Oklahoma Labor Unit (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 1, No. 22, Ed. 1 Saturday, November 7, 1908 Page: 1 of 8
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A Qean
Conservative
Independent
Non-Partisan
Newspaper for
the Homes
OKLAHOMA LABOR
w **
"ALL IN ONE; ONE IN ALL"
THE PARAMOUNT QUESTION: LIFE. LIBERTY. THE ENJOYMENT OF THE GAINS OF OUR OWN INDUSTRY
Ctn Policy:
Honest
Legitimate
Business
Methods
Every Day
OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE OKLAHOMA STATE FEDERATION OF LABOR
VOL. 1.
OKLAHOMA CITY. OKLAHOMA, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1908.
NO. 22.
WHAT IS THE MATTER
WITH AMERICAN WORKMEN
ENID
WHO GETS THE PROFIT?
John Burns, a Member of the English Parliament Gives His Views
of the American Industries.
I repeat my words, "Industrially,
America Is hell with the lid off," which
seem to have been widely quoted and
to have created some surprise. And
let me at once say that this phrase is
not original with me—it was In the
were concerned to take advantage oi
every selfish instinct in the individual,
I cannot compare the conditions here
with those there. It was brutality,
but the brutality was not that of the
ignorant animal, but the wily human
first place applied to Pittsburg and being determined to take advantage of
Pittsburg alone. But if the conditions "very sordid motive in every human
of labor which prevail at Pittsburg do breast, whereby one individual was
not prevail all over America they pre-, encouraged to work harder, longer and
vail in a sufficient number of places | cheaper, not for the benefit that he
to warrant me in deploring the fact himself derived but for the still great-
and warning my own countrymen er beenfit which accrued to his em-
from adopting as a model the fata! in- ployer.
Ullstrial conditions that prevail in There is no hope for labor under
\merica. I those conditions. There Is no hope for
If you think I am exaggerating and humanit/. It is brutalizing—I say it
have gone too far when I say that the ™d dare a right-thinking person to
Industrial conditions of America more gainsay it.
nearly approach in their ultimate re- I visited the Spring Valley mines. I
cults the conditions of slavery, which remember addressing a meeting of
THE METROPOLIS OF NORTHERN
OKLAHOMA
| A Review of the Benefits to Be Derived from an Honest Support of
Your Union.
It is ypur boast you have destroyed,
let Mr. Hearst send an Impartial com-
mission to inqure into the hours of
workmen there and I remember how I
-felt for them. I think the majority of
the workmen there were with me. 1
labor, the wages, the conditions of life believe a lot were not. Tha latter were
of the men who work in the sweat thoroughly imbued with the idea of
shops of New York, iPttsburg and oth-1 cuttting out their fellow workmen; of
er great American cities. ' applying the cut-throat policy of the
Let him send a commission down market to human labor, to very v ?is-
South and investigate the iniquitous , 'Pice. It is warfare with these peo-
system of child labor that prevails l>le, but war against their own kith and
there, and when their researches are i kind. American employers play upon
complete lot them be compared not 'heir feeling. They call It "Napoleon's
only with England, but with some of same." For every soldier a marshal's
the other nations of Europe. |1>aton. f°r every platelayer (section
Such a commission should inquire hand) a Vanderbilt, for every baton,
how the breaker boys of Pennsylvania and steel worker a Carnegie and his
work—the slaves of the coal trust. Skibo Castle, and for every riveter a
They should investigate the revela- Cramp.
tions of the strike commission and Goaded on by such lures, the Amerl
they would find that historic document <-a'1 worker tries to work harder,
understates the facts of the case. Let cheaper and longei tiian his mate,
them sift the reports of the United ; ^ hat is the result? If he wins, he
States officials of health and the find-; wIns because another drops and dies,
ings of the tenement house commis-, ' rises to higher things on the
sioners. All these documents I have corpses of his comrades. 1 here must
studied carefully.: They all confirm :he hundreds of thousands of workmen
the opinion which I formed as the re-;' "r every millionaire.
suit of my own personal investigations 1 cannot say there is any hope
in the states six years ago, and I dare 'or the American workman until lie
say conditions havn't changed since. : adopts or improves on our methods.
Look at the reports of the railway j We are not perfect. We have only
commissioners of the United States on Just discovered the way which will
the killing and mutilation of railway lead to industrial peace and happiness.
