Montana news. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-191?, 1905-09-06
A Review Of
Labor f Faking

Our attention is again diverted to
some of the practices of pure and
simple unionism, on taking a side
glance at the delegates in attend
ance at the late Montana Fedora
ton of Labor convention, held at
Great Falls.
Upon taking a line up of the same
we find considerable of a sameness
as in the names of the delegates in
( attendance there, who were repre-
sentatives at Hamilton last Fall. 1t
appears to US as though some of these
aforesaid delegates have assumed
the role of permanent fixtures in the
labor movement in Montana. 1t
does not appear that the various
unions of the state have required of
their representatives, that they be
actual workers in the particular
craft which they are supposed to re-
present. The new Industrial Work
ers of the World have improved up
on this to the extent of refusing mem
bership in their union those who are
not actual workers.
In scanning the delegates, we find
the omnipresent name of ]. A. Fer
guson, Miner" who it cannot be
denied has made a decided success
of trade unionism in Montana in
divers ways. In so far as we are
cognizant of Mr.. Ferguson's ante
cedents, we know him in the role of
a cigar maker, thence democratic
politician, and what experience that
gentleman has in the business of
mining, outside of driving shaft"
into a fat political job, we are in
clined to think, can be simmered
down to looking through the front
window of a hardware store at a
pick and shovel. Mr.. Ferguson, as
we understand it, is a Socialist"
but is going to sneak in" Socialism
via the democratic party, as an i'm
mediate demander." He is now
and has been for several years hold
ing down the position of labor COM
missioner under Governor Toole,
the undisputed champion of the
workingman.
Likewise appears the name of ].
, H. Calderhead, engineer" So!
, Ho. Engineer With keen per-
, ception of the intricacies of locom-
otsDn, and with hand valiantly on
the throttle, with right of track, 4"
he arrives on time" and with neat
ness and dispatch houses his engine
, in the round house at Capitsl Hill.
Brother Calderhead, being of excep-
; tional ability, and equipped with
1 more than one trade, last year APP
9 pears before this body as a butch
I er." Butcher indeed! Imagine, now
, only imagine ]. III. Calderhead, in
p the employ of the Union Meat Mar,
| ket of Helena, stripped to the pelt
with knife in hand. angerily looking
for more steers to slaughterl Shades
of Comrade Upton Sinclair and his
Jungle" in which he so vividly de.
picts the expertness of the pig stick,
ers in the employ of the Chicago
stock yards!
Conspicuous by his absence al
i this years convention. was the ubiq.
uitous w. w. Welch, electrical
worker" at the Hamilton gathering,
> former school teacher. recipient OF
short but fruitful experience in the
Electrical Workers union, he lands
ar the summit as past master in the
art of professional unionism, and
incidentally in the state house a:
superintendent of public instruction,
j due to his answering loyalty to the
4, union of wire (politicaD pullers, and
= his undying interest to the workieg
= class.
J.J. Ryan, Mill and Smelterman'
y with a vengeance. Result; Fat
: job in state treasurers Office.
OF the lesser lights, we scan the
= name of w. w. Hills, walking