The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1904-11-03


and war complications, be safe basis
on which to build our hope for the
future?
The one great question that should
be interesting to the American citizens
as nation is this: What are we going
to do for our boysp The question of
providing the proper training and op-
portunities for the millions of Ameri-
can boys who are now growing to man.
hood, and on whose shoulders will rest
the responsibilities of American citi-
zenship IN the next generation, is
very important question. The most
amazing thing regarding what our ma
tion will be forced to solve in the near
future, is the fact that our thinking
men are paying very little attention at
present to any of these questions.
Political leaders are giving it little or
no consideration. The politician has
his hands full with party politics, or at
least he so manages that his time is
fully occupied. He thinks that the
digging of canal, the enlarging of the
navy, or the lodging of the great labor
issues, all that one man can do and do
it right.
If political leaders would spend less
time in striving to be friends with both
factions of the trust question and
would study out a national policy and
put it into successful operation where
by it would open door of opportunity
so wide that the American boy by birth
as we'll as the American boy by natural
ization can pass through, when he can,
if he so desires, anchor to rock of in
dependence so strong that the CONNER
cial and social storms cannot tear it
from its foundation, then they would
engrave their names on the tablets of
our history as the greatest benefactors
who have aided in building the founda
; tions of the nation.
If any national policy is ever put up
; on sound foundation, to cope with
the great surplus labor in the future,
it will have to come from those who
! make it study and are able to interest
, the political representatives as we'll as
the masses.
Union labor today is shutting the
: door of opportunity in the face of the
American boy and is paying little or no
heed as to whether the boy becomes an
honorable citizen, earning his livelihood
I by honest toll, or whether he is driven
to destruction by the lack of employ
!. ment. Labor is organizing today in all
branches with the purpose of limiting
the numbers who shall be employed in
wage, and shortening the hours of toll.
There is no question but that the
unions are dealing inhuman cruelty to
the man who has not joined a union or
who does not care to join one or who
has been refused admittance to one.
: Are not the unions depressing the
J. mind that contemplates the problem
v from the standpoint that he is livingin
4 a free country and has equal rights and
>. should have equal opportunities? !?
/. Unionism is creating condition of
II affairs it cannot control, that will in
s time destroy the ultimate object of all
d it's purposes and plans. The closed
f shop cannot last.
d When one takes into consideration
the tremendous volume of immigration,
e as well as the natural increase Of our
q own people, and couple with this the
= labor-saving devices which are decreas
l. ing the proportion ofnumbers employed
to the aggregate production, you will
lr then see that there is growing class
who must work in order to live and
e who in time will break down the high
l. est barrier which labor organization
can build to keep them from getting
n work; and unless opportunities to work
le of supply and demand will destroy any
D. artificial safeguards created by any
lg plan or principle of organized labor
which does not take broad and liberal
le views of national conditions and en-
to deavor to provide opportunities for the
ss employment of every man who wants
Of to work, whether he believes in organi-
lg zation or not. hequestion that should
le confront every American is this:
a What can and what must be done to
a. relieve the great mass of surplus labor
iff C. L. G.