The labor argus. [volume], July 25, 1907, Image 1

About The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915

Image provided by: West Virginia University

                
- . "3^ r1 1 \ -;i v
?ftje """
Vol. 2. No. 9. CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA, JULY 25, 1907. $1.00 a Year in Advance
fcanawha s Qreatest J^abor jpay demonstration Monday
AT KANAWHA STOCK FARM UNDER AUSPICES CAPITOL CITY TRADES ASSEMBLY
KrTHZv-fs-* ??* ?
DfcltUlVtS
TRAI
The "Notorious Guard*"
Abolished by Open Ui
Unions Have Nothing 1
liver. great war has its'.spies, ami I i
it w;is i-11* ?> ln> expected that the 1
eh-.* - niggle would prove an ex- I
caption I mined, it is but" fitting
thai il nmhl depend more upon
spies ll. in any other struggle, lbr ?
its ruling eiass depends upon tie- i
edition In retain its position. i
I Tin-* apitalists of today, unlike i
tin' ruliTs of other ages, do got depend
upon their strength, or their t
>kill a: arms, hut upon their
now or t<> l ire editors and preaches.
ami politicians, and orators,
who shall lie and deceive the mass;
,,f die people?the workers. j
Such a iiiling class would naturatlv
take to a spy system. So it is
that there has grown tip a private
army el sneaks and professional j
liars. u he lor hire infest the organizations
of lahor, seeking to dis
nipt and hot ray their fellows.
T!ie\ are found in every indus- i
try. 1 lie Chicago Stock Yards I
Mvarms with them. The MeUormirk
Harvester Trust keeps a
goodly liiunher on its pay roll,
along with some ''social service experts."
to show the brotherhood of
capital and labor. The Chicago]
street ear companies gather in
many thousands of nickels each j
year to maintain an army of suetfks ]
ami spotters and spii.s. i
(ireat corporations and firms |
have arisen w hoso business*it is to
snpjdv Has professional liai-s and i ?
-Hi. rmicertons ure the
largest ol'the-e. but the Coapora- | \
lion-' Auxiliary is a close second, J \
with n.u.i.i - mailer competitors. ,t
1 he < orjiorations Auxiliary i
mala- ,i- especial business to
>u|>t>l\ men trained to disrupt labor j t
urpr.'i.'.iaiiiis. These men are sent 1
inl< ,d factories to gain the , I
ruiiieiri i. nl' the employes, and i
then tray them in order that! i
they i!M\ ! le discharged and hound- j t
wl uieler the blacklist to starva-it
timi.
The jKi-itious of theffe sleuths, t
l>re?jie! sty of the llrms they repre- i i
sent. Hii'ir own reputation us "de- I
tective-'' depeudc upon their abili- i
ty te | loditee evidence. Since they ! 1
aie ; i to lie in the lirst instance| I
aret i ,i e'lly do their work by con- t
t> ing and treachery, it fol- j i
I"'-* i.arht follows day that if
rvt'im iioes not exist they will j s
I'-'- iiuifaeture it. j
M iiei; a hunch of detectives is | <
1 im ' - -
... . -.n.[> iu prevent organ 1
i hey cannot report that t
l' , : ... talk of unions, i t they J ?
1 would no longer lie?neocL- t
i heir detective agency that t
s> a ami depended upon them t
il . up trade" would soon*
" ' enterprising" and less i
1 as men. j t
1 he pv wlio is sent to liud agi- i
5 - v il lind them, even though t
"a i'e as submissive and slave- s
as capitalism could desire, t
mds of men have undoubted- l
-I'til out upon the long road i
nips, marked men in the i
of industry, all because jpy
realized that holding his.,
pernled upon making some I
i a "showing" in liis report.
