The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-09-10


seVade elittle# ggleS it5 Us much
as1you To- here, ana we
I wish IT or not we have got to- meet IT,
L the very air. It greets us at our work,
at: our play and at our flreside. 1T.
pops up here and there in everyHpublic
discussion Of. the times. and you can.
not keep 1t out. / have got to talk
about 1t this afternoon and / want
you who work and you who do not
work to put on your overalls and look
q. the question for just few moments
from our standpoint. -.
II should say something that you
40 not like about the capitalist class I
trust that you will not leave with BIT
teri!ess IN your hearts, and Ii should
cr1tlclse the labor class. I hope that
you will not take offense.
~ Is said that he who would array
class against class in this country is
an enemy to society. Granted. But
nevertheless the struggle for industrial!
independence Is class struggle. It ia
a struggle between the producing and
the parasite class. It is struggle be-
tween the class that works and the
class that does not work. To be can
did, my friends, it is a struggle for
the determination, as class. of the
useless ones to society,"
The bench, the church. the bar; In
fact, the whole fabric rests upon the
backs OF the men and women who
toll with their hands. 1t is ridiculous
to say that capital makes labor: just
the contrary Is true. Watch the growth
Of new community. There is first the
small shop of the mechanic Gradual
~ this is enlarged by the industry
WITHIN, until it becomes a great fac
tory. 1t Is true that capital is great
convenience, but labor is first.
Trouble With the Laws.
Il believe that in our present civiliz-
allon the modern machinery Of society
Is necessary, and if controlled by JUS
tlce no one would complain. The trou-
Die Is the parasites make and construe
all OF the laws; make all the regula-
lions, and bend everything In their own
favor. AS a result labor is crushed
beneath load of injustice. Before he
asserted himself the laborer had no
voice In anything and was reduced to a
mere beast Of burden
Under the inspiration Of the spirit
OF freedom labor lifted up it's head
and looked at the sun. that great re-
former OF the universe. Capital being
organized nothing could be done by
labor without organization, 80 il or
ganized.
T maintain that trade unions are in
Keeping with the progress of the age,
and are as necessary to labor as is a
large navy to this country during this
mad period OF commercialism. If it is
good thing for capital to organize,
then 1t ought to be a good thing for
labor. Even If you are opposed to labor
organizations, you must recognize that
some form of unity is necessary to
prevent labor from becoming an Indus
trial serf o.
man is too often forgotten in the race
OF wealth. Remind a money king
when trying to swing a big PROPOSE
ton, of the probable effect it will have
upon labor, and the possibility Of
workingmen actually starving, and he
VIII answer back: That is sentiment
With me this Is cold business prop
osition.' My friends, when sentiment
leaves the heart Of man, about all
that is good in him leaves with it.
Labor's Right to Organize.
1T Is not necessary to discuss the
question Of labor's rights Of intelligent
people In this year of the twentieth
century. None but has been ever
questions that right. It is conceded
by the Intelligent men Of today. Even
the great political parties that have
either trimmed or evaded every Ques-
ton Of interest to labor declare mort
forcibly that labor has the right to-
organize.
. IT We concede, then. that labor has
the right to organize, the only objec-
ton to be raised against the unions is
the manner In which they are man
a 1r]f{ oF
altogether too much from the organ
ization of workingmen. You want
them to be ideal, and at the same time
you permit the trusts to pursue their
work Of plumber without one word Of
protest.
1T is an easy matter to criticize the
under dog In the battle, If he does not
fight according to the industrial
Queensberry rules, but you forget that
there is bone and sinev and inaxperi-
ence on one side. against purchased
brains, money, trickery and scheming
on the other.
You fall to recognize that labor is
the robbed in the industrial struggle.
Have you ever been held up by high
wayman: If you have, and have had
an opportunity to fight him, will you
kindly tell me what rules IT fighting
etiquette you adopted? Labor is ex-
actly in that position. Remember that
I do not champion that kind Of fight
ing.
Not an Advocate Of Strikes.
II do not stand here as an advocate
Uf strikes, but I am in favor of having
the weapons to strike with. Render
me armless, and I am absolutely de-
fenseless. / want the arms to fight
with, but then need the intelligence to
know how to use them. The trade UNI
ion is school for just such purpose.
I'VE are accused of attempting to
destroy Individual liberty, 1t is not
true. Trade unions protect the individ-
ual. On the other hand the trust-cap-
ltal's organization - destroys him.
Trade unions protect the weak, and
protect the strong. Trade unions are
like trusts In no respect. They are
organized for the many. They well
come to their ranks every man and
woman who works. The trusts, on the
other hand, are organized for the ben
eft Of a few. They crush every COM
petitor in the same line of BUSINESS