Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-07


not and could not take contracts at un-
profitable figures, and Il thus the awful
downward tendency of so-called falling
markets would be checked. We are all
favorable to cheapening the cost of pro-
1duction, but we contend that it should be
accomplished by improved methods of
manufacture. by better machinery and the
application of new tools, and not by the
downward course of lowering the condi-
ton of the workingman."
Improved Condition of Labor.
HAS there been much Improvement in the
moral and material condition of the work
ing classes of America during the last five
years." r4
ut has been Unreasonable in regularity
of employment. in higher wages, In a
shorter working day, In greater leisure.
better education, more pictures more books.
more music, better clothing, better food
better furniture, less intemperance and the
increased use Of all the things that 90 to
make people better and life more worth
living. The morale of the man and the
morale of the family have been elevated
and this has been followed by the deyeI-
opment of better and higher attributes of
the human character"
DO workingmen employ their leisure
profitably?'
Very much more so than formerly In
my experience, of course, I come in con-
Them more temperate in all things, par
ticularly in the use of intoxicants, The
number of total abstainers Is becoming
larger every day. There was a time when
men went to bar rooms and beer saloons to
look for work. Employment bureaus were
established in such, places, and those who
spent the most time there had the best
chances for getting jobs. The unions have
abolished the saloon as an employment bu-
reau. Formerly it was customary for
employers to pay their hands in rumshops;
the unions have abolished that not only for
union workmen but for all. Formerly
some labor associations were accustomed
to hold their meetings in rooms over or
adjoining saloons, the proprietors being
glad to give them the use of meeting rooms
with no rent for the sake of the trade
they brought. But of late years this has
been stopped. Labor unions, as a rule
hold their meetings in places where liquor
Is not sold. In my report 10 the last con-
vention of the federation T. took occasion
to speak of this and TO suggest that work
men should be allowed to use public school
buildings for their evening greetings: Per-
haps you noticed inv the newspapers the
other day that the United Mine Workers
convention at indianapolis dsbarred saloon
keepers and bartenders freu membership.
This action is of great Significance. because
1t is customary in mining regions for many
Workmen to invest their: savings in liquor
shops. The wives and daughters tend them
during the day, and the mi,.er goes behind
the bar in the evening after work. This
has been degrading to- the Cwomen as well
as to the men. and has lowered the morale
of the miners organization. Hence, by
an almost unanimous vote of, the national
convention that busiuessi has got to stop,
and no man who owns an. interest In a
saloon or sells liquopsfo for. himself Or others
can any longer be al nernher of that Or
ganlZation. q. s-s~~. LET " Il il fl.4zsti
Shorter Hours Tend toeTemperance.
THE increase in wages and the shorten
IL,
pers, "have indirectly had a powerful in
fuenee In, promoting temperance among
worlsingmen, because they have been able
to obtain better 'nourishrnent, and do not
come away so tired from their toll. which
has largely taken away the temptation for
artificial stfmulant-for liquor drinking.
Formerly when man left the shop or the
mine tired out he craved a drink to brace
him UP; then he wanted another, and still
another, and you know what that means,
A saloon is always opposed to savings
bank"
What effect have free Libraries had upon
the working claSses?''
They have a very beneficial effect" said
Mr.. Gompers. Sixty per cent of the
patrons of free libraries are the working
classes instead of the idle classes"
Have the relations between the en-
ployer and employe improved during the
last year?'
YES, there is a better feeling. Large
numbers of employers have gained better
understanding of the trades union move
ment and what 1t aims to acco mplish. OF
course, there have been disputes and misun-
derstandings and lockouts, but on the whole
they have not been so serious as in previous
years. The average employer and the gen
eral public are getting better knowledge
of the purposes and the results Of organized
labor, and are beginning to understand thar
workmen not only have the right to organ
txo h,,t irrcft cd Sr, orDa
Civic Federation has been quite helpful to
the labor movement, because it has brought
together a large number of representative
workmen and representative employers.
They have become acquainted with eacn
other; they have discovered that neither is
as black as he has been painted They
have begun to respect each others motiVes
and understand each others positions,
which has increased the mutual desire Tor
peace and the mutual endeavor to avoid
conflict and to promote better relations.
Employers Furnish Material.
Some of our opponents" said Mr.. Comp
ers, in conclusion, complain that we have
dishonest, insincere, unruly and unreal
sonable elements in our organization 1
regret to say that this may be the case,
but have found the same elements In
every organization, in every other instl-
tuition in society, and even in the church.
II tnere Is a Dad man mere anu tHeie Ho
will come to the front or be detected In
the labor movement. just as in politics,
business and religion. But beg to sug-
gest that If these unruly. and unreason-
able elements are good enough FOR cor
porations and employers generally to
bring over to this country and employ
for their own profit they are good enough
for us to organize, and to help to improve
their condition. We have not been per-
mitted to choose the material of which our
organization is comprised The employers
furnish the material,,an we organize it
as best we can for the purpose of improv-
ing it. The Lord only. Knows what the
condition of the working, people of this
country would be il there was not some
method Of preventing and checking greed
with its unlimited powAr,K
Il beg tos.suggests shat the millennium
has not yet come. The bar association,
the bankers association. the religious So
cieties and other organizations of good
and true men often. sun eN7f from the acts
OF unworthy Associates Bit venture to
say that there is qarsef number Of un-
selfish men working in the labor move
ment than tnsthe pGlfticabpafties, or the
church, or any otf6s profession in the
country. 1 am sure OF II"
Useful Clinical Subject.
From the New York Medical Journal.
In the death of Magdalena Gallv the stu
dents of the Viennese hospitals have lost a