davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-03-02

/ Dill? Did you vote against the guard
system? Is it not fact that you did
not get thing you voted for but
were given Just what you didn't
want? Why will you vote the old
party tickets year after year. Be
fore you can expect to get legisla-
lures that will better the conditions
of the laboring class. You have got
to elect laboring men to the legisla-
ture. The employers liability bill
was gently laid to rest in the COM
mittee room while the guard bill was
referred to the committee on rail-
roads, where it was ,chloroformed.
The laboring people elected this
legislature. Your vote elected Gov.
McCorkle. You all know he repre-
sented the coal, oil, gas railroad and
other public utility corporations.
You know that these corporations in
terests and yours were opposite. You
also know that Chiffon, McCorkle
and Chiffon controlled the democrat
ic party and that they were drawing
large fees from the public utilities,
and still you voted these men into
office and gave them the power to
make laws that you and your fellow
workers will have to obey. The
moneyed class owns our executive,
judicial and legislative bodies. They
also own the two old political par
ties and are able to dictate their
policies and so long as you vote for
the men they select they will own
you. If the laboring class had elect
ed men of their own class to the leg
is]ature they would not have had to
pay the expense of n committee to
lobby for them ans to beg and
crinSe in an effort to secure the
much needed legislature, but these
men would have known what they
wanted. The delegates to our law
making bodies are servants of the
people. We pay their salaries and
expense, the laboring class are in
the majority, why should you tax
yourselves to maintain a legislative
committee when you should have
demanded what you wanted Chill
ton, McCorkle e Chiffon may know
what this session of the legislature
have done and why they did it but
the rank and file of the delegates
don't know what has been done
They have voted on measures not
knowing what they voted for, but
they could tell if they wanted to
why they voted.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-03-02
What Millionaire and
Social Leader Says
of u. S. Industry

The seed of our social system.
which has reached it's flower in the
idle rich, was planted in the too
fertile soil of American industry. 1t
is watered with the body sweat of
labor and the salted tears of bitter
poverty and suffering. 1t is ferti-
liZed with the dead bodies of men
and women outworn in the grim bat
tie of life. Tended and watched it is
by foal horde of underlings, hired
judges in the law, panders in poll
tics. prostitutes in the pulpits, lick
spittles in college chancellories, Ju-
dases in the press, blackmailers in
business and misera BILE, time-servinG
parasites, clinging like leeches upon
the administrative bodiees of the ma
tion.
This nation is BETRAYED. Can
any thinking man say that growth
of this system could have been DOS
s1ble without criminal negligence
on the part of those public servants
sworn to guard the true and lawful
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-03-02
Legislature Adjourns
The People Lose and
the Corporations Win

The question is being asked all
over the state, what did this session
OF Legislature do? This question
could be answered in few words
but 1t would take volume to tell
what they didn't do. The first
twenty days of the session were de-
voted to game of politics between
the two old parties, but the public
was the winner in this game as the
laws that were not enacted will do
the people more good than those
that were. The general public would
have been better off If not bill had
passed either house. All Iegisla-
t1on passed by either house was class
legislation in the interest of the
corporations seeking special privi-
leges. On account Of the tie in the
senate the democrats were unable to
put through their party measure,
but when the big business interests
were seeking privileges the faith
full fifteen" could always be depend
ed upon to deliver the goods.
All the bills passed dealt with To-
cal charters or local issues that were
of little Or no Importance to the ma
jority of the people. A few new
offices were created to be distributed
among the peanut politicians and
ward rulers, the balance of the
measures enacted were in the inter-
est of the corporations and trusts.
The campaign promises We're ignored
altogether. The action of the en-
tire legislative body showed that
they have lost all respect for the
will of the voters. We have marched
blindly to the polls on election day
so long and voted for the corpora
tion tools nominated by the machine
politicians that they have lost all
respect for us and look upon the
laboring people as nothing more or
less than a lot of voting machines to
be manipulated by the political
bosses. The working people have
swallowed SO many Of the sugar.
coated campaign promises admins
tered by the spellbinders and hire
lings of the trusts that they are
looked upon as being simple minded
and not capable of governing them
selves. You of the laboring class
who voted democratic or repub-
lican ticket last fall stop and
think. Ask yourselves the question,
what did l vote for? Then see if
yuo got what you vote for. Did
You vote for the employers liability
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-03-02

