The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1910-04-16
PETER POWER SAYS:

GSS~~->>&~>~o-ee
There is something brewing in a
political get-together line. The Sher-
man antitrust law menace is arous-
ing the leaders of the industrial and
agricultural forces. The mulcting Of
the United Hatters for $4,000, and
the filing of suits against many other
organizations in the Industrial field,
are finding an echo in the arrest of
numerous tobacco farmers in Ken
lucky, who have pooled their labor
power in their products and intend to
hold them for better prices. The
Kentucky tobacco raisers form a
branch of the farmers unions, which
number something like 100000
members.
/ Now it is proposed that confer
ence representing the farmers, the
railway brotherhoods, the A. F. of L.
and various independent bodies, COM
prising total of 100000 members
meet at st. Louis the first week in
May to consider joint political action.
Whether this meeting will result in
the forming of an independent po-
litical party is problematical. Much
will depend upon the "insurging" that
is now taking. place in the old parties.
But there; is a favorable chance that
Populism will be revived.
Inspired doubtless by the decision
in the hatters' case, wherein the union
is ordered to pay manufacturer
$4,000 for boycotting his products,
the paper mill owners have filed a
suit for 100000 damages against
striking workmen at Glen Falls, N.
Y, and if the manufacturers win
they will be entitled to collect treble
the amount under the Sherman anti
trust law:
A curious feature about this Incl
dent is that the paper manufacturers
were fined some time ago for operat-
ing a combine. They Immediately
reorganized and became a good"
trust-by beating down wages 10 per
cent and increasing working time
from eight to IL hours a day. The
men struck, were divided and de-
feated.
There is little competition in the
paper trade, perhaps because the
good combine was strong enough
to defeat a proposition to import
wood pulp free of duty when the tar
iff bill was up in the last congress.
Holding up prices, beating down
wages and lengthening hours of toll,
! this angelic combine is now fit to go
into court with clean hands and de-
| mand the savings and homes of the
! workers. i >'-.'.
Organized labor has just received
two more smarting blows from the
judiciary. (z.<~ 49,
The famous action Of United States
Judge Dayton in granting a perman-
ent injunction against officers of the
United Mine Workers restraining
the latter from organizing the nom
union miners in West Virginia has
been upheld by the United States dis
! trict court of appeals. This case has
been bitterly contested for.nearly two
years. ;. y +.
Now comes the appellate court in
Illinois and not only decides that the
street car men of Chicago are pro-
hibited from compelling 20 nonunion
men, to join their association, but the
! court also issues an injunction for
bidding the car men from going ION
strike rather than work with the 20
! plaintiffs in the case. sz p. a.
1 These two decisions are having the
same effect as 50 many bombs thrown
into the ranks Of labor. Ifthey are per-
/ mitted to stand the unions will be
completely outlawed. They will have
/ neither the right to organize or strike
II they believe they are not receiving
! just treatment. $50 .l=
AS boycotting has been declared
unlawful in the Buck stove and hiatt
I tiers cases, and now the first steps are
taken to prohibit labor from ceasins
!! work or even organizing, it is easy to
be seen that those writer's who pre-
dicted the coming OF an industrial
5feudalism'' we're making no idle pre-
|ediction. 81. ls 5ss II; s%s5
It appears that the only weapon
labor has left Is the ballot.
l Workingnen all over the country
] will watch with keen interest the
meeting OF the "a. r, Of L.sexecutive
council, which will be held the fore
j part Of next month, to5learn what &C
tion - 10 bes taken to- deal with these
i Latest decision
s. sssss