Oklahoma Labor Unit (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 1, No. 1, Ed. 1 Saturday, June 13, 1908 Page: 1 of 8
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A Clean
jConajttvative
Ind<"pen3eht,
Non-Partisan
Newspaper for
the Homes
OKLAHOMA LABOR UNIT
"ALL IN ONE; ONE IN ALL"
THE PARAMOUNT QUESTION: LIFE, LIBERTY, THE ENJOYMENT OF THE GAINS OF OUR OWN INDUSTRY
Our Policy:
Honest
Legitimate
Business
Methods
Every Day
I I
!
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A
VOL.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA.. SATURDAY. JUNE 13, 1908.
NO. 1.
ANNOUNCEMENT
The OKLAHOMA LABOR UNIT is not the official organ of any particular branch of organized labor. The stock of the Labor Unit Publishing Com-
pany, incorporated under the laws of the state of Oklahoma to publish the OKLAHOMA LABOR UNIT, consisting of 2,000 shares, is owned by officers and
members of the State Federation of Labor, the State Farmers Union and the different central and local unions throughout Oklahoma, giving the paper state-wide
support and indorsement of organized labor, and a state-wide circulation,
or body will be favored more than another.
Therefore, all labor and farmer unions have free access to its columns bi section
SCHOOL LAND
LAW INITIATED
Over Three Million Acres
Will Be Sold if Bill Car-
ries at General Election,
Stopping the States'
Income.
The bill providing for the sale of
school land in Oklahoma will be sub-
mitted to the people at the general
election next November. This bill
provides for the sale of approximately
3,130.000 of state school land with an
appraised value of about $100,000,000.
The bill was drafted by a special
board of eleven members named by
Governor Haskell. The full text of the
bill follows:
To propose by initiative petition a
law providing for the sale of school
and other public lands of Oklahoma,
subject to certain exceptions and con-
ditions, and providing rules therefor,
and penalties for violations thereof.
He it enacted by the people of the
State of Oklahoma:
Section 1. The commissioners of the
land office shall dispose of, sell ,and
convey, (subject to such exceptions,
conditions, rules and restrictions as
provided in this act or any act amend-
atory hereof), all public lands owned
by this state including the lands em-
braced in sections sixteen and thirty-
six in each township and range in the
state of Oklahoma, where the same is
reserved to *he s'^rto f *r retool pur-
poses, and shall also dispose of, sell,
and convey all sections of "ii^emnity
land" heretofore selected by the Unit-
ed States department of the interior,
the terriory or state of Oklahoma or
any officer or agent of the territory or
state of Oklahoma, department of in-
terior, or the United States in lieu
of sections sixteen and thirty-six, ex-
cept where the same is embraced in
any reservation specifically reserved
from sale in this act, or in any act of
congress or of the state specifically re-
serving any part thereof for any spe-
cial purpose; also all of the public
lands embraced in sections numbered
thirteen and thirty-three in each town-
ship and range in the state of Dkla-
homa, where the same is reserved to
the state for public buildings, public
institutions of education, or any other
state property: also all sections of "in-
demnity land" heretofore selected by
the United States, the territory or
state of Oklahoma, or by the depart-
ment of the interior, or of any officer
or agent of the territory or state of
Oklahoma, the department of the in-
erior, or of the United States in lieu
of said sections thirteen and thirty
three, except where the same is re-
served from sale in this act. or in any
act of congress of the United States
specifically reserving the same for any
special purpose; also all of the lands
withdrawn from the public domain and
reserved under section twelve of the
act of congress approved June 16, 1006,
known as the "Enabling Act" of the
state of Oklahoma, the same being for
the state university, 250,000 acres: for
the university preparatory school, 150,-
000 acres; for the agricultural and me-
chanical college, 250,000 acres, for
the colored agriculutral and normal
university, 100,000 acres; and for the
normal schools now established or
hereafter to be established, 300,000
acres; Provided. Where any part of
the lands granted to the state of Ok
lahoma are known to be valuable lor
minerals, including gas and oil, sucli
lands shall not be sold prior to Janu-
uary 1, 1915.
