davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1911-04-29

Inc American Asso citation for
the Advancement Of Labor Legis.
lation is the name Of an organiza-
tion whose purpose is shown by
its title. 1T is not an organiza-
ton of laboring men although the
names Of one Or two labor leaders
appear on it's letterhead, but it's
membership seems to consist
mainly of men who think that
what the world needs most is leg
islation forbidding some one from
doing something that no one
would want to do unless COM
PEELED by circumstances. That
the compelling circumstances
might be changed Isl a matter
which has notsyet received the at
'tention Of the association.
At the last session of congress
it worked hard, but without sue
cess for the passage Of the Esch
bill, prohibiting the use Of phos-
phorus in the manufacture. of
matches. Phosphorus is a deadly
poison and the workers in the fac
tories where tits used eventually
become afflicted with "a dreadful
disease knownlas <phossy jaw"
The facts in regard to this disease
are horrifying indeed and it is
no wonder that the kindhearted
members Of the association: feel
the need of doing something to
abolish it.. 49,,
The Esch bill, for: the passage
of which they worked, might
we'll have been entitled An act
to compel laborers,: forced by ex-
listing, conditions to choose be-
tween starvation and risk OF
phossy jaw,5to choose starva~
ton" -.:==.=
Now starvation: may be be more
pleasant than phossy jaw, more
to the advantage of the sufferer
and more beneficial to society. If
we must choose driving workers
to one or the other Of these evils
there is no question about the
wisdom and, humanity Of legisla-
ton which will abolish the greater
evil. But are we restricted to such
a choice? Might not conditions
be made 30 that the laborers who
now go into the phosphorus fac
tories because that is the most
remunerative employment open to
them, can have opportunities for
more healthful employment on
good, if not better terms? Would
not such a course be more in the
nature of advancement Of labor
interests and should not the
greatest possible advancement of
labor interests be the principal
object Of labor legislation?
Should the workers in the poi
sonous match factories now go
out and look for work elsewhere,
what will they find? Every
where they will be told that work
ers are more plentiful than jobs.
If this were not the case, if jobs
in other lines were more plenti-
full than workers, conditions in
the match factories would soon
get to be much nearer to what we
are all agreed they ought to be,
without the enactment of any leg
islation like the Esch bill. La
borers would simply refuse to
work in match factories until all
danger Of phossy jaw would be
eliminated. That would settle
that question in short order.
Now what stands in the way Of
such a condition is the presence
of laws on the statute books for
bidding it. Every law that puts
a tax on labor or labor products
is q law restricting labor oppor-
tunities. The tax on houses, for
instance, is in effect measure
for restricting the number Of men
whn my IL ornnlnund IN hill ;,, a,
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1911-04-29
MAYOR CULLUM's ...=
ADDRESS REVIEWED

GUOh OCCdSlOH W COHl1llcliC cOitOI"
tally upon an address delivered
by the mayor Of this city, be-
fore certain club in the city Of
Superior.
Our editorial was based upon a
published report of the speech.
We suspected then, that some of
the sentiments which the reporter
accredited to the mayor were
never uttered by him, and we are
glad to have our suspicion con-
firmed by a communication from
the mayor himself, which appears
in another column of this issue.
AS we understand it now, and
which is undoubtedly the fact,
there was not one word uttered
by the mayor on that or any
other occasion, that could right
fully be construed as rejecting
upon the industrial class; on the
contrary, so far as he referred to
the subject at. all, it was in the
kindest and most complimentary
terms.
The mayor is discussing the
municipal problem from the point
of view that mo man should be
allowed to legislate for the peo-
pie who has any selfish interest
in such legislation and the argu-
ment of this proposition he ap-
plies to every department Of hui
man endeavor.
Now, if by the word 'Sselfish"
he means and undue regard to
ones own advantage at the ex-
pense of that Of others, we agree
with him. But if he means to
put the ban upon one having an
interest in common with the rest
of the community, we cannot 80
that far.
Let us consider the question
for a moment. That collection or
aggregation of individuals called
society is made up of four classes
First: Those whose particular
occupation or employment makes
a greater demand upon the :activi-
ties of brain than those Of muscle.
This class will embrace persons
engaged in financial dealings,
mercantile transactions, profess
sional occupations and every line
Of business where the labor is
presumably more mental than
muscular.
Second: Those engaged in &C.
equations that for their accom-
plishment require greater out
ward activity Of muscle than those
enumerated in the first subdivi-
sion. This class will embrace
workers in agriculture, manufact-
ure, mechanics, and every indus
try wherein muscular effort is de-
rected to some useful end.
1t will conceded, Of course,
that mind and brain are just as
indispensable to success in the oc-
equations indicated in the second
subdivision, as muscle and physi-
cal endurance are in the occupa-
tions classed under the first SUBJ
division. The classification is
based upon the idea of preponder-
ance. There is a blending OF the
two elements in each class. The
difference is one of degree.
Third: The idle rich. This class
is usually one that enjoys the
benefit of the thieving proclivities
IF some near or remote ancestor.
Its usefulness to society is nix. Its
example is generally pernicious.
Its ordinary mark of distinction is
that it's female element commonly
devotes it's wealth to capturing
the degenerate counts of decaying
nations. The only interest Amer
lean society has in this class is
to treat it az a super:annuated
parasite, and provide against it's
further propagation. @y.. 's.y.~
Fourth. The idle 1,nnr A. L
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1911-04-29
PLOT AGAINST LABOR.


