davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-08-06
Death Rate in Back of the
Yards" Exceeds the Number
of Births Terrible Condi-
tions Prevail in Chicago
Stock Yards.

stand day after day until it's rhymatic
motions have burnt themselves into
their brain and their thinking becomes
as mechanical as their work. Or per-
haps they stand at some bench and
seize piece of meat as 1t falls before
them, and with that same machine
like regularity that marks everything
in the Yards, from it's politics to it's
pork-packing, repeat the same motions
oyer and over again until they per-
form the work equally well with eyes
open or closed, and until the motions
Of the hand have stamped their i'm
press on the mind; and they move on
In dready circle Of common things
through the day until very WEAKNESS
at last stops the thinking and they
creep to a place called home, and drag
off the great Yard boots that seem
to hold mind as well as body down to
the level Of the mire in which they are
stepped, and, throwing them into cor
ner. they seek the bed, too tired to
think, only to go on with the work in
'!reams until awakened to the reality
of another days unchanging toll.
The "Speeding" System.
l. ne pCSNAAdA Ald11lct Ill WulCl HluCI
Of the work is due renders the pressing
of the laborer to an even higher speed
particularly easy. The animal being
transformed into meat generally moves
along on some, kind Of a mechanical
contrivance, and each laborer performs
his particular task while the carcass
is passing him. All that is needed to
force the men to greater exertions is
to move the meat faster
In one Of the meat trimming divi-
sions where women are employed a
peculiarly brilliant scheme has been
evolved to force these poor creatures
to greater exertions. The meat to be
trimmed comes out chute and passes
along trough, where it Is scrambled
for, each one grabbing for the best
pieces to trim. A very dexterous and
fearless woman who is able to force
her way to the front in the struggle
for material, and then work with ex-
cercional speed upon the best pieces
thus obtained, often earns the mun1fi-
cent sum of $1:25 per, day. THE
WOMEf@ WHO ARE THUS FORCED
TO ENGAGE INA: HOGGISH FIGHT
agIIAICE @TOtsLIVE;.ARE
Taa eIE
EDKJGIIEFS sTEfsf} }ssgsaop
THE LABORBRs d IeT,f1Is GRANT.
AND GLORIOUS COUNTRY OF
THE FREE
This process Of speeding up has
been regularly and systematically car
ried out in every department., until ar
employe informed the writer a short
time ago that he was now doing pre-
cisely twice as much as he was doing
fifteen years ago with exactly the
same tools.
The task of superintendence has
thus been reduced to q minimum. A
mechanical boss has been evolved
more merciless, were it possible, thar
the human counterpart.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-08-06
ANTHRACITE COAL
STRIKE THREATENS

PITTsBURG, Aug. 1.-Pittsburg's great
bituminous coal producing interests are
preparing for q strike in the anthracite
coal region. In certain circles the tip
was given today that soft coal would be
a good commodity to have in a short
time with the informa ton that there
will be an upward squirt In prices and
that there is danger Of a scarcity because
the anthracite operators, it Is believed,
are preparing for long shut down.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-08-06

The tragedy of unemployment deep
ems In the case of those men who are
visibly aging, passing prematurely into
that condition when society has neith-
er use nor regard for their services.
The development of the modern city
life in its feverish thirst for gain
sucks up the activities of the young.
Work can always be found for the
children. But the man of forty has
already become suspect. At fifty there
Is evidently stretching behind him the
bleak cid age of the unwanted poor.
The despairing clutch Of the aging at
any degrading occupation which be-
fore they would have scorned is one Of
the commonest and most pitiful sights
of modern life. I think of those whom
I have known, those who dye their
hair to keep the appearance of youth,
the applicants for positions, their eff.
fort toward responsibility, the ink
lined coat, the shabbiness concealed,
the attempt, always so grotesque and
Ineffective, to strike the right note be-
tween a dignity that will command re-
spect and eagerness that will become
mere mendicant pleading for aid.
/ remember one with record of over
thirty years consistent service, ex
hibiting hands twisted and gnarled
with disease, who shuffles daily
through his work with the. help OF
kindly comrades, fearing each day to
be detected. Though the work itself
is an agony, the one panic fear Is not
that he shall be compelled, but that
he shall be forbidden. to continue. I
| think Of others tucked away out Of
sight in the recesses of tenement
dwellings, flung aside from the active
machinery Of the world, who cannot
! quite bring themselves to join the un-
| employed professions or solicit pro-
miscuous charity Of the crowd, who
cling to the desperate hope that one
day the cloud will tighten, the miracle
happen that some one will be found
desiring their services. This is no au-
stere and frugal community, with diff
ficulty supporting. it's children, but
amid wealth pouring into its borders
| beyond the dreams of avarice and such
luxury and vain display as can only be
paralleled, in the latter days Of Rome.
l-1ndependent Review: 81 .:gsS -. - =, s
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-08-06
.IINIQ = QI,.lA
,llIj;lll IJIl.IIlll4n5TR /, D! lllll

