The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1916-07-07
Workingmen
and Politics

Editor Times
The labor movement in this country
can secure its legitimate aims in two
ways-By industrial methods, that is,
by strikes, boycotts, or feasible nego-
tiation with employers; or by politi-
cal methods, that is, by action on the
part of the State.
Much controversy has arisen con-
corning the wisdom of The participa-
ton of labor unions in politics. The
diversity of opinion concerning this
matter is due to the vagueness OF
thought upon the whole subject. The
very men who claim that unions should
not engage in politics advocate and
actually secure reforms through po-
litical action. There are certain steps
in politics which it would be unwise
for unions to take and other activities
which, in my judgment, all unions
should avoid. There can be no ques-
ton of the advisability of the unionist
being represented in the councils of
our nation. The only possible ques-
ton is the method and manner Of that
representation. A certain section OF
the working population believe that
workingmen have interests that can
not be harmonizod with those of other
classes of society and that, as con
sequence, a labor party should be Gre
ated, which should devote itself en-
tirely to the purpose of securing la
Dor reforms. This plan of action
might be advisable, if political condi-
tions in America were like those Of
France or Germany, where the votes
of the country are divided among a
dozen different parties, each repre-,
senting a more or less distinct class.
In France as in Germany, the welfare
of the workingman might perhaps be
best conserved by the creation Of a
separate political party devoted ex-
clusively to labor interests. Even
though this party were not sufficiently
strong to commit the government to
a strictly labor policy, it might be
powerful enough to secure, in con-
junction with other parties, some
measure Of legislative protection for
workingmen. We, as workingmen,
should be very careful in selecting the
men at the approaching primary who
are to be elected at the November cleo
ton. Workingmen of all parties
should look well to their ballots ard
see to it that no one unfriendly to la
Dor or to labor movement receive the
nomination for any office by any Of
the political parties in the field. /
would especially call the attention of
all workingmen to the perpicious ac-
tivity in politics of the corporations
of this county, and especially the st.
Joe-Doe Run Lead Companies. The
activity Of those two concerns have
been stencil in the nostrils of all
decent people for The past decade and
to such an extent did they presume
to dictate and control tie offices of
this county that distinguished at
torney went upon the stump and ex-
posed heir political activity, and as
a result the strangle-hoId they had
upon the political parties of the coun-
ty were considerably, but not entire
ly, loosened. Each voter, when he
enters the booth ON August list, should
scrutinize his ballot closely to ascer-
tain if there are names of henchmen of
corporations thereon, and if there
should be any, see to it that they are
not on it when deposited in the ballot
box. We hope the day will soon ar
rive when the st. Joe-Doe Run Lead |
Companies will have a board of di- |
rectors who will take them out of the
political affairs of this county, and we
think that if there ever was an in
dustrial concern that needs genuine
political purge it is the corporations
above referred to, and we believe that
Mr.. Robert Holmes of St. Louis to be
the most competent person within our
knowledge to administer this purga-
tive. Should he ever be given chance,
you can rest assured that the dose will
be quite large enough TO secure the
very best results in very short time.