The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1903-05-30
Notes From tie Quad Box.
BY Will J. French,

Latest news from New Zealand shows
that the much-vaunted Cancellation or
Arbitration Act is passing through
strenuous times. The Premier r. J.
Seldom. in reply to deputation of un-
1onists, said that the government had
definitely decided to take such steps as
would insure complete preference to
trade-unionists, that organized labor
was: the safeguard for capitalists as
well as for the employe, and therefore
1t was to the interest of both sides that
unionists should be given first choice.
This had been contemplated when the
original act was passed, but by some
means the spirit of the Legislature had
not been observed, and this would have
been rectif1ed.
This statement aroused vigorous OPP
position from the Otises. In the city of
Auckland meeting was called to
protest against slavery, and the fur
Their enslaving of men and women in
New Zealand, and preventing them
from earning their daily bread
All unionists, flowers of liberty"
were invited to be present to vote
in the anti-un;on agitation, F. G. Ew-
ington, Gan Episcopalian), addressed
the Catholics as follows: For gener-
ations the Catholic Church has stood
by manual toilers. Will you belle your
cody tradition by allowing your CO.
religionists to be legally thrown into
Briton's hell of idleness unless they
join the trade unions at Mr.. Seddon's
dictation?" 1t is too bad that the pro-
prietor of the LosAngeles Times doesn't
know that brother Ewington is vast
ing his fragrance on the air of the an
t1podes, for a situation on the editorial
staff would be his without the asking.
The furniture workers in Auckland
set the legislative machinery in motion
to secure an advance Of wage from 26
TO 80 cents per hour. They were sue
cessful so far as Arbitra ton Court was
concerned. But the employers closed
their shops stating that they could not
pay the increase, and that it would be
to their advantage to import furniture.
The Premier talks Of increasing the
tariff to render importation unprofita-
BILE. The unionists cited the Employ
ers' Associa ton for attempting to de-
refusal to pay the award a clock out"
The employees contemplate starting a
cooperative factory. In the other part
Of the colony the word strike" is not
unknown. The outcome will be
watched with interest by students of
economic questions.
A storekeeper on Kearny street de-
nounces, by numerous placards, the
right of the retail clerks to dictate"
the closing hour. He screeches from
under the American flag his free born
right to close his store when he sees
fit, evidently assuming that it is a per-
sonal matter. But it isn't. President
Gompers' smile is applicable here. A
man may burn down his house on the
open prairie, where no harm can be
done but in the city the rights of. the
other 80 in the 100 would be encroached
upon to such an extent that the public
welfare would demand the tncarcera-
ton OF the individual. The Kearny-
street gentleman in in the position of
the actor who. was addressed at the
Lambs" in New York City. Poor
hieroglyphics caused the letter to be
forwarded to the "Tombs." It was re-
turned, marked: ''Not here yet"
A weekly paper friendly to unionism
makes the charge that we have all
heard in different ways, that the car
men who are not so polite to the public
since organization was completed. The
inference is that the men rely on their
union to protect them should they be
reported for incivility. 1t is undoubted-
ly a fact that among the many 11und-
reds OF men followin gthe street rail-
road business there are some lacking
in that Chesterfeldan department ad-
mired by the ladies'. This is true of all
walks Gas well as rides) of life. HUI
man nature varies not. YearsN ago
| when the spirit Of Viningism and all it
represented was rampant, there could
be found men who failed to line up to
the standard, and certainly the union
was in no way responsible in those
days. The carmen have to contend
With good deal during the days work,
and their tempers are often sorely tried.
At the same time, it would be good
| policy for the union officials to care
! fully investigate any complaints made
| for boorish conduct; for the member
! responsibility proved guilty-should be
| dealt with incompetent to hold the sit
| uation. There may be few men in the
| organization who think that protection
will be accorded them at all hazards,
but themembership knows that true
unionism is incompatible with inferior
workmanship.
| Apropos of the foregoing. I heard a
prominent fruit-grower tell a party of
friends how he left the Grand Hotel
en- route to the ferry. He signaled two
or three cars to stop but no notice was
taken of his signs. He denounced the
union responsible for this condition of
affairs, unaware. seemingly, of the fact
| that for years the carmen have had to
obey instructions to make time at diff
ferent points by referring travellers to
! the next car.
The walters have their union to thank
! for one days leisure a week, and i'm
| nrOvo5 conditions cororollxv T1o oor