Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-06-17
DANGEROUS TENDENCIES.

uislntesfate and fall TO pieces OF lts
W weight. Power is sometimes a
dangerous thing and ov~er-confidence
and misuse of strength often lead 10
disastrous results.
There is a tendency on the part
of labor organizations in some Sec
tions of the country to go to extremes
in their demands, looking only to i'm
mediate benefits rather than to their
future welfare. While laboring men
and artisans should receive their
share of the increasing prosperity in
the country great care should be TAX
en- not to ask the unreasonable be-
cause they have the numerical
strength to enforce tne demand. There
is a limit to the paying capacity of
all industries and when 1t is exceeded
a crash will follow in which the en-
ploye will suffer with the employer.
In some Of the strikes which have
taken place in the east the public has
been the greatest sufferer. In the
great coal strike the sympathies of
the majority were with the miners and
there was little hostility to them, but
this does not alter the fact that there
is danger in unionism if wise leaders
are not chosen and conservatism con.
troll its action.
Clarence S. barrow, the Chicago
lawyer, who was attorney for the min
ers before the anthracite coal com.
mission and who has frequently cham
pioned the cause of labor in public
addresses and with the pen, recently
expressed himself as follows:
Labor has caught the fever of
trades unionism and, without know
ing what it means or realizing how
1t may be of real service to the world,
has turned its power and energy in
the direction of building up organiza-
lions. Unless this force is turned 10
substantial methods of lettering in
dustrial conditions. rather than 10
gaining temporary or personal advan.
tages, then all this great movement
must be for naught.
When all is said and done, the
power of public opinion is the only
controlling power in the world. A suf.
ficient public opinion will preserve
trades unionism; a strong enough hos.
tile public opinion will destroy 1t.
Trades unionism has fought its long
battle and won its well-earned victor.
les because it stood for something
more than individual selfishness. be.
cause it really can the up-building
of the race. If it should lose its moral
force and descend to pure s~elfishness,
1t Is bound to fall to pieces"
If, by arrogance. indifference, NAL
ice or hatred organized labor defies
public opinion it will sustain an ire
parable loss and it will mark the be.
ginning of a decline in the strength
of unionism.
One of the greatest to or
g~anized labor and one which invites
hostility instead Of confidence on the
part of the public, is the personnel OF
its leaders and officers; especially is
this true in a local sense. In the
larger bodies, as a rule, men Of abil'
ity, integrity and conservatism are
at the head. Possibly this is due to
the fact that there is a larger field
from which to make a selection. In
local organizations it too often occurs
that the demagogue, by intrigue or
manipulation, forces himself to the
front and over the head of the true
representative Of labor. The latter
though skilled in his calling, shrinks
from leadership and the performance
of clerical work, and too often is ST
lent with his voice when the welfare
OF his union il at stake. The mar
who works the least usually does the
most talking, and his opinions are oft
en- vicious and of little value. II Is
indeed. inconceivable how a man, who
in the moulding process Of nature was
endowed only with a pair Of lungs
and an elongated orifce for the ennis
sion Of sound, can command the re
spect and confidence OF the men who
toll. Yet he does, for a time at least
until the true character of the mar
Is known and the harm he has don,
the organization is clearly felt.
Every union should purge itself =.
such leaders. They are imposters
who do not enjoy the confidence of the
public and only reflect discredit upor
the organization with which they ar,
allied. Unions are good things ant
! they are here 10 stay ii governed wise
ly, but this cannot be expected II thu
better element who compose then
submit to lmprudent and selfish lead
: ership.
uNoPPosED NOMINATIONS TO
), THE PRESIDENCY.
1t is pretty generally assumed tina
President Roosevelt will be nominate,
4 by reclamation or without an oppos