davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1915-05-07

Jealous Of Their Rights!

Liberty" on their lips, death sealing
for all time their voices-sac acrificed
in the interest of the cherished boon
Freedom.
struggle for Industrial Liberty"
that the toilers may be free. Is it
justifiable to ask, is industrial free
dom less sacred, less to be desired,
less cherished, less fundamental and
less the toiler's right than that of
political or religious freedom? Was
the struggles against oppression from
political or religious tyranny more
commendable than the struggles now
of the toilers for a little more bread,
little more raiment, little better
home, a little more time with the
family, better opportunity to develop
higher manhood and citizenship?
Are these rights less laudable, and
of less value to the nations, than the
right to be free politically or re
| Iligiously?
Though their methods are some
times crude and at variance with po-
| lite society, are the American people
so forgetful of past struggles that
they will by restriction take from
the strugglers their God d-given right
to stand on the picket line at the
| factory, mill or street and through
the medium of Free Speech" and
Free Press" tell the world their
grievances?
Will the people of our states per
NIT to be taken from them the right
of popular government by the denial
of direct legislation? Monuments
have been erected in honor of men
who sacrificed and died for human
| liberty. For men who were put to
death by restrictive laws denying
them rightful use of their power to
protest. Shall we now, in this en-
| lightened age be confronted by re-
strictions of our rightful liberty?
Shall our organizations be destroyed
| by legislative enactments taking away
| from us the only means short of re-
volt that guarantee our organization
the right to exist?
Do you wonder at men becoming
reckless, and careless as to the means
they use in righting wrongs, when
through legislative enactments their
rightfuI activities are taken from
them, and enthroned wealth fortified
by such enactments deny men the
right to maintain their economic or
ganizations? Oppressed men will
continue to struggle against their
wrongs let come what will. The
methods used will be such as they
have at hand, and such as have been
used by the liberty defenders of the
past, that which is in their reach.
Men who love liberty are jealous of
their rights.
The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1915-05-07
WHY YOU SHOULD
ATTACH SIGNATURE TO
REFERENDUM PETITIONS
(From Seattle Starr


Why should you sign the seven
referendum petitions?
There is a reason for each petition
But there is far greater reason that
goes for the entire seven, namely:
The life and death Of direct popu-
lar government Is at stake.
You may have wondered how it was
possible that the. 1915 legislature
should have SO willingly trampled on
the will of the people. They did so
on the strength of their opinion that
the people are too Indifferent or too
ignorant to run their own govern
Fment.
Were these politicians and corpora
tion tools right? Are the people too
ignorant for a voice on their own
laws? Are they too Indifferent to
protest.
If the referendum petitions fail now.
direct popular government will pass
into history. For one Of the bills
against which referendum cam
paign is on aims a vital blow at the
initiative and referendum rights OF
the people.
If the present referendum effort
dies for lack of signatures. never
again expect to overrule a rotten leg
islature.
When you sign a referendum peti'
ton you only ask for chance to vote
on the measures passed by the legis-
lature. That is all. You do not ap-
prove or disapprove of the measure
until you vote on them In November,
1916.
Sign the referendum petitions. BY
doing so you sign a request for q vote
for a voice In your government, for
chance to approve or annuI meas
ures passed by the legislature.
The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1915-05-07
SOME NOTED TRAITORS.

Esau sold his birthright for mess
of pottage.
Judas Iscariot sold his Savior for
thirty pieces of silver.
Benedict Arnold sold his country
for the promise of an officers com
mission in the English army.
The modern strikebreaker sells his
birthright, his country, his wife, HIS
children and his fellow workman for
an unfulfilled promise from a trust
or corporation.
Esau was a traitor to himself;
Judas Iscariot was a traitor to his
God; Benedict Arnold was a traitor
to his country.
A strikebreaker is traitor to HIS
God, to his country, to his family and
to his class.
A real man is never a strikebreak-
er! BE a Mani
The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1915-05-07
FRANK v. C0TTER|LL
MAKES STRONG PLEA
FOR REFERENDUM