We have however, got the people on
our side. There is no national char-
acteristic to fight against, no almost
Insuperable racial barrier to stand in
the way of ultimate success. The hard-
est part of the fight has been won. The
thin edge of the wedge has been In-
serted. The trades unions have been
Located in the heart of the agricultural district of this great
•state is ENID, born September 16, 1903, on a spot having no habita-
tion, no evidence whatever of the hand of man. From that date,
Enid lias grown with that steady stride devoid of boom or rush until
at this date Enid lias obtained a populaiton of over 15,000 prosper-
ous citizens and has a prestige far in advance of any city in the west,
of its size.
The assessed valuation of the eity just completed is over $10,-
000,000. Two national banks with deposits of $1,500,000, a first
class street car railway, waterworks, telephone system, Western
Union and Postal Telegraph, hotel facilities far above the ordinary,
churches of all denominations, whose Christian influence is felt
throughout the entire city, two splendid daily newspapers, metro-
politan in their service; also five weekly papers, of the best. Enid
can lay claim to as good, if not the best, railroad service of the
entire state—three systems—the C. R. I. & P., the A. T. & S. F., and
Frisco maintain quarters here that employ a great number of train-
men as well as yard and equipment employes.
The manufactories of Enid is one of her proud boasts, and in-
clude fluoring mills, an automobile factory, carriage and wagon fac-
tories. boiler works, blank book factory, brick plnnts, hotting works,
ice factories, creameries, concrete block works harness factory, gas
works, planing mills threshing machine works, and others of smaller
capacity, but of sufficient strength to forecase a bright future.
Enid, through its splendid Chamber of Commerce, invites the
investor, home-seeker, and manufacturer to take advantage of the
many inducements that Enid offers for all kinds of legitimate enter
prise. Come, investigate, look us over; or any information desired
can lie obtained from the genial secretary of the Enid Chamber of
Commerce, Mr. .T. J. Cunningham.
The labor organizations of Enid are in splendid condition, anil
among the strongest of our new and growing state.
employes. They are shocking. Our
own are bad, but it Is child's play here
to what it is there Parliament would
not stand for a moment what goes on
there. The casualty list of the Ameri-
can railways would stock a first-class
war. Tell any transatlanctic critic of
mine to read those statistics. They
will put some enthusiasm into them ; recognized and municipal ownership
for the cause of labor. I have been I has been accepted. There is no choice
accused of calling industrial America f°r the American workmen but to fol
a slaughterhouse and a Golgotha. The
death roll of the brave men who annu-
ally lose their lives in the hoarding up
low us. There is nothing between him
and the rebarbarization of industry
save the trade union and the trade un-
of millions for the railway magnates is j 'on principles which are accepted by
not only my excuse for these phrases, j the American Federation of Labor. In
but is my justification. that organization I see some Hope for
Take, again, every work on Indus- the American toiler.
trial America. Take Mr. Foster Fras-1 A. significant feature of the prevail-
er's "America at Work." Your Yanktv unrest and dissatisfaction of the
millionaires, your lordly magnates who American toiler is to be found in the
bask in the smiles of European mon- great number of strikes in that coun-
archies, may say that it is all exagger-; try. Whether the men by striving to
ted. They may declare that these are Set better recognition of their union
socialistic calumnies and an attempt ior ar© simply availing tehmselves of
to pit class against class, but ask the j an opportunity to strike a big blow at
worker, ask the victim. Do not take! the accursed trusts. I fell sure they
for gospel truth the word of the few j are engaged in a righteous warfare
that fret on. Take the testimony of the ! mitfity question of how to ob-
toiling millions. It is the mass and tain better conditions under which to
not the individual that 1 appeal to for work and live is not confined to the
corroboration, and I know that my ap steel workers, every trade in America
peal will not be in vain. I am not an will come to realize that the same fight
"ignorant Englishman filled with in- the coal miners or the bridge builder4*
Bular pride." "Labor all the world alone. Sooner or later for existence
over" is my plea, but in pleading for awaits them. 1 nless a cheek is put
labor in America I am putting forward | upon them these blood suckers who go
only the evidence of America. T base j on forming trusts will dominate the
my indictment of American industrial j sou^s as well as the bodies of the
conditions, over and above everything ' American workingmen.
else, on the documents of Americans. | ^ut my greatest hope foi future
Let Americans who cavil at my words P^ace and assertion of American labor
go to the reports prepared by their rights is in awakening the public <o
own commissioners of labor at Wash- the scourge of such institutions as
ington. They supply me with suffi- trysts. They have it in their hands,
cient material to warrant me in say- an<* ^ rightly managed the ballot can
ing that America, so far as the toiler be made a ereat deal more effecti\e
is concerned, is "Hell with the lid off than the bullet.