Section 2. All proceeds of the sale
of such land described in section 1 of
this Act shall be sacredly preserved
for the use and benefits if the several
funds, institutions, and purposes for
which such land was granted by the
United States to the stuce of Oklaho-
ma under the provisions of the Enab-
ling Act, and of any and all other acts
of congress, and by the constitution,
for the uses and purposes and upon
the conditions and under the limita-
tions for which the same were granted
and the money resulting from such
sale shall be handled, disposed of, and
used by the state in a like manner as
the other moneys belonging to said
several funds under the laws of this
state.
Section 3. No person other than a
bona fide resident of this state, shall
be qualified or permitted to acquire
title to any part or parcel of any of
the lands described in sectii n one of
this act so long as said lands are
owned or held in whole or in part by
the state, until he ha*- inovsd to and
made a bona fide residenca for two
(Continued on Pftg ? 7.)
WHAT IT COSTS
TO RUN A STATE
Govenor Compares Appropri-
ations of Oklahoma Legisla-
ture to those of Kansas—
Kansas spends too
much money.
"What is costs to run a State," is the
caption of a statement issued by Gov-
ernor Haskell, showing a comparison
in detail between the appropriations
made by the last Kansas legislature and
those made by the Oklahoma legisla-
ture each for one year of government.
The figures, taken from the last Kan-
sas report, show that State to have ap-
propriated for current expenses $3,077,-
042, while the amount set apart in Ok-
lahoma only reached $1,308,168. In
addition to this the statement shows
$17,665 appropriated for indebtedness
of the constitutional convention and
holding the election last fall; $272,092
for the legislature just closed. $33,492
for furniture and fixtures, $5,000 for ex-
amining territorial accounts and $184,-
513 to carry the State from the end of
the first year until July 1, 1909, the
close of the fiscal year, making the to-
tal expenses, as shown by the state-
ments, $1,972,867 to cover the cost of
government In Oklahoma from Nov.
16, 1907, to June 30, 1909.
Still, in addition, $642,000 was appro
priated by the Oklahoma legislature
for new public buildings and ?61,000
for emergency normal schools to be
held in each of the counties in what
was formerly Indian Territory. It was
announced that the $61,000 appropri-
ated would not be approved.
The statement estimates there will
be in the neighborhood of $980,000 rev-
enue from state departments as fol-
lows: Insurance department and sec-
retary of state, $225,000: excise tax,
levied upon corporations, $700,000; sale
of Supreme Court reports and statutes,
$35,000; from the board op agriculture,
$20,000, leaving about $810 000 to be
covered by direct taxation. It is fur-
ther estimated that the stale tax levy
will not exceed 1*4 mills or 12% ceut*
on the $100 valuation.
It is shown that the Kansas appro-
priations are uniform'v larger than
those of Oklahoma, save in a very few
instances, notably the corporation com-
mission and the agricultural depart-
ments.
In Oklahoma these departments re-
ceived $126,888 and in Kansas $29,020,
or an increase of $97,868. Kansas ap-
propriated $78,377 for its state print-
ing plant, while the various items of
printing allowed in Oklahoma, the re-
port shows will amount to $67,568.
The governor says he used the state
of Kansas in comparison because it
and Oklahoma are about equal in area
and population.
: AND
REFERENDUM
One of the most important utter-
ances delivered in the United States
was the address in New York City of
Justice David Brewer of the United
States Supreme Court on "Public
Service in the Relation to Public Opin-
ion." He said:
"The ftwo supreme dangers Ithat
menace a Democratic state are des-
potism on the one hand and mob rule
on the other.
"The more constant and universal
the voice of the people in the govern-
ment the nearer we approach to an
ideal state.
"The Initiative and Referendum
make public opinion the quality con-
trolling. The more promptly and fully
public officers carry into effect these
measures the more truly is govern-
ment of and by the people realized."
HERE'S PROSPERITY IN ST. LOUIS
St. 1 iOuis, June 12.—In the last week
of May a movement was started to
have June 1 recognized as "employ-
ment day" by the restoration of em-
ployees who were laid off because of
the recent financial depression. As the
result of a canvass favorable answers
have been received from several hun-
dred employers in this vicinity and it
is estimated that 17,500 names have
been added to the payrolls in St
Louis, including East St. Louis and
Granite City, since May 1. In a num-
ber of Instances employers Immediate-
ly increased their working forces with-
out waiting for the advent of "em-
ployment day."
GREETING
In making our bow to the public we wish to state clearly
and concisely our purpose in launching the OKLAHOMA
LABOR UNIT.
