The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-08-05
SECRETARY
1ORRISON
Delivers an Able Address at Dedication of
National Headquarters Building of the
Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of
America
Organized Labor Protects the Lives, the
Health and the Comfort of Millions of
Workers in Mines, Mills and Worl<shops-
Building a Better Government

by men who understand the needs of the
wage workers.
Let me now call your attention to some
OF the more tangible things that Organ
iZed Labor has done, is doing, and will
continue to do as long the necessity
for organization exists
Organized Labor has placed child
labor law on nearly every statute book
of every State of this Union. One State
and two Territories have not "a child
labor law of some character-ITawaii,N Ne
vada and New Mexico
Organized Labor has compelled the en-
actment OF compulsory education laws
and placed free text books in the hands
OF the pupils; but, my friends, notwith-
standing that fact, there are today thou
sands of our little children of tender
years wearing their lives away in mines,
mills, and factories In the States where
labor unions are weak, there you find that
the greed and avarice of owners of mines
mills, and factories know no bounds.
There the only hope for the salvation and
protection of their youth is that Organ
lied Labor may soon be in a position to
go to their rescue
In this city, a few years ago, man
with hatred in his heart formed an organ
ization with the avowed purpose of de-
stroylng the wage workers only defense
against the heartless and pitiless en-
ployer-his union. This man sprang upon
the horizon, heralded with glad acclaim
by the representatives of every union
hslfI IxI.
liclous denunciations of Organized Labor
were published broadcast in the press of
the country. Branches of the organiza-
ton were formed in every city where a
man could be found who had the slightest
antipathy toward Organized Labor, with
the expectation that they would be able
to destroy its strength and power, and
prevent its members from securing i'm
proved conditions. Attempt after at
tempt was made to make good their vain
boast, but the efforts of these dcstroyers
fell by the wayside. The force of their
| attacks was not sufficient to turn, let
| alone stem the tide and growth of union
| ism among the workers. After several
years of impotent effort on the part of
| this organization to destroy the unions,
union hatred, this organizer of discord
| this lost soul who ragged over this land
| screaming out his hate, is forgotten
Why? He is forgotten because every or
ganized body whose sole reason for ex-
| istence is for the purpose of destroying
| those organizations whose efforts are for
the uplift of humanity, and which have
| not brought happiness and contentment
to countless thousands, will not, must
not, and can not long survive in this
| Christian land of ours.
| Every law that has for its purpose the
protection of life and limb has been en-
acted through the persistent effort of Or
ganized Labor.
| Organized Labor has secured the en-
actment of laws for the protection of the
lives, the health, and the comfort of mil
lions of workers in mines, mills, and
workshops 1t has compelled the great
railroads of the country to use safety ap-
pliances, notwithstanding their strenuous
opposition to the enactment of 1egisla-
tlon of that character. 1t has secured the
| enactment of factory laws, and the ap-
pointment of factory inspectors in nearly
every State. 1t is now endeavoring tc
secure the enactment of employers liza
bilitv laws. in which the burden shall be
borne by the industry rather than by the
families of the victims who are claimed
by the thousands by the industries OF
this country. Great and powerful inf1u
ences are at work today to prevent the
enactment of this legislation, notwith
standing the fact that railroads are kill
their employees each year-over ninety
thousand in 1907, by their own reports tc
| the officers of the Interstate Commerce