The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1912-08-24
SMOKES GET BACK
FROM A|RSH|P TRIP
Duluth Cigarmakers Vote to Start
Campaign for Home Made
Cigars. ~ Is

coming back to their own. For sew
eral years past the union has been
inactive on label agitation. Many Of
It's members had been taking a fam
tastic trip through dreamland in pur-
suit Of that utopia we all hope some
day to reach, but which the substan-
tial trade unionists believe can only
be had by daily and persistent ag-
gressive practical work, always keep
ing their feet solidly on earth.
Well, the cigarmakers have landed
on terra firma once more, sadder but
wiser men. In the old days cigars
made in Duluth We're on sale in every
cigar store in town. Every shop
hummed with activity. Local grocers
and meat dealers were prosperous
with the patronage of well paid cigar
makers, and general era of good
feeling and prosperity prevailed.
In those good old days members Of
the union constantly boosted. Duluth
made cigars. They created a ''home
patronage" atmosphere about the city,
and its influence was felt in every
industry. This was a good old union
town in those days, and union label
goods Of every description adorned
the shelves Of all the stores.
While prosperity was at it's height,
and home industry patronage was
popular everywhere, workingmen be-
Complaints were made about the
high" assessments levied by the
unions for label agitation. These
grew like an insidious germ, and fin
ally one day the union voted not TO
make any assessment for label work.
1t did not take long to observe the
effect Of this action upon the cigar
industry. Gradually shops began to
lay off their workmen, and now after
five years there are but one-third Of
the men employed in the cigar in
dustry compared with five years ago.
It was this situation that aroused
the remaining workmen from their
slumbers. A campaign of label agi-
tation was quickly determined upon,
and now Duluth cigarmakers are out
with their trade union banner again
floating at the mast head of THAR
ship of unionism, and above that of
any other organization, political or
otherwise.
/ Henry Pereault, one of the men
who remained loyal throughout, has
been chosen by G. w. Perkins, presi-
dent of the international Cigarmak-
ers' union, as local organizer for a.
few weeks. Mr.. Pereault will visit
the cigar trade of the city, and will
do his utmost to induce dealers to
put in a good supply of union made
Duluth cigars.
Mr.. Pereault will make good. This
goes without saying, but he requires
support, and we propose to give it
to him. Duluth workingmen and the
friends Of Duluth workingmen can
prove themselves loyal to their homes
by asking only for cigars made in
Duluth. Let every citizen of this
city be true to himself. Let us really
do 1T FOR DULUTH" in a. way that
will make the phrase more than the
joke it is today.
A leading wholesale grocery house
is promoting the sale Of we'll known
brand of trust-made imitation Havana
cigars. They may be found in the
show case of every dealer. This
brand was made popular largely
through the boosting methods of the
employees of the wholesale house.
They have played the game to the
limit, and dealers find it pays them
to carry this particular line of cigars
We should take lesson from such
methods. There are more union men
in Duluth than there are employees
Of a wholesale grocer house. If each
Of us should become the kind of a
booster for homemade cigars that an
employe of q jobbing house is it
would not take very long before there
would be so many cigarmakers en-
ployed in Duluth we would make
commercial organizations ashamed Of
themselves for their failure to boost
the city as it should be boosted.