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

'>oIA6dL1A6 l1S COI1O1l1Ol u d1ld1IS Ia
San Francisco, where a member Of a
labor union, Eugene E. schmitz, has
recently been reelected Mayor, and
the result appears In an article in Nc
Cures Magazine for February under
the title, "A Corner in Labor: What
Is Happening in San Francisco, Where
Unionism Holds Undisputed Sway"
1t Is we'll to preface any considera-
ton of the article by saying that Mr..
Baker, who is well known in Chicago,
Is as fair and impartial an observer as
any man of his training and sympa-
th1es could possibly be expected to be.
He Is an American Of old descent.
college graduate With a partial train
Ing IN law, and a man whose natural
talents have made success easy for him
IN his chosen field; but he has never
known the enlightening influences Of
want nor the fear of penury and its
m1series, and, with the best intentions
In the world, his leanings are always
toward the distinctly marked class in
american economical society to which
he belongs by birth, breeding, school,
Ing and association-and that Is not the
class to which those who labor with
their hands are admitted.
He leaves the City Of San Francisco
only once in the course of his article,
and that is to discuss the question of
the Los Angeles Times, the property
Of Harrison Gray OTIS who was
political brigadier general in the war
against the Filipinos. and is no earth
~ rela ton to the distinguished Mas
sachusetts Federalist whose name he
bears. Otis is engaged in fighting the
Typographical Union, in the face Of
hn f.,ot ill., H.;
sentative and intelligent organization
has been found beneficial after years
Of practice by every other journal in
the country with two possible excep-
lions. After reciting the means taken
by the union to bring the office Of the
paper up to the standard of it's re-
quirements Mr. Baker says of the
printers organizations: 1T has reques-
ted Mr.. Hearst, owner Of the New
York Jorunal, to establish paper in
Los Angeles to fight the Times, and 1t
has guaranteed 10000 subscribers at
the start. This newspaper was sched-
uled to begin publication in December,
1907 1t may be added that this paper,
the Los Angeles Examiner, Is in the
FULL flood of prosperous operation, hav-
ing been successful from the start.
I'm 1901 San Francisco suffered the
greatest strike and lockout in it's his
tory, writes Mr. Baker, in explana-
ton of the cause which have led up
to the triumph Of organized labor in
that city. "rhey will tell you that the
trouble resulted from certain demands
Of the porters and packers and of the
teamsters; but these disturbances,
though they filled the whole horizon
at the time, were the mere incidental
philippians Of the industrial readjjust-
ment common to every part Of the
country. tremendous wave Of en-
r1chment and prosperity was advance
ing. Money had poured into San Fran
cisco durin gthe Spanish war, trade
with the Orient had quadrupled, dis
coveries Of fuel, oil and the utilization
of the water falls of the Sierra had
cheapened power and stimulated in
dustry AS if by magic, the city be-
gan to build and grow, ever demand
Ing an increasing supply Of labor and
labor, owing to the distance and isola-
ton Of San Francisco from other in
dustrial centers, did not respond read
lily to emergency calls. Given impetus
by these conditions. led by able men,
and having an unusually high class Of
Workingmen, largely pure American,
to deal with, the unions rapidly gained
power and confidence, and as usual in
such cases, began to demand a greater
share in the prevailing prosperity.
And" he continues, lit was a diff
ferent sort of unionism than (sic) that
which existed a few years ago. No one
who has watched the recent progress
Of labor organization can fail to be i'm
pressed with the changing character of
It's management and methods. A union
is no more mere striking mob clam
oring for something to eat. 1t is learn
ing business. 1t has gone to school in
Wall street: and the sooner we rec
ognize the fact that the union is
cold business proposition often man
aged by men not only of intelligence
force, but of notable business acumen,
the better for the country"
OF the fighting on the part Of the
organized Employers Association Mr.
Baker observes that there is a kind Of
fighting that leaves the enemy strong
err; that was the method of the San
Francisco Employers Association. It
was an example of how not to combat
unionism. The police had been injudi-
ciously used, and the stand of the en-
plOyerS had been too sWeepingly
against the very principle of unionism,
50 that when the strike was over the
unions found public sentiment strongly
In their favor"
Mr.. Baker quotes some statistics to
show that with the wages of labor
raised by victory to the highest point
In the United States the cost of living
IS cheaper in San Francisco than in
any other city of the country. But it
Is the question of food only that he
touches upon, and from his article it.
self it is apparent that both clothing
and housing must have had their cost
increased. It is noted that one cloak
manufacturer closed his establishment,
Throwing 200 workers permanently
+ out Of employment" In the political
economies accepted in our universities
it will be remembered that from the
employers point of view such read
justnents were by no means serious
matter and to be taken as a real evil