of necessities, in food, in clothing,
in medicine, in insurance, in a hun
dred devious ways, all with one
tendency-to keep the living margin
down.
The terrific sweep of Industrial
ism across this land through out the
past half century appals me, as I
study it. l cannot go down through
sections of our cities without hav-
ing 1t borne in upon me that We as
nation pay fearful price in hui
man blood and tears for our indus
strial enterprise.
Only Il Living Wage.
The grim fact stands out beyond
denial that the men who are the
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-03-02
The Master Glass Thinks
More of the Brute Than
They Do of the Man

A few days ago at Wellford W.
horse belonging to the United
Fuel Gas Co. got sick The Gas Co.
gave the horse every attention even
going SO far as to build a tent and
heat it with gas, as we'll as keeping
man to attend the animal night
and day. The doctors were called
from Clendenin and the veterinary
from Charleston twice at an expense
of twenty-five dollars a trip, but re-
gardless of the care and money
spent the ungrateful brute died
This horse was the property of the
Union Fuel Gas Co. They had m on
ey invested in the animal, hence in
vested more in order to save their
property. In all the Gas Co. spent
about one hundred dollars in vain
effort to save the horse, but when
the men get sick no care or attention
are shown by them by the company
They can get on the best way DOS
slble or die, the Gas Company lidn't
care which as they haven't a dollar
invested in the man and if he dies
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-03-02

all he need do is to hire another.
About a year ago a number Of men
working for the United Fuel Gas
company were burned by an explo-
sion and disfgured and MANNED for
life, but the company were not gen.
erous with them as they were with
the horse These men have had to
resort to the courts but, that haven
brute in the eyes of the master
in the interest of the master and
against the man. The master bonn
bards the courts with dollars, so
justice these days can always be-
found on the side with heaviest
artillery
A working man is not as good as
unite in the eyes OF the master
class. they have to invest in their
horses and cattle to use a horse he
has to buy them and feed and house
them. but with the wage slave they
only buy their time as he needs it
and let the poor slave hustle for his
food and shelter. But the wage
slave seem to like it as they always
vote on election day to perpetuate the
system that makes such conditions
posi- BILE.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-03-02

workers OF the nation and the wom-
en- and children dependent upon
them are not today given the oppor-
tunities that are their proper birth
right in free America; and that
struggle as they will, save as they
may. lift up their voices in protest
as they dare, they cannot obtain
from our Industrial hierarchy much
more than mere living wage
And, on the other hand, it is
equally true that the wage of capi-
tai Is high, that the class OF the idle
rich has grown out of all proportion,
and that it has taken upon itself a
power and arrogance unsurpassed in
the industrial history of the world.
The Fearful March.
From the year 1890 onward the
progress of the United States has
been the fearful march of manufac-
turing industry.
"The average employe in this
country produces every year s12sO
of wealth. OF this amount he gets
s437. The remainder, ss43, goes
into the hands of other men, the
capitalist Or the exploiter,o of labor.
'The same mighty force that gave
us Golden Age of American Pros
perity gave us also the Idle Rich
and the Slaves of Industry.
II do not mean to say that all the
dividends and interest are gathered
by the idle rich. Such a condition
as that can exist only once in the his
tory of a nation. 1t came about
in Rome-and it led to the fall.
ut came about in France-and it
led to the terror. Here in America
1t has gone far, to be sure, and the
tendency is onward; but it has not
yet reached point where we can say,
Tomorrow the harvest is ripe
For 30 years We have been piling
up wealth in the hands of men who
do not work. 1t has gone so far that
today. in every city in the union, the
class of idle rich has reached pro-
portions that, to the thoughtful stu
dent, are alarming
Machinery, instead of emanci-
pating the people, has welded chains
of industrial slavery about their
necEs. Tho fruit of invention on is
pluclcd by the hands of the few.
The wealth-producing machinery
of teh world has the capacity to
give to all men the opportunity of
enjoying leisure. Knowledge and
culture are the proper birthright of
humanity today. The obstacle
against this is the idle rich.
The once powerful middle class.
which is the safety of every nation,
is weak and is every day declining
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-03-02
RICH MUST SOON GIVE AC-
COUNTING.

