Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1910-09-01

each morning! It's meat and bread
to their souls.
Then think of the lordly power, and
don't forget the steady flow Of money
squeezed from the workman's hard
earned pay enevelope.
But when these leaders cite up" any
industry no man can hold a job who
refuses to pay fines even on trumped
up charges, and steadily pay fees
whatever they are.
The workman is absolutely at the
mercy Of this band of men who have
secured and hold control.
Many and many an honest workman
has raised his voice and appealed to
his fellows to rise and throw off the
yoke of Gompers, ct al. But. as one
writes, AT every convention of the
American Federation of Labor, strong
opposition comes up but at the crit
ical moment the impassioned orator
appears and most dramatically puts
the spot light on the leader and covers
him with a mawkish film of martyr
dom and the emotional delegates yell
in delight, forgetting the instructions
of the peaceful workingmen at home
who desire to free themselves from
the odium of membership under the
great advocates of strike, boycott, VIC
lence and hate"
So we see the unequalled insolence
with which these trust leaders pro-
pose to induce" ministers to pull
their chestnuts from the fire by
preaching modern aggressive and VIC
lent labor trust methods.
There is a better way to secure JUS
tice for workers, as will appear furth-
er along.
Just little diversion here.
/ am charged with having first
brought to the attention of the public
some years ago, the name Labor
Trust
A trust Is com bination of men or
organizations for the purpose of sell
ing their product at a profit and re-
stricting production to effect it.
We will say a large Oil Company
gathers in smaller ones and thus con-
trolls production.
The Labor Trust gathers in" local
trade organizations and thus has pow
er to say how much work each man
shall do.
The Oil Company then fixes prices.
The Labor Trust does likewise
The Oil Company may use meth
DDS" to force an unwilling dealer to
join.
The Labor Trust men go further
and slug the independent man if he
tries to sell his labor without paying
fees and 'obeyfng orders" They are
both exactly alike in purpose, which,
III both cases is entirely selfish to
gain power and money for the leaders.
Certain Labor Trust members do
not hesitate to use violence, dyna-
hitting of property, burning homes of
independent men and even murder to
force obedience.
The Oil Company doesn't go so far.
Both are extremely dangerous to
the welfare Of people and communi-
tlef, for power placed in the hands
of IL few men either representing Cap
ital or Labor is almost always abused
and the public suffers.
Remember, reader, that your safety
lies in strenuous opposition to all
trusts which try to ride over and die
tate to the people.
Only by opposing their growth can
you retain your personal liberty.
Now to ministers
The average congregation is made
up Of about 80 per cent. of free citi-
ZenS and much less than 10 per cent
Of members of the Labor Trust
The free citizen wants to hear worus
defending the rights and independence
of the common man, free from the ar
bitrary dictates of any self-seeking
organization either of Capital or La
Dor.
The merchant, lawyer, school teach
er, doctor, clerk, farmer and work
man rebels against any forcible stop
ping Of trains, boats, street cars,
or factories, for the prosperity of the
community is entirely dependent on
steady continuance of these things
Men don't like strikes, boycotts, in
jured workmen or burned cars and
factories.
A famous divine says: These men
may hate capitalists but their hate for
other laboring men burns like fame,
eats like nitric acid, is malignant be-
yond all description"
Then we remember cases of acid
throwing, eyes gouged out, children
pursued women StrinDpd hornoc do