Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1906-02-09
Continued from last week.

Thursday morning, one of our men
wanted to go to town and get drunk.
lie did not say so, but that was what
he wanted. The employer urged him
to remain, reminded him of his treat
ment, and of the fact that it would
break into the team work and greatly
inconvenience him in many ways, but
go the man would. On Saturday
morning, we men found our former
co-laborer in town, drunk and broke,
and mad because we would not put up
our cash to feed him until he got
another job. Our employer knew by
the manner of the man that all he
cared for was a "drunk stake" If he
had quit to better his condition, that
would have been different, but to throw
up the job to get drunk and leave that
old gentleman to hunt a hand as best
ne could was very wrong. The fact
is, the employer expects to meet that
kind of treatment from a large per
cent of strangers seeking employment.
In my next employment, I learned
the necessity Of unions among labor
ing men. There make this statement:
That under modern conditions in the
labor world, unions, with right-think-
ing, sensible leaders, are an absolute
necessity for laboring men.
On Saturday evening, the threshing
machine man for whom I was work.
ing, gave US our weeks wages and
told us that if any Of the men wanted
to quit he would like to have a days
notice. We all said, "all right" Sun
day morning, our boss went to town,
and returned to the cook-wagon about
o'clock In the afternoon. Shortly
after his return, a man came by,
looking for two men to 60 with his
machine. We all told him we had a
job, and our boss said nothing. After
the threshing is under way, it is hard
to find II job, for the crews are filed.
It is also hard to get men, for the sur
plus drift out.
The next morning, just as we got
into the field, two men came to the
machine, (the boss had been looking
for them.) They were put to work,
and two of the crew were discharged.
The injustice of the thing struck all
of us, and we hurriedly formed a
threshing-machine union. l was
elected sort of spokesman, and l
went to the boss and reminded him OF
his request that we give him one days
notice before quitting. "You knew
on yesterday that you intended to dis
charge these men if the two men came
according to promise" (He had en-
gagged them both when in town.
"Now, Mr.. Boss, I speak for your
crew when I tell you that you will pay
these two men every night until they
find job, or we quit in body. These
men would have gone with that man
Yesterday" To the discharged men
we said: "You have worked faith
fully report here for your grub anc
! pay each evening".
How that boss did go up into the
air about freedom" and doing as ht
pleased with his own money" and al
that kind of irrelevant talk! l tolC
him that his gold was his own, bu
that the golden rule belonged t(
humanity, and if he was so very free
and powerful, just say that our terms
were refused, and take his chances
The men we're paid on Monday ant
Tuesday evenings, but they both ha'
work for Wednesday morning. L hav'
, told this story to quite a number 0
, men as an illustration Of the strengtl
and good of union when the grleV
ance is just. I have heard our. con
duct condemned, but it has beel
+ always by some skinfint or tyrant'
Our machine broke down and mos
of us found employment the same da'
with another machine. whose cre'
had decided it was time to go on
u drunk Drink is the curse OF so man
= laboring men! Our new boss was
!. oonius in running short on pre-
9isions He was always out OF some
thing One evening we had bread an
ooffee and potatoes for supper; 10
braakfast bread and coffee and u
s sngar The boss had gone to TO"
it for supplies. While he was absen
is Wa va men held a little meeting, anc
after a good deal Of talk, persuaded
fow afraid-of their-job fellows to stan
IS IN and when the boss came back q
d woe NO informed that we would go TO
a farmhouse for dinner and ne eoui
II foot the bill. We further informe
IS him that if supplies were not 1o[L,
coming. we would quit in a body %
10 had purchased two pounds OF suge
y y and three pounds Of coffee.) We na
something to eat from that time on
!, learned later that he had discharge
7 nrite a number Of his hands, one at
Z L time who had gone to him complain
. 80. - the food. That was the II
,E9 di9idual freedom" method and l
Is 1asrlt When we united and made
$ hNYFYSKTDEEYCURl