ficient reasons for believing that
John j. Mcnamara, international
secretary Of the Bridge and
Structural Iron Workers of Amer
lea is not guilty of completely in
the destruction of the Los Angeles
Times building.
First: No labor organization or
officer, or member, thereof, ever
sanctioned or countenanced such
an offense as dynamiting plants
and buildings.
Second: Because the preponder-
ance Of probability is against the
explosion having been caused by
dynamite. Experts in the use of
explosives declare that flames are
never simultaneous with the ex-
plosion OF dynamite. Eye wit
nesses to the disaster declare that
when the crash came the building
was a mass of flames. The ex-
perts assert that the explosion had
all the earmarks Of having been
caused by gas Of which there were
several tanks in the basement Of
the building. Not one Of the ex-
perts attributed the explosion to
dynamite. Every one Of them ex-
pressed himself positively against
the dynamite theory.
Third: Mcnamara has always
been an honest painstaking, and
conscientious official, of conser-
vative turn Of mind, and thor
oughly in sympathy with the
higher and best aims of organized
labor. and no man would depre-
cate lawlessness more than he.
Fourth: Because his kidnapping
has all the indications of a plot
to assassinate organized labor. TO
quote President Gompers:
1.-THE stage was all set, the pro-
perties arranged carefully and
then up goes the curtain, with a
blare of trumpets upon the first
act of tragedy contemplating
the assassination of organized la
Dor.
Ever since the Los Angeles
Times tragedy the interests have
been trying to fasten guilt upon
organized labor. It might Just as
well be Mcnamara as another.
The whole affair smacks of we'll
laid prearrangement.
1.-THE interests of corporate
z ~ wv
wealth are always trying to crush
the organized labor movement and
they use the best way-to strike
at the men having the confidence
of the working people.
II will hold my confidence in
the men until they are proven
guilty. I know the plans and
practices of labor's enemies. From
/ what know Of Secretary Nc.
Namara my fat and confidence
in his innocence is mistaken by
the charges against him.
Fifth: 1.-The charge that dyna
mite was kept by Mcnamara il
]. the headquarters Of his orgahiza
ton Is silly. If he had been in thu
blowing up business, he would
have too much sense to keep dy
Mantle around the headquarters.
. 1t is easy to have hirelinqf
plant dynamite where the detec
tives who paid them to plant il
can find it. It is mighty singu
lar too that a detective on step
@ ping from a train can make {
bee line for the place where thu
il dynamite is boxed under lock anc
key, and have the only key that
@ fits the lock. The whole proceed
'ng has al the marks Of ;conspir,
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1911-04-29
CRIME WAVES.

