Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-05-19


to those who seek to disrupt the trades
of protection of liberty will start the
blood coursing through his system
without thought being given to the
real rights as defined by civil liberty.
Added to the open shop phrase, is the
term, individuality. The right of the
nonunion man to work where, when
for whom and under whatsoever cir
conditions he will. If the open shop
proposition was endorsed by organized
labor, how long would the individual
workman be uninterfered with by the
employer now SO energetic in its adj
Vocacy. The facts are these there
are times in this democratic form of
government when we have no individu-
al liberty. For instance at the last
presidential election, 100000 citizens
voted for w. j. Bryan, but when the
ballots We're counted and William Nc
Kinley was elected, those who support
ed Bryan sunk their individuality and
today some of the strongest defenders
of our country's honor are to be found
among that number. What holds good
in nation in this respect, holds good
in labor organization.
''Let us take the carpenters. They
met in convention to make a scale for
the ensuing year. A resolution is in
troduced to reduce the work day from
nine to eight hours. 1t is discussed by
everyone who wishes. The vote is TAX
en- and it carries. Tht resolution is
just as binding on the man who might
vote against it as upon its most siren
uous supporters. What then must we
think of the man who will so to his
boss and say: L believe in personal
liberty and if you will give me work,
I'll work ten hours day if you want
me to- Such man is not only a
traitor to his fellow-workers, but is a
positive hindrance to the advancement
of the human race and a menace to So
ciety.
Unionism Is Strong.
Shortly before his assassination
Abraham Lincoln in an address utter
ed these words: 1t is assumed that
labor is available only in connection
with capital; that nobody labors unless
somebody else owning capital some
how by the use of it induces him to
labor. Labor is prior to and independ-
ent of capital. Capital is only the fruit
of labor and could not have existed if
labor had not first existed. Labor is
the superior of capital and deserves
much the higher consideration. / bid
the laboring men beware of surrender
ing the power which they possess and
which if surrendered will only be used
to shut the door of advancement for
such as they and fix new disabilities
and burdens upon them, until all lib
erty is lost When we read such an adj
monition as this coming from one who
was himself a martyr to the cause of
human liberty, is it any wonder that
working men are organizing for their
own protection and advancement? The
laborer is frequently mentioned in the
Bible but will not insult my audience
by quoting more than two passages, as
no doubt you are all familiar with that
book ST. Luke says: The laborer is
worthy of his hire Hire meaning full
pay for services performed. The other
was where the Almighty said to Adam:
In the sweat of thy face, shalt thou
4 eat bread And it seems strange that
any man should ask Just Gods as
sistance in wringing bread from the
sweat of other mems faces.
"Unionism is stronger today than
ever. 1t is built on bisic principle
of nature. 1t cannot be tramped out
by the military heel, as is now being
tried in Colorado. Injunctions and the
violent hostilities, of such men as d. M
Parry and his followers supply nerves
to strengthen the movement, as did the
persecution strengthen the early Chris
/ tian church"