The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-03-31
LABOR QUESTION
A SERIOUS One
George r. French, General Organizer
of the Cigar Makers Union
the Speaker Last Even
ing
GAVE A FINE ADDRESS
Principals, the Advantages, the Better
mens With Conditions Organized
Told by Interesting
TaIker.
GAVE A FINE ADDRESS

| Although not as we'll attended as
was anticipated, the first OF the series
of trade revival meetings was most
successful and interesting one for the
half hundred union anu craftsmen Of
the city, who were assembled in the
| Trades and Labor Assembly hall last
night. The second one of these meet
ings which is to be held on Friday
evening, is expected to be better at
tended aad more interest attained by
those who are back of the movement
of bringing organizers OF the trades
and prominent speakers to this city.
General Organizer George r. French.
George R. French, general organizer
| of the Cigar Makers International
Union of America, was the speaker
of last evenings meeting. Mr.. French
/ is one of those joyial, pleasant, big
men, whom tradesmep take delight
1 in meeting. His home is in Louisville,
KY, though his headquarters are in
/ Chicago He arrived in Keokuk last
evening from the windy city to deliver
his first of series of eight addresses
/ in this section OF the con-..ry. This
evening he will be in Ottumwa, thence
he will speak at Council Bluffs. Mus
catine, Davenport, Sioux City. and
several other Iowa cities where strong
organizations are formed.
| Last evening he was introduced by
Christian Koepf. president of the local
trades and labor assembly, and in a
way that appeal strongly to the union
men of his audience, among whom
were representatives of almost every
trade organization in the city.
| In speaking, he said:
i We have no fads nor fancies. With
us organization is business It means
dollars and cents to Us. Through pro.
gressive ways of labor movements we
! can come to some understanding be-
tween labor and capital and put them
on a better footing. To do this har-
mony must prevail
!
I ton. It means the betterment of hui.
mainly generally Laws have been en-
acted through our efforts for zee men
and women who enumerate through
our toll
There are many more laws which
should be enacted to protect the life
and limb of the working man of this
country.
1t is a fact not generally known that
this country takes less care of life
and limb than any other country in
the world. 1t seems as though we are
careless.
Labor has taught US that the man
who does not grasp the opportunity of
today is lost. Even outside OF organ
lied labor we are making sacrifices
to better conditions OF the laboring
man.
1t is very important that the mem
bers attend their union meetings. The
fellow who never ATTENDS the meetings
is the one who kicks up the biggest
row" The proposition before us to-
day in this country as | see it is
the capital of this country confined
with the trusts are striving to create
disharmony to disorganize us. We
bear some critics say there is no diff
ference between the trusts and the Ia
Dor union. We say to every man and
woman: I'VE want you to come into
the union, where all are protected.
The trust on the other hand is COM
posed of few. You could not get in
to the Standard Oil the American To.
bacco company, and others.
The union is for every one. The
golden rule is one of the cardinal
principles OF our trade movement
In the cigar makers union (this or
ganization has more to do with the
trust than any other union) we know
their every move. We can see what
they are doing. The American To.
bacco company, with capital of $780,
100000, is owned by four men in this
country. Thousands Of women and
children are employed by this great
trust. Women, if they have to work
Tor living should be at home.
Only last fall in the months, of Sep.
TENDER, October and November, was
in Pennsylvania. Some Of the most
contemplate conditions exist in this
state; moreso than any other state
in the union. The most poverty.strick-
en- persons live there, working in the
steel plants, where even little children
are employed
Andrew Carnegie is today trying to
smooth things over by giving his mil /
lions to public Libraries, when all OF
these poor, poyerty-stricken children
who have given their lives for the
Only One "sRoMo QUINiNE. tina. is