No better explanation of waves
Of crime in cities, and the remedy,
has ever been condensed into
smaller: space than this in the
New York World by John J..
Egan: "The wave is caused by
human wrecks in the struggle for
existence. The idle rich are dan
gerous, and the idle poor are des-
perate. Society must find a way
OF putting both to work %
Yesterday is cretain; tomorrow
nncertair1. fndav ha1f and HALF
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-02-07
THE COST OF LINING

About this time last year proni-
nent theme In the public mind was
the Increased cost OF the necessities
Of life. Bradsueet's journal had pub
lished table covering the period
from July I, 1895. to January /. 1910,
showing that the average price of
commodities had advanced over Gil
per cent within that period. Soon
after this the meat boycott started
among the workmen OF factory in
Cleveland, and spreading rapidly to
other factories in the same town,
eventually extended TO more than a
hundred cities in thirteen different
states.
The agitation soon died out and the
great majority of these people prob
ably resumed their accustomed diet Of
beef steak and roast pork A more
permanent result was the starting of
a number OF official inquiries into the
causes of this advance. The federal
government appointed commission
OF Investigation as did also several
of the state legislatures. One of the
i4oSS NoAudDsS VI tuSSG sISpOiiS rs lHS
one submitted by the Massachusetts
commission on the Cost of Living
II is issued in large volume of near
ly eight hundred pages and may be
obtained on application. 1t is a gold
mine of information on the whole
question and all of its qualifications.
The high cost of living continues
with only slight abatement. A recent
report issued by Bradstreet shows
that at the close of the year there
was a decline of about three per cent
as compared with the first of the
year, which is attributed to the enor-
nous yield of agricultural products
this season, but which can hardly
be taken as indicating any permanent
lowering of prices. The problem,
therefore, is still with us and from
all indications is likely to remain in
definitely.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-02-07
THE GREATEST FACTOR

in the growth of a live community
a live city-is its best newspaper. A
much Travelled man said: "show me a
town that has dead papers and I'll
show you dead town-on the other
hand. show me {: live town-not
necessarily boom town, but town
that did business last week and VII
do it next week, town that can be
depended upon every month in a bust
ness way and I'll show you town
that has newspaper that has been
circulating in the country around that
town-it has been a means of COM
munication between the sellers and
buyers of the section-it has carried
the markets to the farmer and stock
man and likewise the merchants mes
sage" When your newspaper is push
ing it's circulation further and further
out around your town, the business
of that town is bound to increase if
the merchants and dealers take advan-
tage of the effort the newspaper is
making.
The home newspaper is the most
direct means OF communication be-
tween the seller and the buyer.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-02-07
ADVERTISE NOW.

Midwinter is a period of inertia for
the buying public. It's needs for the
rest of the season are pretty well sup
piled There will be little doing I'M
less you persuade customers to an
tclpate their wants. But though now
stand patters, they are scrutipizlnr
the advertisements for chances for
economies.
The merchant commonly has bar
gains at this time of year. But the
existence of these bargains is not
made known to the public merely by
mental suggestion. nor will crowds
flock to your store on faith Tbere
must be some evidences in black and
white that it is worth while
However great this inertia s,o,
obstacles are quickly swept away he
fore the impulses of thrift sngo o.
ted by the timely advertisement =,
this season. And as all ski,,tn
merchants know, a cut in price, doc,
not need to rob the dealer Of his fa,,
profit on all lines. Jadieiouslv az
t-ibuted bargains fill tke salesroom,
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-02-07
at Was Not Expedient..

Cedar Rapids Republican: After the
new league has adopted its plank for
direct primary elections, it seems that
Senator Bristow of Kansas asked
Senator Cummins of Iowa why in the
name of decency and consistency they
did not have a primary in Iowa forth
with to determine the senatorial
question. He is alleged to have said
that II I'VE believe in this thing in
resolutions, why not also in practice
But the senator from Iowa made re-
ply to the senator from Kansas that it
was not "expedient" in Iowa to have
a primary this year. 1t is not "expedi-
emf" because public sentiment seems
to favor one who is not of Our
crowd It is not expedient because
they do not believe they have pro-
gressiye who can win in primary
and. therefore, it is "expedient" to re-
turn to the old boss caucus system.
.Expediency'' is a great thing. 1t COW
ers multitude of sins. But we are
glad that Mr.. Cummins recognizes
the fact that his position is inconsist-
emf enough to call for a few explana-
lions. 1t may be added that if he
smoke the word the primary would be
voted tomorrow. The ultra progress
s,ves in Des Moines are merely wait
inc 10 know the senator's will they
are ready to enact 1t.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-02-07
Send Back the Prizes.

