The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-09-05

Nothing affords more conclusive evil
dence OF the high plane which has been
reached by the organized labor move
ment in America than the character and
manifest ability of the men who are now
at tbs head Of the great national labor
unions ana who, for less salary than they
would receive IN other fields of endeaVOT,
are deVOtlng their entire time TO further
ing the common cause of the wage earn
eTs. 1t is indeed far cry from the old
time, much maligned walking delegate
who IN years gone by represented the pop
ular idea OF labor union authority to the
present ideal national labor Official-a
man OF such manifest intelligence, tact
and observation-disclosures that he can COM
mand the respect OF every. capitalist or
employer with whom ne may come IN con-
tact even though the latter be not in
sympathy with his ideas.
The Calibre of most Of our twentieth
century labor leaders is further attested
by the discretion with Which they use
their vast power. Although the growth of
the various divisions Of the labor army
enables them TO WELD an influence little
dreamed OF q few years ago most Of
these captains of organized labor are con-
sentative rather than radical in policy
a tendency attested by the fact that now
adays they consent TO a general strike
only as q last resort. Indeed, one of the
chief functions of the modern labor leader
seems TO be TO prevent strikes, not to pre-
cpitate them.
From the standpoint of the union work
mgman the most conspicuous result OF the
new era OF labor leadership is found in
the conduct OF the movement on sound
business principles When the present
school of labor ChieftainS began to
sluOns many of the unions. national as
Well as local, were III a deplOra bic cOndi-
uon- Comparatively small membership in
most instances gave them very limited IN
tueuce and too often there was sliu-shOd
management that manifested itself in ill
kept records, lax conduct Of correspond
ehce, etc. Even more serious was the
lHdlIIere1ce III the collection Of dues
shortcomings in financial policy that ne
c-sslJated many of th7 organizations lead
ing hand-tO-mOuth existence whereas
other national bodies were heavily in debt
WHeu the present officials took charge
NOW all this is changed. The average
national headquarters is conducted on up-
to-date economical business policies and
secretaTlal officials keep their records BY
means or card index and other fiji ing sys-
tens mat are the peer of anything to be
found do corporate or banking world. Bet
ter stl4 union labor finances are on 2
sound bass, many of the great national
Doules having on hard surplus funds in
excess OF a quarter OF million dollars
Yet other evidence Of the far-sigbted
Judgm 7nt of the field marshaIs now i'm
command OF the labor forces is found i'm
the extent TO which they are subscribing
70 Jh- tleO1y OF cooperation on the most
Tar-reaching scale. The modern tendency
toward great aggTegatiOns of capital is
DelHg met with COrrespOndinglv potent
consolidation of the organized labor
forces This disposition of the leading
labor spokesman 10 engage ia effective
team work" has Unquesti0nabIv been
due In some measure to that knitting to-
gether OF interests which has resulted in
the tremendous growth in recent wears
OF that comprehensive countt.v-u-ide or
garizatton. the American Federation of
LaDOr-an allied army Of craftsmen of all
classes tnat is now more than two million
strong. II Is not solely attributable to
this influence, however. for there are
some very powerful labor organizations
which are not affiliated with the big fed
eraton. as, Ior instance, the Knights of
Labor and the Brotherhood of Railroad
Engineers. Conductors. Trainmen and
Flremen, with total membership of
10000 workers The leaders of these in
dependent bodies have for the most part,
however, become lmbued with the spirit
Of the age and all of them may be found
working shoulder to shoulder for any
reform that promises benefit for labor in
general
AS the president for many years past
Of the American Federation Of Labor,
Samuel GOmpsrs is doubtless entitled TO
recognition as the foremost American Ia
Dor leader and certainly no champion Of
the rights of the toilers has ever had a
stronger hold upon mis- followers Prior
to each successive annual convention Of
the Federation there are rumors afloat
OF attempts to unseat GOmpers, but when
the great labor conference COnVenes- each
autumn IL is always found that the vet
eran executive is the choice Of 80 large
a proportion of the labor host that his
election to leadership is i'm effect unani-
nous. There is no doubt that much of
Gompers' strength lies in the recognition
Of his rugged honesty and integrity
Temptations to sell out" the labor in
terests. have come to him in every i'm
eginabls form and he might be a rich
man TODAY had he as easy a conscience
as was reputed to some Of the labor guar
dams OF days gone by
Samuel GOmpers was born in England
about fifty-eight years ago Coming to
the United States as Young man he
married early and worked at his trade
as cigarmaker. From the time he was