Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1903-04-16
AGAINST THE UNIONS
Annual Convention Of the National
Association Of Manufacturers.
THE OFFICERS MAKE THEIR REPORTS
Address of O. W. Post ON the -Tynnny Of
Trades Unions'- Numerous Resolutions
introduced and Referred to the
Committee without Debate.

New Orleans, April 15.-The frs
days session of the annual conven
ton of the National Association Of
Manufacturers ended yesterday even
ing without any definite indications
as to whether the organization viii
adopt at its own policy an aggressive
hostility to union labor methods as
outlined by President D. M. Parry in
his annual report. Mr.. Parry's at
titude on the labor question was the
chief point of interest for the dele.
gates and it, it is declared, was the
cause for the largest delegate repre-
sentation in the association. When
Mr.. Parry was introduced at the
morning session he received a re-
markable ovation, the 600 delegates
rising and cheering him vigorously
and repeatedly. His report was inn
mediately referred to the commit
tees.
Following the presidents report
C. Marshall Cushing, national secre-
tary, made his annual report, show
ing an increase in the associations
membership for the last year Of
more than 100 per cent. After the
luncheon recess the national treas.
urer reported q satisfactory and Inn
proved condition of the treasury.
C. w. Post, of Battle Creek, Mich,
originator of the Post check system,
delivered an address on the Tyranny
of Trades Unions" He said in part:
II am here to plead the cause Of
the white slave of to-day. He may
be partly enslaved by o combination
Of circumstances, taken by selfish
manufacturers, although practically
every employee is as free as air to go
+ and come at his pleasure, and sell
his labor where he likes, but the slave
of tyrannous labor union is in truth
and in fact more abject than the ne
gro slave of the past. There may
have been some brutal and tyrannous
slave-owners in the south, but I ask
you If ever in the history of negro
slavery did there exist such condi'
ton of oppression, of cruelty to men,
women and children, terror, anarch.
istic beatings and murder as now ex-
lists under the acts of desperate mem
bers Of labor unions.
I'm the gradual solution Of the
wage question and the establishment
of the right of parties, labor unions
became a necessity in order to check
the selfshness and injustice of some
manufacturers, but such vent and
desperate exercises have crept in
to the operation of the laws OF
unions that common safety demands
new union, eliminating the faults
Of the old. I protest against unnat-
ural acts, such as curtailment of pro-
duction by the manufacturer to force
lower wages on the employees or by
strikes to force higher wages on the
employer. The conditions must be
produced and governed by the natur-
al law Of commerce. am decidedly
in favor of the union, with all the
underbrush cleared out--a union that
will help the people keep in work and
secure the highest wages the bust.
ness will stand. This body should
proceed at once to the work OF or
ganization either by committee or in
general session, select officers and Sc
cure general manager of high grade
and capable of earning good sized
salary. Paid delegates should be
sent broadcast to the labor centers,
there to organize local unions. under
the employer and employees union.
These local organizations would draw
TO themselves the best workmen OF
the land, who are now forced, too
often from fear and by violence, to
give over their liberty to the manipu-
lation and direction Of noisy, turbu-
lent men,"
Numerous resolutions were intro
duced and referred TO the committee
without debate, among them being
the following:
Indorsing the organization Of nom
union worlumen and pledging assist
unce to their support; pledging the
support and assistance of members
to any member under union boy
colts; condemning the convict labor
system; providing committee OF
Ave to make an effort to settle the
present tariff differences between
the United States and Russia; pro-
siding for an association bureau Of
labor to investigate and attempt to
adjust the labor troubles Of members
md 10 endeavor TO organize and pro-
note non-union workingman's as
ISOLATION to be known as the Work
ncman's Liberty union;" urging
iariff revision on general lines; ia.
,oring measures to iuerepse the elias
lefty Of the currency.