The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-05-26
GooDBY, FAITHFUL SERVANT"

"Well DONE good and faithful servant. As nation
honors its heroes SO we honor YOU"
Mr.. James j. Van C1eave had this handed to him in
tablet form by the National Manufacturers association
when he retired from the presidency of the organization
Nice, wasn't tg
The association gave Van pretty blood red ruby
pin and a check for $4,000.
Nice, wasn't it,
Goodby Van, "good and faithful servant" You did
splendid work. and aborng men will also hate to see you
go, though for another
You proposed to spend 81 100000 to kill labor unions
We do not know how much spent but do know that
you didn't kill or wound any labor union.
It nice that the manufacturers appreciate your efforts
though they all do not approve of all did Union labor
may give you tablet check, ruby pin, but
they will never forget you or cease to thank you for max
ing clear the issue between your kind OF capital and
union labor
Van Ceave set lot of people to thinking. In his hot
headed brash wav arayed against mass and dem
onstraed that the predatory classes would deny to the
laborng rights and privileges they would
organize and kill the organizations of their workers. max
ing mere tools of these
1t ism often that we have putocra who talks much
es Van Ceave has, who would dare to go far he
He believes that the only way to put the aboring
down is to knock him down. He wasnt successful in
the operation but is good to know how he and his friends
feel about it.
If Van Geave will his present leisure to study ques
ons which he has been gnoranty discussing for the
past three years. and will be honest about it, he will
what tremendous work he did for organized labor and
how mistaken he in his fight for the capitalist
First, he will have to learn that all born equal
and have under form of government equal rights to
ife liberty and happiness He will find that rich and pow
erful have been and trying to for them
selves all the best things in life, ensavng their fellows,
and pursuing happiness at the cost of unhappess to
many of their neghbors.
Van Cleave will learn that this condition has led to
very serious situation in this country not unlike the stua
ton France found herself in and to relieve which she suf
fered the horrors of the bloody terror He will learn that
who feel oppressed in this country have learned how
to think that they know of weapons which better
than bullets and guns that they wish to have oppressive
evils corrected by lawful and honorable means. To rid
themselves of unfair masters they would substitute demo
cratic laws for the old laws which protect wealth and prop
erty improperly acquired or uselessy employed
The retiring president of the manufacturers association
will learn that the creation of labor unions is step in the
direction of democratic government. In labor unions
obtain positions of power and influence not they do in
present commercial republic, by possession Of
wealth. but by force of character and intellect and by the
greater force and the nober of justice and good will
toward their fellows.
Such few of the truths Van Ceave may learn if h
will inquire And perhaps day he will wonder at hi
boasting foolish words of the year 1909 and himself
how he rendered a service to the "enemy.'