The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-10-03
Wyckof on Unions.

That is very instructive discussion Of
some phases Of trades unionism by Wal
ter AsWyckoff IN the October Scribner.
He finds, of course, that unionism is and
has been necessary to progress by the
working masses. Only those who are as
much biased against unionism as some
union leaders: are against capital deny
this. No doubt there would have been
much progress brought about thru a hu-
name public opinion, but the gods help
them who help themselves, and if the
workers had not banded together their
condition would not be so good as it is
to-day. Notice what Mr.. Wyckoff says
Of what their plight was in England a
hundred years ago:
Until trade unionism and labor legisla-
ton made it impossible; there lived and
worked and died in the mines of England
mult1tudes of women and children who
were forced to creep on all tours thru the
fetid passages Of the pits, dragging after
them cars to which they were attached
by leathern thongs.
OF course such things would be impos-
sible with the humane employers of our
to look out for himself he who does the
| least Or the most inefficient looking out
will suffer. = +-...si
| While its object is good, union labor
has made some great mistakes and its
| career has been marked with deeds that
are a fair offset for those Of heartless
employers in the early days of Industrial
ism. OF the tendency Of unionism to re-
strict production and to limit the number
Of qualified workers Mr.. Wyckoff has only
the strongest condemnation = /
! In attempting to create a monopoly oil
any form Of labor; trade -unionism is in.
variably wrong and will inevitably pay
! the penalty in loss, Of Efficiency among
| it's members and in retarding the natura
progress Of the, trade concerned This
Is a., principle WHICH is universally ap.
/ plieable to intellectual as we'll as manua
labor. Every effort to create a monopoly
in any calling whatever by restricting
admission to members Of certain classe:
or Of certain families, whether it has tt
| do with a civil service or a learned pro
fession or the specialized work Of a build
Ing trade, or of machine tending In a fac
tory has the invariable effect Of lower
ing the average Of ability and efficiency
i Again Mr.. Wyckoff says:
In the light of it's own history and o
the effect that it has had in increasing
! the efficiency of modern production, ever.
attempt on the part of trade unionists t.
restrict the numbers entering "a trade O.
| to prevent the adoption of the most eff
fective organization Of industry or Of tn
best labor-saving machinery appears, a.
it is, reacttonary in the extreme.
In winking at any violence against TIL
legal rights of individuals trade unionisn
is exposing ITSELF certainly. in America
to the inevitable retribution Of the Ameri
can people. -. ---. ..
It is a question whether trade unionisn
is not now experiencing a measure o
that retribution. Of late there has bee
marked tendency Of public opinion t
react from the former thorogoing sym
pathy with trade unionism. This reac
ton has unquestionably been brough
about by the conviction that the union
have been inclined to be unreasonable i
the exercise of the great strength organ
ization gives them. Just in proportion a
this reaction has been in evidence, tn
strength of unionism has Waned