davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
United labor bulletin., 1912-08-15
The Greedy Steel Trust.

Those of us who have lived in the Pittsburg indus
trial district-in the Monongahela, Beaver and She
mango valeys-can best appreciate the report of the
congressional committee which Investigated the
United States Steel Corporation. In that great in
dustrial field. where more tonnage is shipped than
from any like in the world there men live on
hope and the buoyancy of youth and their wives ex
is IN the hope that their children may live to tree
themselves from the worst of the world s slavery.
But they do not long exist When youth has passed
they greet the grave. 1t is the marvel of the age
that these human beings have not been aroused from
their lethargy and have shaken the chains of myth
and superstition from them and have declared them
selves freemen. Such slavery cannot long endure
and the wrath of the foregner-when it breaks
will break the heads of those who have enslayed
him.
The congressional committee which investigated
the United States Steel Corporation under resolu-
tion adopted May f. 1911, which had been strongly
urged before congress for several sessions by the
American Federation of Labor and other reform as
socations has completed its report and 1t Will be
presented to congress when the minority members
of the committee have their reports completed.
1t is urged that members of congress be requested
to supply applicants with copies of this remarkable
document for use in trade union and central union
: libraries From it. these truths cleaned: . A
most important economic fact brought out in this
investigation which has too often been overlooked
is that the true measure of man work Is the pro-
duction per man per day, and not the mere amount
of wage paid. This important fact should never be
lost sight of in the all important question of cost
production
This statement is verified by table which
shows that the trust has secured more pig iron at
lower wage cost and sold it to the consumers at
higher price 1909 than they did in 1902, and that
they actually employed lesser number of men in
fewer number of days in 1909 than they did in
1902 in the state of Pennsylvania.
In 1909 the trust employed in the production of
pig iron in Pennsylvania 1921 men; in 1902. II, ,101
men; in 1909 they worked 300 days, in 1902 314
days In 1909 it the trust 50 cents for labor to
produce one ton of pig iron; in 1902 they paid 81 %
per ton. In 1909 each produced 40 tons
of pig iron per day: in 1902 produced / -
tons per days in 1909 the trust sold its pig iron at
$1744 per ton, and in 1902 they only got $15.64 per
The average daily wage increased &c cents per
day or from $ls9 in 1902 to $2.09 in 1909
The committee states that on June IL, 1901, six
weeks after the Steel Corporation was organized
and began operations, Mr. Charles Steele. member
of the firm of J. p Morgan & Co. brought forward
the following proposition at "A meeting of the exec
utive committee of the Steel Corporation, and the
president instructed TO convey all the pres
United labor bulletin., 1912-08-15
DEMONSTRATION OF EFFICIENCY.

Washington, Aug. 10-Walter Mac
Arthur, editor of the Coast Seaman's
Journal, says in the issue of that paper
for July "a that certain gentleman hail
ing from New York and claiming to rep
resent a number of seamen on the At
lantic coast appeared before the Con-
gressional Committee on Merchant Ma
rine to protest against the seamen's bill
Oh. R. 23673), and among other things
in the bill he objected to the proposed
standard of individual efficiency" He
attempted to create the impression that
in these days any man could fill a
sailors or fireman's position.
Since then the seamen who were so
grossly misrepresented in Washington
by this man have been on strike for an
increase in wages, and in this connec-
ton the following news item concerning
the steamship Philadelphia, which left
New York with crew of unskilled nom
union men. seems timely:
The steamship Philadelphia made
Southampton three days late and in
passing the steamship New York in mid
ocean, the wireless operator sent a mes
sage saying that she (the Philadelphia
had everything on board except sailors
and firemen-"
This item indicated that experience,
efficiency and skill do really amount to
something upon modern steamship
after all From another point of view,
this news item will help bring a ship
owner to his senses and serve as an
actual demonstration that it pays him
to employ efficient men, or members of
the Seamen's Union, and in addition it
emphasizes the soundness of the argu-
ments made before Congressional COM
mittees for years by Andrew Furuseth
and other representatives of the Inter
national Seamens Union of America, for
the enactment into law of a standard OF
individual efficiency as contained in
the seamen's bill, H. R. 23673.
United labor bulletin., 1912-08-15
CHIPS FROM THE CARPENTERS,

