The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1903-11-19
Blackfl1aiI.

the day when the walking delegate
of his stamp shall be no more!
Politicians and others who stand
IN awe of the menaces of organized
labor never seem to have learned
the lesson which is impaired at
every election at which the brag-
CARTS of the labor unions figure
conspicuously, that they do not
control their own membership.
There are as a matter of fact no la
Dor unions in the country which
do not embrace very respectable
number of men who lose no oppor-
tunity to rebuke the turbulent and
in many cases dishonest ruhans
who assume to deliver" them in
politics as they do in industry.
There are some leaders of labor
unions whose personal expenses are
greater than those of many million
aires, whose excuses are notorious
and whose control of ready money
can be explained in no other way
than on the basis of personal dis
honesty. Old and conservative
labor organizations are we'll aware
Of this condition of affairs. Their
members know that no industry
carried on in this country since
the well-heralded revival of pros
perity has been more lucrative to
it's promoters than the organiza-
ton of workingmen into unions.
AS many men have grown sudden
ly rich at this business as have
found fortunes in Wall Street or on
the boards of trade. The degrada-
ton of American labor is empha-
sized by these conditions. Thou
sandsof four European emigrants are
under this terrorism and thousands
of native Americans submit to ex-
tortion rather than invite personal
violence. Under such a system the
natural desperate inevitably comes
to the front. It is he who threat
ems in the name of unionism. It
is his pockets which are lined with
golden dollars extorted from asso-
ciates as we'll as employers in the
name of unionism.
This rufian is potential in vio-
lence not SO much because he has
an organization of decent work.
ingmen behind him as because
when he raises the standard of riot
all the criminals and idlers in the
community flock to his side. The
men in whose name he acts are
generally in the background. Few
union men actually figure in the
disturbances which are carried on
in their name.
The inactivity of this large and
worthy element in labor organize
tions accounts for most of the ex-
cesses which disturb the peace,
suspend industry and lead often to
great public excitement and appre-
hension. If the intimidated mem-
bers OF the unions would attend
their meetings and vote ,fearlessly
upon the policies there proposed
we would have much less turbu-
lence and crime in the industrial
world. The fact is that this ele-
ment is silenced and terrified and
the irresponsible take good care
to keep it so.
An important lesson to be
learned from these facts is that
however formidable organized la
Dor may appear to be, it is not for
midable in the pursuit of criminal
objects. The braggarts who force
their way to the front in their So
cleties have no more power than
other lawbreakers when thew
once overstep the limits of legal
action. Many of them have es-
capped punishment for their mis-
deeds through the mistaken SYM
pathy of men in authority and
through the foolish idea that JUS
tice administered to them would
cause indignation on the part of
their supposed followers. In truth,
every brawling bully who is made
to suffer for his misdeeds against
employers and non union men has
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