In forceful address before the
Trades Council, Wednesday evening,
Mr.. Frank w. Cotterill, secretary of
the Central Labor Council of Seattle
and state representative for the Refer
endum League, pointed out the neces-
sity for more energetic efforts on the
part of organized labor in behalf of
the referendum petitions. Only few
weeks now remain in which to secure
the required number of signatures and
the number of names so far obtained
is not as great as the importance Of
the questions involved warrants. Too
many union men and women are
waiting for the other fellow to do the
hustling Everett is not producing its
share of the required signatures. Too
many have so far failed to register.
Brother Cotterill brought home very
forcibly to the delegates present the
vital importance of the issues involved
In several of the referendum bills,
especially the anti-picketing measure.
Ia letter from Secretary Frank Nor
riaon was read, from which we quote
the following statement regarding the
anti-picketing legislation:
ITO my mind. 1t is an unwarranted,
unlawful interference with the estab-
lished rights of free locomotion, free
association, free speech and free
press. cannot bring myself to be-
lioxe that the intelligent electorate Of
the great State of Washington will
tamely submit to the rights of the
workers being purloined from them
in this arbitrary way by the special
interest legislators in your state.
Neither do think that the people of
Washington will tolerate the unwar-
ranted interference and vicious
changes in the initiative. referendum
and recall laws of Washington"
The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1915-05-07
LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR
BEING UNION OFFICIAL
Rockefeller Millions Against John r
Lawson of Mine Workers.

TRINIDAD, Colo, May 4,-Johr
R. Lawson, noted labor leader, today
was condemned to life Imprisonment
at hard labor in the Colorado peniten
tiary. He was convicted of first de-
gree murder in connection with the
death of John Nimmo deputy sheriff
killed in a strike battle October 25,
1913. The jury fixed the penalty at
life imprisonment.
Lawson sat immovable as the jury
filed into the courtroom. When the
verdict was read Lawson did not
move. A slight smile played over
his features. Thirty days were given
to file a motion for a new trial. Law
son was released temporarily in Gus
tody of his counsel.
"They may get me-" Lawson said
but they can't defeat the cause Of
labor. I'm not worrying about my
self; it is the fight / have been max
ing for the workingmen that ! an
interested in and that will go aheat
just as before Even for me it's q
long way to the penitentiary. My at
torneys will not give up until every
thing possible has been done to save
me-"
Lawson and his counsel had con
fidently expected an acquittal or a
the worst a disagreement. The jur,
was out since o'clock Saturday
night
Tonight Attorney Hawkins, chic
counsel for Lawson, issued state
ment saying: "Rockefeller's gold Il
claiming Lawson as victim Rookie
feller's lawyers worked up evidenc'
and Rockefeller detectives testified
in the case to secure a conviction
The verdict is an unspeakable out
rage. In any other community an &C
quittal would have been returned II
five minutes. This conviction Il
stirring a nation"
The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1915-05-07
Referendums in Dancer!

1t isn't often l feel like scoldinl
people. ! would much rather praise
than blame. There is so much fault
finding, criticism and growing done,
anyhow, that it is relief to say nice
things about somebody.
/ am much afraid, however, that l
can't throw any bouquets at this par
ticular writing. l am not satisfied
with the showing Everett is making
In the referendum campaign. It
seems to me there is something wrong
with the union man or woman, who,
In the light of what the legislature
did to the working people of this
state, neglects to go down to the city
hall and register. There are union
lists in Everett who haven't performed
that duty. There are many union
lists in Everett who haven't signed a
referendum petition. What's the
matter?
In the history of legislation in this
state no more reactionary body ever
sat in the legislature. The legislature
deliberately tried to sew union labor
up SO that it couldn't move hand or
foot. Only the Intervention of the
governor of the state saved labor
from having some of its legislation,
dearly bought in years past, removed
from the statute books. Only the in
tervention of the governor saved labor
from having first aid' bill enacted
wholly bad. The veto of the governor
did not save you from having legis-
lation enacted that cuts the very life
out of direct legislation. Should refer
endum measures Nos. and become
law, the next legislature might wipe
out the remaining labor statutes and
the people would be powerless to lift
a hand to save them.
Does organized labor propose to
stand for this condition of affairs?
Some of the boys are out working and
working hard. There ought to be two
hundred union men in this city carry
ing petitions. That there are not that
The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1915-05-07

