The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-09-06
Labor Host Parade Streets Of Fargo
and Moorhead to Celebrate Holiday

but may also as a means Of accomplish
ing a legitimate purpose use all law
fuI and peaceful means to induce 9TH
ers to quit, or refuse employment.
Unlawful Strikers Stunned.
/ honestly believe that the unlawful
striker is els much out OF harmony with
the majority Of union men as the GRIM
inal Id out OF harmony with society.
"a strike q man on the head with a
brick Is d crime for corporation to
accept d rebate is crime, but in the ma
ture or things the one lis magnifed
much more than the other. 1t is not
necessary for tn unoins to so outside
of the law to accomplish their object.
ii Is just as lawful for a labor union
to say to a corporation that we win
furnish you SO much labor at so much
as it is for the Standard Oil Co. to
say to the consumers that we will furn-
ish you oil at SO much.
The statement has been made by
several large firms that they were
forced into bankruptcy by the union
must be remembered that a great many
firms where union man has never
worked have gone into bankruptcy.
However, there Is q danger but be-
lieve that the unions are becoming
more and more conservative. The
failure of a Arm means the livelihood
to thousands of men and women and
radical action can not be tolerated for
a moment. Boards Of Cancellation have
adjusted many disputes the past few
years and seem to be growing in
favor where there is an honest differ
ence, but there is little use for them
where one side says there is nothing
to arbitrate. 1t must also be remember
ed that John Mitchell, president Of the
United Mine Workers of America, re-
duced the wages In the coal district
SIS per cent, and kept them for over a
year.
In this day OF keen competition II is
necessary for the employer to trust i'm
plicitly to his men. A large body of
laborers, whether they be union men or
not, can destroy large industries IL
they are not honest and do not give an
honest days work Never before did
so much depend upon the laborers;
never before have laiborers been SO
free; and never before have men been
trusted so implicitly. You are powerful
and into your hands is instructed much
of the country's future prosperity.
sss The State IL Concerned.
Twenty years ago the state took the
position that it had no interest in
matters pertaining solely to employers
and employees. That It was beneath
the dignity Of the public to enter into
private affairs OF the buyer and sell
Ter OF labor, who must be lert to fight
out their own differences alone But
new position has been taken, and
the state Is concerned with all prob
lens, which affect it's prosperity, and
the contentment OF the working
classes is of the greatest Importance.
The state has an interest in every
life, and men are not permitted to
work in ill-vntilated factories, and the
greatest safe guards are thrown about
employees in factory and in NINE
The government did not agree with
President Baer when he said that ne
would run his business to suit himself.
The agitation on the part OF the labor
unions, and the interference on the
part Of the government have given
better sanitary conditions, and owners
OF industries have been compelled to
safe guard dangerous places. A man
has right to refuse to work In a
poisonous atmosphere, and ne can
/ demand conditions Of safety to life
and limb.
The peace and prosperity OF our
country in no small degree depends
upon the contenrment Of the working
classes. The best blood Of our ma
| ton flows in the veins of those who
keep in motion the wheels of industry.
/ Through your ranks have come some
/ OF our best statesmen The voice OF
| the workingman has ever been on the
side of reform. He may be opposed,
| for a day or year, he may be cajoled
bur he cannot be bought. He has
fought a good fight, ne has suffered
| ignomny and abuse, but he has not
when the summit Is reached, and the
battle is carried on above the clouds
/ / have no doubt but that our progress
4 can be safely trusted to him. 1t mas
been a long struggle from slavery to
freedom, and it has been bitteq
struggle, TO deny that a laborer has
a right to strike and break the chains
of serfdom; to demand better condi-
tons in mine and factory and TO be
| given enough to support a wife and
family lis to impeach the men who
| fired the shot at Lexington and Con-
cord, heard round the world--more II
is to disbelieve the phrase that "all
men are created free and equal
| which is written in the grandest
document ever produced by mantle
| constitution the United States. The
American workman asks neither
J sympathy nor the gifts from philan-
tEropy He asks for the just share
/ OF the fruits OF his labor.
A Factor in Civilization.
Organized labor viii be a factor in
our industrial civilization as long as
the present system ndures. mo man
need fear organization among his em-
ployes Ii he approaches the honest
differences between them through
boards OF Cancellation" remarked ex-
Gov. William T.. Douglas. at the an
| nual meeting Of the New England
Civic Federation club "As a work
man at the bench" said Mr. Douglas.
i II was a member OF all the organiza- :
| tions Of my craft, and since becoming
an employer ! have always felt that
my employees had the same right to
belong to labor organizations as had
myself The labor unions are not q
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