The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-02-10
LESSON FOR AMERICAN
W0Rk|NGMEM TO HEED
Chicago American in Strong
Editorial Deals Out Some
Good Advice to Labor.
Isn't It About Time for Labor
to Be Its Own Master? Must
They Be the Underlinings?

In last Sundays Chicago American
there appeared a strong editorial which
should be read and pondered over with
considerable thought by every Amer
lean workingman. 1t Is as follows:
We are going to talk very often to
the million of workingmen whom we
reach every day about the working
man in politics.
Isn't it disgrace to the working
mon of America that this should be the
only one OF the great leading countries
in which the workingman's voice Is
unheard in the making OF laws? isn't
1t shame upon the American work.
ingman that he sits back and lets the
foxes of politics and finance count his
votes and use them and exercise his
own powers:
How long are you workingmen going
to be the chip with which those that
don't work play the game or nnance
and OF politics?
How long are you going to be made
fools OF by parties that throw you a
few scraps, as scraps are thown to
dog-or that ignore you altogether?
How long are you going to allow
tics because they want to use you
themselves in politics?
When are you going to take seriously
popular government and the power OF
the ballot? When are you going to
have yourselves and your needs and
your wages and wives and your child
rem represented in congress, in the SEN
ate in the house of representatives, In
the legislatures. in the board OF alder
men-as capital has its needs and Its
families represented everywhere from
the supreme court Of the United States
down to the dog catcher's office?
Wen tell you a story today that
ought to interest the worker and make
him resent the theory Of the corpora
ton lawyers and political bosses that
consider him mere voting atom to be
used and placated with promises and
lies.
Read this extract of the career OF
the youngest labor man elected to the
British parliament in this recent great
and magnificent revolt of the working
people in Great Britain:
1.-The youngest labor member of por-
lament is in one respect the most In
teresting of them all.
He represents the type of the fut-
ure-the workingman with a university
S~s.'~~-- -
. ~ Mr.. T. J. Mcpherson, who in his
thirty fourth year becomes M. p for
Preston was sent by the Steel smelters'
society to Ruskin college. Oxford, to
prepare for his career as labor leader.
Before that he had served as boy
~ a. atA Aol
in the furnaces of Middlesbrough.
He Is now organizing secretary Of
the British Steel Smelters, Mill, Iron
and Tin Plate Workers. and is one Of
the principal organizers of the North
of England. He Is fluent speaker
and one of the most popular of the
labor leaders"
isn't that calculated to make
worker feel proud of his class, and
proud Of the intelligence Of the un-
ions? Isn't it a fine thing for work
ingmen unselhshly, loyalty and gener-
ously to pick out a young man of their
own kind and give him a chance?
The youngest man elected by the la
borers to parliament is a man educated
by the great labor union movement Of
Great Britain. What splendid
thought that is. how encouraging and
inspiring to workers everywhere.
In England, ever since the House Of
Commons has existed, they have seen it
filled with young men educated by
lords, by the very rich. The lucky
sons Of lucky men have gone to the
House of Commons very early. climbing
up on the backs Of ~orkingmen whose
earnings they got
It was about time that some young
workingman should 20 to that House
Of Commons, and have his say.
In this case the men have united,
they have picked out young man
worthy of their confidence they have
educated him and he has gone into the
house to speak for them and repre-
sent them with forty nine regular every
day workingmen.
What kind of men do the laborers
the United States? 1t Is this smart
lawyer who knows how to tell them
interesting lies. 1t Is the clever en-
ployer who thinks he had better go
down to Washington to look after his
commercial interests.
Workingmen of America why don't
Jou So W washington 10 look aIter
your labor interests?
You send down the agents of the
trusts. the agent of the railroads, you
send anybody-except the laboring
man.
Why? Because you are jealous of
each other for one reason.
And because your leaders don't care
to come out as politicians and comply
openly with the ablest men (and who
wont let you do it,. tell you to keep
out of politics.
Keep your union out of politics.
Yes.
But the workingmen 20 into politics.
and vote together as the trusts vote
together.
Do you think that unions which only
talk about wages and union labels and
fair hours--important as these are
can really change conditions in a
country?
Don't you think 1t ridiculous for vour
workmen to sit and talk and plan and
then have the Judges made by those
opposed to you to tell you that what