The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-08-25


THERE'S NO SAFETY FOR THE LA
BORING MAN"
disability of closer organization.
That's already proved | think, but
since I'm on my feet l want to say a
word or two on what's happened here
tonight. One of us has been dis
charged, and another says it amt our
business. Let's see about that. 1t amt
! our business to care for anybody but
| ourselves? The man who says that
will live to eat his words, if he don't
starve before he gets round to EN-. ]
tell you each worling-man's business
IS every other workingman' business.
{ tell you there's not one of you can be
knocked down without hurting the 9TH
ers. What can any one of you do
alone? Can you get wages raised, or
] hours shortened, or work lightened, or
hangers lessened? Working-men act
done 'em for each other and with
each other, when nothing could have
been done by individuals, and yet
we're told tonight that the boss pays
the wages and he has the right TO say
who he'll pay 'em to. l deny it!
deny IT,"
A ripple CT applause greeted this de-
dant note, and the orator continued
more fercely-
Just as soon as you stand by and
see this man, or any man, turned down
because he's union member or favors
union men, then l say you've begun to
forge the first fetter for yourselves,
and before you know it, they'll click
upon your feet!"
McMannis, who had been punctuat-
ing his remarks with swinging right
arm and closed hand, brought his
clenched fist down on the table with
a crash which evoked a genuine burst
of applause from his hearers.
There's no safety for the laboring
man." he continued as the plaudits
broke forth, and then waited with up
lifted arm for them to subside. Il
say, there's no safety for the laboring
man outside his own ranks! Dissolve
the unions tom orrow and what do yon
think would be the rate of wages? d
you suppose Mr.. Kennard would make
no change? He'd have to do it or be
undersold by all his competitors. and
be ruined inside year. There's no
man in the world to-day that's good
enough, or strong enough, or rich
enough to protect the laboring mani"
A volley of applause drowned the
crash of McMannis' fist.
81 tell you the unions have made the
working-men of this country what
they are to-day" he continued, land
they're the only power that can keep
him where he is. The man who suf-
fers another to be discharged because
he favors them"
"Oi how me doubts interrupted Pat
Mullin, eff Romans has the rights av
the story at all. Shure, if t was me
wuz the boss, he'd been hunted long
ago."
81 move a committee be appointed to
wait on Kennard and ask him to ex-
plain Ben Romans discharge, and re-
port accordin." spoke up "Pupsey"
Knox, with the glibness of recitation,
and the consciousness of newly discov-
cred power.
Second the motion!" ripped out |
another of the younger element
The motion was quickly put by Mr.. |
McMannis, and if it was not carried |
by reclamation the protesting voices |
we're too feeble to reach the temporary |
chairman.
shouted McMann1s, making himself |
heard above the din and restoring !
Iuiet, ''Mr. Mullin having declined, the
chair appoints Mr.. Kerrigan and"
"The hell you do! Not on your life!"
broke in Kerrigan.
"Mr. Kerrigan and Pupsey knox,"
continued McMannis.
mo, you DON'T contradicted that
gentleman. I'm not gettin' myself
chased for any Ben Homans."
He's scared"
you're liar!"
'Ye're all a domned silly pack av
ools!" beloved Mullin, as he elbowed
himself out of the hall.
McMannis looked about the room
With shrug of his shoulders, and
gesture which was at once an admis-
sion of the helplessness of the situa-
ion, and an invitation for sugges-
ions. They came after a somewhat
loisy interval
Il guess none of us wants to get too
observed an individual
Gaming against the wall, "and | guess
1omans don't want nobody chased for
nquiTin' after him. So | move that
he chairman, bein' an impartial party
n havin' nothing to lose, act for lis as
his committee"
Second the notion" sang out half
dozen voices from different parts of
he room.
"If anybody wants to debate this
notion" announced McMannis, Il sur
ender the chair
But no one apparently cared to de-
ate It and Peter McMannis was on |