NEW YORK, AUG. 1.-The Building
Trades alliance, made up OF II unions,
declared a strike today against. the
George A. Fuller Construction company
and work was tied up upon these build
ings:
The Times building, Forty-second
street and Broadway; Sturtevant build
ing, Twenty-ninth street and Broadway;
Trinity building, next to Trinity church:
New York Hippodrome, Forty third
street and Broadway and Taber build
ing, Wall and Pearl streets.
Use Nonunion Stone.
Philip Weinheimer, president of the
building trades who declared the strike
on the subway last week, Is RESPONSE
BILE for the strike today. The reason
given for calling out the men was be-
cause Of claim that the Fuller COM
pany has been using stone from non
union quarries and trimming yards. In
some quarters it is said that the ac-
tual reason for the strike was a fear
that the Building Trades Employers as
ISOLATION would declare lockout At
meeting today the board of governors
of employers association, formulated a
letter which was sent to each of the
unions in the Building Trades alliance.
Contents Kept Secret.
While 1t was admitted that the ac-
tlOn taken was OF very decided 1mpOr-
tance. the employers absolutely re-
fused to reveal the contents Of the let
ter. Charles l.. Eidlitz, the president
Of the association, said that the stand
taken was "firm,'' but he would not
admit that anything. like an ultimatum
had been sent.
The strike and today's move Of the
employers grew out of series of dis
putes that promise to involve the en-
ployers and the union men in the build
ing trades In another gigantic strug-
gle. The feeling is extremely bitter be-
tween the two sides and both have been
preparing for the fight that appears to
be beginning.
May Declare War.
The employers assert that if they are
driven to it, they will declare war to
the finish on the unions and employ
non-union men under an open shop
policy. The employers claim that ev-
er since the arbitration agreement was
entered into a year ago, after the peace
ful settlement of the long fight in the
building trades, there has been dis
position on the part of some of the
| unions to violate it. T
The Building Trades alliance. has
practically taken the place of the or
ganization, headed by the late Sam
Parks,
Philip Weinsheimer, president of the
alliance, is also president of the Anal
gamated Journeymen Plumbers and Gas
Filters unionaand secretary OF the In
dustrial Federation of America.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-08-06
SEVEN HUNDRED
IRON MEN STRIKE

gamated Association of Iron, Steel &
Tin Workers inausurated strike at the
Lebanon plant of 3 the American Iron
& steel company today. The seven
hundred men who belong to the Anal
gamated Association ooeyed the, order.
The men on strike issued a statement
in which they charge discrimination be-
cause Of union membership.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-08-06
WANT MORE WAGES

OKLAHOMA CITY, o. T., Aug. L.
All telegraph operators on the K. T..
system in Indian territory, went on a
strike this afternoon for an increase
in wages. At Muskogee, Durant, Ato-
ka, and Denison, non-union men were
waiting to take their places and other
operators are being hurried to stations
along the line. Trains are being moved
slowly
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-08-06
REVOLUTION WIDOW,

Mrs. Rebecca Mayo, the last survtv-
ing widow of soldier Of the revolu-
tion, is now over 70 years OF age,
though when she married Stephen Ma
vo. a soldier Of the Virginia line, she
was very young. She lives in Newbern,
Pulaski county. Va. and congress re-
Gently increased her pension #$25##a :
month. ~ = b. n N
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-08-06

From the New York Evening SUM-: - y
There was no such outpouring at the
funeral Of Sam Parks as had been ex-i
zpected. It is clear that the decent men
In. the trades affected by his pernicious
activity are glad that they are free from,
him and his influence, He Il dead and has
left no successor.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-08-06
Out Of Tho Iimeiiqh&.

