The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1900-03-10
MRS. SABRE G. AKIN
SKETCH OF HER LIFE AND
LIN WORK.
Tributes From Her Friends in
Various Walks of Life.

Mrs. Akin, founder of. the Labor
World. was born in Mason City, Iowa,
May %. 1862 and died in Duluth jan
vary %. 1900. Her maiden name was
Sabrie Goodwin, and she was direct
descendant of the Goodwins so well
known in Colonial days, the first of the
family coming to this country from
Sussex county, England, in 1852, and
settling at Kittery, Maine. descend
ant of this family. removed to New
Hampshire about 1898, and to this
branch belongs Ichabod Goodwin, the
war governor of that state and father
of Susan Boardman Goodwin, Admiral
Dewey's first wife. Mrs. Akin's father
was born in Vermont. and was vet
eran of the civil war. She was cous-
in Of Nat c. Goodwin. the well-known
actor.
1t was after the A. r. U. strike in
1894 that Sabrie Goodwin Akin first be-
came known to the labor movement OF
Duluth. Her brother. Leroy Goodwin.
was a vice president of the American
Railway union and had taken an ac-
tive part in that struggle, and was In
carcerated together with Eugene ".
Debs and others in Woodstock Jail for
contempt of court. =. -
When one considers the environments
of her early home life, and the injus-
tice committed by a prejudiced court
against her brother, is it any wonder
that a person with the nature, quali-
ties and character of Sabrie Akin
should cast her lot on the side OF those
who toll? Her tender heart and ever
ready sympathy went out to the weak
er side and from that time on she
showed her devotion by working with
voice and pen for their cause.
She was the first woman member Of
the Federated Trades Assembly, of
persons that ever enjoyed an honorary
membership in that body.
In October, 1895. strong sentiment
prevailed among the union working
men of the city in faver of a club room
where economic questions could be dis
cussed, good books could be kept and
read. and the time passed profitably
by the men during their recreative
hours. Steps We're Immediately taken
to carry the idea through. Mrs. Akin
was foremost among the delegates In
advancing this educational movement,
and she was the clubs first secretary.
Good and valuable books were secured
through her efforts and the club fin
! ished It's first season q grand success.
sIhsle aTs many M2rkinEMsA 1n RAaasn
/ hours well spent in the union club, and
II HxpINn n 4: W q n =
dered far from the influence of their
4 homes, We're induced by the pleasant
attractions of the club rooms to spend
their evenings there in beneficial stu
E dies. It was during the existence Of
F the union club that MRS. Akin first
conceived the idea of publishing the
II Labor World. Early in life she evinced
Il strong literary ability. and before com
iDfs to Duluth had been connected with
tfs3 editorial department of a leading
4 Dakota daily. and upon taking up her
home here was for time engaged
b upon West Superior and Duluth papers
4 The labor unions of the city We're
y growing in membership at a wonderful
pace, and the trades union movement
l. was at the height of it's popularity
Questions Of grave Importance to the
Ia workingmen were naturally arising
. and it was felt that an organ thai
would fully and truly state, the side
of labor in any controversy was abso
lutely necessary in order that the pub
lie would have no misconception Of thu
@ doings of labor. Therefore when sth'
first issue of the Labor World wa:
+ published it was received with joy b!
+ the organized wage earners of the city
The Labor World was first published
semi-monthly in magazine form 1t wa
Z in 1885, during period of industrial in
I activity, and the success or failure o
the paper depended entirely upon tn
amount of energy applied to it, Mrs
n: Akin worked earnestly and sincerely
Z: day and night, sometimes aided, NOR
N times alone Her ambition was t
bring the paper to the. highest stand
ard attainable. The reward of perse
verance is success, and it crowned he
+. efforts. Many men. with more courag
than she possessed, have abandone
lighter tasks in despair. She knew n
II such word as fail" Prompted, by he
III love for humanity, urged on by hop
III of ultimate success, patiently waitin
81 IOc the CufH VI lHe lAut. Slc Sdllc
n safely through every storm, and whe
# she departed from among us her pape
was left in such a condition that tR
ss work inaugurated by her can be Cal
# 3ried on with much less trouble.
Saa COLLEGIATE TO THE STATE FEI
gSSas .% : ERATION.
In December, 1895, she attended tt
Winona conventions, of the Minneso,
State Federation of Labor. She W;
4 afterward elected secretary of the Fe'
Il GRAFTON Council, and served as chai
gIs man of the resolution committee.
"A In the following June she represent'
the Duluth Street Railway employe
at the State Federation conventi'
held at Minneapolis, whece she aga
served on the resolution committee.
@ It. was at this convention that t
sA Federation first discussed the advl
ability Of declaring in favor of ind
/ pendent political action and CALI
saE upon the people to organize along tho
lines for the purpose of establish
q 81 the cooperative commonwealth bas
III upon the collective ownership Of
means Of production and their. opeI
tion for the benefit of the people.
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