- for the man who dares to be i
in. who dares to stand up for
tterment of himself and his'
no is a marked man from the 1
for tliose sneaking spies. He
i!' ?-s his iuh which is the means ,
vi'hy lie lives, and therefore
life in his hands whenever lie
to speak to a fellow worker i
u effort to arouse resistance <
oust the servitude of capitalism, t
spite of all the efforts of the t
S; the crushing pressure of wage <
i'. cry drives men together in ]
d -lunized resistance. When the <
L. union appears then the spy t
"vkos another tactic. lie pene- 1
>:ates into the union, perjuring ?
- nisell with lying words of liilelity ]
the men upon whom he is play- ,:
UN
)ES UNIONS
I
System Can Best Be
riion Meetings?Labor
to Hide From Public.
/ *
ng the Judas. Within the union
le is. the pliant tool of his masters,
ong skilled in such devilish work,
lie seeks position. He preaches
liscontmit. Heatlaeks union priiitiples.
lie urges violence. lie
iglits sirikes or ugos tliein, accordlig
as the interests of the capitalsts
who employ him may dictate.
All these tilings lie does in addi.ion
to supplying his masters with
nlbrmution concerning every move
if the workers. This is something
vhicli every union should thorniglily
understand?that they are
(laying with loaded dice. No acts
>f a union are secret from the em(Ioyer.
There is no way by which at
inion can prevent the entrance of
i spy into their ranks. Hut there
ire some signs by which he can be
letected, and got rid of, and one of
he best things about the tests for
t spy is that they also apply to the
p-neral membership ami will servo]
veil to keep clangorous elements|
ml: of the union.
Kdmember that the one thing
hat the capitalist class tears is
reaceful, intelligent, solidified anion
of the workers all along the
inc.
Any one who advocates disrupion
of the ninks of labor may well
jc looked upon with suspicion, and
f he is ejected the union will be a
jainer, whether he be a spy or not.
Heware, therefore, of the man
vlio is always organizing cliques
vithiu the union. Keep watch of
he fellow who shouts about vioence
during a strike.
Hut perhaps the easiest way for
he spy to get in his work of disliption
is tliroliell till' nnlilieiil
JW.V.W j
iekl. So long sis the working class \
sm lie kept quarreling about the!
espeetive merits of capitalist par- j
ies, it makes no difference which '
)f these win, labor loses,
Jt will always pay to watch the;
amies unionist who is mixed up
n capitalist jaolitics.
If he is not a spy, or is not mak- j
ng money oat of his treason to j
ahor, it is because he is more of a (
ool than a crook and is not getting I
lie pay to which his services to the |
memies of labor entitle him.
The only safeguard against the!
>py is to have 110 secrets. There is i
eallv 110 reason why every meeting
if a union should not be wide open,
fhe employer knows everything
hat happens, anyway, and the
u pposod security only serves to enrap
men into doing and saying
hings that give the spy a hold upm
them.
With 110 secrets in the union and
10 divisions on the political field,
he sphere of the spy would he
iiuch limited. To be sure, lie
ould still act the part of a lying
uicak in preventing the formation
if unions. He could still he demoded
upon to make c\ idenee
vlien it was desired to convict
uiion men in courts of law.
UNITED LABOR
AT THE POLLS
?
Rotable Political Victory Won by
Trades Unionists at Fort Worth.
Organized labor won a signal
rictory at Fort Worth, Tex., by
;lecting a ticket from top to botom
which had been selected by
irades unionists co-operating with
ither interests in the city. A uniou
printer and the jiresident of the;
entral labor body were among j
hose chosen. Every other success- ,
;"ul candidate realizes he,owes his
?leetion to organized labor, is a
proven friend of the movement,
t nd the charter this set of officials j
is to administer is said to in- a model
of its kind. This charter was
adopted at an election held a
month previous to the regular city
election, and but for organized labor
would have been defeated.
It embraces the referendum and
recall, municipal ownership of a If
public utilities whenever the city
is ready -to engage in such business
(the city already owning its
water works and electric light
plant), and no franchise can be
granted except by a referendum
vote, and till must pay 3 per centgross
receipts into the city treasury.
