The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1910-12-09
HARD ON WORKERS
Toll OF Slaves Used to Drive Out
American Free Labor.
STATES SIMPLE METHOD.
Minnesota Employs censie.s 20 NAM
factg-e Binder Irvine That Under
sells tre P-o5uet 90 Free Workers.
Family Rights Ignored.


faetg-e Binder Irvine That Under
sells the P-o5ue; % Free Workers.
Family Rights Ignored.
We are unable 70 join in tie enthu-
sissm manifested by the governing
powers q the state Of Minnesota over
the.r successful" methods q putting
the price q binder twi1e down Il 8
cents below the leve, 81 which ",he
trust" Is able 70 sell it Nor can We
1Crr4h very heartily over the fact that
5y the same method the state vii. reg
-,a-e the uarse, rates u sEri-u.tur1.
implements in tie coming year
The states method : Siup,e-So sim.
-,- that the morality 4 il seems 70
-ave evaded The attention 4 II .c-i>
a-ir-. fudicia. and executive ds1ar--
u-1-s and u IL citizens in general
II j. The god old plan Z reducing Sc
vlrzll-ua1 70 s.ave-y and taking
from lin by tdr.e aU 7 thu Vr1ilc'
u lis Labor except 8 hare subsistence
Success H. this rlan blinded many 8
generation u shareholders. and vi
success u Minnesota ! uc17ud-ed- t3-
>La made 9 profit y SlS9'1 last year
5ut u every slave IL her Irvine works.
ard with her new aETi-ul-ura. inr.c
uelc works asp operated by thu Same
s5-- = slave labor her total profits
r.. This source are expected in futu-'
% average $4,000 s year. All GO,
no The state treasury.
Apart from our objection 20 slaV.
.ato-. the feature Il Tie plan which
results In herring the trust made bind
p -w!-a out u Minnesota brings vi
IL our bosom certain disturbing sensa-
lions. There are many good trade
union people working for trusts" in
this country. If by the word trust" i
70 be meant any industry conducted
N q large scale. The railroads are an
example Actually we prefer 10 see
railroad men in their present condi-
/ ZION rather than in slavery.
/ The binder Irvine trust employed
/ free labor 70 make the goods ii for
merry sold in Minnesota. Each slave
/ who Is now handing over to the state
/ S1S969 annually has been substituted
I for q freeman, whose wages must
have been approximately the same as
/ those prevailing in similar grades Of
work in the United States, and on the
whole, after some extended observa.
! ton, We believe that the general Amer
/ lean rate Of wages IS still somewhat
more than sufficient 10 maintain our
workingmen above the slave level. We
shall be reckless right here and now
and say, however much the trust in
/ the financial and industrial field Is
! abhorrent 70 justice, we are willing to
tolerate it for a little while longer
rather than 10 see it abolished by the
Minnesota method There may posi-
| bly, be some other way.
Another thing that appeals TO US in
! this case is that before being thrown
/ into slavery many Of the men in Min,
/ nesota's binder Irvine slave works
were husbands and fathers. and their
/ families are now in sad need Of the
/ proceeds Of their labor which Mime
sofa is taking from them by force. It
Is a hard thing when even a slaves
little children are in destitute circum-
stances
A IS always the case in social prob
lens, a. the bottom Of it all IS a ques-
ton Of morality. To the state Of Min
lesota-nOnsense, there is no state Of
Minnesota in moral responsibilities
the people Of the state OF Minnesota,
We suggest that they ask their pastors
70 address them on a given Sunday Oh
the commandment Thou shalt not
steal"
How easy it Is for men to lull their
conscience asleep when they have 9th
- men al their mercy and can make
them DO their bidding, How blind
men are to the remote effects Of any
social conuivance by which they them
selves profit.
1t might be thought that the Mime
sofa method would be denounced by
every other state il the Union. A mis-
take. Michigan talks Of taking Il up.
II the idea spreads 70 other states the
working classes will have before them
IN urgent task in self protection. for.
whatever their sentiments toward the
slaves who are made 70 work for the
enrichment u the state. they must see
70 it that they themselves are not de-
prived Of the work that By the scheme
goes 70 the state manufactures Oper.
sted BY slaves.-Samuel Gompers In
American Federationist