Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-12-12

arc the sole support of their families
This sima,X means thai they have ta.
ken The places Of so many men and at
greatly reduced wages. ! believe tina!
Where women are employed the.
should receive the same wages as melt
There are zoo, 600 children employed in
the factories of the country, stine q.
them receiving as low as ten cents pr.
day.
What kind of citizens will these
children make? They will be dwarfed
in intellect and in body. What wonder
that they develop a vicious class OF cit
liens.
THE trades and labor movement
ought to enlist every man and woman
who relies on his personal labor for
support. The union label league ought
to be pushed; children, women and in
firm old men should not be compelled
to work. These are a few of the things
that today are demanding the best
united efforts of all laboring' people"
A. L. Urick Speaks.
A. L. Urick. president of the Iowa
State Labor Federation. was the next
speaker. Mr.. Urick is also chairmen of
the committee on legislation, and he
spoke chiefly along the line of the leg
islation which it is desired to have
passed during the coming session OF
the state legislature. Mr.. Urick deliv-
cred a splendid address, and he was &C
corded the closest and best of atten-
ton.
A Movement of Right.
He said in part as follows:
"The labor movement is a move
ment of right We are enjoying a long
season of prosperity and progression,
a progression in the intelligence, wants
and desires of the people. AS the
wants and desires of our citizens pro-
gress, increase and are gratified, our
civilization advances. We AVE pass
ed through all the periods from abso-
lutte captivity and slavery, until now
there is accorded to the masses the
right to particularize the form of gov
eminent under which they will live.
Manufacturer Was Workman.
"In the beginning the manufacturer
was the workman. With the intro
duction of power he was enabled to in
| CISdSC llC louuS vi Ilo AoDoA' AbSh
he found that there were advantages
to be gained by having another to
work for him and assist in the differ
ent parts of his work. Through this
came the partnership. Then they
found hat as the business grew other
partners could be used to advantage
and the company was formed. AS
the business grew and prospered and
spread out the benefits of still fur
Their organization became apparent
and the corporation was formed. Last
ly the benefits and advantages
of complete organization of the
entire industry brought about
, the organization of trusts. From
the manufacturer working alone we
see a rapid and wonderful progression
to these world embracing organiZa.
tions.
; Drive Best Possible Bargain.
) "The time has passed when the in
) dividua1 workman can meet his EN-.
;. ployer face to face and bargain and
barter for the sale of the only commod'
ity in the world which he has to sell
his labor. United with his fellow
workman, every locality united with
every other, each can then render as.
sistance to every other and to drive the
best possible bargain in the sale OF
their labor.
Iowa was originally an %agricultu.
raj state but as it's manufactures are
developing the evils of the older man.
ufacturing districts are gradually be.
coming more and more apparent"
Address of Sidney J.. Kent.
The closing address of the evening
and of the exercises attending the dedi-
cation of the new hall was delivered by
Sidney ]. Kent, the general organizer
for the Brotherhood of Carpenters and
Joiners. The hour was late but Mr..
Kent held his audience closely and
made a strong and stirring address
which was frequently interrupted with
applause.
Homes for Workingmen.
Mr.. Kent spoke in part as follows:
81 have always taken a great inter.
est in homes for the working men.
There is no reason why their halls and
places of meeting should not be as well
built, as neat and clean as the meeting
places of the commercial clubs. The
working man is said to be dirty and
unclean. 1t is by means of such halls
and homes as these that we can teach
him ways and manner of refinement
and better citizenship. 1t is by reason
of meeting in dirty back rooms that
the workmen lose respect for their sur
%roundings. Give them neat, clean
meeting places and they will carry the
lessons to their homes.
No Labor Unions in Spain.
"We do not find labor unions in old
decayed countries such as Spain. They
are to be found only in countries
where the father wants his children to
have better things and advantages than
he had himself. The essential differ.
ence between the organized laboring
man of today and the chattel slave is
that the union man has a right to bar.
ter for his services and to dictate the
conditions under which his service is
to be given. If your employer dictates
your wages and the conditions of your
service then you are a slave. 1t is alb
surd to state that organized labor har
bors outlawry and vi%ciousness. We
are not all perfect and we have mer
, as members who have o the intelli
+ gence to use the powers the organiza
!, ton gives them in the right and proper
ways.