The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-02-20

VI 1 IlB0RlNG IAN, 3 VlEE On LABOR, ~
~ r **>". CAPITAL and TIE CHURCH ~
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, Unions have grown and multiplied.
iney nave gained advantages for their
members, that were justlyEdue. sAbus-s
es nave been corrected, better wages
got, shorters hours granted, and more
nealt1hul conditions have been. brought
ABOUT upon the world, Isl = Industrial
history OF the last Is, years, particularly
thelr good results are to be seen N the
letters OF light. Labor organizations
nave their origin in that principle Of
self-preservation, the mutual advance
members, ment havlvksnllfre1 taof 40
ment and the common honest good Of
Its members, and as: are as natural
ana as legitimate as the Organisations
OF capital. Through them sweatshops
nave been thrown down and out simply
because they We're undermining the
mental moral and physical power Of
men, women and children. Labor or
ganized Is not only justifiable but even
demanded. Look for a. moment at or
ganized capital, sometimes legitimate,
but In many instances: tyrannical and
interruptions. The Individual laborer
who tries to assert his rights is help
less against it, but let labor collecrr~esS
speak and rights are granted. My ex-
perience within the ranks of labor or
CARNATIONS has taught me that they
are living, immovable protest against
unfair Industrial conditions. They
work through principles which some
times suggest political action and urges
political parties to enact certain laws
for the betterment of the working
classes. Many just laws in the inter-
ests of honest labor have been secured
this way. 1t is becoming a mighty
factor in lifting labor on: to a higher
plane. This great power. which con-
slsts OF organizations within organiza-
tons, are working for one great end:
the oetterment of workers. It is I'M
ION OF workers banded together for
their own natural protection. AS q
result different States and the General
government have established bureaus
OF labor statistics.
AS to the power and ability to bring
Capital to reasonable terms the his
tory of the past can tell. They are
forcing the god Of Mammoth to listen
to their just rights. They are seeking
to arouse the public conscience. As a
result OF strikes, lookouts ETC., various
conflicts between Capital and Labor
have been shown up in their clear light
to pubic view. Capital maintains the
right alone to dictate the3price of their
product, and boycott those who do not
submit to their dictation. Witness the
threats of the Steel Trust to close
down and remove their workshops
where the employees had the dignity
and heart to rebel against their unfair
dealings with them, but do they not by
such methods deny. the fights of labor?
wage earners are sometimes severely
chastised because they Institute a boy
colt against a certain institution which
have operated a sweatshop system
among their workers, but very little is
said against great corporations. who do
as they lke,> and say that it is all the
result Of the arbitrary methods of
trades unionisna. I do not know of any
one case where all ;thlastItf:the.. workers
asked was. but justfceaSSs '*s
I presume that the Anthracite coaol
strike is the biggest stFlkeon record,
What did it reveal to any fairminded
thinker. Take the findings t0f the Com
mission appointed. What issues were
involved? The honest miners of Penn
sylvania asked for the rights granted
to them by the laws of the country
and as We're exercised by their en-
ployers. It was a life and death
struggle with them to get the bare
necessaries Of life. It was the cry of
the miners, the wives and the children,
askin for justice. The struggle was
never startled until every resource
known to mortal man was exhausted
and the. union could do nothing else.
The Operators refused to arbitrate,
mediate or conciliate. A deaf ear was
turned to the pitiable cry of labor.
What alternative is there, I ask, when
Capital refuses to recognize any OF tho
fair rights or honest toll? What is
labor going to do with such dumb
power?
Gentlemen, you can rest assured that
the sovereign will Of labor will never
allow itself to be dictated to by organ
lied wealth. under such conditions. Any
organization or combination, and there
are too. many to mention right here,
which robs the laborer of an equitable
snare of the nations wealth to whom
1t rightly belongs. as result of their
doing their part to bring into existence.
se1f-respecting workingmen will not
submit their God-given rights to any
such thing. Through such gigantic
combinations Of capital for different
purposes such as are among US today.
and their name Is legion, labor feels
and knows that it's interests are in
Jeopardy and is becoming alive to it's
interests. When Capital is satisfied
with reasonable returns Lobar will fol-
low suit. will grant you that some
OF us have made mistakes, that some of
the leaders have been a little indis-
Greet, but that is chargeable to any
organization. Rev. DR.. Rainsford
said concerning the leaders of labor
organizations: II believe that they are.
taking them all in all; just as good as
the leaders in law, finance, and soct-
ety." Generally the leaders are discus
sed and denounced and sometimes
abused, but generally they are very
excellent men. Labor organization are
not so blind as to recognise that if
their interests are to be had and con-
served; leaders sound in judgement,
wise, discreet and with ;ntoori+v ~