The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1903-09-19
LABOR DAY SPEECH
BY w. F. M'EWEN.

walks of life in and out Of power, but
two bad deeds will not make one good
one. A movement having for it's motto.
1.-The brotherhood of man. is rather in
consistent when it encourages malice
in any form. We must expect trade
unionism to triumph by law abiding
means, or it will just as surely fail
Men lose who lose. the friendship of
the law,
A blessing from each breath of air they
draw
Every industry in America may some
day be part of one great trust. On
the other hand every workingman may
be member of trade union, but there
will always exist that great lover of
justice and fair play-the American
Public-to criticise and condemn the
unrighteous. Public opinion is usually
with labor, but it matters little how
righteous it's cause is, if it resorts to
violence in any form, that minute will
that great tribunal change it's SYM
yathy to censure. No institution in
America is strong enough to Withstand
the verdict of public opinion. do not
advise the strictest obedience to law
for the sake of policy. It ought to be
a matter of principle with us, and I
know that it, is. I am not overlooking
the fact that the law of our country is
being violated every day by the very
people who are loudest in their de-
nunciation of labor organizat TONS
Neither do I forget that men on
the bench have been known to disre-
gard the law for the purpose of aiding
to crush labor, but this will not excuse
us in the violation of law. If we should
pursue the same course it would result
in anarchy of the worst form in but
short time. Trade unionism stands for
the enforcement of the law. It asks
that the law be enforced upon all alike.
It demands that special favors be
shown to none. If this were done there
would be very little said about in
justice in this democratic government.
I have so much confidence in the SIN
certify Of the average man in the labor
movement, that it seems to me to be
cruel that we should all be condemned
because of the unwise actions Of some
of our comrades. The only way by
which we can assure the people that we
stand for the strictest observance of
law, and opposed to violence is to set
the stamp Of disapproval upon every
person who Injuries our cause by taking
the law into his own hands.
Lessons in Organization From Capital.
Some very practical lessons on the
necessity Of organization are given to
the wage Garner almost every minute
of the day. The thoughtful worker,
vvvlo In
little in the world of business that is
not the result of united effort. On one
side is the organizations of capital,
powerful and tod almost: perfect. On:
the other is / the or aniza ton :of labor.
growing in power and Influence but
still in a state of infancy. Capital is
undergoing some experiences in organ
ization, the magnitude and achieve
ments of which are most wonderful.
It's path in organization has been pro-
gressive. It started out on the associa-
ton plan Of organization. Under this
plan a schedule of prices was agreed
upon, and a fine was imposed upon any
member who violated the terms of the
schedule. But little attention was paid
to cheapening the cost of production,
and the people suffered greatly because
Of the increased prices of products con-
tro1led by members of such associat-
tons. Treachery and distrust, how
ever, soon disbanded this form of Or
ganization. Later the primitive trust
was formed. Some attention was given
to cheapening the cost of production.
but there followed no decrease in the
selling price to the people. This form
of organization excited the wrath of
the people, until a number of state
legislatures, and Congress passed some
stringent antitrust laws, many of
which were never enforced. Unfriend-
~ legislation rather than discouraging
capital in organization only seemed to
stimulate it, with the result that an
entirely new form of organization was
perfected. This latter, which is known
as the Community of interests plan
! is the most perfect, and apparently the
| most profitable ever tried. The SEEM
ing conservative policy of the great
corporations operating under this plan
has had surprisingly quieting effect
upon the people. This is particularly
noticeable in communities where it's
predecessors were very arbitrary in
their methods
The United States Steel Corporation,
perhaps the greatest ever organized on
the Community Of Interests plan, has
practically absolute control OF, the iron
and steel market of the United States.
1t owns the iron mines on the richest
ranges in America. 1t owns the rail-
| roads, ore docks, steamships, smelling
works. steel works and iron factories
through which the iron is taken. It's
position gives it control over millions
of wage earners, and while it deals with
them in friendly manner, the fact
that it is so powerful, that so many
men depend entirely upon it for exist
ence, and that the greatest share of the
earnings go to the stockholders. while
the wages of the workingmen are no
higher than they were under any other
period of prosperity, gives the thought
full student good reason to believe that
the, workingman is entitled to a pro-
tective organization to cope with the