The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-06-08

The recent municipal election in a
big town near the border of magnolia
land recalls another "hot" campaign
in the same burg years ago, and an in
cident connected with that old-time
campaign is still vivid In the writer's
memory through the mist of the enter
vening years. A short. simple story.
told with the saddening impress OF
truth, was one of the best expositions
on the affirmative side Of that sordid
query Does unionism pay?" the writer
ever listened to.
In the late seventies there was on the
old "Giddy and Dizzy" published in
the aforementioned Dixieland city, a
gang Of five or six subs that roomed
at the same house, took their meals at
the same restaurant, went to the same
theater when subbing was poor and
passes plenty. were wont to drop in at
the same Joint" for glass of fare
well-dull-care" after go" was hung on
the hook Of a morning-in fact, just
another gang" as every self-respecting
old burg that laid any stress on being
cosmopolitan was proud to boast of.
Dropping in ait the "hang-out" one
morning after work the gang" found
the place filled with politicians, among
them the candidate of one party for the
highest office within the citys gift.
Printers-like, the gang" soon got
next in a heated argument, precipi-
tated by one of the gang" asking why
the candidates did not have their cam
paign literature printed in a union Of
flee, instead of bearing the imprint of
an unfair establishment. Twas then
the gang" got 1t good and plenty. I'm
ion men were breeders of discomfort;
were never satisfied; never knew when
they were we'll off; not easy unless they
were dragging contented workers into
"seditious disturbances" and so on ad
inflnitum. AS a crusher, the prominent
candidate asked: Can any of you
gentlemen conscientiously state that
your unionism pays?" big Bill" who
had taken little part in the discussion,
as one of the gang" answered the
question by relating the following in
cident from his own experience, and the
writer quotes bills" language, as
near as memory will permit:
Eyes, sir, 1 sincerely believe unionism
does pay. OF course, you gentlemen
can condemn unionism because you
know nothing of it's inner and better
side; you see naught but its outer striv-
ings to maintain the old maxim, The
laborer Is worthy Of his hire You are
ignorant of the brighter side of union
isnl-the helping hand it extends to it's
members in time of need; the free-hand
liberality of it's affiliates in tiding over
a brothers hour of>distress or sickness,
and their thoughtfulness and never
failing sympathy to the bereaved family
when the Angel of Death records 80
on the last take of life for the union
man. Let me tell you an incident:
Little Bill and I became 'pards'
some ten years ago. He was called
Little in contradiction to myself, as
we were both baptized William. met
him in one of those quaint New Eng
land towns, and from the first we were
'chums.' case of affinity of opposites,
I presume. He was of quiet, steady,
home-loving disposition; mixed but lit
tie with the "gang," for all that he was
a universal favorite on account of his
kind and generous impulses. How the
thunder he came to fancy me is beyond
my comprehension, but it was a mighty
good thing for me he did. I 'braced up
while I was his 'pard,' and had trife
of human sympathy in my breast for
others while under his influence. He
had the best mother a. man could we'll
have, and they were the world and all
to one another. She was widow.
boarded at their home a year-that
year left it's mark for the good on me,
I assure you. Well, time came when