It is our purpose to give to Oklahoma what she has long
needed—a bright, newsy, unprejudiced paper devoted wholly
and unrestrictedly to organized labor's cause and interests.
We have adopted our name, THE LABOR UNIT, advis-
edly. We are great believers in the old motto: "United we
stand; divided we fall," else we would not be a believer in
labor organizations. One union here, one union there, one
union yonder, are veritable units in themselves, but united in
sentiment they are a force for whatever cause they advocate.
If we make of organized labor in Oklahoma one UNIT in sen-
timent then we have a power with which we can successfully
combat any force that might be brought to bear against us.
Unit; Unite; United. The past, present and future history of
organized labor in three words. Keep them in mind.
THE LABOR UNIT is independent in every respect; its
first consideration shall be the best interests of organized labor;
it shall promote the cause and fight the battles of organized
labor with all its strength and resources; its columns shall be
filled with clean, newsy knowledge for the workingman and
his family, and its advertisements shall be only those of re-
sponsible firms. In other words, we shall earnestly endeavor
to conduct each department in such a manner as to merit every
confidence of each member of organized labor.
SEN. GORE MAY THE CH1'U I
RECOVER SIGHT AND JMONS
Treatment Proves Partly Suc-
cessful and Hopes are En-
tertained by the Blind
Senator.
Within a few days Senator T. P.
Gore, the blind statesman from Okla-
Methods to \ i< Toilers in
Their Contest for Human
Rights- Christian Duty
to Supp' i: Labor.
homa, will know whether or not he - i H,i
In this e. i*
ininn~"oni
ti t
my li
WiiAT IS ORGANIZED LABOR ?
Some Achievements—Conditions Which Prevail in Organ-
ized Labor but are Presistently Overlooked by the
Employers—Education a Basic Principle—Labor
Organizations as Public Benefactors.
a chance of recovering his
Senator Gore, who deH red i
three-hour address before ti- .ale
on the day of adjournment n oppn i
tlon to the Aldrtcli currency bill, en-
tered the Episcopal eye and ear hos-
pital in Washington for treatment, In
the hope that a thorough treatment
will restore to him his sight, lost when
he was but a few years old. After sev-
eral days' treatment the senator was
enabled for a few seconds on Wednes-
day to very dimly see his hand, and
he Is very hopeful that treatment in
this hospital, which has been very suc-
cessful in cases in the past, will prove
a success in his case. It Is probable
that an operation will be necessary, in
which case it will be performed at
once and the senator will remaiiiiu
Washington until he is entirely i jcup-
erated.
Senator Gore Is a most unique "lan' _
in the senate. He Is the only physica Hb
ly blind man in the senate, and is the
youngest seuate ootn in pulut ycrre
and of service, lie i« n • one of tliejgifen ughi—
first two sen frc ^ t1 -> m late Cb^s'lans 4-.> M "
of Oklahoma I <o '''nitons'*
Should treatment in inia ho^p*.^
prove that an operation would be use-
less Senator Gore will at once return
to his home in Oklahoma.
r politic* **ou 't
>1 i, p con to t
ti \ orklugDH*!;
H u r ^ nooj mat the
being taken up
by "* r UI *0UH ^nominations,
i he Pre rj} have k* some time
maliitair d an affiliation *K1\ organ-
ized Jab m !)y frater^i dele-
gates tc1 cei,UwI unions ana other
re, rese/<ltl' tlvG 1)011,054 of workingeu
^ Mbw come the Methodists—not
IJj outdone by their Presbyterian
brajh****" as ft^'es *° the labor unions.
In F*!°f«0 on a recent Sunday and
;ilS0.
wo-"/\
W>grossiv
Id jlev. Ale
" is ,i Christ
in f Hoston labor sermons were
r;v<iche.i In Methodist churches, and
jl l nahl that In the near future r.ther
tonal "ii "mis may bo found sending
Ij.-Ierr il delegates to the unions if the
Hpr^'i (en.
