The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-01-18
. 'I|'RA u UNIONS ARE
s. 7. !. M|g s /. FORCE |
Trade Unionism Stands For All
7" That Is Best In Our 4
Citizenship. K. ! "s.5.
(Written by John Mitchell.)

dIu u uAO05 tUH1l1IHC. 1 all not one
of those who {betievs that to trade.
union is the ultimate, II recognize the
fact that there is great evolutionary
movement going on; that it is slowly
but surely changing our social life:
But, nevertheless, my experience has
satisfied me that the trade union
movement is the best movement ever
Berh for: the eliorationasof the con-
dtions OF those who toil.;;: ~. st. :
If believed that the trade union
movement stood for nothing else than
securing a few cents higher wages or
securing a. few hours. less. labor i II
would leave it. # / thought that is all
it does I would quit. the trade union
movement and would try to start
myself q q, new movement. But 4 be-
lieve 1T does more than that. IT be-
lieve the trade union movement raises
the standard of our citizenship; be-
lieve it raises the manhood and wo-
manhood Of our people, contributes
UNNECESSARILY to the welfare OF our
people and to the good Of our codntry
I am not an old man yet, but have
seen many practical results from the
trade union movement. I have seen In
my life thousands who employed labor
and thousands whom labor brought to-
get1er and made to work in harmony:
r I do not believe that in our country
there should be an irreconcilable con-
fict between labor and capital. Not
withstaf1ding the fact that have gone
through Quite a number of. strikes, /
OH
that If the Representatives of labor:
can be brought together, If they can:
sit down In honest conference, if they
will look one another straight in the
eye and tell one another the absolute
truth. believe when that is done that
the day Of conflict between labor ant
capital will end. =.
I have never been one to believe
you help labor by denouncing capital::
I am one of them who believe that:
there Is not one wrong that labor suf-:
fers which it did not bring on ITSELF
I do not believe either, that any of
US are poor because we want to be
poor. We are all peor because we
cannot get rich, or Because we cannot
get rich ho1orably.- I believe that II
cry and all the suffering that labor
has endured from the beginning Of
the world will end. 81. ?"
believe it to be the duty Of every
man and every woman that works for
a living, that works for wages, a SAL
airy, to join trade uniorl.' And I be-:
heve the man Or woman who works
for wages and remains out OF q trade
union to be Blind to his Or her own
interests. Not only that, but they are
positively injuring the chances and
the interest Of their fellow-n1en and
fellow women. believe that the
trade unions stand for all this Is good.
for Eli that Is best iii orr citizenship.
II + thought the trade union move
merit depended on a Iawlessness FOR
it's success, IL believed strikes {; de-
pended on lawlessness for their sue
cess, would abandon the trade Union
movement do know that strikes
have been lost because the laws were
broken. do know that every striker
is injured If the law is broken. =,
In my Judgment, no great strike can
ever succeed if the American people
are opposed to It,. I have an abiding
faith in the people Of our country. I
believe, the American people. always
try to be right: believe that if they
decide, If they conclude that a CUES
; ton is right, that's strike is right,
that the strike will win, and if they
conclude the strike Is wrong then the
strike will not succeed. It pays to
consult the wishes of the best people
IT naVS to he ri srht q MI If doos po+ NOV,
to be wrong.