The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1908-09-19

Buck Stove and Range Co.. OF WHICH
James W. Van Cleave is president, was
in Lincoln this week. called here by
pressing business. 1t was the plea
sure of the editor of The Wageworker
to hold a long conference with Mr.. |
Templeton. in company with other |
unioniSts of Lincoln. The word pleas |
urs~ is used advisedly. for MIR. Tenn |
pleton is most courteous and affable |
gentleman, and the conference was
marked by good-natured. even though
al times emphatic, controversy. The
conditions that called Mr.. Templeton
to Lincoln may be briefly stated.
The Hardy Furniture Co. has hand
led the Buck output in Lincoln for a
number of years. The recent political
AMI legal activity of James Van Cleave
mas demonstrated to the firm that
while they may be selling goodly
number of Buck stoves and ranges,
the mere fact that they handled this
lire of goods operated against their
whole business. IL must eheerfully be
were lax in their duty to themselves
in not calling the attention of the
Hardy Furniture Co.. to the conroyer-
sy MANY months ago. In the stove
business orders are booked many
months ahead. Consequently the
Hardy Furniture Co. loaded up on
Buck goods before it was cognizant of
the circumstances. When il learned
all the facts it Immediately CORES
poaded with the Buck Stove L Range
Co.-snd Mr. Templeton's visit was
the result,
The Hardy Furniture Co. whose
members are avowedly friendly to or
saaized labor. ard the managing MEM
Der OF the firm. Mr.. Will Hardy. is on
record in that regard. Now it finds it
self in the rather peculiar position of
being the innocent purchasers" of a
big line of unfair goods and therefore
the victims of the resentment of
trade unionists. MIR. VIII Hardy has
stated to several union men who were
invited to confer with him. that unless
the Buck Stove & Range Co, can ad-
Just its difficulty with the unions. the
HARDY Furniture Co. as a measure of
protection. will have 10 discontinue
the line. The statement OF this self
evident fact was deemed by the Buck
Stove & Range Co. TO be of sufficient
J, Importance to demand the personal at
tention of some member of the firm.
consequently MIR. Templeton came
post haste
H. c. Peat. of the typographical
brought the matter to focus. When
MIR, Templeton arrived. Mir. Peat and
the editor Of The Wageworker were
invited to meet him and talk it over
Both Air. Peat and the editor of this
humble little labor paper bear wit
ness to the fact that the Buck Stove
and Range Co. acted with a full know
ledge of the gravity of the situation
when IL sent Mr.. Templeton, for that
gentleman is certainly there with the
fine presentation of what good union
men believe to be very bad case.
MIR. Templeton laid especial stress
upon the injunction granted by the
District of Columbia courts against
the American Federation of Labor. and
Insisted that as good citizens the
unionists of Lincoln ought to quietly
submit to the law" When asked to
cite the exact statute. federal or state
which might be violated he side-step
ped gracefully and insisted that the
dictam of the Judge was the law"
What do you ask US TO do?" Quer
led one of the conference. lay DOWN.
No, you ought to obey the law
and confine your efforts TO getting tn,
law changed
Then. when the court declares tn,
amended law 70 be unconstitutional. a
/, has about every law enacted in tn,
interests of labor. We ought to la,
down for keepsr"
Mir. Templeton replied by repeating
former statement to the effect tina
he was not n lawyer.
According to Mr.. Templeton's vie,
OF the case organized labor shoul
quietly submit to the District of Co
umhia court and try to secure a
amendment of the laws. forgetful @
the fact that even an attempt to ge
the proposed amendment by citing tn
iaiastice of the Buck Injunction would
under his Interpretation of that il
junction. be contempt of court
The clever representative of tn
Buck Stove & Range Co. got his wire
siishtly crossed in trying to explai
the origin of the difficulty. The diff