The wageworker., 1909-12-18
CENTRAL LABOR union
HOLDS FIRST MEETING IN THE
NEW LABOR TEMPLE.
Receives Communication From Retail
orocers and VIII Meet Them In
Important Conference.

The Central Labor Union met last
Tuesday evening. and had the pleas
ure of celebrating in Hall No. or
the Labor Temple. While the fur
nishings were not complete. there was
seating capacity for all. and the light
snr was brilliant The attendance was
the largest for many months. showing
that the Temple Is going to be draw
ing proposition for all the unions.
Delegate Quick called attention to
the proposition to have letter boxes
attached to street cars, and said the
Carpenters Union would oppose II.
Rev. Mr.. Zenor rather favored the
plan until he learned the reason why
orsanized labor opposed it. and then
admitted that the opposition was
soundly based. 1t was generally de-
clared that under Postmaster Sizer
Lincoln had an almost ideal mail de-
livery and collection system, and the
central body had no hesitancy in CIV
ing MIR. Sizer the credit. But the CEN
tral body was opposed to the street
car collection of mail, and for obvious
reasons. It was also broadly stated
that the Traction company was In
clined to push the agitation In order to
divert the public mind from present
conditions. A committee was appoint
I'D to draft resolutions clearly ex-
planning why the trades unionists
were opposed to the plan.
Il was decided that after January
the central body would change its
meeting nights to the second and
fourth Fridays in the month, and that
from and after the second Friday in
January the meetings would be in
Hall No. l OF the Temple. The last
meeting of the present year will be
held ON Tuesday. December 2S, in Hall
No. 8.
A communication was received from
the Retail Grocers' and Butchers AS
sociation. 1t seems that the associa-
ton Is laboring under the impression
that the central body as a body is op-
posed to the proposition to impose a
license OF 800 a year on itinerant
peddlers. The central body has taken
no action on this matter, but after
listening to the communication from
the association appointed committee
consisting of Messrs. Quick. Zenor and
Maupin to confer with that body at
the earliest practicable moment. The
communication from the Retail Gro
GERS and Butchers Association was as
follows:
"Iincoln, Nebr., December 14.-To
the Lincoln Central Labor Union: We
have been informed that on account
OF Q certain petition now before the
license committee of the city council,
requesting the favorable considera-
ton by that body OF a proposition to
Increase the tramp peddler' license
from SIS to 800 a year. payable annu-
criticised our action on this matter.
believing your members to be hon.
est, broad-minded men, and men who
ere ready to do what is best for the
greatest number Of people at all times.
We take the liberty of explaining to
you our position SO that we may not
be misunderstood.
"What the Retail Grocers' and
Butchers Association requests of the
city council Is this: That the license
be raised from SIS to 800 year, and
for the following reasons-first, to
keep out the tramp peddler who comes
In here for day or two, or for a week
or two. and then drops out of sight.
Second, the man who takes out q IL
cense becomes a citizen of Lincoln,
the same as you or us, and is in bust
ness the same as we are. Third, IL a
member Of your family buys potatoes
or apples, or any other merchandise
from tramp peddler, and after the
peddler has gone you find your pota.
toes or apples short measure, or that
the potatoes have been frost-bitten
how are you going to have the wrong
righted? Fourth, the man who pays a
license of 500 becomes Lincoln citi
zen, and he would no more dare go tc
your homes and give short weight Of
measure than any reliable grocer
would, and II he did SO the peddler Of
grocer could be found and you would
have recourse. Fifth. the retail gro
GERS and butchers are not trying tt
combine in order to raise prices. An,
Of your members are welcome to at
tend any OF our meetings at any time
At these meetings the question o
prices is never mentioned, and neve
will be. Sixth, the retail grocers ant
butchers are not trying to stop, or re
ouesting the stopping. of peddline
They are asking for q raising of tn,
standard of peddlers.