Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-09-08
INSULT TO WORKINGMEN.

The republican party, says the New
York Evening Journal, seeking to catch
the labor vote, has bit upon the "full
dinner pail" as trade mark, Poor. stu.
pid repubicanism decides TO issue hun
dreds of thousands of badges, each with
the "ull dinner paill' painted on the
beGre.
WoIkmen, if you please, are expected
to wear these badges, to wear with
them happy, grateful smile as they
trudge from the trust factory to their
homes OF course, only workmen are to
wear the "diDner psil' badge. No trust
manager would think OF doing go He
will wear, II anything, small fac simie
of government bond-if he saw his
fellow W th the "full pinner pail" badge
oD, both would laugh very heartily.
Foolish Mark Hanna, foolish Rookie
feller, foolish trusts and bankers. You
gel so far from the people you forget
they are human beiogs. You think Of
the workmen as you think OF swine,
eager only to fill their bellies. You do
not know them. They think OF their
children, of their children's future, of
their own present independence and
manhood. Wnen you offer them a
"dinner pail" badge. you offer a stupid
insult with every badge. They want
their rights, not your charity or patron-
age. They don't thank you for the food
that comes through their hard work.
You have got them into the mental at.
titude of serfs. They do not look on
you, Messrs. Trusts, rs their Divine
Providence.
The American workman thanks him
self for what is in his dinner pail. And
although you never seem to dream OF
il, the workman even dares to think oil
day when be shall eat bis dinner, not
from pail, but at home with his fam
ily, as you, MessTs. Trust Owners, cal
Vours. Pity more trust managers and
republican managers could not have
-tood where Roose selt stood while ad
dressing the workman Monday in Chi
cago. There was lesson concerning
he "dinner pail" that almost any trust
manager-even Hanna himself-might
understand. Thousands of men gather
ed there had been locked out of work
by republican influences, republican
contractors, trusts and newspapers for
several months. They had seen their
families suffer. Every day they
had been told tnat If they would
yield their independence and manhood
they could have "full dinner pail"
Wages as good as they asked were Of
fered them, and the hours were to be
eight only. But to get the good wages
and the "lull dinner pail" they must
agree not to unite for mutual protec-
tioD. They must dissolve their central
body, give up acting together, scatter
like humble sheep and throw them
selves upon the mercy of their rel ubli-
can shepherds, the contractors and sup
ply men.
This choice was offered them: Sub
mission and "full dinner pail" inde-
pendence, manhood and an empty
stomach. The workmen chose the
empty stomach. They rejected the
"full dinner pail" and have stood out
for seven months.
Roosevelt, after looking over that
crowd of determined faces, will be able,
on his oath, to tell Hanna that some
thing more than "full dinner pail" Is
needed to trap the breed of workmen
that grow up in this country. He will
he able to tell how he was Kissed anc
how little good the "dinner pail" idea
did him.