The San Francisco call., 1901-10-24
SAYS WELLS rs NOT
A FRIEND TO LABOR
Member Of Carpenters Union Tells
How the Candidate Has Used
His Harnn1ar
His Hammer.

lib I4d1n1ASI.
The following communication from a
member of the Brotherhood Of Carpen-
ters and Joiners of America discusses
phases of the campaign that have not
previously received attention:
To the Editor: 1t is extremely annoying and
sickening as each campaign occurs to read in
the daily prints the paid eulogies of this or
that candidate, particularly when they ap
pear IN papers that have no politics and are
with the side which pays the highest figure.
1t is equally sickening to witness the syco-
phantic efforts of such journals when the sop
is extended to the laboring element. and the
merits of candidate, in statements true or
false, are paraded with view to attract surA
port.
l have yet to call to mind the first candidate
for public office of importance who has not
been the lifelong friend of labor-who did not
weep when labor went and burst with joy at
labors success, when in reality labor was
nightmare, thing abhorrent contact to be
studiously avoided, If possible, without detri-
ment. Such is the position of the usual can
didate and such is the usual course of the
ling, snivelng hypocritical conduct in cand1-
dates is nauseatng; in newspapers intolerable
The present campaign is no exception to the
rule and the same hackneyed, time-worn tao
tics again appear in a new dress. The Bulle-
tin presents its candidate and is with GREATNESS
anxiety engaged in teaching us, the working
people of San Francisco how Asa R. Wells
used the hammer (as a carpenter), what he has
done for labor, how sorry he is that it was his
misfortune not to have been able to have done
more, and now that he is incidentally looking
for few votes, what he will do in the future
From Mr.. Wells standpoint, and what he
would have labor believe, there is nothing in
the city but labor; it IS the alpha and NJ omega
professional interests are mere bagatelle and
labor-thats the important question
It is thus that the intelligence of the Ameri-
can Workmen is severely taxed to ascertain
whether ne Is bna hait porn d i91l %
or credited with having some sense and an
ability to Judge as to the e, integrity, compe. o
intrusted with the management OF municipal
affairs.
In the Bulletin of to-day we observe edito-
rails ground out by the same pen that two
years ago glorified a Democratic candidate.
But the Bulletin is now Republican and 16 for
Under the captions 'Workingmen should vote
for Wells.' Unions should not support Labor
didate" and ''Wells as Auditor" we are told
that there is a man before the people whose
greatest struggle In life life has been the the up
of his fellow man. whose chief desire has been
wages and minimum hours. Such merit might
fall as music upon receptive ears who know
not to the contrary, but to the wise it is
Mr. Wells was a carpenter and used a
hammer, and not the least of his faults is
the fact that he has carried that hammer ever
since he has ceased carpentering. That ham,
mer Is and has been for labor, and he has used
it for thirty years and has not let oppor-
He with four others in 1863, controlled the
entire planning mill industry of San Francisco.
remained so until 1869. Mr. Wells got out
his little hammer. and being master of the
situation, destroyed the eight-hour day by in
creasing the time of mill hands from eight
to ten hours. Was this friendship to labor?
After thirty years the Building Trades Coun-
ell undertook the re-estabishment of the eight
hour day. and after a long -drawn-out contro-
versy succeeded. but not until Mr.. Wells and
his little hammer once more took action. This
occurred on August "a. 1900 when without ap-
parent interest or reason, unlimited by either
side he again opposed labor, attempted to
show the inadvisabiity of the eight-hour day,
predicted all sorts of disaster in case of its
adoption and strenuously decried the wisdom
OF such move Was this friendship to labor?
1t was neither friendship to labor nor an ex-
hlbition OF business Judgment for If Mr. Wells
is capable Of knowing anything he ought to
know the mill business. But subsequent events
have proven that he did not even know that,
as the mill owner and mill worker to-day
enjoying more harmonious and profitable rela-
tlons than ever before, and eight hours labor
constitutes a days work.
Fellow workmen, do not be Influenced by the
Establishments, claims and promises of a paid
partisan paper. Let manhood be your stand
ard, and whether candidate is a la
boring man or not, be guided by your convic-
tions and select the man in whom you think
conduct the city's affairs. All are labor
ers, whether they mechanics not, and
the conduct of public office concerns all
and affects all pecuniarily, 1t is to in
terest, and selfish interest at that. to have
a wise economical and energetic administra-
show to this community that the day has long
since passed when labor could wheedled
coaxed and fooled by senseless Bulletin edi-
torials. JOHN B. WILLIAMS.
Brotherhood Of Carpenters and Joiners of
America.