Denver labor bulletin., 1916-06-03
the one who is comforting the favor, be-
cause of the ignorance of the employer.
Sovereign of His Own Character.

the one who is conferring the favor, be-
cause of the ignorance of the employer.
Sovereign of His Own Character.
i Money as wages has great power, but
never should wages as such have SO
much power as to detract from the per-
sonal independence of the employed
Loyalty to ones proficiency demands
that the workman shall always do the
competent thing; he shall always acquit
himself as one thoroughly yersed in his
tools and trade; and, having done this
in the full, maintain his position as n
sovereign OF his own character.
Away with the days OF the pipe
from the front office They never had
place in the ranks of good unionism;
ana to those who have watched the
trend of things it is a pleasure to note
that the man who would come to place
in among his fellow men with other than
his ability to show himself competent
workman, must be prepared to hide his
face bctimes or become a postmaster in
the art of blushing with self-confessed
shame when the source of his entry be.
comes known.
III there be one note above another !
would sound this day. it would be in
the appeal for the establishment of such,
relations OF personal character as to
never cast a shadow on the position of
the righteousness of the principles of
unionism. never an apology; rather al
ways the kindly explanation backed by
the argument of what is right and the
careful statement of why it is right.
He who can state his position with
clearncss and has il surrounded by per-
sonal characteristics that can stand the
test OF experience. will be a bulwark for
the cause OF Unionism. And for this
honoring OF our fellow union man do We
meet today.
Factor in the Days Gone BY.
Far from me be the idea to 90 into
the history Of trades unions Records of
dates and circumstances are for the his
toriau who can delve and transcribc.
compare and measure, eliminate and en-
large This occasion of our coming to
gether is To honor the man who ha-
been in line the one who was so inn
portant factor in the days gone by,
The man before the days Of the ma
chine, II you please. Do you recall him?
Were you one OF themY What kind OF
battles did he fghtl Can you reca1
what il meant in the days Of the old
case to be true to the orders OF the union
when the mercenary proprietor was try
ing to figure out some way to cut the
expenses and increase the appearance On
prosperity before the eyes of the dear
public at one and the same time'
How few are the men right here in
this gathering today who have had the
experience OF throwing in the case in the
afternoon in order to have the fun of
setting il out again with kerosene
student lamp or a hot blazing gas jet
shaded by a tin shade that absorbed
more light than it ever reflectedI
"Can all of you remember that inward
grin OF satisfaction You gave vent TO
when you got back to the case after
going to the hook and getting n 'phat
OF thousand or morcY The new printer
OF the last twenty years knows nothing
of the 'pastin up in the morning.
Honor to Fellow Craftsmen.
"What printer twenty-five years ago
would think of letting the office paste
up ior himi What a pity our new
printers coming on do not know the fun
OF finding the dupc that has been missed,
passing the galley NOW it is passing the
buck instead and when the heads went
of the hook have the fun of six men
setting out of one case, and two-third
case at that
"Ten to twelve hours was the time re-
qured for the days work; now they are
only eight, thanks to the patient and
persistent work of the Typographical
Union. What heritage has como to
the new printer; we congratulate him,
but as we felicitntc him the more
realize what work there was in the
older days to reach the dreams of sue
cessfully coping with the situations as
they presented themselves from time to
time.
"The custom Of honoring the fellow.
Il D.. Il q
one. The secretary's list. "a it has beer
given year after year, is but n small
indication of the veterans who filed
their posts creditably and well in those
times True, there were leaders and
officers. men selected in our democratic
method of selection, due credit to them;
but the man who kept Mt the trade, paid
| the dues and was right in the Offices
where all these measures were to be
figured out by the bosses. these are the
men whom I am anxious shall receive
the honors OF this day.
No Printer in Potters Field
"The decorations of the graves on our
own burial plot this morning was fine.
1t is the spot where we can best show
our spirit of appreciation that is within
our hearts, but all the valiant burden
bearers Of the army of union printers
are not thcre-thcy rest IN other places,
and their works do follow them.
u And let me here speak of feature
that Denver Union takes a certain pride
init is that so far as known, no union
printer who has answered the final call
of time has gone to a potter's grave.
This union early took the position OF
helping the unfortunate printer who, in
the struggle for health as well as live.
lihood, sought the climate of sunny
Colorado. Many an one was helped,
cured, and is with the ranks of the liv-