The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1910-07-15
PRES. CASE
VISITS CITY
Addresses Central Body
and Delivers Inspiring
Address to Delegates
Present-Direct Legisla-
ton Declared to be Main
Issue Before Voters This
Fall.

President Case, of the Washington
State Federation of Labor, paid Everett
a short but highly profitable visit last
Friday. No one in the labor movement
of the state is more welcome in Everett
than Charlie Case. For several years
he was a leading figure in the union
movement of the city and many men in
the city remember and admire him for
the sterling work he performed here.
We only regret that the larger field
of work to which he has been called
renders his visit to this ely few and
far between. Mr.. Case took advantage
of his short visit to attend the meeting
of the central body and gave a splendid
address. Direct Legislation was the
topic upon which he dwelt most and
which he seems to have thoroughly at
heart Mr.. Case is treasurer of the
state league and active in its work
He spoke in part as follows:
For over five years | was member
of the Everett Trades council and al
ways tried to do my level best for it's
success in the trade union field While
my duties compelled me to take up my
residence elsewhere, | never forget the
boys in Everett and each week eagerly
pick up your union paper to see what
you have been doing. You are to be
Icomplimented as a body and as indi-
viduals for the splendid progress You
have made and for your intelligent d
rection of union affairs. Everett is
maintaining it's far famed reputation as
one of the best organized towns on the
coast.
/ have but recently returned from an
Eastern Washington and everywhere I
find growing interest in the work of
organization. Conditions in the inland
empire are vastly different from what
they were two or three years ago. Walla
Walla, Pasco. Yakima and other cities
now have thriving organizations where
formerly organized crafts were few in
number and membership. This is the
era of organization and spirit seems
prevalent of a conscious need of mutual
help which presages big things for the
unions of Eastern Washington.
| visited two conventions which were
of much interest and help to me, one
other of the Grange in Pullman. In
both | found a spirit of sympathy with
our aims We have so many things in
common and the farmers are learning
so fast that they need our aid no less
than we need theirs. [ am a member OF
the grange and therefore doubly inter
estd in their work. I went to their con-
vention for several purposes but found
when | got there that they had such an
intelligent grasp of the questions that
concerned us as wage workers and such
an apparent desire to cooperate with
us that there was but little need to
voice my desires. My work was already
done before I got there.
| want to tell You that the trade
union movement can learn some things
from the farmers grange in effective
ness or organization. For instance, ev.
cry local grange must affiliate with the
state body, thus adding 100 per cent to
the working power of the state body.
So much of our time is taken up in
urging affiliation that might more
profitably be spent in propagation and
education. Again, every member must
literally support the state grange. We
get what we pay for and if we are
cramped for funds to carry on the work,
the work must necessarily suffer.
Again, every granger receives regularly
copy of his grange paper. I want to
take this occasion to emphasize
the power of the press as an eduea
tional factor. Many of us think we
couldn't keep house without our even
ing or morning daily, but we won't do
1
thing to support our own press, which
defends and upholds our movement at
all times and in all places. If we would
read our own publications how much
wider a grasp we would have of the
trade union movement and how much
better acquainted we would become
with the efforts put forth everywhere
by organized labor.
The crying need of the times in the
way of legislation is Direct Legisla-
tion law on the statute books of the
state of Washington. Under our pres
ent system the most of our time and
energy during legislative sessions is
spent trying to maintain Legislative en-
actment which we have previously Sc
cured in labor's interests. In the ses.
sion of 1903 we secured the passage
of the eight hour law on public works
We securd it without apparent oppo-
sition. do not remember that a single
vote was passed against il in the house