many Is due to deadly apathy to
their own welfare. Old General
Apathy has lost more battles than
our active forces have ever won.. II
there are not one thousand signatures
to the referendum petitions obtained
in this city lot of people have laid
down on the job. There are at least
that many voters in the city that
carry union cards. Your union card
don't mean much to you If you won't
even take the trouble to register to
defend your rights against legislative
attack.
am going to make one prediction.
If the anti-picketing bill becomes law
because of failure to procure enough
signatures to the referendum petition,
we'll get ours from the labor-hating
employers of Washington, and get 1t
good.
These petitions must be in the
hands of the registration officers for
checking within three weeks. What
are you going to do about It? The
farmers are doing their share Of the
work. Are you?
For the love of Mike, wake up. Go
down to the Labor Temple and get a
petition. Take it out among your
friends and neighbors and get it filled
and return it to the Labor Temple.
If you can't do that much, and these
bills fail of enough signatures because
you didn't get out and do little
work, take your medicine.
Really, I don't think you are delib-
erately shirking, but you don't realize
the game you are up against. If you
had been in Olympia during the last
session and watched the game being
played, you would understand and you
would have your coat off right now.
There are three weeks left to work.
Go to the Labor Temple, or to any
member of the Trades Council Refer
endum Committee, and enlist. The
Everett labor movement has a repu-
tation to maintain, SO let's go to It.
E. P. MARSH.
The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1915-05-07
SAY NAcEL WASN'T ELI6|BlE
Was Not a Neutral"

CHICAGO, May 4.-Congressional
inquiry into the reason Charles Nagel.
former secretary of commerce and
labor, was selected as neutral men,
ber of the arbitration board which
settled the wage dispute OF the fire.
men and engineers on SO western
railroads. was demanded tonight in a
resolution adopted by delegates repre-
senting the Mems organizations.
I'VE submit that Nagel is not neu-
trial." the resolution said, "inasmuch
as 1t was clearly established he Is a
co-executor and co-trustee of the late
Adolphus Buschs estate which has
large holdings of railroad securities.
and Is a director of the Union Trust
company of st. Louis and In the
Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance
company of Milwaukee, both of which
are larger holders of railroad secur-
tiles than the Busch estate"
The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1915-05-07

and IL thee ompany does not care to
and IL the company does not care to
accept that, very well. let 1t keep 1t;
the city can go ahead and put In its
own distributing system; having their
contracts signed UP. there will be no
difficulty about two systems that we
hear so much talk about. One thing
Is certain, Everett must get another
water system II we are to have a city
here. With the power that can be
generated from the Sultan river, there
will be enough to run every manu-
factory In this county, and furnish
every city, town and hamlet in the
county with light, heat and power
Snohomish county some day will have
many factories and will need much
power. Nothing will tend more to
bring manufactures here than cheap
power. Cheap power. cheap light and
cheap pure water are as essential, al
most, to the building OF commun-
ity, as pure air and sunlight. Now
that we may have all these, shall we
let the chance go by7 ! trust not.
Water rates are about twice as high
in Everett as they are in Seattle or
Bellingham. Light In Everett is at
least so per cent. higher than In Sc
attic, although the light used in Ev-
erett and Seattle is all made in the
same place up In the mountains and
brought down here on wire. In Sc
attle there is competition; here there
The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1915-05-07
to Adopt
Retaliatory Measures
Lease Buy and Build and Operate Shnge MSeventyve Mills
Now Running Uunder Cooperative PlanAbout $500 Union
Shingleweavers In the State of Washington

