The wageworker., 1909-05-29
DOING THINGS FOR WORKING


MEN.
So far as this humble little newspa-
per is concerned. and speaking only
for itself. it is heartily tired of this
fol-de-rol about doing
for the workingman" that
a lot of would-begoods are eternally
emitting The average workingman is
not looking for somebody to do some
thing for him." What he most wants
is the opportunity to do something
himself for himself and for
those dependent upon him. He is not
a mendicant: neither does he appre-
ciate the efforts of those who seem
to look upon him as an object of SYM
pathy for whom something should be
done" in order TO lift him out of his
detection and despair What's the
matter with giving the workingman
an opportunity to do something him
self The man who works for wage
is not an abnormal creature who needs
treatment different from that needed
by other men. He thinks the thoughts
of the average man. dreams the same
dreams, yearnS for the same things
and appreciates the same things.
Why should a lot of would-be philan-
thropists always be striving to save
the workingman from himself. map
ping out his line of moral policy to
pursue. selecting for him the amuse-
ments he should indulge in. censur-
ing his pleasures. and providing for
him a code of ethicse
A lot of people who would quickly
resent the labor unions endeav-
oring to define the proper mode of
baptism are very quick to define what
shall constitute the workingman's day
of rest. People who hold TO the
peopled only by their own ilk are
eternally insisting that the working
man shall not do what he wants to
do. but shall do what they want him
TO do. They insist that their ideas
of Sunday observance are the only
right ideas. and that he who holds TO
different ideas is one for whom some
thing should be done in order TO make
him see things as they see them
Sunday is day of rest-but who
shall be delegated to fix exactly the
definition of that word srest?" Rest
may be merely change of oecupa-
ton. What rests one might weary
another. So much stress has been
laid upon the observance of the first
day of the week. commonly called Sun
day. that a whole lot of people CON
fine all their worship. all their re
lisious researches. all their good
works. TO that particular day. But
why should any man. or any set OF
men. be privileged TO say how other
men shall observe their weekly rest
day. Not all good people go &c
church. neither are all people good
who 90 to church. The worker who
tolls six days in the week may ol
may not be rested by going to church
And he alone has the right TO decide
that for himself. He is no, in need
of having a lot of people doing some
thing for him in order TO keep hin
| from doing what he wants to do
And more especially in this humble
little newspaper tired of this everlast
ing talk about providing something fol
the workingmen. now that the sa
looms have been abolished" That sor,
of talk is an insult TO the vast ma
lority of workingmen, for the vast ma
the saloons
Suppose a lot of YOU Quit talkin:
about doing something for the worb
ingman~ and give him opportunitie
TO do things for himself Suppose yo
4 quit talking about substitutes for tn
saloon" and assist the workingmen il
getting something good that is not
substitute for anything And. bette
yet suppose you quit viewing IN
workingman as an abnormal crsarur
who must have a line of tres Smen
different from that accorded to o1he
human beings, The workingmen wi
work out their own salvation if give
clear field. They will make mi:
takes, to be sure. being human b;
ings. but they will make no more 5,
rious mistakes than other men Thei
unions will not-for they cannot
make any greater mistakes than tn
churches have made in time gone b,
Suppose you stand aside ana give tn