United labor bulletin., 1914-07-25
THE OPTIMISTIC
PHILOSOPHER

II fdHUSUPHEk |
Without a governor, mayor or
preacher on the platform to 90 through
I the lip service of extending meaningless
words of welcome, the twenty-second
general convention of the Western Fed
Grafton of Miners assembled in Fra
ternal Union hall Monday mornin.
However, there were labor representa-.
tives Of the state and city there to ex-
tend greetings that had the ring Of
truth and brotherly love that generated
direct from the heart Roady Kenehan.
who handles the English language in
the same fearless manner that he was
wont to swing the. nail driver when he
shod horses in Murphy's shop on Wazee
street, was there to welcome the dele
gates from over the United States, Can
ada and British Columbia in his individ-
ual capacity and as organized labor's
representative in the State House. And
Roady made no excuses for the COVER
nor, but plainly said that he was a
plaything for the corporations. who were
using him in an effort to drive organ
lied labor from the state. He told how
the state militia purchased several hum
dred head of horses at an average price
Of $ll0 and was now selling them back
to the original owners for $24.SO per
head. Roady said the operators and
their sympathizers were now making a
cry for law and order, but wanted it all
on their side. 'Some of them are
women,' he said. "You will see this
variety riding about town in 5000
automobile, fondling a poodle in their
arms, while on the street walks a work.
ing woman, baby in her arms, push.
ing go-cart containing another, with
perhaps two or three older ones follow
ing along. Organized labor is fighting
to protect this latter kind of woman,
who is doing something for her state
and nation" Kenehan's speech was
loudly applauded.
Commissioner of Property Otto f.
Thum told the delegates that he was
always assigned by his fellow -commis-'
sioners to extend the city's welcome to
labor conventions. and found il the
most pleasant part OF his official du-
ties because he was a union man and
in sympathy with their endeavors For
several years Thum was employed by
the Western Federation of Miners as
foreman of the Miners Magazine, and
said that at one time he and the edi-
tor John O'Neill, Were about the only
officials of the organization that were
not locked up in jail. while / belong
| ic ,..a. Old. conservative labor organiza-
tion, the Typographical Union, and am
sometimes myself classed as an ultra
| conservative" said Tbum, II am not so
sure but what the radical element of the
labor unions do the most good. Surely
they wake us up and prevent the sloths
| from going to seed. / am as well ac-
quainted with the history of the Fedora
tion as any delegate here present and
am proud OF the record it has achieved.
You are now confronted with crisis.
but as in the past it will be met and
your progress will continue. Colorado
owes much to the organized metallifer-
movement appreciate what they have
done for the state" And Thum was
given the glad hand all around the hall.
| -
| President John McLennan of the State
Federation of Labor appeared to voice
the uppermost thought of the 200 dele
gates when he expressed the. hope that
the coal and metal miners would soon
be merged into one organization and
thus be able to fight the battle for in
dustrial justice of all the underground
workers. Every delegate seemed to ap-
plaud this statement. thus indicating
favorable action on this proposition.
"The trade union movement as repre-
sented by the American Federntion of
Labor and allied bodies is the only
medium that presents itself to combat
the ever-expanding greed of combined
capital and offers haven of protection
for the wage earner,n declared McI-ennan.
He said more attention must be given to
organizing unskilled labor, which had
proven fruitful field for the l. W. w.
and afforded an opportunity for this
element of direct actionists fighting the
labor movement from within.
1: +:
Tn extending n welcome on behalf OF
the Denver Trades and Labor Assembly,
President Earl r. Hoage told the dele
gates that the labor unions of the city
and state We're with them in their pres
ent conflict with the disrupting element.
1--WE are proud to have headquarters Of
the Western Federation of Miners here
in Denver" said he, "and we know your
officers are men OF fidelity and cour-
age, whose interests are ever with the
man in the mine" When Hoage told
how the Assembly had thrown a circu.
lar letter from officers of the seeding
]. w. w. union at Butte in the waste
basket there were loud shouts of ap-
proval
Daniel keenan,. resident of the
Union Printers Home for the past five
years from New York Typographical
Union No. 9, was in Denver for n few
days visit and called on the o. p. to
| say Howdy." Keenan, is now in his