Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-12-29
RAPs THE TRUSTS.
Labor Man Slastery Gives It tO the
 Tobacco animation.

Extract of address delivered by Hon E. J. Slattery of South Birmingham, Mass, before the Central Labor union, at l11S Grand street, on the methods of the tobacco trust in their effpuls to drive union-lnade tobacco out of the American market, and also on the pro- gress and value of trades unions.
 In opening Mir SlaSsgry said: Tt is pleasure as well as a duty Tor mo to be here this evening to call to your at tention the vicious methods of some of the criminal financial combinations in their efforts to destroy all compe- tition by driving from the market the independent manufactures who en1- ploys union labor. To prove the truth of my statement I will take the to- bacco trust whose agents have recent ly been convicted i'll Massachusetts for their illegal conduct in restraint of le- gitimate business.
 MT Duke, president of the tobacco trust, said that he will do i'll the to- bacco business what Mir Rockefeller has done in the oil business, and if he succeeds he will then regulate quality and quantity and also fix the prices of all tobacco goods to- the American consumer i'll business amounting to over $500, 100000 annn. ally. They intend to control the to- bacco, cigar and snuff business of the world and destroy the Tobacco Work ers' union by destroying the independ- ent manufacturer who employs union labor.
 "The tobacco trust has no fear of nor respect for law, as was clearly dc monstrated by their methods and the conviction of their agents in Plymouth county, Mass, on October 24. For nine months the tobacco trust has, in ac- tual violation of law, been intimidat- ing, bulldozing and terrorizing jobbers, all over New England against keep ing for sale to retail dealers union made tobacco and thus destroy with one blow the Tobacco Workers union and their competitors, the independent manufacturers.
 "'The tobacco trust magnates are de- termined, If they possibly can, to drive the well known union brand, Central Union,' out Of the market, because the manufacturer, Hugh Campbell, who employs over 400 union men, dares to cry halt to the criminal tobacco trust and bring their agents into court for their illegal conduct in restraint of le- gitimate trade and business. To ac- complish that they have flooded tho market with an almost fac-simile package of Central Union, even go- ing so far as to adopt the name 'Un- ion,' although the product is non union, trust-made. Gentlemen, do not be, fooled or deceived by such meth ods, but in answer to them demand of hm made, union-paid and union-labeled tobacco. It is for union men and ! workingmen in general to say wheth- CT this gigantic criminal tobacco trust shall crush out of existence the inde- pendent manufactures. jobber and trade union i'll the tobacco trade. If the working Teople continue purchas- ing nori-union, tIust-made tobacco the tobacco trust will succeed and their wicked methods will be adopted by ! the criminal trusts in other industries. ! The success and responsibility, of the tobacco trust must be laid at the door Of union and working msn who prefer to purchase non-union, trust-Tnade goods to the union-made product of organized labor. If, on the other hand. the working people will purchase no tobacco but that which bears the un- ion label Central Union,' and the 400 union men who make it will not go out Of business, organized labor will be vindicated and the criminal tobacco trust will be prevented from setting the example and standard for other criminal trusts to follow.
 If the union label is of value on other articles of merchandise it should also be. of value i11 the sale and use of tobacco, and the dealer who will use the label for his selfish benefit on some articles and discard it on tohac- co for the benefit of the criminal to- bacco trust sllould be reported to ev- cry trade and labor organization in their respective communities.
 ''The union label should be consid cred sacred by every union and work ing man because it represents the i'm portant principles that trades unions have contended for since their birth. The progress of trades unions during the past twenty years has been little less than marvellous when their rocky road of travel is taken into considera- ton, and the general value of trades unions to the country at large must be recognized and acknowledged by the principles represented by them and adopted by so many employers of la- bor, viz: Cleanliness in workshops. high standard in wages, proper regula. ton in hours of labor. no child labor in product of organized labor econom- ic equality for men and women-all principles and purposes worthy the support of all working people and those wishing the general betterment of the country at large. If ever there was doubt as to the value of trades, unions the splendid recognition given message to congress should sntisyf to them by President Roosevelt in his the most radical pesslmist on the val ue of trade unions ill the industrial world. firmly believe that President Roosevelt will protect the interests of the American people against the inter