indianapolis, Ind.-The District Coun.
Gil of Carpenters at Toronto, Canada,
report an increase in wages of cents
an hour. which became effective May 1.
A three-year agreement was made with
the Master Builders Association at New
Haven. Conn. working hours being eight
per day. forty-four per week, and 10
cents per hour minimum. At Rome. N.
Y, the schedule calls for Al cents per
hour and forty-four-hour week. This
means gain of 3ia cents per hour and
the Saturday half holiday, with good
feeling prevailing between employers
and carpenters.
At Peckville, Pa, the agreement pro-
vides for minimum rate OF s71a cents
per hour, which is an dvance of 2M
United labor bulletin., 1912-08-15
BELFAST SMITHS WAGES.

Belfass-The ship smiths have Sc
cured a penny an hour increase and 5
per cent added to piece work earnings.
Enginesmiths have received an advance
of shilling per week and 25a per cent.
added to piece work earnings. This es-
tablishes minimum rate OF s9s Sd per
week.
United labor bulletin., 1912-08-15

cents per hour-no strike. At Worches-
ter, Mass. all the mills and wood trim
jobs are working fifty hours per week.
The reduction in working time was OBJ
tanned without strike. At Sidney, n. $,
Canada, a raise of 3 Y cents per hour
was secured. working hours nine per
day-no strike At Wheeling, w. v,
under the auspices Of the Ohio Valley
District Council of Carpenters an adjust
ment was made by which the difficulties
in the building trades were adjusted sat
isfactorily to contractors and mechanics.
At Louisville, Ky. a 45-cent minimum
has been established which is equivalent
to a scent per hour raise. The local re-
ported that we had not the least trou-
BILE; our demands were granted without
a murmur from the contractors" AT
Fond du Lac, Wis, alter strike lasting
one day. minimum Of SS cents per hour
for nine-hour day was secured. that
was an increase of cents per hour. At
Port Colburne, Can, an agreement was
negotiated raising the rate cents per
hour and assuring the employment of
union men only; working hours being
nine per day.
At Rochester, n. Y. the forty-four-
hour week the year round was estab-
lished for the carpenters. with an in
crease of 25 cents per day, the mini
mum being 1915 per day. An increase
of % cents per day was obtained for the
millmen, their minimum schedule being
s2.75 per day of eight hours.
During the month Of July new local
unions were chartered by the Brother
hood at Uniontown, Pa, New Smyrna,
Fla. Wilton. Conn; Navasota. Tex;
Auburn, r. l.: Wheeling. w. Va (mill-
men) Little Rock. Ark. and Owen
Sound. Ontario.
United labor bulletin., 1912-08-15

Carbondale. Pa. obtained city or
dsnance providing for an eight-hour day
for all city employees.
United labor bulletin., 1912-08-15
own YOUR WOOLEN MILLS;
STOP SENDING MONEY away
Don't Forget the Lawrence Strike. and Organize and
Own Your Own Factories Now. Labor
Can Do It.

Donf That Sent cth Not Which
% MadDn Forget That Allowing Someone Send Makes
Days Pair Pants That
Should Have Its Own MILL Filled With
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-02

his arms or clothes ION the pain of
being disarmed and made a swabber
Of the ship" A general punishment
for blasphemy at this time was for
the offender to be bound to the main
mast with an iron bit between his
teeth. the alternative being a scraping
of the tongue. All sorts of odd and
frequently hideous punishments are to
be found described in old manuscripts.
In 1775 a man found drunk aboard or
ashore was taken care of until the
following morning, when in the pres
ence Of the ships company he was
presented with a pint of salt water.
which he had to drink
The dreaded "cat'' is probably the
best known Of these old naval pun
ishments. Whipping was provided for
at least as long ago as the fifteenth
century, and in brakes time the reg
ular trouncing of the ships boys by
the boatswain on Monday morning
was regarded as the only means OF
insuring a fair wind for the rest of
the week.-Chicsgo News.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-02
ENDING THE SPEED MANIA

