The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1904-07-01

|
ing. The meeting had been we'll ad-
vertised in the local papers, and the
| evening was all that could be desired
from a weather standpoint. Frank A.
Kennedy. organizer of the American
] Federation OF Labor and one OF the
NEST prominent and forceful labor
leaders in the country, was billed to
speak. And yet, despite all of these
| things, less than 100 union men at
| tended the meeting.
1t would seem that union labor in
Lincoln will have to get jolt that
wakes up to the gravity of the situa-
ton confronting it. Last Tuesday
nights meeting should have been SO
big that Red Ribbon hall would not
hold it. Revival of interest in union
AFFAIRS was the keynote OF the
meeting, but the small attendance
prompted a gentleman present to re-
mark:
Its not revival we need What
we need is resurrection
danger. 1t is facing a well organized,
well disciplined and well financed en-
envy. and vet organized labor in Lin
coin will not muster up enough energy
to come out to meeting and learn
the enemy's methods of warfare. Ii
this state OF affairs does not change
soon. organized labor in Lincoln is go
ing to find itself suddenly up against
all enemy without having any sinews
of war. without having any plan of
campaign. and without having CO.
hesivcness enough to withstand the
final assault. What the result will be
OF those conditions does not require
the services OF a prophet to set forth.
Despite the discouragingly small at
tendance the meeting was a success
Mr.. Kennedy urged more interest in
thorough unionism and reiterated his
former declaration that the first and
most important work in the local field
was to put The Wageworker into the
hands OF every union man in Lincoln.
Mr.. Maupin announced that the car
penters had just subscribed in u body.
numbering 1913, and that the BARRIERS
had also come to the front in body,
fifty strong. This announcement was
greeted by hearty applause. Manager
Bach OF The Wageworker. President
Kelsey of the Central Labor Union,
and E. f. Glassman of the HodcarrieIs'
Union, made short talks
The feeling of the Lincoln unions
has reached high pitch over the boy
cotting of the Rocky Mountain News
and Denver Times by the business
men. 1t took the form of resolutions,
introduced and passed at the meeting
Tuesday night. More than lip rec
ognition" will be given when the time
comes, says the document.
Speeches were made by many mem
bers. some reviewing conditions in
Colorado. others urging greater unity
among the unions in Lincoln. At the
previous meeting committee was
named to draw resolutions denouncing
the carnage in Colorado and condemn
ing the military despotism, which de-
ported miners into the alkali deserts.
These resolutions were read and
adopted.
From the publicity given in labor
papers to the Parry movement"
among employers, a number of the
members spoke on the situation in
Lincoln. present and possible. 1t was
the view of some that Lincoln business
men are already organized in a meas
ure. ready to pounce upon the unions
one by one trouble should arise and
wipe them from earth. The master
plumbers were cited. The restaurant
owners who defeated the cooks and
walters in their strike year ago were
mentioned. This was taken to be at
least a mutual understanding that
would bode ill for future strikes in
Lincoln.
1T is coming, whether it is here now
or not" said a member. who predicted
that it would show it's force after the
election.
One member ventured to discuss the
recent resignation of the secretary of
the Commercial club. He suggested it
as probable that, if the inside facts
were known, it was not exactly a res
ignation. He intimated that there
was some eruption chargeable to the
plumbers strike.
Mention was made of the garnishee
law which the retail grocers' associa-
ton sought to have enactedsat the last
session of the Legislature. The same
thing was presented in other legisla-
lures of the country. In most places it
was defeated through the timely inter-
position of union men. Questions at
uncomfortable times during the con-
sideration of the bills in the various
states developed the fact that they
originated in national organization
and were framed in New York
Union men were urged to be kindly
,v,f 1,os, he, IL