Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-01-16

shin I'm the cigar-makcrs' union, ana
showed me his union book, win the
STAMPS Of his dues paid, 10 date. lie
has been a member OF that union for SO
Years. and pays his regular dues Of 20
cents a week TO keep up his member
ship
THE EVOLUTION or A UNlONlST.
when did you FIRST become interest
ed in the labor movement | asked.
When | WAS n years old was ne
reply. MY father had been a member
OF the union. and at that age ! Joined.
| have been a union man eve. sine.
Have you ever been In n strikc
Many times. Sometimes when / ap-
proved OF the strike and agan Un5n /
did not. Some Of the strikes were hard
ones. and have actually suffered from
hunger during such lines. hut never
regretted them. When | went On a
strike | considered the shop 600 y.ua-
ed, as far as was concerned, until that
strike was settled. and for that reason
/ ala not want TO strike without due
cause
STRIKES AND THE WORKINGMAN.
do you think strikes pay the work
lngman.
"They most certainly do, although
they should be avoided II possible. Silll
| hope the time viii never come when
we shall so lose our manhood as 10 re-
fuse 70 strike. Strikes are an element
OF civilization. In barbaruus times and
barbarous countries the people do not
strike. There are no strikes In China.
The wages there are 10 cents day and
the workmen live in mud huts and feed
upon rice and an occasional rodent
When has the laboring man the
right to striker"
He has the right 10 do so at any
time and for any reason or for no rea-
son ut all. Strikes are an :. idence Of
liberty and freedom, and we laboring
men claim the right 10 strike AZ any
time. am not discussing the policy.
We have the right"
What is the present outlook as 10
labor, Mr. Gompcrs? Times have been
good. There have been many strikes
and wages have gone up. II is now
said that times are becoming bad, will
they not go DOWN."
AS to the times" said the president
OI tue hIHfIlCdll NY IllNl-
nation shows me that there Is a change
for the worse, We have a number OF
unions, which pay benefits TO their un-
employed and therefore keep track Of
those out Of work. These unions em-
brace different branches Of trade In
many parts OF the country and their
reports form an excellent barometer "
industrial conditions. From them I can
see clouds In the industrial sky, and !
look for a period of depression during
the next few years. II win not be az
bad as In 1857. IN 1873 or in 1894 but II
will be felt more or less all over the
country
WORKMEN ADVISED TO RESIST
REDUCTIONS.
Nov as to the second part of your
question" MIR. Gompers went on, u
don think wages ought to be reduced
In consequence and | have advised our
unions TO resist all attempts at such
reductions. | advise them to strike
against any cut M wages and I think
the employers should see that such
cuts win increase the bad times rather
than lessen them.
iiNoV'llAN u'Ufluo Nlpll tue llldl
kets' continued MIR, GOmpers, "and
thew DEPEND upon tho consuming power
Of the people. If you cut wages you
lessen the consuming power. The men
will have less TO spend, The factories
must make stu less, resulting In more
DISCHARGES and more cuts and making
the times worse than ever. ! believe
II Is better to strike in such cases even
if we are defeated Every strike in
time OF decreased prosperity prevents
further attempts to reduce wages. II
we do not object to reductions they will
be- followed by further reductions. 1t Is
only by fighting that We can hope TO