Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-07-28

That was not the basis of the
| trouble; it was but the last straw Of
/ insolence beyond human endurance to
bear. The trouble with Colorado to-
day is the land system that permits
iron and coal barons to carve ont
feudal principles from the state OF
Colorado or from other states and set
themselves up as medieval lords over
mine workers and their families who
must accept terms of vassaIage on
what should be free American soil
Given such economic disturbances of
the natural order as the breaking up Of
equal chances for men to employ
themselves on the earth, those who
get the land and the power become
deteriorated and act thus and so; vie I
tins having any spirit viii rebel; dire
disaster is sure to follow. It is use /
less for Miss Tarbell to try to make .
good little boys of either or both par
ties while economic conditions remain I
as they are.
In calculating the Taylor system Of /
efficiency. she says that under its OPP !
Grafton the collective bargaining of /
unions would be out Of the question but
that these firms always fix their en-
ploye's wages equal with those cur
rent in the industry" regardless of
the collective bargaining of union
ism She seems unaware that this
same function of uuionism is a potent
factor in making Current wages
what they are today. Before passing
judgment on unionism she should
know that since the vast forests and
praiTies of our country are no longer
open 10 pioneer settlers, and since the
advent OF machinery and industrial CO.
operation prevents men from setting
up various kinds Of shops Of their
own, trade uni0nism is the only bull
wark left between the worker and
virtual slavery. That it is quite mad
equate 10 the needs of the situation is
sadly true; that only the horrible in
justice Of our land system gives trade
uniontsm any reason for being. is
fact which union men must learn in
order to work in the right direction
Miss Tarbell AYERS that the TAYLOR
system high degree OF cooperation is
really an ally of intelligent unfonism"
mot, perhaps. Of the unionism +
which is concerned with politics, +
which is opportuntst in spirit and mil 6
tary in method, but with the union Il
SIN of that great mass of workers who c
believe in sound practices (whatever O
hat may mean, peaceful progress. c
and Il possible. friendly relations with
III those concerned in their industry,
Ihen intelligent unionism" would not
concern itself with politics." It is on C
y for monop0lists and powerful cap
talfsts like the American Association q
u Manufacturers to concern them
.elves with politicsi They keep paid
like Michael AulhalI in every
tate legislature ready to throttle ali II
mis- making employers put in ilygienic Ct
IT safety appliances in their plants. it
MS TO ensure certainty. promptitude ct
M shorter intervals for receiving ht
wages or to shorten the working day.
'hese lobbyists have orders to kill ev-
ry law for the betterment of labor.
'ut intelligent" unionists would not &C
concern themselves with politics a
nth laws TO improve their condition. ez
hey would be satisfied to progress
eacefully' at the pace set by their
masters. ha
1t Is only big business. organized to pl
unit that should use the blacklist. Ie
ne lockout, set up pluck me- stores, tn
rive men to work at the point Of as
le 0ayonet, herd them tn cattle pens, ma
idnap and deport them far from their
ONES, send hired assassins in ar
.ored motor cars 10 massacre them. ap
I'd then fill the press with false re- pr
'rts and induce governors to make IN
ing statements. And after all this an
1ionism should not be sopportunfst
spirit or military in method"l
cave that 10 their "superiors. ms
MISS Tarbell seems to wonder thai rel
Dor representatives are not inteIH- Ia
go - 80 Inc
tIonunued on Page Seven H.,