In addition to this, the city has
power to regulate rates and the
manner of conducting till public
utilities.
The new charter also provides
for a plumbing inspector, city elect
trlcian, building inspector ami
many other reform measures, It in
sures that all city printing will
bear the union label, all employees
will be union men, ami the charter
is so arranged that there will be
no chance whatever for a grafter to
1st elected and remain in ollice. The
people of Fort Worth say it is the
best city charter in the United
States, and organized labor drafted
it and elected the ollicers.
THE MINE
WORKERS
Are Rapidly Gaining Ground in
West V irginia?News Notes
of Interest.
National Executive Hoard Member
lien Davis is doing some-tgood
work in the Fairmont Held, lie
succeeded in settling a strike at
Tunnelton the other day in which
uv?i- uiiree ijunurcu men wi'i-u involved,
securing the check oil'
system for the men and getting
them all in the union. The prospects
are brighter lor the organization
in that section of West Virginia
than ever before. JUr. Davis
tuts also visited that portion of
Kentucky wliieh is in District No.
17, and the l'^meroy Bend, and reports
conditions very favorable in
those sections. Ben has been putting
in some pretty good work
for the upbuilding of the organization
during the past month.
National Organizer Chappelle,
of Indiana, and Idr. Bush, of
Uoncevert, addressed the 1.1k
ridge Local Union at its meeting
last week. They made eloquent
speeches to the men and pointed
out the advantages of the organi
zation to them which resulted in
lifteen new members being added
to the membership roll during the
evening. The organization is
j4,ro?iiig Jiiimiiv jit mat piiico and
they are very desirous of another
meeting being held by Messrs.
Chappelle and Lush in the near
future and promise to have a larger
crowd when they return. The officers
of the Local are doing all in
their power to organize that section
ami are meeting with Mattering
success.
The operators in the notorious
Scab Meld of Cabin < 'reel; are having
troubles of their own in get
ting suilicient competent men to
operate their mines, and.are begin
jiingto realize that the "open shoppolicy
and the "guard system'"
does not pay, and it is freely pre
dieted by those who are in a posi
tion to know, that a large majority
of the operators are seriously considering
the idea of breaking away
from the combine and entering into
an agreement with the Mine "Workers
organization.
* * #
National Organizers I.anham and
Krallman held very successful and
beneMcial meetings at Cannelton
and on Morris -Creek the first of
the week. The conditions at both
places is improving and the organization
is daily gaining ground.
Messrs. Lanhamand K. rail man are
doing valient services for the District
and are doing much to increase
the membership.
9 *
District Secretary T'cnj.lF. Morris
held a very successful meeting
at Oakland at the last meeting ol'
WORKINGM]
SHI
_
Strong and Effective I
Organized Labor?I
- Should Join Un:
Stivnjjth?moral. physical or
material?is tlio only assurance of
success of any hotly.
Unionism, lo lie elVeelivo. must
j the Local at that place. The indications
are that the Local will report
011 a much larger membership
111 the future than they have in
j the past, as the men are taking a!
i lively interest in the a flails; of the I
organization and its influence is
1 growing daily.
* * |
District President Oraigo and
Sub - District President Cairns
have succeeded in adjusting the I
grievances at Jilaek Betsey and
Uayiuoud City this week, and have
gone to (laulev Itiver to look after
to look after a strike at Gomoaca. j
* * *
The Locals at Black Betsey and
Plymouth are in a very prosperous
condition anil are growing
rapidly, both in members and in
influence. The Crown Hill Local is i
also in the very best of condition, i
and harmony prevails among the |
- employers anil wnslnviw
A FEW QUESTIONS
TO WORKINGMEN
Propounded by J. L. Fitts, Which Arc
to the Point?Can You Answer?
Arc you a member of the Union
of your craft or industry? If not,j
why not 7
Do you pay ilues promptly ami,
cheerfully? If not, why not!,
I >o you attend every meeting:? If,
not, have you an excuse. i
Ave you always prompt and i
ready at the meetings? If not, of
course you have a good excuse.
