The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-02
Don't Weep at
the Ice House.

for him, which would carry the delegates
off their feet, and result in his reelection.
That his long leadership, and this APP
parent impossibility to fill his place has
gone to his head, and made him imagine
that he is much greater man than he
really is, is undoubtedly the case, and
dealing with questions before Congress,
where he has unnecessarily antagonizcd
men to whom organized labor must look
for recognition of their demands, and
where labor measures arc often opposed
on account of this very antagonism, which
would otherwise receive support.
There is no doubt but what organized
labor in this country would be much
stronger with leader who was more
in touch with conditions as they actually
exist, and who would bring to the front
the new policies which organized labor
must adopt if it expects to even maintain
its 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 leaders,
must recognize the mistakes Of the past
| II they expect to perpetuate their organiza-
| lions or to develop the movement which
they head No movement no organiza-
ton, no nation can develop beyond the
intcllects which guide these organizations,
and II the leaders are dominated bya self
sh 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
II can be said in cxtenuation Of GER
tain leaders of organized labor that the
prccarlous position which they occupy as
leaders has had 4 tendency to cause them
to lose sight of the object behind the or
Sanization. The natural instinct in man
for power and position is in no small
measure responsible for the mistakes of
the leaders, not necessarily in labor unions
alone, but in every branch OF society. This
desire for power and leadership and per-
sonal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT causes men who
have been earnest and sincere in their eff
forts in the start to detcrlorate into mere
politicians whose every act and utter
ance is tineed with the desire to cater
to the baser passions of the working
najorityin the societies or organizations,
and this is undoubtedly true when applied
TO the present leaders Of the Federation.
| We mention the Federation of Labor par
| ticularly in this article because that or
| ganization is the only organization of
labor which has yet found itself in
direct opposition to the laws of the
land. There are other organizations OF
labor whose leaders have made mistakes,
but they have always kept themselves
land their organizations within the bounds
of the law and respected the rights'of every
other man in considering the rights OF
4 themselves and their constituency;
whereas, the motto of the Federation
4 is just the reverse, and unless the lead
Iers conform themselves and their organza-
4 ton in accordance with the laws of the
land, the leaders and the organization
itsell must be dislntcgratcd and pass into
history, for in America the common sense
\ IN mankind is developed TO a greater eX-
tent thanh 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
4 majority OF the citizens Of the country,
This must have forced itself upon the
leaders OF the Federation by this time, II
! if has not, the leaders must be eliminated
1 The organization which they head has
done many meritorious things in times
past, and the people are always ready
and willing to acknowledge the benefits
which their efforts have brought to their
constituency as a whole, but at the present
time labor organizations in general, and
the Federation of Labor in particular,
stand before the bar of public opinion,
Y having been convicted of selfishness
\ and disposition to rule all the people
of the country In the interest of thc
.!teW. The people are patient, and await