The labor world., 1899-05-20

--N~~N
He had no warmer friends anywhere
than the union men of the East, and
especially Of Pennsylvania. Eve are
| assembled here,' he continued, ''in
behalf Of an organization for the
rights of manhood and to be treated
not as serfs but as American citizens.
I have heard that the people of Du-
luth have condemned the unions, and
have declared that they are radical.
I want to say that if these men are
radical, God help those of the rest Of
the country. In 1898 these men were
subjected to a reduction of 20 per cent
Of their wages. They struck, and
agreed to a reduction of 10 per cent.
Many unions all over the country
agreed to reductions. but the Duluth
union is the only one that has not
been restored, and many have had
their wages increased. Not only that,
but in 1896 these men were given
another cut Of 6 per cent, making 1G
per cent altogether. They bore these
cuts without objection, and yet you
call them radical. I tell you it is
pretty hard to get men to agree to a
cut in wages, especially when they
are organized.
''The union is simply a business or
ganization where the members pool
their labor to sell it to the highest
bidder. Organized labor stands for
better wages, better work and better
men. Some men say that the unions
are all right if they would not strike.
There is Il strike on in the whole COM
petitive system Of the Industrial
world. I go into a dry goods store
and offer them a small amount for a
shelf full of goods, and they will not
accept my offer. Because there is a
strike price Oh those goods, and if /
will not pay that price the merchant
goes on a strike against me and will
not sell to me. The same is true all
through the Industrial world, and the
one commodity Whose price is fixed by
the buyer and not by the seller is
labor. If the laboringman cndeavors
TO fix the price at a plane where he
can get IL reasonable living, you say
he is IL miserable striker.
''Others say that it is All the work
of agitators. I thank God that this
; is Il day Of agitators and a country
; where agitation is possible. Look at
j the countries where agitation is not
; permitted. China. Mexico. Russia and
/ others. Moses was one Of the great
| est agitators on the world. When
, Pharoll would not conccde to his de-
manus he got his brirkmakers' union
j together and they started off to es-
! tahlsh Il cooperative colony on the
! Dcbs plan. | never had much sym.
! pathy for Pharaoh for getting drown
! ed in going after them. If he had
been like Mr.. Mcndenhall and the cap
, italistS of today he would have sat
! where he was and got out an injunc
! ion. want to tell YOU that every
man that is working in behalf OF
! movements for the bc1tcrment Of hu
/ ,nani1v is an agi1atnr. | thank Goo
! 1ha; there are ayitutnrs for Christ ian
! i1y. for temperance and for labor
! Christ was the greatest Of all ayita
Tors and he set in motion questions
Z 1nat will 90 on aGitating until the
, end Of the world. Even the preachers
! have Il unirn. and t:lr one | know
of mad Il strike. 1t WAS down il
Ohio ard they decided not TO pray fol
! the legislature unless they were pai
! for it. When they had been out j;
while one of the members happened
! 10 remember that the catholic clergy
! were not members of the union. ant
for fear hey would pray for the legis
| lature one Of the preachers scabed or
the union and the strike was broken.
Mr.. Mahon is a most magnetic