The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-04-08


generation ago was a struggling viii
lage Of thousand or fifteen hundred,
inhabitants may now exist city of
10000 inhabitants, composed principal
ly of those dependent for employment
on the factories and workshops that
have grown up with the city, or, rather.
have caused the city to grow, the
products Of which may reach the fur
thermost ends of the earth. Such
city was Caruthers, in one Of the mid
die western states. Fourteen years be-
fore this story opens Caruthers had
population of less than 1000. Now it
has $4,000, a mayor and city council,
street railways, and electric lights and
poWer-all that goes to make up a
bustling Industrial city.
John Strong had gone to Caruthers
when it was village, with little more
capital than his two hands and his
skill as machinist, from an eastern
city, where he had, while still young,
grown tired of working for a wage
that scarcely more than provided him
the strength from day to day to coll
tinue at work From his little begin
ming in Caruthers had grown a great
! manufacturing establishment, which
helped the city to grow as the city
helped it to grow, and his workmen
now numbered almost hundred.
There had been few, if any, labor
! organizatio in Caruthers, and, as a
necessary attendant, wages were low
as compared with the great cities,
though, Of course, the cost of living
| was less. But with the growth Of the
! city the latter advanced, as is usual.
| and wages, too, had slowly advanced
! slower than living expenses, as is also
/ usual.
Finally the organizer appeared, and
it was but a little time until COM
! mittee waited on Mr.. Strong, as presi-
dent of the Caruthers Manufacturing
| Company, and he was informed that
his workmen had enrolled themselves
as members Of union"
II am very glad to hear it, gentle
men," said Mr.. Strong, smilingly. II
was union man from the day when, l
completed my apprenticeship until I
| established this business, and I am a
firm believer in trade unionism.'
"Then," said the spokesman Of the
committee, II am sure we will be able
to get along amicably.'
II have no doubt of it," said Mr..
Strong, respectfully if you prove your
selves true union men in all that the
term means. There has been great
progress in trade unionism in the last
few years."
VERY great, indeed, SIR said the
spokesman.
YES" said Mr. Strong, land I have
tried to keep abreast of the movement
! by reading trade union literature. 1t
may surprise you to know that am a
subscriber for a number of labor pub
lications."
well, that is rather unusual for en-
ployers, I am afraid" said the commit
tee chairman. 1T is gratifying to
! meet so liberal minded an employer
las we find you, Mr.. Strong We do not
contemplate any violent changes in the
wage scale now, nor perhaps soon, and
we do not anticipate any great oppo-
sition from you If we shall claim a
reasonable increase"
IT hope you will always find me
reasonable" said Mr.. Strong, land If
! your members prove union men to the
core-for I hold that the employer has
as much to gain from unionism as the
employed, that each owes duty to the
other-I am sure our relations will al
ways be pleasant. Perhaps I may 60
| further than you do in my belief in
unionism and all that it entails, and
may have some criticisms to offer lat
| err"
| Within a few weeks the union pre-
| scented a scale of prices to the president
of the company, making some slight
advances in wages, which he signed
! after inspecting it carefully.
! "Gentlemen," he said to the commit
tee, II have signed your scale cheer
fully, for it is quite reasonable; but ]
do it with the reservation that I find
the members are not true to the prin-
ciples of unionism, as to which I will
conduct an investigation, am free tc
withdraw from it,
1--WE are willing to abide by that
SIR said the president of the union
who was chairman of the committee
IF at any time you find that we are
not keeping to the true principles Of
unionism, we will be glad to have vol
point it out to us and to rectify ou1
error or absolve you from your agree.
ment."
Within six months the organizers haG
formed unions in all the principal oc
equations, and although all proprietor.
had not proved as tractable and reason.
able as Mr.. Strong, and there had beer
a few strikes and lockouts, at the enc
of the time the town was pretty thor.
oughly organized into unions. Every.
thing had gone along peacefully an6
quietly in the Caruthers Manufactur.
ing Company's great establishment
Every member of the mechanical force
was in the union A few-there are
always some black sheep-had demur'
red to joining, but were at once giver
to understand that they had no sym
pathy from the company in their re.
sistance and they speedily surrender.
ed.
1t was with some surprise that the
president of the union received mes
sage from Mr.. Strong that he would