The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1907-03-21
UNIONS PROMOTE
BETTER MORAL LIFE
Every Advance by Labor Unions Has Been. Ac-
companied by Temperance and Fraternity.
LEMONS INTERESTING ADDRESS.

during its earlier stages, the strug
| giles between the Plebeians and the
faCrlclans and the CONSEQUENCES
coming therefrOm laid the founda-
uon OF her greatness. From the
ranks of the Plebeians and theirde-
sceDdantS came in large measure
the free Roman citizens, who; SO
long as they We're virtuous and free
anu not contaminated by plunder
taken from other nations, naturally
ruled the world, because they were
the representatives of the pures,
lie OF that age. All down through
the Dark Ages there was some
manifestation of the struggle of
labor for better conditions. The
cathedral builders, who were the
best conditioned Of all laborers dur
ing that period, were thoroughly
organized and kept alive that spirit
OF freedom and desire for better,
things that eventually brought on
the Crusades and the death of the
feudal system.
The modern trades union, now
something over 100 years old, has
history that can be studied by
all who desire to know the truth,
and we have no hesitation in as.
sertlng that the work accomplished
by the trades union in the indus
trial life of the civilized peoples of
the earth has been elevating, moral
ly as well as mentally and phvsi-
calry. The association of the
workers in their trades unions has
brought to them degree of know
ledge such organization they could
not have secured. 1t has awakened
i'll them an interest in each others
welfare, and it is a well recognized
principle that when men and
women can be brought to the point
where they take Il real interest in
the welfare Of their fellows, it can
not fail of having 4 beneficial effect
upon their own character. To the
trades union, above and beyond all
other forces, can be properly attri-
buted such improvement as there
has been in the condition of women
workers. No church, or any other
human society except the trades
union, stands absolutely, all the
time, aud everywhere, for the same
compensation for the same work to
women that is paid to men. You
may 90 into any of our govern
mental departments or into any of
the great business institutions of
our churches, or other societies.
where both men and women are
employed, and you will find, in
every instance, | believe, without
of the women is taken advantage
Of by these employers, and they
paid less wages for the same work
than are the men, but when you
take up the same subject in the
trades union world, there you will
find that if a women compositor lis
working in a printing office, setting
| type, she receives the scale of the
union, exactly the same as the men.
The same thing is true i'll all the
tradeSuniOnS, and if the industrial
condition of woman is to be still
further improved, and become less
of a menace to men. it will be the
trades union influence that will ac-
complish that desirable end.
During the past % years, through
the agitation and upon the demand
of trades unions, the hours of labor
have been materially decreased
and the eight-hour day is now an
actual fact in great mahy indus
tries, and in the near future it must
be the general workday OF all work
ers, with the probable exception of
those engaged in agriculture. The
declaration and perhaps belief Of
some people that the reduction of
the hours of labor to eight simply
opens an avenue enabling the work
!, ers to spend more time in the
saloons and brothelS of the country
in an absolutely false assumption,
and is not warranted by the re-
cords. The cigarmakers, who have
been longer engaged under the
eighthour workday than any other
, craft in this country, have d"mon-
strated the falsity of any such as
sumption. The shorter workday
. has been conducive to temperance
- II INII IIf