The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-03-17
UN|0N|SM Of LABOR
PROMOTES CHARACTER
Trade Unions Have Brought
Together a Multitude Of
Workingmen Of Minds.
Highest Grace Of Character
Promoted By Union Labor
Is Sacrifice Of Self.

Human society like the body of one
! man. is a closely knit organism, the
different members inseparably related
to one another-hand and foot, heart
and lungs-how necessary every part
to the welfare of the whole body.
In that organism which we call hui
man society, whatever benefits one,
benefits all; whatever harms one
harms all.
Labor unionism has brought to-
gether a multitude Of workmen widely
different in race, religion and degree
Of culture, the strong and the weak,
the wise and the unlettered, but all
united in one common cause, to resist
what they feel to be unjust industrial
conditions
mo one claims that all workmen
have ben unjustly treated by their en-
ployers, but many employers have
overlooked the interests Of their work.
men, and the time came when work.
men generally had to organize to pro-
tect themselves against unjust condi-
lions.
Il see plainly that in unionism il
strength and protection for working
men, provided it is conducted on sound
principles. But uniontsm, like all ex-
periments in this world, is an evolution
from lower to higher from crudeness
toward perfection. Some of the first
imperfections have ben outgrown, and
higher ethical ideals are in sight Al
low me to suggest some of the good
things which I believe labor .unionism
has already done, in part, and il yet
hound fa ooonr1n13ch <,,l1x
"The cultivation Of sympathy with
fellow workmen to whom you are
bound by a great common interest.
Labor unionism promotes intelli-
gence. AS a member Of the local union
you are led to inquire into a hundred
questions connected with your interests
as working1nen and as members OF a
worldwide society.
II see further that a marvellous dis
cipline Is gained by members of labor
unions. Moral discipline. Many a
man has been saved from dissipation
by joining union. Restraint from
laWlessness when the strike is on is
another marked result Of the discipline
welded by these organizations over ex-
citable and vindictive individuals. who
would otherwise give way to violence.
Agreed that certain strikes and certain
methods used in other strikes cannot
be justified, the wonder is that there
has been such q general high grade of
discipline in conducting these protests
against capitalized wrong.
THE highest grace Of character de-
veloped by labor unionism is self
sacrifice. A comomn sympthy, an en-
larged intelligence and a growing SELF
restrainst have led up to that xreat
control Of society-the willingness of
the individual to lay dawn his wares,
his culture and his life, II need be. to
promote the greatest good Of the great
| est number of his fellow men.
"Friends, let us hold fast to the work
Of righting the industrial wrongs that
now vex society, but let us not be too
| much depressed If these wrongs are
slow in getting righted, remembering
that God and time and the developing
! conscience of mankind has solved many
problems in the past history of orr
race, and will yet solve the labor prob
lens of the age in which we live."-
Rev. J. H. Mason.