The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-12-08
INFLUENCE OF IAbOR'S FIRST GREAT
CAMPAIGN NOW and FOR THE FUTURE
world and denied their employees the
right, or the time, to vote
Labor Was Disfranchised

right, or the time, to vote.
Labor Was Disfranchised.
This disfranchisement of so large a.
body Of our citizens forms a serious
menace to our republican institutions
We are speaking the absolute truth
| in this for we have the reports Of
our members all over the country stat
ing where such tactics were followed.
If any portion of the: Industrial pop
ulation of the country can, at the dict
alton of corporate interest. have with
held from them the. right to use the
ballot then they might as well be serfs
in darkest Russia.
This denial to the American work.
man Of the right Of petition and vote
is one of the things on which we pro
pose to arouse public opinion so
Thoroughly that at future elections
labor will be able TO fully and freely
record it's vote of protest.
Even with this vital disadvantage of
/ not being able to register it's full vote
! at the polls in the very cases where it
was most important that it should do
so, Labor cut deeply into the majori-
ties of many Of those hostile or indif-
ferent to it, even where they were
elected.
Taxa the case Of certain congress-
! man as passing ILLUSTRATION. Two
monthe before election he boasted
| loudly that he could not possibly be
defeated, he cared nothing whatever
about labor's bill of grievances, he
! proposed to ignore the whole subject.
The local labor unions in his district
took up the gage Of battle. Meetings
were held. In which the gentleman's
record, hostile to labor, was discussed
These meetings were large and en-
thusiastic. a%
He Fights Sfor Life.
So great was the effect of these
meetings that: within two weeks of
election this congressman was fight
ing for his life,"> as some of his friends
expressed it. When the votes were
counted it was found that the city dis
tricts which two years ago gave him
a majority of 1900, now gave him a
minority Of 500. This change in the
vote was entirely due to labor's ef-
forts. The country vote saved him by
reduced majority. In fact the rural
vote saved several congressman hos
tile to labor. This was because the
labor forces were occupied in the cities
making the campaign nearest al hand.
There was not time or opportunity to
appeal to the good citizens in the
rural districts and show them that
their interests were Identical with
those Of the wage|workers. And,
then, If votes are stoabe stolen or mani
pulated, the rdraf Sdtstclcts offer the
best opportunity for this nefarious
work: Labor Will continue Its course
of political education until every voter
is fully informed as to it's attitude on
good government and the aid it gives
In the protection of the rights and lib
critics Of the whole people.
In many instances labor cut the ma
jority of hostile congressman from
one-half to three-fourths Of what 1t
that labor had no influence in deter
mining result.
That labor was unable to exert it's
entire force in the recent campaign.
we frankly admit, but in spite Of great
difficulties it accomplished enough to
give more than hint Of what it can
and may do when thoroughly prepared
to exercise it's political strength.
Campaign Started Late.
We have stated before that it was
matter Of some regret that our cam
paign started late We had no political
machinery, very little funds, and we
were unable to give as much help
from headquarters as we desired to
those who so valiantly fought in the
battle in the various congressional
districts
Knowing the disabilities under
which labor undertook it's campaign,
it is amazing that such satisfactory
results have been obtained.
Let no congressman delude himself
with the hope that the recent campaign
was merely a spasmodic effort on the
part Of labor to right it's wrongs. Let
no congressman flatter himself that
his future record will be concealed
from the public. Labor proposes that
the voters in each district shall know
the record Of their congressman on
labor measures, and We have no doubt
that public-spirited citizens will in
form themselves on other matters
which pertain to the duties Of congress
to the masses.
We do not speak as a partisan. We
AaSA
nor do we hold allegians to any party.
In this spirit we desire to point out
that the dominant party In the pres
ent house has majority of 112. That
represents the verdict of the voters
two years ago.
Yet within two days after the re-
cent election it's own party organs ad-
mitted that it's majority in the. 6oth
congressional would be cut to SO.
There is food for thought in such a
falling off.
We confidently expect a fairer and
more judicial temper on the part of the
coming session of the present congress
toward our demands. If there is pro-
gress to be reported we shall take
pleasure in making public that fact.
Labor to be In Congress.
Our legislative committee will be in
attendance on. the coming session Of
the present congress and also when
those recently elected shall meet as
the Goth congress.
In estimating labor's influence in the
campaign just past. it must be remem-
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