Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-01-10

IQOSe VINO "dCcleQ MN at the meet
ings of the federation that he was OPP
posed to labor unions notwithstanding
his protestations. His antagonism to-
ward the shorter workday was appar-
ent to all, and his captious contentious
on the questions Of apprenticeship, non
union workmen and the minimum
wage clearly showed that there was
little in the policies Of the American
unions that he approved. 1t appeared
to me that Mr.. Moseley was bent upon
convincing the workingmen who came
over from England with him that there
was nothing in the trades unions Of
this country that they need place favor
ably before their own unions when they
got home.
The trades unionists who participated
in the proceedings Of the convention
conducted themselves creditably. Their
task was not an easy onc with the
preachers, professors and business men
all pounding them, some with small
pattern tack hammers, others with
sledges. President Gompers Of the
American Federation Of Labor was the
preferred point of attack for sledge and
tack hammer alike, but he met and re-
sisted every attack like veritable Gil
braltar.
Mr.. Lewis Nixon, the shipbuilder,
made the best talk from the employers
standpoint that heard during the con-
yention. He was business from the
word goand didn't waste any time over
empty and meaningless sentiment. He
said he hadn't any use for the business
method that gave labor less than it
earned and erected libraries and en-
dowed colleges to show friendship for
man. His rule, he said, which he ap-
piled to all investments, whether the
investment was in the form of wages
or anything else, was, "Will it pay"
He isn't an unreserved supporter Of
works are manned by uniOniStS. Ergo
it pays:
President Eliot of Harvard, he who
declared recently that "a scab is he
ro," attended one session of the fedora
ton. He didn't make speech, but
sat quietly beside Mr.. Cleveland, join
ing that gentleman in the harmless
pastime of looking WISE
Senator Hanna presided with impair
TALLY and appeared to be deeply inter
ested in all that was said. He seemed
to like his job and apparently has 8
great deal of faith in the prospects OF
the Civic federation as peacemakel
between employer and employee. There
are those who say the Civic federation
is one of the senator's little political
games. He didn't admit the soft i'm
parchment to me, though l was right
there in the hall for several hours, and
so don't know for sure.
My opinion is, after sitting through
one Of it's sessions, talking with mum
! Der of it's members and doing consid
cradle thinking on the subject, that
the Civic federation furnishes an op
| portunity for the many sides of the
labor question to get together and dis
cuss matters: that it is an educationa
force Therefore labor will not be {
loser because Of the federation.
A great many editors and some O:
the preachers and professors OF thu
country have worked themselves into {
frenzy over the action of the painters
union Of Schenectady, N. Y, in ex
polling William Potter because of hi
membership in the state militia. Al
the facts in this case are not at hand
and l do not care to discuss it spe
cifcally, but upon the question OF IN
ion men belonging to the militia mos
union men have strong convictions
i Potter has brought suit against tn
union for reinstatement, and if ther
:, was mo rule, of the union against
= member Joining the militia at the tim
q he Joined he has a shade the better o
the argument from legal standpoint
The Schenectady union is not the pic
neer of the movement in which it is a
present so prominent. 1t has long bee
understood that there was opposltlo
). In the trades unions to members becon
. Ing militiamen, and some unions hay