The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-07-17
WORKERS SHOULD
BE REPRESENTED

III No Other Way Can Laws Inimical
to the Laboring Class 30 Success
fully conbated - Reeompaendation
Of Missouri's Joint Labor Board
The report of the joint labor legisla-
tive board OF Missouri which did val
liant work during the recent session OF
the legislature, urges upon organized
labor the wisdom of eleeting union
men I'd represent II iii legislative halls.
we quote from the report;
"The members OF the joint labor leg.
islative board desire at this time to-
urge upon organized workmen through
out the state of Missouri To become ne
tive III fine political party with which
they are afEillated with the purpose of
having men from the ranks of labor
unions supported for the state senate
and house of representatives Of Mis-
souri,. With over 100000 active mem
beers III Missouri, the labor organiza-
tons had but two active members In
the Forty fourth general assembly On
the other hand, the lawyers organlza-
tons Of the state, with possibly 5000
members, elected forty-three members
to the legislature
ITO secure legislation for the benefit
of the working class It ID absolutely
necessary TINT men from the ranks.
who understand the conditions which
surround the w0rklngmen aud their
families, who have suffered In the
workshops, III the building trades lines,
the mines on the railroads and In the
factories, be sent to both branches Oh
the legislature 10 present the side Of
the working people and fight for the
relief they demand. In our ranks can
be found conservative. just, fair. rea-
sonable and aggressive men who win
carefully guard the interests Of the
whole state and all the people, Labor
should have representation direct La
Dor must have representation. and tho
present is a most opp0ftune time to ln-
augurate plans TO have nominated men
from the ranks Of labor for the next
legislature.
I'm view Of the fact that every Bill
fostered by the joint board was favor
ably reported by the respective COM
mittee to which IT bad been referred
by either branch Of the legislature ow-
Ing to the practical argument made hg
members Of the Joint board before said
committees, It is but reasonable to as
sume that had the rules Of the legIsla.
ture permitted members Of the joint
board to argue on ss4l bills on the floor
of both branches Of the legislature the
passage OF nearly all, If not all. Of the
bills organized labor was interested IN
would have been ihe result.
1.-THE great majority Of the legislature
IS composed Of representatives Of the
rural districts Of the state, whose
knowledge Of the conditions, aims and
objects Of organized lnbor Is gained
mainly from published accounts in
newspapers, not infrequently damag-
ing 10 the Interests and reputation Of
trades unionism. These represents
tives on matters pertaining to organ
lied labor invariably follow the leader
ship Of the country lawyers, some Of
whom, II not already employed by 4
corporation. aspire md court such pat.
ronage, usually desirable from Il finan-
cial standpoint. The result Is obvious.
with 4 number Of practical trades
unionists as members Of each branch
of the legislature 1t would be but q
matter Of few years until the repre-
sentatives Of these rural districts
would be convinced that their interests
would be conserved by working hand
in hand with organized labor instead
Of following blindly the representatives.
Of the legal fraternity and the cor
porations.
1T is true that under the present
remuneration OF legislators self sacri'
Gee Of organized labor is necessary.
and organized labor should follow It's
brethren 10 England and make up the
difference to the representatives. elect
ed between the wages OF their vocation
and their pay as legislators.
"The labor movement would not
have assumed its present Importance
without the self sacrifice displayed by
It's progenltors, and what has been
done BY labor economically can and
will be done IN legislation IL labor e
united and determined,
We would urge. therefore, that all
central bodies and local unions demand
Of respective political parties to place
on the legislative tickets members Of
organized labor not picked by the par-
~ leaders but selected by the Ia.
bor organizations. and cause their cleo
lian
"As a result OF the efforts Of the
members Of the Joint labor legislative
board numerous good laws were pass
ed aud several bad laws defeated. "