The wageworker., 1910-01-08
fRES. mAuPIN'S SPEECH
AT THE CONVE ENTI01


President Will NJ. Maupin of the Ne
braska State Federation of Labor, de-
livered ut South Omaha. January 4:
Fellow Workers:-It is with a
feeling of pride that I stand before
this convention this morning to de-
liver my annual message as the presi-
dent of the Nebraska State Federation
OF Labor. l hope the pride is pardon
able, for not only is this the first an
nual message ever delivered by pres
ident OF this organization. but it is de-
ilvered by one who has had some
humble part in the making Of this or
ganizatton. To many of you the brief
history of this organization is famil-
lar. But lest some of you may not
be familiar with 1t venture to give
historical outline. The outline of me-
cessity must be brief. for the history
itself is brief.
For the last six or eight years l
have talked at odd times with my fell
low unionists about the necessity OF
such an organization as this, and there
was n unanimity of opinion that was
surprising In view of the failure of all
efforts to get something started. Each
one seemed to be waiting for the
other to take the initiative.
Early in January, 1909. | was hon
ored by appointment to the Office OF
deputy commissioner of labor by Gov
ernor shailenberger. l Immediately
began laying plans to secure state
organization, but was delayed on &C
count OF the legislature being in ses-
sion, which made it imperative that
spend my waking hours in seeing to
IL that an already half-starved and
wholly inadequate bureau or labor was
not utterly annihilated. Immediately
upoa the adjournment of the icgisla-
Jurc l proceeded to carry out long
cherished ambition. namely, the organ
izatioa of a State Federation of Labor.
! took it for granted that Bureau OF
Labor really ought to undertake some
thing in the interests of labor. and
with that idea in mind | issued call
for delegate convention for the pur-
pose of organization. l expected to
meet with success in my efforts. but
confess that | was agreeably aston
ishad at the response made to the call.
Eighty-thrce delegates. representing
rs many local trades organizations, re-
sponded, and at Lincoln. on June 25,
1909. was organized this splendid
State Federation. Charge me with
egotism If you will-if 1 have done
nothing more for labor of this state
than to be the cause of this splendid
aud promising State Federation. at
least have done something in the
way of service for the toilers who
have made the growth of this common
wealth possible.
The Lincoln convention was harmo-
nious in the extreme. The earnest
and willing delegates took up the
work in hand, and in short order a
live organization was perfected.
The chief work of the officials elect
ed by the Lincoln convention was to
get the organizations machinery in
working operation. Without any we'll
known plan of action mapped out,
with nothing but enthusiasm and hope
to build upon. your officers buckled
down to work. The first burst of en-
thusiasm over it was necessary to be-
gin n systematic campaign for affllia-
ton. BY reason of a policy which In
my individual opinion was detrimentl
TO the best interests of organized la
Dor. this State Federation is deprived
of the wise counsel and financial sup
port of a great body of union men in
brotherhood OF Electrical Workers.
The railroad brotherhoods, through
policy OF exclusiveness long pur-
sued. also refused to affiliate with this
organization. And many local unions
which by every right and rule of self
interest should have affiliated, refused
or neglected to do so. Yet We meet
today with a splendid convention,
made up OF representatives of live
unions. I speak without fear of sue
cessful contradiction when l say that
the unions represented here at this
convention are the unions that are al
ways up and doing; never asking
somebody to do something for them,
and always willing to make sacrifices
for the common good. II there be
those who have opposed affiliation be-
cause their minds have conjured up
nightmares of partisan politics. l have
only this to say: Men who habitually
use their unionism to promote their
partisan ends are always quick to
charge others with the same motive,
ana hn uhn is alWavs friph ten ed LEST h a