The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1910-11-25
ALWAYS UPWARD.
Trade Unionism Tends to Elevate
Mankind.
IMPROVES SOCIAL SYSTEM.

High Class Workers Valuable Asset
to the Nation--Cheap Labor Destroys
Markets and Clogs the Wheels of
Progress.
The idea has been expressed many
times by employers that the efforts of
trade unions to shorten hours and in
crease wages are barriers to progress
in community, but such an idea can
not be successfully maintained unless
a very narrow aud unreasonable def
milton is given the word. If progress
is simply held to be population, and
this notion prevails In the minds OF
many employers, then China is the
most progressive country in the world
Trade unionists do not believe that
great masses of people. regardless of
their character. denote progress, nor
do they believe that the addition or
cheap, uninteligent servile laborers
add to the progress or welfare OF a
people.
Trade unionists have been taught
by stern experience that constant toll
units man for valuable productive
/ labor and that the man who works
long hours. like the rubber which is
always stretched, will not last long,
so that when the union shortens hours
| of labor 1t becomes an instrument for
the progress and Improvement OF the
entire community. even in point OF
population, rather than a hindrance TO
: it. as some employers seem to believe.
| The fact that constant toll, like a
cancer, robs the human being OF the
vitality so essential to progress can
| not be disputed by any man who Is
student of industrial conditions
The unionist contends and MAIN
iains that the most valuable asset a
| country can have is an intelligent.
| healthy class of wage workers, and
intelligence and health 80 hand In
hand with short hours Of labor and
reasonable pay.
The man who would increase the
population by bringing in hordes OF
unhealthy, ignorant laboring men sim
ply because they will work long hours
| for low wages Is not the friend, but
the enemy, of the community.
The big tinancier who has accumu-
lated millions by hiring cheap labor
calls out to the small manufacturer
and business man. "Come on. get in;
the water is fine" but the merchant
who has been foolish enough TO heed
such advice has invariably found him
self drawn out TO sea by a resistless
current because cheap labor does not
furnish d market for his wares.
The history Of unionism in Amer
lea demonstrates that short hours and
good pay give such an impetus TO the
brain and muscle Of the iaboring man
that he has surpassed the world In
efficiency aud is thus enabled while re-
ceiving high wages, TO produce many
of the necessaries of life at a lower
cost of production than cheap foreign
labor; therefore the complaint that
unlonism interferes with progress "
proved to be without foundation,
The cheap, ignorant laborer, it is
urged. Is easier satisfied, more con
tented than the unionist, which is IN
itself an admission that be does not
add to the progress of the community
because the man who Is contentcG
with his position never achieves much
1t is the constant ambition 10 better
himself, TO do away with present con
ditions, that makes a man accomplish
things for himself and a factor toward
progress.
Nonunionism, with fits small pay and
long hours, is the mortal enemy Of
progress,
Unionism. with It's short hours and
fair pay, lis the strongest factor IN
any community for progress. -Sa1
Francisco Labor Clarion.