From the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. I.@5zT .EE-s
4: Having lost all hope Of attracting any.
attention with It under present .condf dftions,
Brazil and Peru have wisely decided to:
put their little war. away, for time at.
least M M
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-08-06
MUCH DIFFERENT WHEN
MILLIONAIRE IS IN It
DEBS WAS SENT TO JAIL FOR DE-
LAYING THE U. s. MAIL,

Wheat Pluneer Letter Prevents Peo-
pie From Going to Post Office and
in Many Ways. Interferes With the
United States Mail, and is Uphold by
Authorities. It Makes Considerable
Difference When Rich Violates Law
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-08-06

ally millions of dollars. worth OF
watches and clocks and manufactured
silk and cotton goods, her important
wealth, after ALL IS In her agricultural
communities, whose members, while
pursuing the occupations of farmers
and herdsmen, find time-or at least
the women do-to make millions Of
yards of beautiful hand lace to adorn
the homes and persons of other people.
In the one item alone of embroidery,
government statistics show an annual
export OF $25,00O,0O0 in value, which.
after all, does not tell the whole story,
for the tourists buy also, and these
purchases, amounting in the aggregate
to a very large sum, do not figure in
official reports.
I saw little agricultural machinery in
Switzerland. Most of the hay was be-
ing cut with scythes, in the lowlands
the men working in gangs, the women
following and tossing the hay about.
The hillside farming was all handi-
work. When on their knees wedding
was a common sight. The children
minded the herds Of cattle on the up
lands. While, people in the villages
were harvesting, others. on the pla-
teaus just above, were just planting
At one sweep one could get v:ews Of all
the seasons.
No Beggars to be Seen.
I have seen not a single beggar in
Switzerland. Everybody-old or young
had something to do at some wage.
The simple habits of life make the cost
Of living extremely low, and here, as
in other countries, the cost of living
governs the rate OF wages.
Perhaps the fact that the Alpine
pastures are common property has
something to do with there being no
unemployed. There are nearly 5000
different mountain pastures on the
steep hillsides-enough, in fact, to feed
275,000 cows, to say nothing of the
goats-and T saw maryland e-third
Of these are controlled by the COM
munes in the interest of the humblest
citizens. Others are owned privately,
but the government has taken control
Of all torrents and forests, preventing
the exploiting of the public in the in
terest Of the stockholders Of corpora
tions, and so preventing the extremes
of wealth and want to be seen else
where. >, .
Yet there are rich people in switzer-
land. They are usually the owners of
city sites which the demands of COM
merce have made valuable. So far is
I could observe there, is little else in
outside of corporations
enjoying special privileges-through
which the common people can be ex-
plioted. =.
Dual Emp1oyments.
The average Swiss peasant is not
content to follow one occupation only.
When the cold weather comes and the
tourists flee to warmer climes,. he
xbusies himself in carving or weaving,
or making clock and watch wheels
which afterwards are assembled in
Berne or: Geneva Or: doing some other
work. For the pay is: very, very
small a but: when one Is content with
rye bread and SAa,. BIT Of cheese, wages
need be only enough g supply tn en-.
One dish Tor. three. and three wooden
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-08-06
OLD. AGE. IS JEC0M|NC
A TERRIBLE I TRAGEDY
MAN GROWING OLD FEELS RE.
suit OF UNEMPLOYMENT

Many Men PrematureIy Old Are Driv-
en- From the Shop and the Factory
to Depend Upon the Charity Of So
ciety-Many Deceitful Acts Per-
Formed to Hide Evidences Of Age.
Men Dye Their Hair to Keep Look
ING Young,
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-08-06
SUPERIOR g.
MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP
POPULAR IN SCOTLAND
GLASGOW MODEL CITY OF ALL
EUROPEAN MUNICIPALITIES.

Liahtest Taxed City in the World--
Cause is That All Things the Public
Uses Commonly Is Owned by the
People--No PoIitioa! Pulls, No Brib-
cry, But Clean Politics Prevail In
Every Department In City.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-08-06
INDUSTRIAL EUROPE
As SEEN BY 4 Yankee
WONDERFUL IMPROVED ECONOMIC
CONDITIONS IN SWITZERLAND.