—hell with just sufficient daylight to The great, victory gained by the coal
see that there is a way out of it." workers in the last big strike in the
When I was in America I visited Pennsylvania anthracite regions ha
practically all the industrial centers brought America one step nearer to
I visited Pittsburg and I visted the the conviction that the onl> solution of
Pullman works. So far as the intensity the difficulty is municipalization of
of toil is concerned, so far as unhealthy monopolies and nationalization of the
conditions go and especially in so far as trusts. Till that is finally accomp-
the determinations of the masters (Continued on Fa^e 6)
THE ELECTORAL VOTE OF 1908
As Complete As Can Be Forcasted at the Present Time
State.
Alabama
Arkansas
('alifornia
(Colorado
Connecticut. . .
Delaware. . ..
Florida
Idaho. .
Illinois.
Indiana.
Iowa. .
Kansas.
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts. .
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi. . . .
M issouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire.
New Jersey. . . .
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota .
Ohio.
Oklahoma. . . .
Oregon
Pennsylvania. . .
Rhode Island . .
South Carolina
South Dakota ..
Tennessee
!)
10
13
10
1.1
16
14
11
10
18
3
8
4
12
39
Taft. Itryan. Doubtful
11
9
10
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington. . .
AV' St Virginia
Wisconsin. . . .
Wyoming
Total.
4
23
7
4
34
4
9
4
12
1.8
3
4
13
3
483
15
13
10
6
8
16
14
11
18
4
12
.19
4
23
4
34
4
13
13
9
327
12
18
12
149
How often do we hear the younger
members of the unions say, What is
the use of paying dues to the union,
It don't do me any good?
Yes, what use?
This much, young man; because tho
union has made it possible for you to
earn a living better by far than bet-
ter workmen than you were able to
earn before our union was formed.
You simply don't know union condi-
tions of twenty years ago, and If you
do it Is because Bonie one told you,
not because you suffered the hard-
ships which beset us in those days.
Prioes, hours, wages, sanitary condi-
tions, half days or whole days oft were
unknown to many men when they
served time as officers of the union.
Closing all days 011 holidays would
have been a drop from heaven. The
handful who started the union and
made it possible for you to enjoy sucii
benefits as we have attained gel 1111
more than you do, but they paid th"
price while you enjoy tho fruits of
their efforts. When we served our
apprenticeship it meant four years at
$1.25 per week. We opened the office j
so as to have It mopped and cleaned j
when tho "jours" arrived. It was our,
duty to lock up. so we were the last
one to leave.
Vacations Perish tile thought; they
were unknown. Wo are a long way
from being an old man today, but com-
paring entrance to the trade with the
present day, we feel as old as Methus-
elah.
Why pay dues to your union?
In order that we may keep the bene-
fits which others in days gone by
gained for you.
In order that you may take your
place in the world of labor which Is
yours by right.
In order that your skill shall give
you recognition.
In order that as civilization advances
you will advance with It and be en-
abled to enjoy the privileges which
increased civilization brings.
Ill order that the thousands and one
benefits you derive every dny may not
j lie taki n from you and the trade as
I a whole forced backward in place of
j forward.
Hundreds, yea, thousands, of argu
nients are at hand why you should not
alone keep up your union, but Improve
'it as well.
, Not one single, solitary reason can
j you give why you should not keep
' it up.
j Your argument that it does you no
good is groundless, foolish, asinine,
j If it were not for organized labor
the workng men and women of today
; would bo serfs, if not actual slaves.
Organized labor compels the recos-
Jnltion which Individual effort could
not accomplish. Its very existence Is
the bar which separated us from the
grasping greed which made the black
slave possible and which evolution
would have forced upon white and
black alike if a restraining hand ha i
not appeared. Study the history of
Greece and Rome and you will find a:i
exact parallel at the start, but the e\
act opposite tit the finish. You pa; so
much per month, thai is true. Your
actual benefits amount to more per
week, not even thinking of the mon> ;
t,ary benefits which our union allows.
