The Elk Mountain pilot., 1910-01-13
Don't Weep At
The Ice House.

excite a wave of sympathetic enthusi-
asm for him. which would carry the
delegates OF their feet. and result in
his reelection.
THAT his long leadership. and this
apparent impossibility to I'LL his place
has gone to his head, and made him
imagine that he II much greater a man
than he really 10. Is undoubtedly the
case, and accounts for the tactics he
has adopted in dealing with questions
before congress. where he has unneces-
sarily antagonized men to whom or
ganized labor must look for recogni-
ton OF their demands, and where labor
measures are often opposed on account
OF this very antagonism, which would
otherwise receive support.
There is NO doubt but what organ
lied labor In this country would be
much stronger with . leader who was
more in touch with conditions az they
actually exist, and who would bring to
the front the new policies which organ
lied labor must adopt II 1t expects to
even maintain It's present standing. to
say nothing Of making future progress"
We quote portions Of another article.
a reprint, from the same labor paper:
Organized labor, through Its lead
ers, must recognize the mistakes OF the
past II they expect to perpetuate their
organizations or to develop the move
ment which they head. No movement,
no organization. no nation can develop
beyond the tntellects which guide
these organizations. and II the leaders
are dominated by q selfish motive the
organization will become tinged with
a spirit OF selhshness. which has never
appealed to mankind in any walk Of
life at any time since history began.
1T can be said In extenuation OF cer-
tain leaders of organised labor that
the precarious position which they oc-
cupy as leaders has had q tendency to
cause them to lose sight of the object
behind the organization. The natural
instinct in man for power and position
Is In no small measure responsible for
the mistakes Of the leaders, not neces-
sarily in labor unions alone, but in
every branch of society. THIS desire
for power and leadership and personal
ACKNOWLEDGMENT causes men who have
been earnest and sincere In their ef-
forts in the start to deteriorate into
mere politicians whose every act and
utterancs 10 tInsed with the desire
to cater to the baser passions Of the
working majority in the societies or
organizations and this 10 undoubtedly
true when applied to the present lead
ers Of the Federation Of Labor. We
mention the Federation of Labor par
ticularly in this article, because that
organization IL the only organization
Of labor which has yet found Itself In
land. There are other organizations of
labor whose leaders have made mis-
takes. but they have always kept them
selves and their organizations within
the bounds of the law and respected
the rights of every other man in con-
the rights of themselves and
their constituency; whereas, the motto
Of the Federation 10 Just the reverse,
and unless the leaders conform them
selves and their Organization in accord
ance with the laws of the land, the
leaders and the organization itself
must be disfntegrated and pass into
history, for in America the common
sense of mankind is developed to a
greater extent than in any other nation
on the earth, and the people, who are
the court of last resort in this country.
will never allow any system to develop
In this country which does not meet
with the approval OF the majority of
the citizens of the country.
This must have forced itself upon
the leaders Of the Federation by this |
time. If it has not, the leaders must |
De eliminated. The organization which |
hey head has done many meritorious
.hings in times past and the people are |
always ready and willing to acknowl.
edge the benefits which their efforts
have brought to their constituency a.
\ whole. but at the present time labor
in general, and the Fed.
sration Of Labor in particular, stand
,sfors the bar Of public opinion, hav.
ne been convicted Of sslf,shnsss and q }
disposition to rule all the psopie Of
he country In the Interest of the few. |
The people are patient and awaiting TO I