Her Initiative and Referendum Works
Splendidly-Her Mountains Are n
Valuable Asset-Country Is Free
From BeEgars and Diffusion of
Wealth-Swiss Scenery Eclipses
Everything Else in Europe.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-08-06
BY JUDsON GRENELL.

copyrighted, 1904, by Judson Grenell.)
LAUSANNE, Switzerland, Aug. A.
The part Switzerland plays in industri-
al conditions in Europe is not so unim-
portant as the size Of the country and
the number Of her Inhabitants might
lead one to infer. Here is a republic
almost surrounded by: monarchtes- The
terr1tory-less than $1,000 square miles
is about the size Of Massachusetts,,
Connecticut, Rhode Island, and a mar
row slice off the lower ends Of Vermont
or New Hampshire, or say less than
a third o{ the area Of Michigan. But
her 3,so0poO Inhabitants are industri-
GUS anG well educated, and the fact
that imposts continuously exceeds ex-
ports shzws that she is also gradually
increasing in wealth.
The successful struggles of the Swiss
cantons for independence is history
The glorious freedom enjoyed by the
sturdy peasants in the little valleys
nesting between the snow-clad peaks
of the Alps, made them brave to do
and dare, and now they enjoy the bles-
sings of popular government to be
found nowhere else In the world.
French, German and Italian are spoken
though German greatly preponderates,
and in the national assembly one may
arise and address the chair in any one
Of them.
Mountains as an Asset.
Switzerland's most prominent asset
is her mountains. 1t is because of the
Jungfran, the Matterhorn, Mt. Blanc
and many others, on the top of which
snow and Ice Is to be seen all the year
round, that there are scattered from
one end of the country to the other
1900 inns and hotels, with sleeping
accommodations for 10000 tourists,
who pour into the purses Of the land
lords steady stream of wealth.
|: Yet her manufactures are not to be
despised, and though Switzerland mines
not pound Of COAL there has been
found in her mountains streams fed by
the melting snow the cheapest power
In the world to turn the wheels of COM
merce. whether: :..l:!a III Factory machinery
or traction needs:@ Many Of these tor
rents are now converted into electric
energy; SO, though no smoke is ascend
ling from tall chtmneys sto sblackenz and
zdeface th g land OSCAR "a nd sbef Foul the air,
|.2sll1 th11 tnd4ztlY.ls
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-08-06

Cent tins..'sd ] ]. 9 9 g. pass
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-08-20
SIR THOMAS WILL
MAKE new ATTEMPT
Promises to Come to America Next
Year to Sail for Our Yacht
Cup.

Glasgow, Aug. :O.-Sir Thomas hip
ton, his three successive defeats not
withstanding. has decided to challenge
again for the Americas cup. Sir
Thomas Is at present on the Clyde on
his steam yacht Erin. His new chal-
lenger will be named Shamrock ",
but beyond admitting this he Will not
discuss the details.
Il may be simple stubbornness on
my part he said. "but all my life l
have had a constitutional objection
to admitting that | was beaten"
This is the spirit of Sir Thomas
Upton in his fourth essay to capture
the trophy. The three previous races
he describes as being only interesting
preliminaries. The new challenger
will, he says, make the real fight.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-08-20
PARKER HAS A
LETTER FROM MILES
lndorses Candidates Speech of AO-
ceptance, Which Will Prove
Bow of Promise.

Esopus, \. V. Aug. 20.-Former
Judge Parker last night made public a
letter from Lieut.. Gen. Nelson a.
Miles, retired congratulating him up
on his speech delivered at the nOtifica-
tion ceremonies. The letter follows:
Dear Judge: | wish to express my
appreciation of your most excellent ad-
dress in accepting the democratic
nomination. 1t was more Comprehen-
sive, stronger and deeper. and pre-
sented in clearer light the most i'm
portant principles of our government
than any speech or state paper pro-
duCed in many years.
Il would not erase a line and cheer
fully indorse every sentence. 1t will
attract the attention of the thought
full, patriotic citizens of our country,
it will be Il bow of promise and a star
of hope to millions in the orient who
are now praying for liberty, and it will
vibratC down through the republics of
the western hemisphere, giving conf
dence to 50,000,000 of people living
under democratic governments copied
after our own.
NELSON A. MILES"
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-08-20
DAVIS WRITES OF
HIS ATTITUDE TOWARD LABOR

