The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-07-28

ing trades council submitted new
scale of wages to the packers, which
with numerous other changes OF a
minor nature, provided uniform
scale OF 20 cents per hour for COM
mon labor.
The packers came back with a
counter proposition reducing this class
of labor to 171a cents per hour and
this brought on a strike which prom
ises to be one of the greatest strug-
giles in the history of the country.
The man who is at all familiar with
the conditions in the packing centers
will cOncede at once that ~ cents
per hour steady time is as low wages
as any man can work for and live in
comfort; but when we realize that
wage scale of 20 cents per hour does
not mean $1,000 per week. but on
broken time very frequently means
only half of that amount; and that
the wages earned by this class amount
to $350.OO to $4,000 per year, we can
realize something OF the justice OF
their demands, and the inhuman greed
of the great corporations which are
endeavoring to reduce the price OF
labor to the bare living point, while
at the same time holding up the con-
sumner by raising the price of all their
products.
In this struggle the loss will fall on
the laboring men who are thrown out
of employment and the consumers all
over the country who are compelled
to purchase the products of the pack
ing houses, while the packers will
suffer a small loss owing to the in
convenience Of operating their plants
on reduced scale, and the expense OF
maintaining lot of penitentiary birds
in their plants.
They have millions OF pounds of
meat, lard and other products stored
in their plants which will be sold at
an increased price and thereby they
will be able to make more than they
lose. What the outcome will be is
prOblematical. 1t is the general opin-
ion that the packers are not SO much
concerned about the raise of ! cent
per hour as they are about the princi-
pal of unionism, and that in line with
the policy of the business mems ALI
ance they have started in with the
purpose of breaking the unions, and
it seems to me that in this struggle
every man who is not blinded by the
worship of mammOn should sympa-
thize with and assist in every way
possible the laboring men who are
fighting against great odds for liv-
ing.
Turning from this subject l would
like to say a few words in reference
to politics. can not agree alto
gether with the position taken by Mr..
Tibbles in reference to the situation
in this state. Certainly believing in
the principles which l do, could
not support a man whose political
sponsors are Dave Hill, Aug. Belmont
and BOurke Cochran, unless 1T were
as a choice between him and ROose-
welt, and as there is no necessity of
such choice in this campaign | shall
vote for the populist electors.
But there are other things to be
taken into consideration. | believe
the country is rapidly approaching a
crisis where it will require veritable
Moses to lead the people from the
false doctrines of the past into the
promised land of human liberty and
justice. believe that the coming
four years will see the elimination of
that crisis and that the man of the
hour is here in Nebraska.
For that reason it seems 20 me that
all OF the reform elements of this
state particularly should combine
forces to advance the interests of
Americas greatest citizen, w. ]. Bry-
an, remembering that the struggle be-
tween piutocracy and the common peo-
pie is not for year but for life and
that 1t will require a leader who has
the confidence not only OF that grand
army OF men who voted the populist
ticket, but OF the millions OF demo-
Gratis and republicans who are having
their eyes opened more and more every
day to the forces when control abso-
lutely the machinery OF the republic