Some of you say you onh pay it s 1
1 hat a f w officers can have a fat and
lazy job. You know it is an untruth
vhen > on ,-a.v jt Ymi know that ran
alaried officers can do better a I
smaller wages in the shop than tin
can in the office, where so many call
are made 011 them that when th'
month is ov er they seldom have a ih
ing wage left.
Yon know the insults the;, have to
suffer from people like you, who niak
accusation )U cannot substantiate.
You fall to realize that they are hu-
mans and have feelings. You onl
think of yourself.
Do you think your officials car-1
when you roast them Not at all. If
they fe; red criticism they would not
'ast three months. Because they do
not fear it is the reason they are a
If any officer fears criticism; if any
>rfif. f .rrles water on both shoulders
1 1 order to keep the friendship of the
who . right and he who Is wrong,
that man is a disgrace to tho craft and
a dishonor to his office.
Remember this, the few pennies you
pay toward tho salary of your officers
would never be missed, and yet those
officers would miss you If you dropped
out, 110 mntter how unfair you have
been to them and yourself. It Is the
cause that counts, not the man. It ■
not the praise you give a favorite of-
ficer, it is tho result achieved for
Us all.
If the union is 110 good, why did
you jo'n It?
Was it to hold your Job In a shop
where the boss Insisted on a card?
If so, tho union must be good, aa
It hold your job, which you could not
do If von are the best workman In
AmerU 1.
Did you join becauso you believe in
unionism? If you did that you would
be a booster not a knocker.
If you joined In order to display
your card just for the trade It will
bring you, you ure abominable In the
sight of God and man because you are
as dishonest as a fnief In the night.
Did you join because It Is the fash-
Ion in your city? Then you are a nin-
ny and only fit to associate with cheap
dudes, nincompoops; not with decent
union men who have principles for
their reason.
To sum It up, If you don't like tho
union why did you join it?
The man who grumbles about Ills
dues, yet pays them; the man who
always finds fault with the officers,
local and national, is the man who
took a union man's Job in a union
shop, perhaps at less wages, perhaps
not. He was not a member and the
local told the employer the label must
come out If he did not join. The em-
ployer told liltn to join at tho nejJ
meeting or lose his Job. Such a man
has not manhood enough to quit and
get another Job; he joins and—roasts.
He plays baby. He threatens to quit,
but has not the manhood to do so for
fear he cannot get another job.
He carries stories to boss about
the union In tho hope that boss will
let the label go, but hasn't got the
brains to know that the boss despises
him for being a traitor to his shop-
mates.
lie is the kind of man the boss uses
when he wants a spy In his shop to
tell on his shopmates.
He Is the first man to be laid off
when business Is bad because the Iiosb
knows that a man of his calibre Is not
safe In a pinch.
These and man;, many reasons of
a similar character are why some
members revile the union which
makes it possible for them to earn a
living.
Such are the men who dishonor,
stilly and disgrace their craft. Such
are the men of whom scabs are made.
If the cap in this article fits the
reader let liltn wear if or become a
union man.
j To those who have stood with tho
j hip In storm and sunshine, who have
ilven their time, talents and money
to upbuild the craft let them take
heart. The 1 la: of whom we write
this month are not many, yet they ex-
ist, as cruel experience has taught us.
We mil1 1 not shun them nor must we
ignore them. They are of the craft;
they are competitors on tho economic
field. As such we must try and teach
them the path of rectitude, of honor,
of unionism.
The world is not perfect; if It were
the labor movement would ho super-
fluous. The fact that we are not per-
fect Is what made the labor movement
a necessity if you know such or
whom we write, try to show them the
error of their ways, and perhaps from
an ignorant, ranting knocker we may
make a true trade unionist—and a
booster.—The Raston Journal.
A union made hat looks better n a
scarecrow, than a scab made tile does
on a man with a union card in his
pocket.
"To hell with tho constitution!"
tate militia (paid by the Mine Owners'
Major McClelland, commanding the
association) during tho Colorado min-
ers' s'.rlke and lockout of 1904.
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Egbert, R. Oklahoma Labor Unit (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 1, No. 22, Ed. 1 Saturday, November 7, 1908, newspaper, November 7, 1908; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc106678/m1/1/: accessed March 28, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.