Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-09-09

Inc efforts OF John F. Kramer, q
high school product of Beacon schools
which won for the youth the first prize
In the contest for the best essay OF
Trades Unionism," are worthy OF
close reading and will repay the read
er for the time spent In studying the
essay. The real thought put in the es-
say by this lad is above the average
and Is commendable as a specimen OF
what any school can turn out in this
branch ofHeducation. It Is not often the
public is given the benefit of the ef-
forts Of the school children in essays,
and the thought and study of the sub
pect treated, places the young man IN
an enviable position among the school
youth Of this section OF the state for
his ability to think and write on sub
ject of such vast depth and universal
interest as Trades Unionism." The
essay Is produced in full as follows:
Trades Unlonisn.
Laborers were first enslaved by the
military power of ancient nations, and
custom, often more potent than law,
led succeeding generations to regard
them as inferior beings. Through all
the centuries of the past the sons OF
toll" have endured stern oppression's
iron grip" and felt the weight OF mad
ambitions CORY hand"
But in recent times men have been
thinking, and have dlspelled some OF
the delusions under which they so
long, labored and suffered. They no
longer believe that duty demands they
shall slay one another, that some
wholesale murderer may obtain for
himself seat In the temple Of fame.
Nor can they now be induced to be-
lieve that those whose hands are un-
stained by toll deserve all the good
things of life, while those whose labor
produced them, are entitled to nothing
but the means of a wretched existence.
Vastly different is the present day
from the olden time, when mans
civilization was fixed for MIN, when he
had no freedom of contract, no word to
say as to what he should receive for
his labor.
Coming with the free institutions Of
free America, and animated by the
same heroic spirit that prompted our
forefathers to resist the tyranny OF
King George, man sought to break the
chains of industrial slavery, which GEN.
turtles had fastened upon him. He was
not long in seeing the futility of indi-
vidual. bargaining, that in union there
is strength and justice, in disunion
nothing but humility and insolence, q
state of industrial despotism tempered
by frequent and unsuccessful revolu-
tions.
Encouraged by the partial success Of
his English cousin, he sought the way
out of his difficulties through organiza-
ton, and thus was born the Trades
Union movement of today.
Up from the dark days when the
laborer was the absolute chattel.of his
master, when the power Of life and
death lay In the word Of his owner.
through the days when to ask for high
er wages was q crime, and when to
pay more than the current wage was
also a crime, up To the time when to
be known as member of labor or
ganization was sufficient to cost man
the loss of his position, on up to the
present time, when the organized
laborer can boldly hold up his head,
and fearlessly announce before all the
world that he belongs to union, is q
long evolutionary period, marked by
many struggles, conflicts. victories
and defeats.
Trade Unionism stands for liberty,
equality, and fraternity; It's mission
and purpose is to educate and agitate a
universal sentiment favorable to bet