The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-06-12

now exists among them with respect to labor
organizations on account Of the misrepresenta--
tions Of an antagonistic and unfair press; and
our efforts should be to promote better mutual
feeling, to give the farmers better insight
into our aims and to educate them along the line
Of buying goods that bear the union label. while
we seek more information about the farmer and
his needs and thus aid each other greatly in
securing better conditions, and Joining forces
in securing legislation for mutual benefit;
and, = e 49,. s.E' l. - f.f.EE#&. e. i II
whereas, The farmers, like ourselves, are to
large degree at the mercy Of combinations Of
capital, and that a political alliance to secure
favorable legislation Is only natural, but that
t II is necessary, and organized woykingmen and !
farmers urged to stand together on PROPOSE
tons OF favorable legislation and vote for and
| support only those men who are favorable to
law, regardless of any and all party affiliations,
| voting for men and measures and not for poll
| tics and pothouse politicians; therefore. be it
| Resolved That the president or proper officers
Of this federation be instructed to visit the
annual meetings Of all farmers Institutes and
farmers cooperative societies and unions with
this end in view, and ascertain II members Of
organized labor and the farmers cannot unite in
seeking non-partizan political ends; and
| Resolved, That such farmers organizations be
invited to seat fraternal delegates in this body.
and that the matter Of their full utilization
be taken up and discussed by the delegates Of
this federation. ''s'. pr. Fs %S
williams Address Pleased.
| Much interest was manifested In the
paper of Labor Commissioner Williams,
which was we'll received, and is in part
as follows: ~
Standing the corner in an Intoxicated
condition and talking unionism does not help
| organized labor. = -. ~a: " ~ eE5tz-5z>#
Fighting among ourselves and always trying
to find some excuse for knocking our officers and
! committees does not show confidence or help to
make uniOnism q success.
have mentioned some reasons which think
Ill.,.
labor unions in this country, and there are many
others. On the other hand there are many good
reasons why we should progress; 1t ~ a common
cause for all Of MS. and vet, what are we doing
! to make good2 We something like the lamp
without being lighted, we don't throw out much
light. e.. t
When it comes to raise Of wages we are all
for it, but when 1t comes to proposition to
reduce the cost Of living, that the increase
we have got in wages might do us some
good, we balk. We have not the courage Of
our convictions. We are afraid we will get the
worst Of 1t. We just go in the old
way, striving to get better wages and let our
living expenses get higher and higher, and really
! we have less at the end Of the year. than when
we started. We get an increase of 20 per cent
in wages and an increase in the cost of living Of
rs per cent, and are out per cent? still we
claim to be progressing.
Speech and Ballot Not Free.
We live In the greatest republic the world
d 1ieve we have free speech and free ballot and
we really believe it, that is, most of us do
but is such the case1 Are not the facts these:
That this country is not ruled by the majority
Of voters, but a majority Of the collars; that
we vote for the candidates who are put up on
the different political tickets at the primaries
or caucuses and those nominated are those under
the control of organized capital on most Of the
tickets.
Then again, we think we have free speech
and again we are wrong, for as soon you
try to have free speech you run up against the
injunction Of the courts, which controlled by
organized capital. How long the judges will
continue In defiance Of the national and state
constitutions to enjoin men from persuading
we cannot tell, but we do know that 1t is done
Why is 1t done Because we, the labor people
allow organized capital the privilege of select
ing our candidates for not only judges but all
other offices.
Is It not time for organized labor to do just
little of the selecting Of candidates to be voted
for by the people, and when they are selected
see to it that they are electeda
How Labor Is Tricked.
unions out Of politics.. that 1t will break them
up. Who are these people who are SO much
interested in the welfare Of the unions that
they want them to keep out Of politics? Don't
J. they also want you to keep out OF the unions !?
II you just had one guess you could not 20
wrong. Is It not that great and good organiza-
ton known as the Citizens Alliance In our
J. state and the Parry association or Manufacture
ers' association in the United States7 AZ long
as they can hoodwink the labor people to keep
out OF politics they can go ahead and Keep
them divided and have trouble at all in elect
ing the men they want to Office. for they see
to it that they have their Representatives on
! both the tickets Of the great political parties
They keep us divided by talking partisan
politics, patriotism to the party and other such
political nonsense to keep us from getting to-
gether and working for our friends, and there
are just enough Of our members who are caught
J by their chat to help them elect their candi-
dates. SssS h
Child Labor.
-3 AZ the end Of the war In 1866 we set nee
about 40OO 600 black slaves and ever since fha