Roanoke. Va, Aug. 20.-The follow
ing letter from H. G. Davis, the demo
cratic candidate for vice president,
has been made public here:
Elkins. W. Va. Aug. ID. V. John
son. Roanoke. Va: My Dear Mr.. John
son: l am glad TO have your letter
calling my attention to the publica-
tion placing me in an attitude of hos
tility to the laboring class. No one who
knows me personally or is at all ac-
Quainted with the circumstances of my
life will put any credence in the state
ments 10 which you refer. | think I
can well claim that l belong 10 the
laboring class. For many years I
worked in the ranks OF the wage earn
er. and | know what il is TO earn my
living by the sweat of my brow. On
the other hand. have been a large
employer of labor in railroads, coal
mines. lumber mills, etc, and have
never had any serious trouble with
our men. ! can recall but two in
stances in which there were strikes.
and these were of short duration and
peaceably settled. No man has ever
been discharged from my service be-
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-08-20
SOLDIERS KILLED
ON TOP OF A CAR
Three Members of North Carolina
Regiment Meet Death on Way
From Encampment.

Charlotte, y. c., Aug. 2O.-Three
privates of the 1st regiment, y. G. \.
G., were instantly killed while return
ing from camp yesterday, and another
was fatally hurt, all having climbed
on top of a coach of the special train
bearing the troops from MOrehead
City and being struck by the project
ing timbers of a bridge over the rail
road track.
The dead: Private Warren. Private
Johnson and Private Gates, all of Dur
ham.
Fatally hurt: Private McDade, also
of Durham.
The men sat with their backs to
the front of the train and when the
bridge was reached it swept off the
heads of Warren and Johnson and SO
badly hurt Gates that he died soon
afterward McDade's head was badly
crushed. The accident was not dis
covered until the train reached Colds
borO. when the three dead men and
McDade were discovered on top of the
coach.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-08-20

cause he was a union man or been
evicted from company's house for
any reason. | think you will find the
conditions of the railroad men and
the miners in connection with the en-
terprises | have directed will compare
most favorably with those in other To-
calities of the country.
| have always believed, and my
conviction came from the hard school
of experience. that. measured by the
character of the work he has done and
the cost of living. every man is en-
titled to full compensation for his ser
vices
l am charged with having instituted
proceedings which led TO an injunction
against strikers by Judge Jackson. of
this state. The fact is. | had nothing
whatever TO do with the case. and
knew nothing about the matter until
read it in the newspapers. The in
junction did not apply 10 the men in
our employ nor pertain TO them in
any way. On the contrary. l remember
on one occasion one of our superin-
tendents suggested an injunction
against our men. and I declined TO
consider il. H G. DAVIS.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-08-20
SPECIAL TRAINS FOR FAIRBANKS
AND CANNON TO TOUR COUNTRY

Chicago, Aug. 20.-"Uncle Joe" Can
non and Senator Charles w. Fair
banks viii be provided with special
trains during the campaign. Uncle
Joe" Will be supplied with his flyer
by the republican congressional com
mittee while Senator Fairbanks will
be furnished trains by the national
committee.
Senator Fairbanks will open the
Kansas CaI@paign on Sept. l, out it
will not be Necessary to supply him
with d special train for that trip. as
he will not have enough engagements
TO necessitate rapid transportation. He
will go from Kansas to Maine, where
he will speak Sept. 6 and :, and on
his return he will begin his swing
around the circle.
Speaker Cannon will begin his tour
not la-er than Sept. 10. and from that
time until election day there will be
little rest for him. He will have TO
travel, sleep and cat on the special
tram. First he will 20 to Minneapolis
and after couple of speeches III Min
nesota his train will be sent through
Wisconsin.
Secretary of the Treasury Leslie u.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-08-20
FIRES IN FORESTS OF
THE FAR NORTHWEST
Burning Timber Threatens Towns and
Cause Villagers to Prepare for
Flight From Homes.

Vancouver, B. c., Aug. 2O.-Forest
fires are burning in East Kootenay.
At Fernie the coal mines are filled
with smoke. The flames are drawing
closer to Michael and threatening TO
sweep the whole town. Preparations
were made to leave town and all un-
wieldly treasure was buried in holes
in the yards, while buildings were
deluged with water
Wellington, B. c., Aug. 20 The
terminus of the Esquimalt & Northern
railway is in great danger of being
wiped out by fires which surround it.
much property, including the
city school house, has gone.
Portland, Ore, Aug. 20-Fres are
still raging in the great forests of
doing incalculable dam
age. The fire in the neighborhood of
Fourth Plane. not far from Vancouver.
Wash, is still burning fiercely.