Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1903-09-05
'TIIIS is certainly a great year for
labor, especially for organized
labor, and, as has ever been

labor, especially for organized
labor, and, as has ever been
and always will be, the unor-
ganiZed have shared extensively in the
benefits. Without stopping to discuss
the many reasons why the year 1903
has been good year comparatively for
the worliingmen of this country, 1t must
be admitted by all well Informed and
fair minded persons that to the In
creased and increasing power of organ
ization much is due. 1t was union labor
that asked for and secured advances in
wages, reductions in the hours of labor
and other improvements in the condi-
tions surrounding employment.
Whatever may be the criticisms, just
or unjust, made against the unions of
labor, every one must agree that recog-
milton of the rights asserted by labor
has grown with the growth of union
ism among the wage workers. Not
only have the unions made phenomenal
growth in numbers and potency during
the last three or four years; they have
also grown in favor with the classes
from which they get no recruits, the
classes which until within a very short
time were either antagonistic to the
aspirations of the unionists or coldly
Indifferent. Unionsm has actually be-
come respectable in circles where 1t
was formerly either denounced or treat
ed with silent contempt.
What has caused this remarkable
revolution in the minds of so many?
! A. nd lii nd
est feeling for those who have changed
their views on the subject of unionism,
l assert it as my opinion that the
change has in most cases been Occa-
stoned by the augmented power OF the
unions. The increased Importance OF
the unlonist in the field of industry has
| first attracted, then interested; interest
has developed into investigation, and
/ investigation has brought knowledge
| of the real aims and policy of union
ism. Thus have been wiped out the
prcjudiceS that were rooted i'll ignO-
rance. Still there are some who think
! their more favorable attitude toward
/ the unions is due to great changes In
the unions themselves. "MOre intelli-
gence is shown in the leadership"
"Thcre is less of the revolutionary
spirit manifest" and similar senti-
ments are often expressed by those
who dislike to admit that their former
/ opposition to unions was unjust and
unreasonable While the work of or
ganzing and conducting the unions has
become more busincsslike as n natural
result of increased experience the per-
sonnel of leadership is not appreciably
superior to that of a dozen years ago,
and the changes in policy since that
time have not been fundamental or Of
considerable Importance. AS matter
of fact, most of the leaders of today
: We're the leaders then.
You may turn where you will to find
the reason for the new feeling of
friendship for the trades union move
ment. yOu will not find it until your
eyes rest upon that procession of 2,000,-
600 brainy, brawny and brave toilers
marching shoulder to shoulder on this
September day 1903.
The records of the American Fedora
tiOn of Labor, the national clearing
house of the American trades unions.
furnish most interesting story Of the
growth of the movement. For many
years the struggle to fcderate the vari-
Gus national and international unions
was beset on all sides by impeding
forces, and there were many discour-
agements confronting the brave and
able men who had undertaken the
task. but they persevered. and most Of
the active leaders of today are those
who have won through bitter trials the
right to bask in the sunshine of the
greatest federation of wOrkingmcn the
world has ever seen. The American
Federation of Labor in its present
form was organized in 1886 Its mem
bership at that time was less than