The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-08-12
LABOR REVIVAL.
One is Promised in Topeka at
Once.
Eight or Nine New Trades
Unions to Be Organized.
MIR. CEILLEY is HERE.
General Organizer of American
Federation of Labor Speaks.
Tells of the Advantages of Labor
Organizations.

ct believe that in this town within the
next three or four weeks there is going
to be one of the greatest labor revlvalS
ever known here" said Charles F. Cell
ley of st. Louis, general organizer OF
the American Federation of Labor ana
the Amalgamated Wood Workers In
ternational union, in an address before
the local machinists' lodge at Lincoln
Post hall Monday evening. Mr. Cellley
has been in Topeka several days and
seems to speak as one having grounds
for the statements which he mas mace
He further declared to a reporter that
within a short time he planned 10
launch eight or nine new trades unions
in this CITY, and tonight lodge OF the
woodworkerS, numbering upwards OF
200 men is to be instituted at APO Kan
sas avenue. Santa Fe shopmen consti-
tuting the majority of the membership,
but the other woodworking establish
ments of the city contributing large
share toward the organization.
The theme of Mr.. Ceilley'S speech IN
support of organized labor was the
story of organization. and what 1t mas
accomplished. Continuing he said: Il
have found that the wage-earners are
commencing to wake up and hand
themselves together. That is the only
way they can expect to gain anything
at all. It seems that some men would
rather stay at home and shirk their re-
sponsibility.- but I know we'll enough
that it is through organization that we
can expect to win anything He said
that organized labor had gained in
membership 365 900 I'D to October 81.
1901, for the year previous to that date.
I'm the cotton mills of the SOUTH he
went on, chow many of you realize that
there are small children working from
$50 in the morning until at night l
visited one of the large cotton mills OF
Meridian. Miss. and saw children
| working there that hardly: knew their
own names or how old they were. Some
of them had no shoes or stockings and
when the temperature was 10 degrees
above zero; and that means about ~
degrees below zero in the north We
say this is a free country and people
can do as they please; I tell you they
cannot The wages OF those children
| was from Is to 25 cents a day and those
| of the men from so to Is cents day
| That will be the condition here in the
| north unless you get into the labor or
| CARNATIONS and fight for your rights
| The American Federation of Labor is
| the father of all the organizations, and
| within the next two years we expect to
have every wage Garner in the United
| States organized. And to be a member
+, Of a union means not only to carry a
] card, but to attend their meetings, be
| educated and know what is going on
And show me a town where labor Is un-
! organized and I will show you a towr
| going on around them.
"Some capitalists say that trades
| unions mean the disruption of every
thing. I was in ST. Louis at the time
| of the street car strike, and know tina
the blowing up of cars and tearing
| down Of trolley wires was the work o.
/ men paid by the ST. Louis Transit com
| pany Organization is based upon bust
| ness principles. We are going to hav'
men in this city for the next few weeks
/ and we are going to keep after thi'
| thing all over the state until we hav
every town organized. I am willing t,
| work night and day to get this tow
| organized"
Preceding the talk by Mr.. Ceilley, W
| L. A. johnson, state labor commits
+, sioner, gave an address upon unionism
| The burden of it was the excellent con
ditions for laboring men which hat
been obtained through the efforts o
| organization. THE absence of organi
] zation, he declared. is an invitation
to employers to do much as they please
| But the power behind organizatio act
| as protection against oppressive con
| ditions. Thus it operates as an ad
vantage to employer and employe. l
| is our hope to educate the workingmal
| to know his rights, and at the sam