Today We have the class that
rules, that draws unearned profits
from the toll of other men, know
full we'll that the time is almost here
when there must be a true account
ing. The fortunes that are made,
the fortunes that are in the making
through misuse of political power,
through extortionate exploitation OF
the people and the peoples heritage,
through industrial oppression and
dustria1 denial of the rights of man
these must be checked. Tomor-
row, in this land, the door of oppor-
tunity must again be unsealed.-
Frederick Townshend Martin.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-03-02
I'VE Suck Life Blood of Laboring
Man, "---Confessi0n of Rich Man

81 speak as a rich man." writes
Frederick Townshend Martin, arbi-
ter of New York society, famous in
the social centers of the capitals of
the world, and member of the super
wealthy Martin family of New York,
in the current issue of Everybody's
Magazine, land 1 say that We can no
longer blind ourselves with idle
phrases nor dug our conscienceS
with the outworn boast that the
workingman of America is today the
highest paid artisan in the world.
I'VE know these lying figures too
we'll. We are learning that what we
give our workers in wages we take
back from them in the higher costs
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-03-02

have been purified and are now
clean. All of the best skilled men
are still out, or about seventy-fve
per cent of their membership. The
Kelly Axe Factory Is not working
full force and couldn't even II the
men would go back as they are in
stalling a new engine and even af-
ter the engine is installed Mr.. Kel-
ly cant run more than about three
fourths Of the capacity of his plant,
as the entire factors is dependent on
the bitt-drawers' department. There
are only five of the skilled bitt-draw-
ers at work, the balance are green,
inexperienced men who are not COM
potent to turn out work that will
come up to the standard. If the
work don't come up to the standard
Mr.. Kelly will lose orders and will
not be able to hold his trade. Just as
soon as the Kelly Axe Factory sees
their competitors getting their or
ders they will be only too glad to
recognize the union and put the men
back to work. In publishing such
statements as these without investi-
eating the Mail is doing the men an
injustice but 1t Is no more than
could be expected of a capitalist
press. They are always on the side
with the masters against the men,
The manager Of the Mail promised
the locked-out men that they would
correct this statement, but up to
present we have failed to see the
correction in their columns Our
political papers are like the politi-
clans. They will promise any thing
when you are face to face with
them but just as soon as your back
is turned they hand you one.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-03-02
YOUR ESTIMATE OF LIFE.

What do you want in this old
world, anyway? Is it work, work,
and little to eat and wear, and to
see others who work not live in the
palaces. dress in the finest your skill
has woven, and slide around the
earth in palace cars, yachts and mo-
biles? Is that what satisfies you de-
graded idea of life and its purposes ?
If so, you certainly should feel fe-
fictitious. You are getting these
things with a vengeance. You are
the hewers of wood and drawers of
water. as were your ancestors, to
ancient potentates and kings. They
We're so degraded they thought
it was right, and you are just like
them. If you are satisfied with the
present arrangement of society.
Shame on your dull, slave-like
minds.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-03-02

EX-Candidate for governor
of Penn. Slayton is a carpen-
ter by trade and his whole
life time has been active in
building up the organization
of the workers. He will
lecture on Unionism and So
cialism at the Y. NJ. c. A.
Thursday night. March 9th
Union men of every craft
should hear this lecture as
Slayton is we'll fitted to speak
on this subject.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-03-02