will be able to sell their products at
the minimum price and still make
the union wage scale.
Building Trades to Cooperate.
Members of the Building Trades
have offered to cooperate with the
union mills, and the carpenters or
ganizations will demand from dealers
and contractors union label shingles.
Because of their superior quality and
reasonable price the union product
will be in general demand throughout
the United States.
With mills everywhere organized on
this cooperative basis, the scab herd
ers will be at liberty to run their
mills entirely to suit themselves-and
the banks.
A False Report.
Denial was made by Business Agent
w. H. Mills, of the local union, to
the statements being circulated by
employees of the Clough-Hartley mill
that Skagit county union weavers
were taking positions in the local
mills in retaliation for the action of
Everett weavers who went north dur
ing the Skagit and Whatcom county
strike and worked for low wages,
thereby defeating the unions in those
counties. About 25 Skagit county
card union men are working in the
Clough-Hartley mill, it is stated, in
addition to ten former members of
the local union. Agent Mills declared
that he had heard rumorssof the allie
cations some time ago and that a
thorough investigation failed to find
any evidence of Everett weavers ever
entering Skagit county mills at re-
duced wages.
The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1915-05-07
BY C. o. YOUNG
I Dy . U OU4NU
General Organizer American Fedora
tion of Labor

General Organizer American Fedora
tion of Labor.
Working men and women are be
ginning to recognize the rights OF
human beings to a full roundabout
life, and the possession of freedom
from industrial Tyranny and oppres
sion. They realize that they who toll
are a part of organized society, and
as units of society are important in
the constructive development of the
future, and that there will be no real
progress without the recognition OF
the rights and liberties of those who
make industrial achievements pos
sible. They have found that the ac.
QUESTION of industrial freedom and
liberty has only come to them by the
route of the Rough Struggle,
through their own efforts, and will
stay with them only as they are will
ing to fight to protect the rights and
liberties so dearly bought. They
realize that future progress toward
further liberties depends on the pres
ervation of the rights now in their
possession. Then, do you wonder
when organized greed attempts to in
wade the realm of human veal in the
interest of sordid profits. that the
Spartan spirit to do or die takes pos
session of their souls, and in defense
of their known rights they fight either
wisely or unwisely, to defend their
inherent right to live-to be a real
man?
Do you read in the history of the
long-ago how this spirit took hold of
men in the struggle for political lib
erty? How they fought wisely and
otherwise for the right to take part
in government? How they were i'm
prisoned because they fought in de-
fiance of established rules of society,
and wore the taint of the prison garb
through life, all for the love of human
IlDSIIy oO yOu lCliCiiIOCl IA IilC
long-ago how, and at what price, re-
ligious liberty was attained, and the
many things that were done in de-
fense of that liberty that was against
the rules expressed or implied by
those who were intrenched behind re-
ligious bigotry, cloaked in sanctified
robes and possessing the power of
government as well as spiritual
power?
You no doubt have not forgotten
the struggle for independence Of the
American colonies against the tyran-
ny of a monarch and the things done,
wise and otherwise, in giving express
sion to that spirit and desire for hu-
man liberty, defying constituted au-
thorities These liberties have been
attained and maintained at a great
cost; men have gone down to their
graves in ignominy with the cry Of
The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1915-05-07

probably work a greater hardship up
on them than If they conceded to the
unions demand" declared Brown.
when shingle prices are low you
probably won't get much but when
they are good you will be able to
make money"
Move Is General.
Four mills are already operating on
the cooperative plan in Everett al
ready. They are: The o. K, on
Riverside; the Everett Shingle Co.,
and the Everett Mutual, at 14th St.,
and the Milwaukee Shingle Co., at
Lowell. Four or five Of the mills at
Marysville are running on the coop
erative basis, and at least five in Ed
monds. Altogether there are not less
than rs mills in Washington which
are being operated by union men on
the cooperative plan.
No Parasites.
In these mills there are no para
sites to extract unearned dividends,
as Capitalists" Every man who
draws money from the sale of shin
giles helps to produce shingles. 1t is
proposed to add as many mills to
those now in operation as are neces-
sary to absorb the labors OF all the
first-class weavers in the state, at
at present, about $500. They will CO.
operate in such way as to turn out
union-label shingles of such quality,
and at a price, which will cause them
to be preferred by builders and deal
ers everywhere, the union label being
the guarantee of better quality than
can be turned out by scab labor. Not
being obliged to divide up" with the
touring car element, the union mills
The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1915-05-07
By E. P. MARSH