churchmen believe,"
Alexander E. Duncan, "that
jjjw • ~ .rlstlan duty to support and
~ aiir«g< the tollers—the nation '
. illdei in Iheir contest for human
" ittermeti i. and human rights. They
tor the natural right to ex-
ist as Is their God
th dutv of true
h 4*
SPIRIT OF FAIR-
LABOR DAY QUEEN NESS-NO STRIKES
To the economic student the study
of what the noted Carlyle termed the
universal vital problem of the world
is a subject of absorbing interest,
teeming with the paradoxical situa-
tions that seek to establish the unifi-
cation of prosperity and poverty, vir-
tue and crime, while confessing the
irreconcilable character of each. The
toiler's struggle from abject poverty
through the various stages of legal
serfdom to semi-liberty is a lesson re-
plete with heroism, self-sacrifice and
semi-emulation, and, while it serves as
a milestone marking the progress of
humanity from the depths of barbar-
ism to the present plane of civiliza-
tion, still proves that organized labor,
though having performed latter day
miracles in the field of human endeav-
or, is far removed from the attain-
ment of its cherished ideals, hopes
and aspirations.
Notwithstanding all the primal per-
secutions organized labor was subject-
ed to it continued to flourish. Like
every institution of human origin it
was not perfect in all its details; it
has been charged with tyranny anfl
lawlessness, but when it is taken into
consideration that these twin evils
constituted the fundamental reason
that compelled its creation no wonder
need be expressed that labor's first
knowledge of its new-found strength
should be exercised in retaliatory
measures that closely followed the
example set by the masters of old,
under which the worker had unavail-
ingly groaned in anguish for ages.
With increasing years the wisdom
born of experience caused the trades
unions to adopt other methods for
the exercise of its energy, and, while
still insistently advancing the toilers'
interest and safeguarding gains <v-
cured, the riper judgment prevailed
and organized labor forsook radical-
ism for the conservative methods that
marked it today not only as a co-oper-
ative body of toilers whose motto is:
ALL FOR ONE; ONE FOR ALL,"
but who fully realize that to effect-
ively achieve the objective purpose of
trades unionism it must inaugurate a
campaign of education that will
arouse the minds of those it seeks to
serve to a true sense of the serious
nature of the vork in iiand, and ex-
pose the fallacious claim of its ene-
mies that organized labor is a foe lo
progress and animated by only one
thought and desire—to strike and
create trouble.
"It is a fact that in some trades, in
fact in all trades where a union con-
servatively and capably conducted ex
ists, such unions are the greatest
operating force for the prevention of
strikes, rather than the promotion of
them, as is stated by malignant and
ignorant critics," says Shoemaker's
Journal.
In those trades the old-time belief
that a friendly relationship between
both is essential.
Bettering the condition of the wage-
workers is the primary object of
trades unions. The employer is the
barrier standing in the way of im-
proved conditions in many directions,
and absolutely refuses to grant or
permit improvements until sufficient
pressure is brought to bear on him to
force concessions, but the workers are
themselves to blame for not securing
improvements in other directions.
The process by which the conditions
of the wage-worker can be improved
and maintained must be slow and
gradual, but this is not thoroughly
grasped by the large number of un-
ionists.
While objectionable features are at-
tached to the operation of unions they
often outweigh the needed improve-
ments sought and make the securing
of these improvements far more dif-
ficult.
With the steady perfection of or-
ganization these objectionable fea-
tures are being gradually eliminated.
As the newly-formed, untried organ-
izations experience the hardships and
misery of ill-advised, premature and
wanton strikes and unrestrained act-
ion they will, one by one, join tin-
class of conservative organizations.
Labor leaders and prominent
unionists are opposed to strikes and
boycotts, only as a last resort, and the
history of all conservative unions for
the past decade has shown a steady
decrease in the number of strikes and
increased union effort to that end.
Thus we find that although support-
ing strikes or boycotts when all other
methods fail, one of the objects of
union is to prevent strikes.
About every practical method that
the degree of organization will permit
is in vogue in the conservative union
to prevent strife, hasty and unrestrain-
ed .action by the individual or combi-
nation of members, and promote good-
will between employer and employes.
The work of labor unions is not
purely a selfish work in the interests
of their members only, but reacts to
the well-being of all workers and the
great mass of the people. Their ef-
forts are not confined to increasing
wages and shortening the workdav,
but are devoted to ail forms of pub-
lic improvements. They are in fact
the greatest improvement society in
existence, continually striving to pro-
(Contlnued on Page 2.)
Candidates Being Nominated
by Various Locals—In-
teresting Contest
Promised.