Marshalltown Times Republican,:
According to testimony Of the mem
bers of the winners Of stock judging
contests from classes of Iowa State
College-testimory which is more in
the line of confession than witness
the victories of which the state has
been proud and over which she has
Wanted the superiority Of her agri-
cultural college were won by as
crooked and contemplate trickary as
ever characterized fixed horse race
or crossed prizefght. The scan
dal developed is one to make Iowa
Disguised and ashamed. If the Young
men who were the beneficiaries of this
allegedly crooked work are telling the
truth-and there seems to be every
reason to accept their statements at
their face value-Iowa has won her
stock judging victories by sure
thing method which would do dirty
credit to thimDle rigger, or gam
bier with marked deck.
According to the testimony Profess
sor Kennedy informed his students Of
secret marks upon the animals placed
there to designate the conclusions of
the official judges. They found these
marks as instructed by their teacher
and guardian professor and won. It
was as directly a steal as any eve-
perpetrated by students who steal ex-
animation papers, trick of the under
world, victory which if the statutes
matched up with the moral laws
would bring every acconrplice In its
accomplishment to cell.
Iowa is ashamed. II it had profited,
unknowingly by disgraceful chicanery,
if it had entered into competition with
ether states in an honest conmpetion
and has been tricked into dishonesty
It should be- anxious to make restitu-
ton. Send back the prizes and let
them be given in belated justice to
those who earned them. Whatever
Kennedy may have to urge in his own
behalf the victories are blown upon
and BY confession of the winners do
not belong to Iowa or to the Iowa
school Render all back in shame and
humiliation.
If Kennedy is guilty as the testi-
mony indicates he belongs outside of
Iowa State College and Iowa. Scat!
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-02-07
ADVICE TO BOYS,

Replying to recent inquiry, w. j..
Bryan In the Comm0ner, says:
There is no new advice to give to
boys, and there are no new boys to adj
wise. The boy is the same that he has
been and he is not likely to change
much in the years to come. His inn
pulses are the same that they were
centuries ago; the dangers that con-
front him confronted his father and
his grandfather in their boyhood days.
If I were suggesting a warning to
boys, would not suggest better one
than that embodied in the text: The
wages of sin is death" That Is the
law, and it can not be repealed. The
honest, truthful, Industrious boy will
succeed in proportion to his intelli-
gence, but no intelligence can make
up for lack of honesty, truthfulness or
industries especially it is impossible
to substitute anything for honesty and
truthfulness. Laziness will limit ones
accomplishments, whatever his other
good qualities may be, but he can out
grow laziness just as he can outgrow
lack of education or intelligence, but
it is much more difficulty to outgrow
a lack of honesty or a lack OF truth
fulness.
Possibly I ought to suggest that
I patience is virtue which should be
added to the ones already mentioned.
Impatience has led many young men
to ruin, they have not been willing to
wait for fortune to come through le-
gitimate accumulation, and through
their haste to get rich they have fall
en-. The boy should learn to labor
and to wait Character Is built slow
ly; but it can be lost in day The
farmer must wait from seed time until
the harvest, however long 1t may
| seem before he gathers his crop, and
SO the boy must be willing to plant in
: the springtime for the harvest that he
will gather when he is grown
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-02-07
: = 80 >>~>e4,
CARTHAGE, ILL.
, = 80 ~~>>>> ;


Mrs. Vim. Mercer and children re
turned Wednesday from a visit with
relatives at Kearney, Nebr., and Mrs.
Shirley Wilson, at Omaha.
Miss Gertrude Jones, has been with
the family Of her sister, Mrs. Alvah
Davis.
Miss Helen Sweeney has accepted
position with the Emrick & Owsley
Dry Goods Company.
Mr.. ]. G. Ferris departed Wednes
day for visit in Monmouth and
Evanston Ill.
Judge G "A. James, A. G. Williams
John Owens, and Lewis Martin attend.
ed Masonic school of instruction at
West Point Thursday.
j. ". Williams has gone to Ann Ar
Dor, Mich, to act as manager OF the
Majestic theatre.
Samuel HARVEST visited Mr.. and
Mrs. l.. E. Garvin in Keokuk a part OF
last week
". w. Lawless and J. B. Johnson
departed Monday on business trip
into Iowa
+. B. Miller and son Hal departed
Thursday for Long Beach, Calf, to
visit Mrs. Miller and Kathryn.
Mrs. Joe Jenkins and son Herbert,
who have been with her brother.
Robert Mauk, have returned to their
home in this city.
Misses Jean Scott and Jessie Will
cox are visiting Miss May Harris at
Lake Forest, and attended the auto
mobile show in Chicago last week.
MIR. and Mrs. Will Cloud OF Inayale,
Nebr.. visited relatives in the city
last week
Mrs. Henry Ridgely, of Lawton, Ok
lahoma, departed for her home last
week after visit of two months with
her daughter, Mrs. r. w. Saer.
J. G. Robbins was a business visi.
I tor to st. Louis, last week.
| Henry Sickle and daughter, Miss
Grace, were Burlington visitors last
week
Mr.. and Mrs. Alvah Williams depart
Monday for Prairie City to visit Mr.
and Mrs. Chester Bone.
Mr. and Mrs. Ray Bell have moved
to Monmouth, where he has a posi-
ton.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-02-07
The Late L. G. Parrott.