The New York Central and Pennsyl-
vania railroads have come to the CON
clusion that speed must give way to
safety. The "fiers' run by these roads
between Chicago and New York rank
among the fastest In the world and are
ratronized by the travelling public be-
cause Of the speed attained
Accidents have been frequent and
takink warning from the recent wreck
On the burlington line near Chicago. in
which 10 people were killed and scores
injured. the great eastern lines have
decided that speed must no longer be
considered When the fall and winter
schedules are made up these roads will
pay more attention TO the safety and
comfort OF their patrons than 20 elm
iuation OF distance.
This is a wise conclusion and will
meet the approval Of travellers. Haste
10 the most important word in the
lexicon Of the American people. Ere
quent accidents have made them real.
iEe that safety must now be consid-
cred
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-02
Chicago Record-Herald).

The first sovereign of New Japan"
has passed away. The world had
heard nothing about the illness of En-
peror Mutsuhito; even the people of
Japan had not been informed Of its
fatal progress. The news that the
mikado was sinking came some 10
days ago as a startling surprise, for
governmental and diplomatic business
had been carried on as usual, and
even new departures" in diplomacy
had been planned. This would have
been impossible in old Japan, but in
modernized, westernized, constitutional
Japan it was possible.
1t cannot be said that Emperor Nut,
suhito was really known. He lived
in seclusion; he made no public
speeches-that would have shocked
Japan. His reputation, however, was
that OF an enlightened and progressive
ruler. The wonderful transformation
of Japan occurred during his long
reign. He granted a constitution in
/ 1889, and his name is identified with
many of the measures which have
marked the westernization of his en-
pire. He undoubtedly sympathized
with the new ideas, aspirations and
ambitions of Japan; he co-operated 10y
ally with his ministers and the repre-
sentatives of the people in the popu
lar branch of parliament. To what
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-02
JUST PRAISE OF JEWS.

The world is changing and so great
ly for the better of US all. tia. it is nc
longer uncommon for men to praise
their opponents or one religious creed
TO recognize the value of another
Sunday Rev. Ingram E. Bill, a Chicago
Baptist, delivered a sermon in which
he paid high and deserved praise to
the Jews.
The gentle, he declared, must not
forget his Indebtedness to the Jew as
regards the best religious ideals.
THE religion of the Hebrews pre-
served in its purity through long gen.
erations made possible the birth and
development Of Christianity. The first
Christian church that gathered in Jer-
usalem, the mother of the Christian
church Of history. was composed of
Jewish converts TO the faith of the
Nazerene.
History has seen the name of Jew
become byword among the nations
A degenerate and bankrupt nobility
has made pastime of their plumber
and pillage of the Jews.
To-day a higher Christianity has
served to mitigate the wrongs of the
past. and yet when we speak of the
Jew how often we forget the glamor
that fingers about the names of Dis
ralei and Rothschild and Edersheim
and Strauss and Mendelssohn and Ru-
binstein and other distinguished lead
ers of civilization in every land.
Whenever the Jews have been Civ.
en- square deal they have always de.
I monstrated their superiority in the
| business and intellectual word. II is
more significant that the mother
church was made UP of converted
Jews. These men, unlearned in the
lore OF the schools, were the prophets
OF new religion that was destined TO
override the kingdom OF the Caesars.
In view of the historic achieve,
ments Of Christianity II IS probably
safe to say that the disciples who first
came together in Jerusalem TO fulfill
the commission Of Jesus. himself a
Jew. were in many respects the most
remarkable company OF men that were
ever convenanted together in civic and
religious relations.
Their devotional spirit, their social
outlook. their free democracy if re
produced in the church OF today would
create out OF a relatively restless and
decrepit organization a mighty engine
or righteousness OF sufficient caliber
to compel the world. the flesh and the
devil 10 sit up and take notice"
This is a generous spirit and the
right spirit. The race that gave to the
world such noble people as Mr.. and
Mrs. lsador Straus, who went dowr
with the Titanic. deserve the esteem
and good will Of mankind
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-02
NEW AND OLD MIKADO

