Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-04
JFrom Saturdays Daily.j

[From Saturdays Daily.j
Instead of the censure that has
come from some directions, criticize
ing the action of Judge Mcpherson in
the injunction proceedings brought by
Silberstein Bros, of Davenport,
against the Clerks union, the thanks
of every union man in the state OF Iowa
should be extended to him for his de-
cision on the final hearing of the case.
National president Baer of the Nation
al Retail Clerks Protective assocla-
ton, expresses his thanks to Judge
Mcpherson, and admonishes all union
men not to listen to the criticisms
which he believes are unjust.
The Union Label.
Following is a discussion of the
union label with reasons why it
should be used and regarded, written
by j. D. Mcdonald:
"How much of the labor of trade I'M
ionists has been lightened by the in
PRODUCTION of craft emblems or labels
into the trade union movement, is a
question that can best be answered
by those who are ever willing to do
their share of union work, as mem
bers of their trade union, from
standpoint of selfishness, for to sell
fishness alone is due the first pre-
cepts of unionism. 1t is a
very foolish man who works for a
) days pay and joins a society or associ-
alton of any kind, and pays out money
from his scanty earnings for that priv
ilege, unless he expects to get some
thing in return, and many men, no
matter how selfish they may be, are
ever ready to do their share of hard
work in such societies, in order that
large returns may be theirs from such
efforts. To men of this nature, whose
rugged character is such that they
are willing to work hard, is due much
of the success that the trade unions
of today enjoy, and, in fact, the sue
cess that all other societies of any
kind are enjoying. But above all, the
man who joins trade union, skilled
mechanic at his craft, should and must,
if he is true trade unionist, be tru-
ly selfish man, for he is a member for
what is in it for him, and he expects
that his fellow-member has the same
view of his membership that he has,
and in all cases where they all think
alike, and work good and hard togeth-
er, you will always find good union
Or society. This trying to get all you
can is the main object. Contented-
ness should never be in a trade union
vocabulary, nor in the vocabulary of
any ether society that ever intends to
become success: it is a lazy word,
and the ones who employ it expect
easy-going employers to put UP with
their easy-going ways for easy-going
wages.
st is your selfish, energetic, discon-
tented man that is looking for all he
can get and is willing to work hard
for it. He is the ideal trade unionist
To such man a trade label is the po-
lar star ot his work-day life wherever
he sees it; it tells him that an honest
days pay for an honest days work is
the first thought of the ones who ask
for it in their business and domestic
life. To such people the true trade
unionist is grateful, for by their ac-
ton they tighten his burdens. without
weighing their own, and contribute
their share towards making his life
brighter and happier, making it pos.
sib'e for him to make brighter and
happier the lives of those dependent
upon Kim, intoxicating to them that
selfish ruggedness' of contentment
that is content in doing well by 'striv.
ing to do better
"A trade union which puts it's label
before the public as an emblem of its
members skill and workmanship is
doing more, in calling upon the public
to patronize it, in abolishing charity
and Iauperism, than the efforts OF
Thousands of philanthropists spending
millions of money in making charity
and pauperism easy and plenty, for in
patronizsng the union label they make
1t possible for the workman to earn
{ sufficient from his own efforts to war
rant the taking care of himself and
those dependent upon him and leaves
with him to the end his respect OF
himself and the respect of his fellow
men. For all of this the union label
stands, and the true workman will
stand by the union label, patronize il
and make happy the homes of Gods
children, and sweet charity will be al
the sweeter, by being seldom called
for"
Some Definitions.
I A labor fakir: An active trade I'm
ionist who will not subscribe to the d,
Leon brand of socialism.
A business agent: A labor officia
when struck on one cheek by the EN-
ployer, will turn the other cheek to b,
struck on by the men.
A walking delegate: A lbaor Off
cial that is useful for the caricaturist
! OF capitalist newspapers to poke FL