The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-06-14
ORGANIZATION a BLESSING.

Organization a Blessing.
1T is fit that you. representing the
largest labor organization of Alabama
should meet at Ensley. Ensley is one
of the strongest, If not the strongest,
union labor towns of the south. Our cos
mopolitan population, made up In large
part of intelligent workingmen, come hith-
er from all sections of the country, is
union to the core. We In Ensley believe
In organized labor. We know and appre-
ciate Its benefits. We realize that the
organization of the United Mine Workers
is blessing to this community
Your organization has grown strong
and accomplished much good. principally
for two reasons. First, your leadership.
state and national, has been wise, con-
servative and actuated by the desire to
improve the condition OF its members
and to establish harmonious relations
with the operators. The other reason for
your great growth may be found in the
almost universal recognition of the fact
that our modern system of industrialism
demands imperatively that labor shall be
organized and act as unit on all cues
tons which affect the general welfare of
labor. With the exception of few en-
ployers, who are completely out of har-
mony with the spirit of this time and
day, the benefits resulting from labor or
ganizations, to labor as well as to capt.
tot, etc HOW Iully recognized.
What Labor Unions Accomplish.
What have labor unions accomplished?
If you want full answer to this cues
tion go into those communities where
certain trades have been organized for
some years. What do you find there?
II on ind there a working class in conn
Portable homes, their children wen edu-
Gated. high moral standard OF living.
steadiness. sobriety and a good inteIli
gent citizenship. Labor unions have
raised wages-not only the wages OF
union labor, but of all labor. The unions
are the regular armies of labor and the
unions fix the standard for all other
workers
Whatever advantages labor now en-
joys, be 1t of higher wages, shorter
hours or improved conditions generally.
rs que to the unions. Show me on the
statute books of the United States, or of
any state In the union. q law designed
Tor the benefit of the laborfng man and
l VIII undertake to prove to you that
that law was enacted at the Initiation of
organized labor The influence of the
unions upon the intellectual and moral
conditions of their members is beyond
dispute. The local unions are the forums
where the men meet and discuss economic
and social questions. This tends to
reading, research and thinking. and the
uiiioH iiidu DeCOlueS a better and more
useful citizen. The union encourages
eteadiness and sobriety.
No Liberty of Contract.
''The single wage Garner has no liberty
of contract. He is not on an equality in
this matter, with the employer. This lib
erty of contract, the right to demand a
fair equivalent for his labor, can come
TO the laborer only through combination.
Against the dictation of the employer
the union man sets the vote OF his
union.
THE time will come, and I believe most
OF us may expect to see it, when all labor
will be organized. Our modern industrial
system demands this. All labor unions
are not yet what they ought to be- or
what they will be in the future. The
movement, In many of its phases. is still
in a formative stage, loaded with imper-
fections, which only time and experience
can correct. When all labor shall have
been fully and intelligently organized,
when the present imperfections found In
unions shall have been remedied by time
and experience. then we may look for
ward with confidence to time when