extent he caused or inspired moment
Gus measures is an open question.
He will live in history as one of the
great makers of New Japan.
In spite of their assimilation of west
ern culture and science, the Japanese
attitude toward their emperor is hard
ly Ineligible to westerners. He is
more than temporal sovereign; he is
a symbol of national unity and histor-
ical continuity in a mystical sense;
he is regarded as representing heaven
on earth and divine protection of the
nation in some peculiar way 1t will
be remembered that during the war
with Russia the admirals and generals
invariably attributed their victories
ito the virtues of the mikado" This
is national, official formula, and it is
used even by the most emancipated
scholars. The Japanese religious and
moral conceptions, as we'll as their
patriotic sentiments, preserve much of
their ancient flavor. Japanese alone
can properly interpret them, and
many of them frankly say that the
west cannot quite grasp the meaning
of subtle Japanese terms and is apt
to ridicule what it cannot fully COM
prehend.
The new mikado is a man of ma
| gressive learning. No sudden changes
of foreign or domestic policy are to
| be anticipated.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-02
UNCLE SANS REAL ESTATE.

Have you ever thought OF Uncle
Sam as a real estate dealer? Do you
realize that he has bought about two
and a quarter million square miles
Of good land at an average Of a little
more than five cents an acre. and in.
cidentally ousted from North America
every nation except England? asks the
Chicago Examiner.
All his business has been done on
a big scale. Back in 1903 he hung
out his shingle and HIS first client was
Napoleon. who sold him $4,000 square
miles for Sl5.0O0,00O. The territory
then purchased contained some OF the
richest mines and prairie lands in the
world; yet IL went for a trife less than
three cents an acre.
< From Ferdinand VII. OF Spain Uncle
Sam acquired Florida for five and a
half millions, or a trihe more than -
cents an acre. In ls4S Mexico coded
10 Uncle Sam land embracing the pres
ent states OF Arizona, California and
New Mexico for four and one-half cSnts
an acre.
Along in 1883 Mexico got $40 .oOo. 600
for an additional $4,000 square miles.
the top price ever paid. Fourteen
years later We purchased Alaska from
Russia. Uncle Sans latest acquisi-
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-02
AW0M1NyO OBSERVATIONS
EdnaKM@ey

You know If we once have a friend |
there must be some reason when we
lose him. There must be something
lacking in US to hold him or some
thing in US which wears upon him
OF course, once in a great while it
might happen that outside influences
were to be blamed. But that rarely
happens without any contributing
fault. At any rate, don't be too quick
to accept that explanation. Don't
soothe your feelings with the thought.
Il was not to blame in any way
until you have reason to be sure you
are right-until you have thought
about it very, very thoroughly.
Has the companion who started with
you on the road to success prospered
far beyond your power? Why is IT?
Why did the big grind of business or
professional life overcome you while
he rode on triumphant?
Has the one you loved above all
others left you, attracted perhaps by
newer love? This is probably the
hardest of all defeats to face, and to
question, and even to acknowledge.
But if you really want to learn and
be better able to grapple with life,
you must do things that hurt, you
know.
Why did he forget his love for you?
What happened to it?
Isn't 1t true that you must have
failed in some way?
I am not saying for one minute
that you should have acted different
ly to have avoided these defeats. 1t
may be that you could not have kept
your position, nor your friend, nor
your lover, without compromising
your own sincerity and honesty. 1t
may be the noblest thing you could
have done to have lost any one of
them. 1t may be that the success you
have met in life far outweighs that
which you sought.
But l do say this: Look at your de
feats honestly and see what the cause
was.
Learn something from every one OF
them, if it is only that you were right
and are glad you failed
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-02

next occasion he was to be strung up
by his wrists and to have two buckets
Of water poured into his sleeves; the
weights and bound to the mast, and
''for the fourthe time he was to be
hanged to the boltsprite. with a can
of Deere and a biscotte of breade and
a sharp knife. and so TO hang and
choose whether he would cutie him
self down and fall into the sea or
hange still and starve"
Among the rules issued by Raleigh
for the governing of his South Ameri-
can expedition in 1917 was that no
man should be allowed to gamble for
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-02
NEW YoRKs POLICE SCANDAL

