The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1906-03-23

! 1IClc 10 d Illlc ClI Ol uulOn history
that may be new to a lot of union men
IN this section OF the country 1t re-
lates to the defeat of James G. Blaine
in 1884. and while there were several
J causes leading to Mr.. Blaine's defeat,
the truth is that the printers of New
iork were responsible for it.
| Il 1884 the Typographical Union was
engaged in fight with the New York
Giibune. The Tribune's editor, White
! law Reid, was one of Mr. Blaine's
warmest friends, and the Trib lne was
| looked upon as Mr. B1aine's personal
mouthpiece. Soon after Mr.. Blaine
| was nominated he went to New York,
and while there was waited upon by a
delegation from Blk Six" Typo
graphical Union and asked to use. his
personal influence to secure an adjust
ment of the difficulty Mr. Blaine ab-
solutely refused, saying that the fight
was none of his business, and that he
had no interest in it whatever. He was
set Mr.. Reid to agree to a conference,
tut he again refused Then big Six"
went to work. A majority of the mem
bers of New York Typographical Union
were then-and probably now are-re-
publicans, but ON election day they
showed their resentment towards Mr..
Blaine and their detestation of White
law Reid, by voting almost unanimous
ly for Grover Cleveland. AS big Six"
then had upwards of 5000 voters with
III it's ranks it cut a big figure in that
campaign. New York went democratic
by about 1,150 votes, and the electoral
vote of that state made Grover Cleve-
land president. Had Mr.. Blaine mere
~ used his good Offices to secure a
meeting between the representatives of
the New York union printers and the
ecitor Of his personal organ, White
law Reid, the republican printers world
have voted for him, he would have car
ried New York, and his ambition to BE
president of the United States would
have been realized
In 1892 the republican party slapped
union labor in the face by nominating
Whitelaw Reid for vice-president. The
Tribune was a rat. sheet and Reid
was responsible Before the campaign
was well beg the republican leaders
realized theirN mistake and forced the
Tribune to become square" But th>;
mischief was already done Union men
refused to vote a ticket with Reds;
name thereon and again Grover Oleve-
land was elected Unionism has moth
iEg to boast of concerning its support
of Cleveland, but union men at least
kr:ew that Cleveland could not be more
of a union hater than Reid They
merely took what they thought to be
the least of TWO evils
Illinois has an election law that
union men should endeavor to secure
in every state. 1t is known as the
minority representation" for "cumu
lative voting" system. 1t enables
minority to secure representation in
the state legislature. Briefly the sys-
tenn is this:
Suppose a legislative district is en-
titled to three representatives. If the
district is safely republican the demo-
Gratis can nominate one man and every
democrat can then cast three votes
for that one man for the Office of repre-
sentative, or vice versa. In this way
the minority is always assured of a
representation, and deserves to keep
the majority from becoming too part:
san. With such a system in vogue in
Nebraska union men could elect at
least one representative from Douglas
and one from Lancaster every two
years.
The Typographical Union is FORUM
ate in that it is patronized by every
other union. A union that would put
out a job Of printing without the label
THIS EMPLOYER SATISFIED.