Chicago had secret water mains run
ming into their plants and had sto1-
en- several million dollars worth of
water from the city. Did you ever
read about one of them being pun
lshed? Not on your life. Some dire
full things were going to happen to
these big thieves they didn't
hippen- The little thieves, forced by
hunger to steal-they are punished
all right; but the kings can do no
wrong The people soon forget and
the cases are thrown out of court.
And you keep on voting to have
this condition.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-03-02

|
We're held In bondage for years
while political liberty was restricted
to such an extent that less than one
fourth Of the adult males had vote
In the first election. 1t is true how
ever, that while there always has
Deen classes in America Glass lines
have not been SO sharply defined as
| they are just now.
John Adams Is reported to have
said that he hoped the time would
| never come when a man would be
worth a million dollars. Today a
million dollars is of little conse-
quence In the commercial world. We
are realizing the millionaire stage
After Adams, Lincoln in his first
message to Congress, wrote. "a few
men own capital and that few avoid
labor themselves and with their cap
ital hire or buy another few to labor
for them. A large majority belong
to neither class-neither work for
others or have others work for
them. Today labor for wages is
the ordinary manner of gaining a
livelihood. Capital Is supreme-it
Is Jealous god and will have no
other gods before it.
The class structure Of society to-
day has been most clearly defined in
the tables made by the thorough and
painstaking Lucien Samuel. He di-
v1des the total number Of employed
persons ten years of age and up
ward into three classes. The plu-
tocratic class numbers 25O,251, is
o.9 per cent of the total, possesses
67,OOO,OOO,0O0 or 70.5 per cent of
the total wealth. The middle class
numbsr S,429,S45, is 20 per cent of
the total, Possesses 4,OOO,OOO,OOO
Or 25.3 per cent of the total wealth
The proletarian class numbers 90
1898, 1877, Is 7O.1 per cent of the to-
tai, poss sesses 100000 or 4 3
per cent of the total wealth.. Sanial
himself points out that the wealth of
the working class consists largely of
tools and household goods. 1t ave-
RACES about $500 person-hardly
enough to put Standard Oil out of
business.
The middle class, while serving as
| a cushion between the two classes,
nevertheless comprises divergent in
terests so incapable of concrete act
ion as to be of much less Importance
than their strength of numbers and
wealth would lead one to suppose.
They are ground between the upper
and neither milestone. For all prac-
| tical purposes there are two classes
| in society Such conservative
trade union leader as John Mitchell
admits that the workers can no long
er hope to rise out of their class.
| The mater of fact of its is, hand
full of money kings sway the nation s
course. Study a nations policies and
you can readily tell what class is in
the saddle. Political power is the
| handmade of economic power. Amer
| lea may have been another name for
| opportunity, as Emerson said, but ii
| is evident that to hundreds of thou
sands of persons opportunity is but
a name.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-03-02

interests of the people of the nation :?
The exercise of the peoples
power through statesmen is surbed,
directed and controlled by groups of
money interests.
America. then, is plutocracy.' .
FREDERICK TOWNSEND
MARTIN
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-03-02
THE BIG THIEVES.

Several years ago there was q
great sensation when it was discov-
cred that the packing plants and
other big business enterprises in
The Appeal., 1911-02-18
soles, so and Is cents. Prices reason.
able for all kinds Of repairing. He
can do it on short notice. Jarvis 354

On last Thursday evening veri-
table army of admirers and well-wish-
ers of all denominations marched on
the home of Dr.. and Mrs. w. D.
Carter (Rev. Carter being in the city
for short rest), and for two or three
hours JOY and merriment were alike
indulged in by the congenial invaders
and the objects of their surprise,
DR.. and Mrs. Carter. This gathering
of members of his church and friends
was fitting and well deserved testi-
mOnial to the ten years of Dr.. Cart
er's successful and congenial pastor
ate of Pilgrim Church and the serv-
ice OF his helpmeet. An enjoyable
hour was spent in listening to the
words OF Messrs. Geo. Wills, J. H.
Hickman, ST., w. P. Hough, j. B.
Johnson, F. D. Parker, w. T. Francis,
Edw. Hall. present pastor Rev. E. H.
Mcdonald, and Mrs. w. r. Francis,
replete with warm expressions OF
welcome to Rev. Carter and covering
an exhaustive review of his splendid
pastorate which was greatly abetted
by the assistance of his capable and
energetic wife, and abounding with
praise and commentator for the
Moses and Esther of Pilgrim. 1t was
a splendid tribute of the esteem in
which Rev. and Mrs. Carter are held
by all the people of st. Paul, with
out regard to denomination or color.
The table was piled high with tokens
of esteem and friendship, and music
and refreshments added to the occa-
sion. Upon leaving all joined heart
lily in God be with you till. we meet
again."
The Appeal., 1911-02-18
mo cL1NKERs.