NEW YORK'S POLICE SCANDAL.
New York, the greatest American
metropolis, is in the throes of police
scandal in which the entire country is
interested. The dramatic arrest of
Police Lieutenant Charles Becker, &C
cused OF completely in gambling out
RACES and in the murder Of Herman
Rosenthal. a gambler, greatly tntensi-
ies this interest
The New York police force has for
many years. except during short in
tervals, rested under a cloud due to
the general suspicion that 1t was in
ers. at least to the extent Of levytng
toll upon them and In return grant
ing them a certain degree Of immunity
IL law-breahng. But now comes the
intimation that one Of It's officers had
part in the conspiracy which result.
ed IN the cold blooded assassination
Of a gambler whose partner he is al.
legged to have been and who had threat
ened to "squeaL" II this is true, how
many other members Of New York's
police force are so closely in league
with criminals that when they commit
murder these officers must be accom-
plices in the crime?
The district attorney Of New York L
doing his best to get the bottom facts
Mayor Gaynor has ordered the police
to assist him. He can save himself
from severe criticism and possible sus
picion in some quarters by assisting IL
making the investigation most sweep
Ing.
ROCK Island has had enough exper
fence with gambling combines anc
their wholesale corruption in year,
past to give some idea to what extern
a great combine in a metropolis like
New York would carry corruption Il
maintain a system in violation Of law
We believe Mayor Gaynor will do hi,
full duty now that tangible evidence
of a deplorable situation is being fer
reted out
New York should crush the gambiin,
serpent Its poison causes widespread
llawlessness, wretchedness and woe.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-02

YOUR DEEEAIs
MAY Sutton of tennis fame recently
announced her one big rule OF sue
cess in the sport
Learn something from every de-
feat"
There is some cause for every de-
feat we meet. 1t may possibly be
something we couldn't help. Much
more probably we could have helped
it,. Very probably the fault was ours
and was a fault that we would have
to acknowledging ourselves if we
only took a good look at the battle
that we have Just passed through. and
gave ourselves an honest opinion OF It
Have you lost job? Why did you
lose II? Because the man or woman
over you was prejudiced? Well, pos
sibly that's true. But don't tell your
self that until you have investigated
pretty carefully Or else you won't
be learning anything from that de
feat
Wasn't It something you, yourself
did or didn't do? Try honestly with
yourself to decide what it was-and
then the defeat will be valuable be-
cause it will have taught you some
thing.
Have you just estranged a friend
What caused that loss? Are you Ger
tain there was not some fault in you
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-02
HIDEoUS PUNISHMENTS.
Murdsrsrs Were Once Buried Alive
Tied to Their Victims

Murdsrers Were Once Buried Alive
Tied to Their Victims
Old time punishment for Ofenses at
sea was most severe. The code Of the
time OF Richard l. OF England, drawn
up for the government Of his feet on
the crusades. provided that whose
killed any person on shipbOard should
be tied with him that was slain and
thrown into the sea. And II he killed
him on the land he should In like man
ner be tied with the partie slain and
be buried with him in the earth"
In Elizabeth's time a thief was to be
ducked three times, lowed ashore at
the stern OF a boat and marooned with
q loaf of bread and a can Of beer.
Mutiny was punishable by the cul-
prit's being hanged by his heels until
his brains were beaten cute against
the shyppe's side"
The penalties imposed for sleeping
on watch were progressive. For the
first offense the man was 10 be head
ed" with a bucket Of water; On the
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-02
The Argus Daily Story
A Vision-By Frank G. Dana.
Copyrighted. 1912 by Associated Literary Bureau.

1 have till recently been a disbeliever
n what we call the supernatural-that
is. communication between the living
and the dead. l was willing to admit
that strange things may point to such
communication, but supposed those
strange things to be manifestations of
natural laws of which we have not
thus far taken cogniZance. Recently.
however. that has happened to me
which has made a convert of me to
the supernatural theory.
Since this strange happening to me
have a new theory. 1t Is that, while
our bodies are built up on the same
general mechanical plan. our souls diff
fer widely; that some persons have q
gift Of discerning spirits and some
persons tout Of the body have the pow
er of manifesting themselves to NOR
tails. But will tell my story and leave
the reader to form his own theories.
1 have come to be forty years old
without marrying. Recently l met in
Venice an American lady. the first wo-