President State Federation of Labor
BY Senator Palmer (E. B.)-An act
defining picketing. prohibiting the
same, and providing a penalty for the
violation thereof, and declaring that
this act shall take effect Immediately
Be 1t enacted by the legislature OF
the State Of Washington:
Whoever shall. for the purpose OF
carrying on, calling attention to, or
advertising, directly or indirectly, any
controversy. disagreement or dispute
between any labor union or organiza.
ton, or member or members thereof,
and any person engaged in any law
full business, or his employe, or for
the purpose of hindering or prevent.
ing such person from conducting his
business in any lawful way, or EN-.
ploying or retaining in his employ
any person who may lawfully engage
In such business.
Stand or continuously move back
and forth. on the sidewalk. street,
public place or private property. OF
within five hundred feet Of, any place
in which any lawful business is con
Quoted by such other person. or home
or place of abode of such other per
sons or his employe, or
Openly maintain, carry or transport
on any sidewalk, street. public place
or private property, any banner. sign
transparency. writing or printing. OF
Cause any person to do any of the
foregoing acts for any of the forego
ling purposes
The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1915-05-07
BENEFITS OF UNIONisM

WASHINGTON, May AT the
report issued by the international Ci'
gar Makers union, the reports for last
year refute the charge that trade
unions are merely strike machines:
Sick benefits. $207,579.62; death and
total disability benefits. $279, ,746.15;
out of work benefits, s6S.1ss; strike
benefits, s50,S9S.50.
The total benefits paid during 1914
were s6O6,422 .27. The grand total
benefits paid in thirty-five years and
two months were s11,9954,071.57.
The yearly cost per member fol
these benefits necessarily vary. Last
year the charge was s19,0Sh, or $1.0s
a month.
The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1915-05-07

The union-smashing mill owners de-
clare that they are determined to run
their mills to suit themselves; |. g.,
with scab labor.
But their bravado and "independ-
ence" are mostly affected.
First Of all, most of them are not
competent to run a buzz saw through
pine log.
Secondly, nearly every mill owner
in Everett takes his orders from the
First National Bank. They must run
their mills not ito suit" themselves,
but as President Butler dictates. And
1t suits" his lordship, as a member
of the Pacific Coast Employers Asso-
citation, or a sympathizer Herewith,
to crush organized labor, so that the
hands" will be more docile and be
grateful for what terms" are offered
them as an alternative to starvation.
A War Measure.
All proffers Of arbitration, media
tion, etc, having been insolently
spurned by the timber barons, when
presented by representatives of organ
lied labor, the shingleweavers have
now decided to take the bit in their
teeth" and run mills to suit them
selves.
A plan to start all idle mills In this
county uodor tho co.oneratiye MIA n
was presented to the local Timber
workers union at the meeting Tues
day night by International President
J. G. Brown Of Seattle.
IF the employers will make you
no offer, either to compromise or
make other settlement, you can enter
into the shingle manufacturing busi-
ness and compete with them, and
The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1915-05-07
Shall be guilty of picketing.

Shall be guilty of picketing.
Any person who shall engage In
picketing shall be guilty of a mis-
demeanor.
The singular number when used in
this act shall include the plural, and
the word person" shall include indi-
viduals, firms. partnerships, associa-
tions and corporations.
An adjudication of invalidity of any
part of this act shall not affect the
validity of the act as a whole or any
part thereof.
One of the oldest weapons known
to trade unionism is the practice of
picketing plants or business firms
where industrial trouble exists.
Peaceful picketing, acquainting their
fellow workmen or the general pub
lie with the fact that strike or lock-
out Is in progress Is recognized every
where as lawful method of union
activity. The federal congress has
written into the national law, through
the terms of the Clayton antitrust
bill, a legalization of picketing. Con-
gress has declared that members Of
a labor union shall not be prohibited
from doing In time of industrial dis
pute that which they may lawfully do
should no dispute exist. The federal
statute recognizes the right of the
state to protect life and property
against violence or to punish for
actual contempt, but does not propose
to take away from an individual or
set of individuals the opportunity of
placing his side of the controversy