The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1907-03-28


Of the affairs OF others with which
be should not lie interested.
-.
1t Is evident that the printerial
fraternity at Butte have lost their
fight, and the Butte papers VIII soon
begin their regular publications.
The writer, until year ago, was a
member OF the international Typo
graphical Union, and has always
been a strong union man. We have
taken the p0sition that 50 long as
employers unite and form gentle
mans agreement the only thing
labor can do is also unite for SELL
protection. Having been both an /
employer and an employee, while
member Of the printers union. nat
uraly we should be In position 10
Judge Of the merits and dement's OF
unionism. AS we have said unions
are necessary for self-protcetion, but
we have discovered that 1T is not the
best mechanics and the conservative
members OF the union which has
made the trouble between the EN-
ployeI and employee. The men
which are always dissatisfied with
the wages paid and the hours OF labor
are nine times out Of ten the men
who could not hold position were 1t
not for their membership In the Or
ganlzation. In the meetings OF the
union they are always bone OF con-
tentior. They are invariably jealous
OF the men, VINO by industry and
working for the interest OF their en-
ployers are given the best positions
In the larger offices.
~.
Naturally the poor mechanic is the
one who does not take an interest In
his work and the greater share OF his
, time is spent 10 watching the clock.
, When 1t is necessary to cut down the
, force these are the men who have to
go. The result Is, they become dis
! gruntled with conditions; and II they
can muster force enough In the
union they use every effort to call a
strike. There is no question Of a
r doubt but what the unions have had a
Q tendency to raise the scale OF wages,
, and to very materially advance the
: condition o: all skilled labor. The
: eight-hour day In the shops Of the
Q city Is no doubt a success, but In the
/ rural Office the work is like that OF a
s woman-it Is never done. 1t is gen.
!. orally the case that In uniOnized
Q rural Office, especially on press day
Q It does not matter whether the work
r Is completed or not, 1t Is usually the
: case that the union man will leave
y the work until the next day. W.
i have more than once worked half thu
9 night to get our mail in the oiiic'
: while the employees were loafinl
e around the saloon. This is what dis
II gusts the employer with the union
j. They do not seem to have any inter
e est In the work Of the office-they d,
!. not seem to care whether the ofiic
z Is paying running expenses so long a
$ their wages are forthcoming on Sat
= urday night.
Il -
n The writer has never had trouble
l. about holding position ia the me
chanical department of a printing
Office. When the International Typo
h graphical Union said to US, ''yo
1t must contribute one-tenth OF you
10 weekly salary to support the con
n tention for an eight-hour day an
10 thus support In idleness the worth
/. less and poor mechanics OF the union
D, we rebelled. This Is where the faul
e. OF unionism lays. Every man VIII
IN has worked In printing Office or a
20 any other trade for six months. h
a. takes 1t for granted that he Is quail
IN fed TO hold any position which come
s. in his way. lie can always fin
OF friends who are members Of the unto
h which will recommend him for men
iy bership. The result Is, that incap;
rs BILE men are admitted and so many {
L. them that they control the unto
BIT and are always disturbing facto
ID BY force of numbers they overbalant
Il. the good mechanics and CONSERVATIVE
H. men, and are always causing troub
ry between the employers and his en-
g. ployees. In many cases the cond
no tion Is forced upon the union OF a
he cepting these poor mechanics or ell
III they will become ''scabS" and wo,
he below the scale In order to make
u living aud tear down the uniol
is After we became an employer OF lab'
we looked at these matters In "a di
ferent manner than we did b
re fote. The only way the labor que
lie ton can be settled, or as labor relat
no TO unionism, is for unions to requi
n. an applicant to furnish indisputab
M evidence that he has served an a
nm premiership for at least three year
or and be strict In the observance
sc this rule.
ut
us In taking a poll of the Iowa leei