The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1910-09-02
f100dwinking
Clergymen

There is seldom a day passes but
somewhere in our country from one to
a Of u fellow men are assault
ed or murdered by members of this
band.
Then remember the homes blown
up or burned. The families bounded,
the rioting, burning Of street cars,
wreck1ng Of trains and attempted or
successful killing of passengers.
The general disturbance of industry
and the thousands of dollars forced
sheriffs and militia to protect. even In
a feeble way, the citizens from the
mobs of members of the American
Federation of Labor.
Then you will realize why the great
peace-loving majority of over 80 mil
lion Americans protest against the
growth Of this crime-tainted organiza.
ton comprising perhaps one and one.
half million men, of which 1t Is esti'
mated at least seven-tenths are peace.
loving citizens and are members by
coercion and are not in sympathy with
the three-tenths who have gained con
troll and force their methods.
We find that a few designing men
have seized control of the American
Federation of Labor, just as some
shrewd capitalists have secured con
troll Of some railroads and other In
terests and are now twisting and turn.
ing them into machines for personal
profit and fame.
These men cunningly plan to force
workmen to join and pay % to rs
cents a month in fees.
Various methods are used to in.
duce" workmen to Join.
First, they talk of the tyranny of
capital" making slaves Of workmen.
Then they work up enthusiasm
about the brotherhood of man" and
other talk which experience has
shown excites the emotions Of work.
men and they are induced to join and
pay fees to the leaders.
The 5000 workmen in Battle Creek
are, as a rule, free from the dictates
Of the great Labor Trust and still get
the highest wages In Michigan. II
they had yielded to the smooth talk
of the agents of the trust and joined,
they would pay in fees from $125O.0 0
to 100000 a month to the big trust
and be subject to Strike orders any
time.
Now they save that and put the
money into homes and family com.
forts
But the managers of the American
Federation of Labor have worked
hard and long to harness them.
The trust has sent small bales OF
money and last winter IS "organizers'
to tie up Battle Creek. They hired
halls, gave picture shows, smokers
etc.. as an investment, looking to rich
returns when they succeeded in hav
ing them tied hand and foot.
But they failed and the last OF
these "organfzers" left Battle Creek
on May LIST saying otis no use."
The workmen knew the record Of
this great trust and formed their own
association to protect their rights and
also to protect them from the big
Labor Trust.
In Philadelphia some 1000 indepen'
dent street car men, who mainly had
families, had their own union and re
fused to join the big trust, preferrine
to be free to work or not al they
| pleased.
But the trust planned to force them
into the fee-paying ranks, so a strike
was ordered to compel the traction
company to kick out these men and
hire only Labor Trust members.
1t was not a question Of wages Of
| hours but to push the free men out Of
their positions where they were earn
ing good money to support their fami
lies. The strike was ordered, not tc
raise wages or reduce hours, remem
Der, but solely to throw out members
Of an Independent union and make
places only for Labor Trust members
and thus show the Independent mer
they could not earn a living unless
they first paid fees to the trust man
ayers.
Incidentally the people OF Philadel
phia must submit to nc al service
rioting and bloodshed with millions
in losses while these ~fee-hunting, motto
riety seeking trust leaders we're teach
ing the world that industry cannot b.
carried on except by workmen whit
first bend the knee, bow the head ant
pay fees.
How these men as strike leader,
love to see their names In the paper,
VII