The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-08-28
THE STATE FEDERATION OF
LABOR.


Federation of Labor will sool be here
VIII your delegates be there? II not
why not? You don't believe there is
any good 10 be accomplished through
sucn agencies You may not believe
it; but that does not change the
facts In the case. You need not lool
further back than the happening o.
Two events Of recent date for proof oI
This statement. Through the agency
of the American Federation of Labor
and the State FederationS, the re
Grande strike was won, and mad it moi
been for those same agencies. the
United Hatters would have been de
feated. Many other instances of this
kind could be mentioned, but IL is un
| necessary. OF course, the assistance
comes indirectly; but II comes just az
surely, and without II So per cent ol
| strikes would be lost 1T is not ouT
purpose 10 enter into a discussion OF
the relative merits of the various
methods of organization, suffice it to
say that we prefer that which has
| CToyen, by years of trial, its rea
worth in accomplishing that which
though often attempted in other ways
was never before consumated.
We believe in The organization OF
the working people. by the working
people, for the working people-that
is, The Trade Unions" they seem
TO be the natural growth OF natural
| laws-just coming Into being as a
matter OF course, and taking thelI
place in the armament of our indus
trial development. there TO shine. in
accomplishments, the brightest OF
them all Their development, both
from the standpoint OF numerical eX-
| pansion and as a practical working
| force, has been little less than mar
velous; and they have demonstrated
their ability to cope with every emer-
| gency as IL arises.
A casual glance at the history OF
the labor movement Will tell You that
nearly all the strikes that have been
lost, have been lost by single trade
unions engaging In pitched battles
against superior forces OF organized
capital; which only demonstrates the
necessity of Thorough organizey ion.
not only with the partly organized, but
with the wholly unorganiZed; and
bringing the hitherto disconnected To-
cal unions into closer touch with
each other in their respective ma
ttonal organizations, and thea effect
ing still higher unity by the afflia-
tion of all the national and interna-
tional unions In one grand federation
In which each trade organization
would be as distinct as the pillows.
yet one as the sea.
How nftpp ba,,a MN oil ranootuA -
heard repeated, these words $50,
while we cannot hope to be successful
when working Individually, by com.
binlng our efforts, the most skillful
ard benificent results may be OBJ
talned' No brother the most de-
voted and wlsest and the most ener
Setic Of us amount 10 but little, when
We attempt 10 paddle our own ca
noe" so the combined efforts OF all
the unions when eXerted In behalf of
any one union will he more efficatious
than the greatest efforts of the strong
est single union.
Now. what may be said Of national
and international unions and national
and international declarations. may be
made just as applicable 10 city cen
trail bodies and state federations. The
latter can be made Just as great a
power in their respective localities
and sphere, as the former is In theirs.
The national and international uu.
ions, working through the American
Federation of Labor endeavors TO Sc.
cure the passage Of laws favorable 10
labor; and while they have succeeded
in only small measure. yet, beyond
question, they have presented a suTl-
tciently strong front TO discourage
more unfavorable legislation. And the
same function applies TO the State
Federatlons, II You Will but use them.
Hear what that little BIG man
Brother Samuel Gompers-has to say:
I'VE assert 1t is the duty, as it Is
also the plain interest OF all working
people TO organize as such, meet In
council. and take practical steps TO ef-
feet the unity OF the working class,
as an Indispensable preliminary to any
successful attempt TO eliminate the
evils of which we. as a class, so bit
terly and justly complain. That this
much-desired mity has never been
achieved is owing in a great measure
TO the non-Tecognition OF the autono-
my, or the right of sclf-goVcrnment,
of the several trades. The American
Federation OF Labor however avoids
the fatal rock on which previous or
eani2ations, having similar aims. have
split. by simply keeping IN view this
fundamental principle as landmark.
which none but tho most infatuated
would have ever lost sight of
The rapid and steady growth of
The American Federation of Labor.
arising from the afflliation OF pre-
yiously Isolated, together with newly
formed. National Unions; the estab. |
lishment OF local unions of various
trades and callings where none before
existed. the spontaneous formation of |
Federal Labor Unions, composed OF !
wage-workers following various trades !
In places where there are too few
persons employed at any particular |
one To allow the formation of local |
unions OF those trades, thus furnish |
Ing valuable bodies OF auXilaries and |
recruits TO existing unions upon |
change of abode: the Central Labor