The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1902-01-16
Labor Unions Defended.
First Paper.I

person, but only plain working
man. For % years he has earned
his bread by labor, and was a
member of a union before he
reached the age of Is. He has
written only what experience has
taught him. Don't judge these
papers from literary standpoint,
for he freely admits he is no aspir-
ant for literary honors. These
articles were written in an attempt
to show the benefits workingmen
derive from organized effort in
their struggle against capital.
PRINCIPLES OF LABOR UNIONISM.
l. The principles of unlonlsm
create among the members Of
union spirit of fraternity. In
the meeting place the American,
the Englishman, the German, the
Italian, ETC., etc., meet on equal
terms. Here racial prejudices and
animosities are forgotten; here
man learns to sacrifice his own in
terests for the welfare of others:
here the motto, Zone for all and
all for one,' is constantly held up
before his eyes. Every man has
the right to give his own views on
the subject under discussion, and
is patiently listened to. Every
man has vote, and his vote
counts.
Said a broad minded German
one night to his Irish and French
brothers.: Il tells you vat, nine
friends, dis United States an der
labor unions vas Won great count
try. Dey listen to vat | say yoost
as mooch as to vat der president
an der Walking delegate says. It.
makes me feel SO goot, [ tink we
yoost go over by Schlan Meyers.
an get some peer. You come nit
me?" 1t is only fair to say that
his proposition was agreed to with
out dissenting vote.
2. The principles of labor un--
ions are instrumental in teaching
the laboring man that he, too, is hu-
man; that be is not a mere ma
chine, but a thinking, feeling man;
that as a producer of wealth he is
of some benefit to his fellow man,
and therefore is deserving of just
and humane treatment; that he,
has God.given rights which no
corporation, however wealthy and
powerful, can take away from him
if he has the will and the courage to
resist their demands; that where his
individual resistance would be USE
less, it is his duty to unite with his
fellow workers, and thus present
an unbroken front to the oppressor.
Eternal vigilance is the price
of liberty in the industrial as
we'll as in the political world; and
as communities, provinces, states
and nations combine against the
common enemy for the purpose Of
preserving their independence, or
for exacting what they consider to
be their just rights or privileges,
so, too, must the laboringmen
unite and be ever ready to act in
concert against the arrogance of
wealth-for wealth is sometimes
arrogant and occasionally tyran-
nical. It may also be added that the
principles of labor unionism teach
the workingman to respect the
rights of others, to be moderate in
his demands and to do a fair days
work for fair days pay.
3. The principles of labor
unionism, as applied in all the
leading labor organizations of the
United States, are progressive and
far reaching. Old and useless
methods are laid aside and new
methods adopted. The mistakes
and defeats of the past serve as
stepping-stones toward future sue
cess. And as all weighty ques-
tons are decided by vote, the
members soon realize the necessity
of viewing a question from all
sides, and to give thought and
earnest study to the whole labor
problem and everything connected
Herewith And they often regret
that they were not more studious
in their youth, and resolve that
their children shall have the bene-
fit of better education than their
own, that they, IN their time, may
be better equipped to contend
with the difficulties that may con-
front them. Thus the PRINCIPLES