The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-09-07
NECESSITY OF UNIONS.

Trade unions are the only effectual
antidote and specific for the national
disease of greed and avarice. The craze
for money and social power is the
greatest evil that confronts the stability
of the American republic the hope for
the preservation Of which lies in the
trade union movement. Those who are
now comfortably rich are not content
with their lot socially or financially
and are constantly grinding the work.
ers in their insane efforts to get more
riches in order that their wives and
daughters may outshine their neighbors
at home and abroad, especially abroad,
where rich Americans are making dis
graceful spectacle Of themselves in
their efforts to get royal aristocracy to
condescend to mix with them. These
people are money-mad and are being
consumed with burning desire for
greater social power and will stop at
nothing In their efforts to crafty both,
hence the constant robbing of the work.
ers of the just share of the wealth they
create. The only way to correct this
state OF affairs is for the workers to
organized and through their unions de-
mand and receive just compensation for
their labor. Without trade unions one
or two things would happen in this
country in less than twenty-five years
the condition Of the workers would de-
scend to the level of the Chinese or
worse, or we would have revolution and
absolute anarchy without and resultant
good to the workers. Let us then by all
means struggle to render the trade un-
ions more perfect and complete. First,
because they ameliorate and improve
condition of the workers by the applica-
ton of rational and simple methods;
second, because they instill spirit of
independence in the workers and are
splendid educational power, showing, as
they do, what can be accomplished by
united effort; third, because they are
free from all prejudices and regard the
whole human family as one common
brotherhood, the humblest of which is
just as much entitled to consideration
as Is the greatest; fourth, because in
them lies the preservation of the repub-
lie and the hope for an ultimate better
and more perfect social and economic
condition. In saying this it can be
stated that the trade unions have no
quarrel with the aristocracy of brains
and genius nor Of that exclusiveness
founded on compatibility and good fell
lowship. but hold that the present arr
stocracy founded on greed and money
was founded in hades and executed by
the agents of the devil and Is inimical
to the best interests of civilization and
the great mass Of the people, regardless
of what form of government may
obtain. No friend of humanity can
look his conscience in the face and op-
pose trade unions.
All talk from any source or any
notion hold by anybody that the trusts
will be able to crush organized labor Is
so much rot. Long after the trust
period has past in history the trade I'M
ions will still live and be doing business
In the same old way, only on an I'M
prove scale or plan. That the trust
would very much like to crush out the
unions is undoubtedly trust as we'll as
Is the probability that they will make
determined effort to do so. The bat
tie will go on with varying success;
sometimes the unions will be set back
for day, but they will quickly recover
and be ready to do successful battle IN
the future, but more oftener coming out
on top. The greatest danger will be
during times Of industrial stagnation
and it behooves all unions to prepare
for any emergency. AL unions should
close up the ranks, secure a large de.
tense fund and be ready to fight the
trust at moments notice.