The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-12-22
.,"'7- - - :. - ~
UN|0N|sM IS GROWING
. :|A:MANE!|: DIRECTIONS
But Time Was When Organized
Labor Was Supposed to
Be Bad.
1t Was Popularly Regarded as the
Running Mate Of Murder .:
and Arson.

long to a trades union. Union1sm, ar
son and counterfeiting were supposed
to be three Of kind.
Since those days trades unionism
has fought and won. Today union
is as legal as a bank, and much more
necessary. -: 49,,
The wage worker who does not be-
long to union to-day is regarded even
by his employer, as q stupid dolt.
With it's 100000 members, the Amer
lean Fedora ton of Labor has become
the strongest industrial organization
in the world. !'
The monopo1tst has behind him mill
lions and millions OF money-a force
that Is obedient to the hand that con-
trolls it. The labor leader, on the
other hand, has behind him thousands
Of men, a large proportion Of whom
are new recruits in the army Of I'M
ionisrn, and as fractions and obstinate
as a team of bucking bronchos. 1t is
much easier to handle organized
money than organized men.
The fierce glare Of publicity is turn
ed upon the modern labor leader. If
he makes the slightest mistake it is
telegraphed to every city in the, union
A single hasty word may cause him
to lose his case and bring poverty up
on the men who placed him in his
position.
=, The labor leader of today must have
principles of steel. There are hum
dreds of millions at stake in the great
industrial battles in which he is
general He must not be only above
dishonesty, but above the least suspic-
ion Of it..
The leadership Of a trades union,
therefore depends upon the intelligence
and stamina Of the rank and file. Ig-
norant men will always choose leaders.
That is why democracy must always
go hand in hand, else democracy will
lead to corruption and decay.
A. mob Of men who spend tens of
thousands a year on beer, and yet
will not support or even read their
own trade paper, cannot secure a.
capable leader, except by accident.
No clever, efficient man will, for very
long, allow himself to be ground be-
tween two millstones-the power Of
the capitalists and the ignorance Of
the workers whom he represents.
Havelock Ellis says that as we
recognize the Egyptians by their pyra-
mids, the Grecians by their statutes,
the Romans by their roads and the
Indians by their flint arrow heads, so
| the civilization Of today will be re-
cognized by the beer bottle. r.;
| There is more truth than fancy in
this remark, and it is safe to say that
| any body of workers who care more
| for beer, horse races, prize fights and
| the latest murder than they do for
the success Of their union will always
be badly Differed and poorly paid.
Empty heads make empty pockets.
What can be expected Of union
that will generously o. K. every bill
for free cigars, clam bakes and pic
MICS, and yet haggle for an hour over
small amount for trade union liter
allure? What can be hoped for from
unions which will turn out five hun
dred strong to dance and only fif-
! teen to a meeting?
| These are the vital questions that
trades unionists must answer. These
point out the weak places that must
be made strong
When a corporation holds an i'm
portant meeting every stakeholder is
in his place; that is why corpora
tons are ruling the country. Wher
a trades union holds an important
meeting, only 40 per cent Of the
members are in their places; that is
why trades unions are not ruling the
country.
Years ago Carlyle said: ''This
question Of the organization of labor i!
the greatest problem of the world
Today even the professors Of politica
economy are realizing this to be true
Unionism is growing and developing
in many different directions. In ,
score or more cities the unions al
ready scontrol the municipal govern
ments. Every question, therefore, tina
relates to good citizenship and practi
cal politics must be studied.
Party politics should not be take
into the unions, but unionism Shout
! be taken into every political contes
in the country. Every strike show
, the necessity of having mayors, sher
ifs, governors and congressman VIII
are not the puppets Of the trusts.
:. Up-to-date unionism will not onl
unite its votes, but it will go to tn
primaries and select all candidate
for public office, in whatever part
victory is easiest. It will bend a
it's energies to elect all office hold
: ers, from pathmaster to president.
s It will build up the circulation {
it's trade papers, until the daily pres
will be compelled to echo their editor
ials. It will choose as it's leaders me
3 who can hold their own with the law
5 yers and -minde'
masterful men, who will everyWhel
\ command respect
: It will attract to it's cause all thu
is sound and sensible in the midd
I and professional classes, and carr
on it's war against the exploiters an
0 the parasites until industry and go1
= eminent are both purified from spec
e ial privileges and every form Of II
t justice.
Then, when every one works, tt
r American Federation of Labor will be
- come another mama for the who