom
to aid in a rational system of production
rather than assume the position OF at
tempting 10 al evil That mas
come to stay? Think of the poor work
ers in tobacco. see the foul tenements in
which many cigarmakerS Of the east
spend their lives, reeking with filth and
misery working all hours of the day and
night-father. mother and even children
cooped in one or two small rooms, eat
ing. drinking. working and sleeping in
those ill-Ventilated and cramped quarters,
seven TO ten persons huddled in single
wretched abode. Some one of the fam
lily frequently suffers from some disease
of a contagious nature, and with scurv--
hands puts the point end the cigar TO
the sore lip 10 aid in finishing more
smoothly. Tobacco being an absorbent OF
these contagious conditions often may az
feet the smoker; it is therefore not so
much the tobacco that is injurious as
really the system under which 1t is man
ufactured-
Ii is this wrong this injustice. that We
must and should meet. What remedy is
there for these things?'' asks the querlst-
A very simple one. is our answer. De-
mand the blue label OF the CtgarmakerS
union on every box of cigars. This Is the
rock upon which the CigarmaEerS Inter-
national union stands who issue the--
labels to all fair employers. who do not
run tenement shops. or employ chinese
and child labor. Only such factories oo-
tain the blue label who pay living wages
and work eight hours per day ana whose
sanitary conditions will bear inspection
We believe Z great beneht would accrue
to the tenement workers also who would
change their system of work and thus pc
able spirit that actuates the union MEM
her to live apart from the WORKSHOP and
exercise the privilege OF educaung their
families in the schools. instead OF stunt
ing the lives of children in the workshop
and factory.
we can feel assured that in the demand
for union-made cigars the consumer
would be protected from contamination
OF disease-breeding cigars.
The disclosure of these conditions comes
from no less authority than ex-Commis-
sioner bowling of the bureau or laoor
OF New York state. Your eastern cigar
factories make the western people the
victims of their pleasure by alluring ad-
,-artiseuents after circus fashion. They
are not identified with the building no
of YOUR homes and cities. Tneir safes
mon do spend a few dollars at hotel or
saloon and then are gone in a day or Two
w. f--3pitaI goes east in support OF
a,asithv concerns who live on the me-
hlooG Of little children and defenseless
Tenement workers. while your home rae
tory its proprietor ana Workpeopie are
left in doubtful recognition
Tbe nride and patriotism of your busi-
ressmer and people should be TO encour-
ace the industries of your city ana STATE.
T+ g. 70 the workers the businessmen owe
{! 80 nrosnertty: they therefore should De-
ancouraged 70 continue their homes ana
onnortunities given for others 70 locate-
word before closing. In the manu-
facture of smoking ana cneWins to1 JaSess
ell, of Young girls who are employed
or very low wages and in many cases So
lass nav than men, This Is UNFAIR. II
work is worth paying Tor, all Snoulu %
Thasa workers also. like cigarmakers,
have a union label. The demand Ior tnas
would check the power or -he trust an
Unfair employer and make our wage,
workers in all trades contehteo anu
happy CLASS u MICHAEL RAPHAEL