The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-05-09
MINNESOTA UNIONS / To
WAGE POLITICAL FIGHT.
Call for Funds Sent Out by State
!. Central Union Labor Politi-
cal Committee. -
Bugle Sounds for Union Labor to
Begin Contest for Election
of It's Friends. > =azz,

= Union LABOR expects to- get into the
political game this year with both
feet. Recent court decisions and the
apathy of congress towards the <legis-
lative demands Of labor have rendered
1t absolutely necessary for Labor, il it
expects to secure any immediate leg
1slat1ve relief, to pay some attention
to the election Of persons to legisla-
tive positions who will actively sup
port measures calculated Z to protect
the economic and political liberties Of
workingmen. j. II 81. = !.
- Fargo in Line.
In Fargo last week the unions start
+" ed the ball rolling, and in the NUM-
cipal election every candidate, but one,
endorsed by the union was elected.
Not so bad for a starter, is It? + r.
Now comes the state central polit-
ical committee Of the Minnesota State
Federation Of Labor with an appeal for
funds to help it conduct a union labor
legislative campaign in this state. i: It
is hoped that every member of a
union will respond literally. All sub
scriptions should be sent to G. w.
Deacon, 807 Goth avenue South, Min
neapolis.a
The purpose Of the fund to be rails
ed is we'll stated in the following cir
cular from Mr.. Deacon:
"The position in which the working
people have been placed by recent de-
c1s1ons Of the courts, brings home to
the heart and mind Of the wage earn
er with greater force than ever be-
fore the fact that conditions demand
an immediate and aggressive political
campaign bv organized labor as the
only remedy for the wrongs and in
justice done us by the laws enacted to
safeguard and protect wage earners
in the exercise Of their normal activi-
ties and rights! -.
1T is conceded by all members of
organized labor that the most import
ant work to be done for the relief of
the wage Garner is along the line Of
legislation both national and state;
that men shall be elected to legislative
office who will be fair to those who
toll, and stand by us in the enactment
of such just and reasonable laws as
we may demand; also it is our duty
to carry out the policy of the great
A. F. of L. to ''stand by our friends
and defeat our enemies at the ballot
box. To this end candidates for office
will be questioned and placed on rec
ord as to what their future action will
be if elected to office.
I'm taking up the work of the COM
ing campaign and following election,
the committee has many difficult
problems to analyze and the most
knotty one is the question of funds.
The committee has decided, under au-
thority vested in it by the State Fed
GRAFTON Of Labor, to ask all unions to
subscribe or donate an amount equal
to 10 cents per member. In other
words we ask each member to sub
scribe
Ten Cents for Campaign Fund
that amount to be collected by the
organization from each member and
forwarded at the earliest possible mo-
ment; and it seems that every union
man should be willing to go down in
his pocket and give this small amount
to the cause. Every one will readily
realize that it is impossible to carry
on this work without money.
"This committee Is under the direct
supervision Of the Minnesota State
Federation of Labor; it stands in
structed to secure the election of men
to the legislature who are union men
in principle and in fact, or men who
are known to be fair and impartial.
regardless Of their political affilia-
tiOns. d..
"This committee is receiving no
compensation; they have no personal
interests to advance; they are work
ing men in the ranks Of organized
labor and while they cannot consis-
tently ask support Of those with whom
we take issue, the Minnesota State
Federation Of Labor has authorized
this committee to appeal to affiliated
unions, members of organized labor
and their friends for donations of
money to carry on the work. Money
is needed to defray expenses of print
ing, postage, stationery, railroad fare,
etc. At the close of the campaign the
secretary will furnish all unions OF
persons who donated an itemized
statement showing what has been done
with the money