Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1905-02-02

permanent condition of peace, pros
perity and steady employment to the
people of Battle Creek.
Second-To energetically assist in
maintaining law and order at all times
and under all conditions.
Third-To protect its members in
their rights to manage their property
and to dispose of their labor in a legal,
lawful manner without restraint or in
reference.
Fourth-To insure and permanently
maintain fair. just treatment, one with
another in all the relations of life.
Fifth-To preserve the existing
right of any capable person to obtain
employment and sell his labor, without
being obliged to join any particular
church, secret society, labor union or
any other organization, and to support
all such persons in their efforts to re-
sist compulsory methods on the part
of any organized body whatsoever.
Sixth-To promote among employ
ers spirit of fairness, friendship and
desire for the best interests of their
employees, and to promote among work
men the spirit of industry, thrift. faith
fulness to their employers and good
citizenship.
Seventh-To SO amalgamate the
public sentiment of all of the best
citizens of Battle Creek, that guar
antee can be given to the world OF a
continuance of peaceful conditions,
and that under such guarantee and
protection manufacturers and capital
lists can be induced to locate their bust
ness enterprises in Battle Creek.
Then follows articles relating to
membership, officers, duties, ETC., etc,
ETC.
This constitution has been signed
by the great majority of representa-
tive citizens, including our workpeo-
pie.
A number of manufacturers from
other cities, where they have been
suffering all sorts of indignities, in
convenience and losses from the gen
eral hell of labor union strikes, pick
citing, assaults and other interior
ence, proposed to move, providing
they could be guaranteed protection.
The subject grew in Importance I'M
til it has reached a place where abso-
lutte protection can be guaranteed by
the citizens of Battle Creek on the
following broad and evenly balanced
terms which guarantees to the work
man and to the manufacturer fair
ness, justice, steady work and regular
ity of output.
The newcoming manufacturer
agrees to maintain the standard rate
of wage paid elsewhere for like serv-
ice, under similar conditions, the rate
to be determined from time to time
from well authenticated reports from
competing cities. The tabulated wage
reports issued by the Government
Department of Commerce and Labor
can also be used to show the standard
rate, and it is expected later Oh that
this government bureau will furnish
weekly reports of the labor market
from different centers, SO that the
workman when he is ready to sell his
labor and the employer when he is
ready to buy, may each have reliable
information as to the market or ruling
price.
The newcoming manufacturer also
agrees to maintain the sanitary and
hygienic conditions provided for by
the state laws and to refrain from any
lockouts to reduce wages below the
standard, reserving to himself the
right to discharge any employee for
cause.
The Citizens Association on its part
agrees to furnish, in such numbers as
it is possible to obtain, irst-class
workmen who will contract to sell
their labor at the standard price for
such period as may be fixed upon,
agreeing not to strike, picket, assault
other workmen, destroy property, or
do any of the criminal acts common
to labor unionism. Each workman re-
serving to himself the right to quit
work for cause, and the Citizens As
sociation further pledges its mem
bers to use its associated power to
enforce the contracts between en-
ployer and employe. and to act en-
masse to uphold the law at all times.
The new industries locating in Bat
tie Creek will not start under any sort
of labor union domination whatso-
ever, but will make individual con-
tracts with each employe, those con-
tracts being fair and equitable and
guaranteed on both sides.
Thus from the abuses of labor
unions and their insane efforts to ruin
everyone who does not ''obey" has
evolved this plan which replaces the
old conditions of injustice, lockouts,
strikes, violence, loss of money and
property, and general industrial war
fare, and inaugurates an era of perfect
balance and fairness between en-
ployer and employe. steady continu-
ance of industry and consequent pros
perity. The entire community pledged
by public sentiment and private act TO
restore to each man his ancient right
to peace, freedom and the pursuit of
happiness"
Other cities will be driven to protect
their workpeopis, merchants and citi-
zens as well as their industries from
the blight Of strikes, violence and the
losses brought on by labor upiouism