Labor Day, 1908, promises to be of
more interest to the public in general,
and organized labor in particular, than
ever before, so far as Oklahoma City
is concerned. Those who participated
in the events of last year will wonder
If this is possible. The celebration will
be on a larger scale, and it will be
superior to previous Labor Day events
because organized labor in Oklahoma
City is numerically much stronger than
ever before, and business Interests
more favorable to the cause.
The predominating interest at this
time is the choice of a Labor Day
Queen. Nominations have already
begun, the Painters being the first to
put a candidate in the field, nominat-
ing Miss Lillie Walters, Friday night
of last week. Miss Walters Is the
daughter of Will R. Walters, the jolly
painter and old "wheel-horse" of un-
ionism for 30 years. Miss Walter, al-
though but years old at the time,
rode on the Queen's float in the first
Labor Day parade ever given in Okla
homa City, and has been a prominent
participant in the celebrations each
year since. Miss Walter is of striking
beauty and queenly carriage, and will
be a mighty hard candidate to beat.
The Typographical Union lost no
time in placing the second candidate
in the field by nominating Miss Eva
Dunn, daughter of their popular ex-
president, W. J. Dunn, who for the past
term has presided over this union with
such universal satisfaction to its mem-
bership. Miss Dunn is not so well
known in labor circles as is Miss Wal-
ter, having lived in the city but two
years, but is very popular, especially
in Typo circles. This, couple'd with the
high respect in which this union holds
their ex-president, is sure to result in
the vote of the membership as a unit
for Miss Dunn. The Pressmen, being
so closely affiliated with the Typos,
will probably endorse Miss Dunn as
their own candidate, and throwing
their strength to that of the Typos,
which is one of the largest unions in
the ctiy, will compel the Painters to
seek for endorsements of their candi-
dates from other unions, sinoe their
I membership numbers but little more
than that of the Typos.
1 It is too early to forecast with any
| degree of certainty the actual strength
any of the candidates will be able to
: control, as there are thirty odd unions
i yet to be heard from. The Carpenters.
(Continued on Page 2.)
When a spirit of fairness and Justice
actuates both parties in controversies
arising between capital and labor there
is little danger of industrial strife. A
case in point is the amicable relations
existing between the Printer's League
of America and New York Typograph-
ical union. Recently these bodies en-
tered into an agreement to adjust all
differences that may arise between
them by conciliation and arbitration.
Here are the main points in the agree-
ment.
First, the Printers' league agrees to
employ none but members of the Typo-
graphical union to do any work that
comes under the jurisdiction of the un-
ion and further agrees that it will do
no work for any firm that does not
employ members of the Typographical
union upon request of the union.
The second section provides that all
members of the Printers' League of
America, New York branch, shall be
protected by Typographical union No.
6 against walkouts, strikes, boycotts
or any form of concerted interferences
with the peaceful operation of the de-
partment controlled by Typographical
union No. C, and it is further provided
that the Printers' League agrees with
the Typographical union to arbitrate
all differences affecting wages, hours
and working coditions that may arise
if said differences cannot bo settled by
conciliation.
All disputes arising over scale pro-
visions relating to wages, hours and
working conditions in renewing or ex-
tending contracts shall likewise be sub-
ject to arbitration if such disputes can-
not be adjusted through conciliation.
If conciliation between an employing
printer and the local union fails, then
appeal may be made to the joint con-
ference committee. When the joint
conference committee renders a decis-
ion which is unsatisfactory to either
side or It is unable to reach a decision
within ten full business days after the
final submission of the case to said
committee, then review by an arbitra-
tor to be appointed by mutual agree-
ment may be asked for by the dissatis-
fied party through appeal, provided
written notice of appeal to the other
party is given within five full business
days after decision has been rendered
and a written statement setting forth
the grounds of the appeal is filed with
the joint conference committee within
ten full business days aftei* the decis-
ion has been rendered.
The joint conference committee shall
be a standing committee and shall con-
sist of three members and three alter-
nates appointed by Typographical un-
ion No. «! and have three members and
three alternates appointed by the
Printers' League of America. This
committee shall meet on the call of the
(Continued on Page 2.)
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Oklahoma Labor Unit (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 1, No. 1, Ed. 1 Saturday, June 13, 1908, newspaper, June 13, 1908; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc106660/m1/1/: accessed May 7, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.