The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-07-02

Inc following from the Cleveland
Citizen certainly sizes up the pre.
sent situation in clear and con.
else manner:-
Ii ever there was time when
union men should stick tight ia
their organizations, and when non.
union workers should affiliate with
unions, now is that time.
The crisis in the industrial de.
preston is undoubtedly passing.
Inc indications are, that there will
be marked increase in business
activity during the next few
months.
But as the industrial forces gain
In momentum, as increasing num-
bers OF workers secure employment
In shops, factories, mills, or rail-
ways and in. mines, they will be
asked to accept reductions i'm
wages, In many instances upon the
promise of receiving steady work
Right there is where every me-
chanic and laborer ought to put
his foot down hard. Don't sur
render advantages that have been
gained by ten years of hard fight.
ing!
If it is true that "prospcrity,
is returning, then those who con
troll the industries can paw the
wages that prevailed during the
past few years. and they have no
right to expect an additional rake
OF at the expense of those who do
the work.
TO illus strate: The textile manu-
facturers of New England agreed
among themselves last fall to m ain.
tain the prevailing prices of their
products. They laid off thousands
of operators to restrict production
and stiffen those prices. A few
weeks ago they started their mills
and re-employed upward of hun
dred thousand workers, but com
PEELED them to accept reductions
In wages ranging 5 per cent to 20
per cent, which was clear graft, as
prices remain practically as they
We're before. OF course, there will
be great "prosperity' for the
greedy textile capitalists.
Now the United States Steel
Corporation and independent mills
have cut prices from so cents to
"a per ton, which they could very
well afford to do Judging from
their own statements of the enor-
nous profits they have been max
ing. This reduction of prices will
stimulate railway construction and |
the building industry, millions of
dollars worth of orders being
last year that will be re-
newed In the near future.
All the anthracite mines are to
be put in operation to pile up TO-
BOO, 900 tons of surplus coal in an
Ecipation of Il strike when the
scale expires next April, while the |!
reports ''bumper''
crops this year, which in turn !
must be marketed.
Thus the principal industries,
those that form the foundations of
the industrial system, are being
revived and will gradually enliven
business in every direction.
Another important factor is the
action of the Republican conven-
ton in Chicago last week in adopt
ing a platform and nominating
candidates entirely pleasing to the
captains of industry. ..Thess word
is already being sent along the line
to start the wheels moving and
as many workers as pos
slble to allay dissatisfaction and
wipe out discomfort.
The political tactics of 1896 will
be utilized to considerable extent
this year. The workingmen will
be Informed that they will be al
lowed to work if they rally to the
standard of ''Taft and Prosperity. -
and the toilers will be assured that
If the Republican party triumphs
they will have employment for
many years to come, and if that
party is defeated they will be
dumped upon the streets again.
1t is a huniilating spectacle, to
be sure, when a few capitalists of
the nation control the jobs and can
permit millions of laboring people
to return to work or not, as they
choose.
But such seems to be the situation
and we will have to make, the best