Do you always cheerfully and
faithfully act on committees, if appointed;
Are you always a committee of
one to got new members, and to
have all members attend regularly?
I.)o you carefully observe and in- i
vestiguve for breaking of the law or
: the working agreement, and help
i improve the condition of yourself:
!..... i .. t I 1 > ' ' "* 1
mm an 1'||||I1UVCC? l\V securing LllC 1
enforcement of the law anil the oh
servance of the agreement?
l)o you lielp the olliccrs of the
Dtiioti to dispatch business and ;
make the meetings interesting?
Do you make or second motions
that should be passed, and speak
on motions that should be discus- j
sedf j
A re you learning to debate?
Are you becoming competent to
preside, to record proceedings, and
to properly discharge the duties of
any ollicer of tlm Union?
Do you sliiily the condition of
your organization, Local, District,
.State and National?
Do you study the world-wide
labor movement?
Do you subscribe to papers and
buy books on the labor problem, j
and read them?
Do you persuade others to do
likewise, and thus become intelli- i
gent unionists?
Do you study the political as
well as the industrial phase of the,
lalior movement?
Da you take active interest in
, the organization of the workers ol'
every craft all over the world?
Arc you doing your part to the
fullest extent of your ability in
strengthening and educating the >
working class, in order that the I
workers may get higher wages,
shorter hours, and safer, more
healthful and more pleasant conditions
of labor: and that the workers
may finally get ownership and
I control of the business, use the
business for their own Iwnciit, and
; thus get? the full value of their
labor, the full equivalent of the;
j goods they produce?
It'you neglect or fail in any of
these particulars. are you not
shirking your duty to that extent?
\ ! ? Vflll tl(?1 fit f liut nvfnnf ?
j a parasite upon the body of organ
ized labor? Ale you not a bum, a
camp-follower, a bushwacker liaugi
ing around the army of the toilers,
i waiting for others to win the bat!
tics, so that you may enjoy the;
benefits?may "divide the spoils?"
if you are such a creatures of:
course you have a good excuse for,
being so. Hut Benjamin Franklin
said truly, "lie who is good at;
making excuses, is seldom good at ; <
! anything else."
\Ve hope you are "not guilty," ;
and that you will quickly arouse I:
i your neighbors that they may also
be "not guilty."
l>o strong. In fuel, it must ho
overwhelming; it must control
Tho public, so long accustomed
10 1)0 obsequious to wealth ami to
people) of wealth, must learn that
money is not tin4 only power there
is. The public must: Jearu thai the
solid trout of united labor has a
power a thousand fold more strong
11 thousand fold more effective,
and a thousand fold more iust
than the whole united force of
wealth combined.
.Hi it, lirst lulior itself must realize
this truth. Labor itself must appriciate
its own power.
Money, of itself, has no power.
The man of wealth, is the most
arrant coward in public life. The
poeLetbook is the most sensitive
thermometer in the social world.
Money power is entirely made up
of its command over labor.
If the laboring men were organized
so that none of that now unorganized
part could be used by
the corporate plunderers to carry
out their criminal schemes, cots
potato plundering would stop from
its own powerlessness.
The way that corporate robbery
succeeds is by constantly taking to
itself it part?usually the larger
part?of the wealth created by
labor. This constant accumulation
is unvested' or Josiiuh! out to the
worker so as to attain divide tin; I
little tin; worker lias allowed to
him. Or "invested" jn laud, so
that as landlord the "system" ean
take all of the remaining part the
worker has left alter scantily teed
iug and clothing himself and
family.
The vast accumulations thus seemed
are so held that if labor protests
against this robbery the
money may be used to hire labor
(unorganized) to light labor (organized).
if it were not for this vast field
of unorganized labor this robbery
could be stopped.
Labor has the power. It is only
because of the lack of recognition
of this truth that large numbers of
woiking men allow themselves to
be used as instruments of their
own destruction.