SSudT dis hSCOTu. Lou FdfTOJl.
for several years editor OF the Wa
terloo Reporter, is dead 1t hardly
seems possible thus to write, but the
fates have SO decreed and the big
hearted, genial companionable man
has been called hence. 1t was known
to his family and immediate friends
for several days that his case was
extremely critical but hope and cour-
age buoyed him up and encouraged
those near and dear to him to feel
that everything might develop favor
ably and that he would be his former
self again, SO when death came
stealthily in his bed chamber and
took him so quietly those watching by
his bedside scarcely knew when the
Pickering light went out, it was diff
ficult to realize that he was gone.
Mr.. Parrot was member of one
of the oldest aud most prominent
families in Black Hawk county. The
father, the late Matt PARROT, served
as state binder for six years and then
served a term in the state senate and
one term as lieutenant governor. AS
his sons grew to manhood they be-
came associated with the father in
the publication of the Reporter and
in the conduct of the large job print
ing and book binding business. When
the father died the firm name of Matt
Parrot & Sons was retained and W.
F. Parrott, Lou Parrot and James S.
Parrott, the three sons of a worthy
sire, continued the business, each
year enlarging and expanding until
now the Waterloo Reporter and its al
lied interests are among the big news
paper properties and printing and
binding industries of the state.
Lou Parrot was assigned to edi-
toriaI duties and he took up the
work in manner that soon placed
him in the front rank among Iowa
editors. He had a style of expression
and a use of language all his own and
with force and logic he clearly set
forth the views of the paper upon the
issues of the day. He was fearless in
the advocacy of the best things and
loyalty to his friends and to his city
was ever apparent in what he said
and did. He loved his work and year
in and year out found him at his post
Of duty. He did not dote on society
but he had large circle of friends
whose companionship he priced and
whose presence in his office was al
ways delight. No matter how busy
or what might be are cares pressing
upon him he always had time for a
cordial greeting and word of cheer,
He hated sham and hypocrisy and
with facile pen punctured pompos.
ity and tore off the mask with I'M
flinching skill. He was a kindly man
in every walk Of life, well disposed
toward all and generous and fore
bearing toward the frailities OF 9th
iers.
The death of Mr.. Parrot at the
age of forty-seven removes from the
active newspaper workers Of the state
one of the most conspicuous represe
sentatiyes His departure occasions
loss that will be keenly felt Waterloo
Black Hawk county and the state OF
Iowa are better because big hearted
big Drained Lou Parrott lived and
wrought among us. May heaven sus
tain those who are left to mourn and
give those of us still actively engaged
: IN the work that he SO honored and SC
tdlgnified higher concept OF inc
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-02-07

A town is judged by its news
papers much as salesman is sized
up by his clothes. The whole COM
munity is thus a partner in its jour
nalistic enterprises. If you want
Your city to put its best foot forward,
give the home paper the support it
needs to keep on expanding and
growing more attractive.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-02-07

within aud the customers won over by
the appeal to the eye, becoming inter-
c5ted also in staple lines of goods
always salable at fair prices.
1t is merely a problem OF inducing
the public to visit your store in the
Off season, No way of doing it has
ever been discovered except through
liberal advertising,
ADVERTISE NOW.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-02-07

Governor Cruce of Oklahoma is
criticised for approving the Jim,
swinger,' coat for his Inauguration. 1t
marks substantial progress, however,
when an Oxlahoman is willing to wear
any kind of coat.