Selected hard coal. at the same
price as you pay Others for the
ordinary run. Holmes & Hallowell,
Seven corners.
The Appeal., 1911-02-18
c. S. Waldon, Louis liverpool and
DR.. Waldo Turner.

y. >. WaldOn, Louis liverpool and
DR.. Waldo Turner.
The joint memorial services in
honor of the late Bishop Abraham
Grant, which were held at st. James
A. M. E. Church, last Sunday after
noon under the auspices of st.
James A. M. E. Church, Minneapolis;
St. Peter A M. E. Church, Mime
apolis; and ST. James Church, ST..
Paul; attracted larg audience, that
was we'll repaid for its presence,
The music for the occasion, which
was grand, was furnished by Choir
us composed of the ehoirs of the
three churches. The order of serv-
ices were as follows: Funeral
March, Mrs. Emma Archer; Hymn,
How Firm a Foundation chorus;
Invocation, Rev. E. H. Mcdonald;
abide with Me- chorus; Scripture
Lesson, Rev. w. D. Carter; Face to
Face Mrs. Addie Crawford Minor;
Obituary, Mrs. Florence Duckett;
Higher Ground congregation;
Bishop Grant as Man Of the Race
B. S. Smith, Esq; Some Day the
Silver Cord Will Break congrega-
ton; Social Traits of Bishop Grant,
Rev. T. w. Lewis; LEAD Kindly
Light chorus; Bishop Grant as an
Executive Rev. H. F.. Jones; ''Tn
Overcome Some Day. chorus; "Bish-
op Grant as an Evangelist Rev. J.
L. Wharton; "Saved Through Jesus
Blood chorus; benediction.
The -Lincoln's Birthday .Celebra-
ton, Contest Drill and Grand Ban
quet which was given under the aus
pices of Pilgrim Comnlandery No. %,
knights Templar,, and st. Paul Patri-
archy No. ia, G. u. D. of O. F., at
Twin City Dancing Academy, while
not the success it should have been
was a most pleasant affair for those
who attended. One Of the pleasing
features was the playing of the or
chestra. led by Prof. w. A. Hilyard,
violin; Mrs. R. G. Minor, piano; Mr..
L. R. Morgan, cornet; Mr.. Claude
Jackson, cello; Mr.. G. H. Miller,
drummer. They made some music.
Much interest, too, was evinced in
the drill contest between the knights
Templar and the Patriaehs under the
command, respectively, of Capt Gen.
Blackburn and Geo. B. Lowe, their
"SIc 11C1FclOuS ana WOu-
derful to behold, especially the PA
triach's Glide 1t was decided that
honors were even Solos were sung
by Mrs. R. G. Minor and Mr.. Claude
Jackson, which Of course were we'll
received. An excellent address was
made by Rev. E. H. Mcdonald, on
the knights Templar. Rev A. H.
Lealtad read Lincoln's Proclamation,
Mr.. w. R. Morris made: a splendid
address on the Patriachy and Rev.
H. P. Jones Cleaned up with his
grand address on Lincoln. The ban
quet OF six courses was we'll cooked
and well served and was enjoyed by
all. The whole affair." was excellent
in conception and it was shame
that it was not more largely at
tended. Mr.. Walker Williams acted
as master of ceremonies and Mr..
Arthur D. Adams as POSTMASTER.