We say "thoirown destruction,"
for the reason that the raising of
wages for organized labor raises j
the wages of unorganized labor. ,
Tire bettering of conditions of 1
work for iii rj rii vi-tl !-m,or Ih.Ci.i. t
? -- -* -j
the conditions of unorganized labor
and so on.
II'the unorganized workers once
fully appreciated this trull), lie
would begin to see the immense
value of unionism.
He would also see that higher
wages for others meant higher
wages for himself.
He would see that the cause of
labor is one and that it would be
of more benefit to his own interest
fo join the striker or protector
against injustice than to join with
the corporate robbers in their conspiracy
against the worker.
The unorganized worker should
realize that all these labor con- \
troversies are in one sense or another
disputes about the division;
of created wealth.
The sweatshop is merely a means i
of taking a larger amount from the
worker than could be taken under
liveable conditions.
r^ong nouns is merely another
form of robbery.
Kent for land values, not for
houses or improvement?, is another
form.
And so we might go on and show
that all these industrial disturbances
resolve themselves ultimately
into truth that the "system" Ls
taking from the worker that which
y
*
EN
OULD UNITE
Argument in Favor of
ivery Wage Earner
ion of His Craft.
rightly Kelongs to liim as a worker.
So tl\o vast accumulations of the
| "system'' pile up and the unorjianed
worker plays the part that enables
the "system" day after day
laud year after year to continue it.s
Uol ice of o! under
Organization will stop this rol>
;i'iy. Organization will seen re
j justice, Organization will insuro
; the peaee ami stability of govern|
motif.
\\ itliont organization injustice
will continue, disorder will cuntinue,
and govern mont and law
themselves will Lie endangered.
I.abor unionism is the best
security that government ami order
j have today.
Workingmen, organize.
PRINTERS TO
ENTER FIELD
Of Politics in Indiana and Formulate
Measures ior the Benefit
of the Workers.
The Union I'rinlers of Indiiiua
I have decided to enter politics. At
I i-'io last meeting of Union No. 1 of
! Indianapolis, resolutions to that
eilect were adopted. The resoluI
ions in part follow:
' "We are all responsible for conditions.
If is every man's duty to
do his best to improve them. Society
is no better than its members.
Unless tlie whole mass is leavened
with t he spi i it ol honor it will sour
with the breath of decay. There
must be a common spirit porvading
its members, or the gallantry of a
few will avail but little. To cheek
the spread of this pollution it must
be sought out at its source and its
accutnmukition there prevented.
Idle, luxurious lives have at all
times been a fruitful source of corruption;
likewise inordinate, uncontrolled
power has often loosened
the reins of license. ICither is a
menace mul l?ef l? ?!-?? nt--i.?.iI
, ........ij joined.
We have established a condition
of this kind by the special
favoritism of our laws that surpass
the "wildest stretch of fancy. No
fairy tale or "Arabian Nights" fiction
e(|iials in its exaggeration the
facts in the evenlay life of the new
order of lords we are forming to
dominate our destinies.
, "In view of these facts the president
is hereby instructed to appoint
a committee of five, to be
known ns the "political committee,"
said committee immediately
to organize and correspond with
t he officers of local typographical
unions throughout the State with a
view to organizing a State committee."
Werner Company Again
The first gun lias been fired in
the struggle for the eight-hour
<lay by the Pressmen.
The Werner Company, of Akron,
Ohio, heve declared for the open
ami have locked out the member's
of Local Union Xo. 5, befcause they
refused to sign "-an agreement or
contract to work nine hours a day
for the next three years.
Miners Organized.
The miners of Iiock Springs,
Wyo., have become members of
the 1 Tinted Mine Workers to the
number of 1,200. Union sentiment
is spreading in other coal raining
camps on the Union Pacific system.
The advertisers in The Labor
Argus merit the patronage of every
man who earns his bread by the
sweat of.his brow.