The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-07-14
These Men Spend Their Time Seeking
to Prostitute the Labor
Unions.
ALL ARE PAID POLITICAL EMMISsARIES
The Mill News Says it Speaks With Proof
Names The Men Charged With This Shame
ful Work and Says That Mr.. J. c.
Meekins of Gree sboro Seems
to be The Power Be-
hind the Throne.
hind the Throne.

Especial to the News and Observer
Charlotte, N. c., July 13.-The Mill
News, published in the interest of the
mill hands of this section, comes out
this afternoon in double column edito-
rial headed, "a Devilish Scheme Expos
ed" in which the editor alleges that the
labor union organizations of this State
ard section are being prostituted by paid
political emmissaries, who are making
money for themselves by opposing the
constitutional amendment. Among other
things the editorial says;
THE Mill News is recognized by all
as strictly non-political paper, and as
suoh we have even stood aloof from say
ing anything on the subject of the pro-
posed constitutional amendment. There
is, however, one feature of the cam
paign now being waged against the
amendment about which we feel called
upon to speak out without further de-
lay. Within the past few months men
have been quietly at work in a number
of the villages of the manufacturing
cities of the State under the guise of la
born union organizers and with creden-
tials appearing to be all right as such,
but it has recently come to our knowl-
edge that they are spending a large share
of their time and using their influence
against the amendment.
I'VE have proof which convinces us
beyond doubt that their principles of
unionism are being shamefully prosti-
tuted and the entire force of organizers
in this State, without, perhaps, a single
exception, are really paid political ennis
saries who are working this scheme for
the money there is in it.
Now let us review the present move
mcnt and men at the back of it, begin
ming at the top of the list.
&C. p Davis, High Point, is State or
ganizer. We are reliably informed that
he Is actively opposing the constitutional
amendment. Rev. Mr.. Parker, of Ran
dleman, another organizer and president
of the union at that place is fighting the
amendment. Mr.. Bell, from Lexington,
an organizer who has been operating in
this section for the past six weeks, a
man of very unsavory reputation is
strongly anti-amendment. Mr. G.. w.
Bowman, of Gastonia, president of the
Gastonia union an organizer and a local
politician is also anti amendment. Mr..
Ed Fesperman, of Charlotte, another
organizer and editor of the Southern
Workman, came out last week in a two
column editorial in his paper against the
amendment; he having worn a White
Supremacy button up to short time ago
notwithstanding. Mr. ]. C. Meekins, a
politician and lawyer at Greensboro, a
strong anti-amendment advocate, seems
to be the power behind the throne, and
his checks have been in evidence in this
section recently.
with these facts we are forced to the
conclusion that the present organization
movement is "a political scheme, pure
and simple, that the principles of true
unionism are being polluted it's aims
diverted"
The editors of the paper claim that they
do not intend to take partisan stand
on the question of the amendment, but
their chief desire is to expose what they
allege is a darkly laid scheme to per-
vert the purposes of labor organiza-
tions.