The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-02-25
Carpenters UNION
BANQUETS MEMBERS
Big Union Has Elaborate
Spread for Carpenters
and Their Ladies.
w. E. McEwen is the Speaker
and Discusses "Unionism
and Citizenship.

The Carpenters union dressed up
Tuesday evening" Tables were set and |
the members and their ladies gathered
around festive board and spent the |
evening in real beneficial pleasure
There was speaking, music and good
things to eat. After this there was
dancing until the wee sma' hours"
and the Carpenters union footed the |
bills. The elaborate affair was pre-
pared by committee consisting of !
Josiah Wiles, George McNabb, John |
Roberts, George Davis, and possibly |
one or two others whose names we did |
not get.
The principal speech Of the evening
was delivered by w. E. McEwen, Sec
retary-treasurer Of the Minnesota
State Federation of Labor. His theme
was Unionism and citizenship" He
paid tribute to the Carpenters union |
for its evident progress, unity and fel-
loWship. He referred to the early days
In industry when the crude tools of
production were used, and then led up |
to the present day, showing the trend
OF organization with both capital and |
labor. He reviewed the question of
trusts and distinguished between the |
KIND whose existence is due to natural
economic development and the other
kind that owes its birth to railroad
discrimination in freight rates.
The value Of unionism to the home
was also dwelt upon by the speaker.
He held that it was through the influ-
ence of trade unionism that labor was
enabled to properly provide a respecta-
twentieth lii
home. If it were not for organization
the American workingmen would be
working under the keenest competitive
conditions, and their wages would be
low and insufficient to keep with re-
spectability an American working
mans family. Through trade unionism
the union man has kept pace with the
increasing demands of society for ~et-
ter things, and the non-union man has
marched behind him, getting the bene-
hts OF all that union labor achieves.
AS citizen, Mr.. McEwen contended |
that it was the laborer's duty to give
the question of government closer
study. AS industry became complicat-
ed through development and organiza-
ton, so our Government is undergo
ing the same change. There was more
necessity for political thought and &C.
ton to- day than at any time in the |
history of our country. Organized la
Dor is advocating the Peoples Sover- !
eighty, by the adoption Of the Initia-
tive and Referendum. Each year, and
particularly in municipalities, matters
are being referred to the people for
ratification or rejection. In our own
CITY just three weeks ago three pro-
posed amendments to the city charter |
were before the people, and fully one
third of the voters failed to vote upon
them. This indicated either an igno-
rance or an apathy that gives cause !
for alarm to those who advocate more
democracy and a greater peoples gov
eminent. 1t was the workingman's |
duty to become a political as we'll as !
an economic student, and the@speaker /
strongly advocated that the extra |
houre OF leisure gained by trade I'M
ionism be devoted to the reading of |
good books and the study of those |
things that will help him as citizen.