The Labor Signal. (Oklahoma City, Okla. Terr.), Vol. 4, No. 45, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 27, 1905 Page: 1 of 8
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TKe Labor
VOLUME 4-.
Official Journal Central Trades and Labor Assembly.
OKLAHOMA CITY 0. T., |ULY L'7, 1905.
ignal.
NUMBER to
J. LjSCHMITT
JEWELER, OPTICIAN AND I'HOTOGKAPHER, WATCH
AND CLOCK REPAIRING WOKIs Gl'ARANTEED.
25
Photographs
25
Twentv-five Minatures, in Five Different Positions, (or 25
Cents. Dealer in Watches, Clocks, Pictures, Photos, Phono
graphs and Optical Goods .
I 19 South llarvey Street
Beeker <?o.
SPECIAL LOW
PRICES ON
Men's Suits, Hats and Shoes.
1 17 NORTH'BROADWAY
I'otY tV Bowman's Old Stand.
Popular Organization
Copyrighted by Freeman Hel!.
King Solomon truly told us
that there is nothing new under
the sun; and so it is that my
proposition tor the union of la
bor's forces is not entirely new.
There are now many plans of or-
ganization, among which are
the American Federation of La-
bor and the Grange, that em-
ploy some kind of majority rule
not only tor their own govern
be sustained if presented to the
voters under the auspices of
some more truly representative
plan of organization. Let us
proctcd to make this plain:
Among the legislative de-
mands of the A. F. of L. is the
eight hour work day, and
among the measures demanded
by the Grange is the parcels
post. It is quite possible, if not
probable, that some entirely
different measure would come
up first and foremost as ex-
pressive of the wish of any trulv
representative body of the vot-
ers. There are others besides
tradesmen and farmers com-
ment as organizations, but also | bined, that justice would require
to some extent, and in some de-1us to consult >n our choice of
gree; representative of the will j
any legislative demand, and it is
... , . , , | lot us who have no political
ot the membership, for the gov- power other th;m what {,QW ,;es
eminent ot the I nited States., tallow in our votes, or right of
j Then, in one view of the matter, ■ franchise, to seek enfranchise-
it mav be said that in thr way ' mc,lt 0,1 a broader basis than is
i on: e
l
&as . .
; of a plan we already have what
jl am contending for, and that
i if ti e A. F. of L. for example,
had two or three times its pres-
ent number of members it would
be in position to control our
governmental officers after they
are elected. Under this suppo-
sition (with the organization
built up to this measure of
strength) all it would have to
do to secure the adoption of any
measure would be simply to de-
mand it of our elected officers.
I am told that in localities
where the A. F. of L. is strong it
existing organi-
afforded us bv
zation,
I am asking that the voters
have another resource for the
exercise of their power. My idea
is that we can and should have
organization quite truly repre-
sentative by enrolling any and
allvotcis who have a willing-
ness or desire to subscribe to the
upbuilding of some better plan
(better as a government) than
such as we have been consider-
ing, and that this better plan
give each member an equal
voice and vote in the ordering
of the organization and its
affairs in so far as this can be
made truly practical. Enroll-
F WOMEN were speechless there would be fewer Gas Ranges
sold. As it is the installation of a g-as range opens up a flood-
gate of enthusiastic praises which is truly disheartening "to the
unfortunate ones who are worrying along with gasoline or a coal
stove.
'LET the women do the work," is not our motto—Let one of our
Gas Ranges do the work.
Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co.
, . , , J ment should cost nothing until
can pretty nearly control elected | Q
officers now. Then need we ask
anything more than increase in
numbers to the A. F. of L. for
[j£ proper control of governmental
(.. officers? Anything different in
ijf organization to make elected
officers amenable to the will ofjtion imperfectly representativet
a sufficient number of the voters
are enrolled to give them the
preponderance of power, which
I think would require something
like one-fifth of our votes. What
do men of information and
judgment think of this estimate?
If the A, F. of L. (an organiza-
Cbe ©eli flkat /IftaiM.
the people?
I think we
do.
♦ ♦
j had one-fifth of the voters en-
Progress is ; rolle<J- would it not come pretty
, , , . . ' i near being th^ governing pow-
often made through innovation j er? „ ould it not bc bac£eld bv
on custom. As the A. F. of L
slight tax upon its literature
will be ample for all necessary
expense, and that we need not
wait for changes in constitu-
tions, or statutes, or rules cf
procedure in legislative bodies:
and that with any considerable
fraction of the voters enrolled
the mass of the voters will prove
true at the polls to the will of
such organization from volun-
tary allegiance, even though
their names are not on the mem-
bership rolls.
All of the political power is in
the voters' ballots, but in rela-
tion to the mass of the voters
this power lies in a kind of dor-
mant condition from lack of an
organism for its more virile ex-
pression. This stale of fact has
made it possible for a small part
of the voters—for a class, to
more adequately equip itself and
dominate the mass. Now that
a plan is extant whereby the
mass J~"ay avail itself ot virile
means of expression, there is no
longer any need for tolerating
class rule.
[Continued next week.]
The union label is the most
economical agency of trades-
union work, its cost being little
compared to its results.
The man who knows why he
is a union man and is able to
state the fact intelligently is a
useful member of anv ufiion
139 West Second Street
BEST MEATS OF ALL KINDS
We make a specialtev of home killed meats. We also handle j still broader basis than that of
the Oklahoma Packing Companys celebrated Blue Jay hams, I the A F of L
bacon and sausage products, Your Patronage Solicited. T \ • .
& ! I thinkit will beeasier and bet-
Ud. 1H. t6utcber ter to build organization
\ our ati onage Solicited ( ©ropruto such broader base up
..SIMS cfc LYON
—dealers in—
HARNESS, SADDLES, COLLARS, WHIPS, ETC.
125 W. Grand Avenue. Repairing a Specialt\
almost eno.igh power to down
is built on a broader basis than | the rule of the trusts and to ue-
the plan of the separate trades cure the enactment of its eight
union, so we need buiid on a | h°ur vv0l*k day and its anti-in
junction law? If it would, then
.Every Large City in Texas, Oklahoma
and Indian Territory is Located on the
Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway.
This is a reason why you should travel and ship your freight
via "The Katy" to Dallas, Ft. Worth, Austin, San Antonio,
Houston, Galveston, Waco, Oklahoma City, Guthrie, Shawnee,
South McAlester and Muskogee.
Particulars about rates, time of trains,
business chances in the Southwest or any
other information you want will be cheer-
fully furnished on request.
GEORGE MORTON, W. 8. GROSECtBSE,
General Passenger and Ticket Item. Bernnl Freight tient,
ST. LOUIS, MO.
on
such broader base up to suffi-
' cient numerical strength to con-
) trol the officers our trustocrats
| nominate and elect than it will
! to build the A. F. of L. up to
this position of power.
There are imperfections in the
~ | plan of the A. F. of L. as a gov-
ernment that 1 think we mav
largely avoid. Let us consider
them.
In point of fact, what we call
majority rule or majoritv gov-
ernmentisfound on finalanalvsis
to be only a form of representa-
tive government that is trulv
representative; and a further
fact is that neither the A. F. of
might we not expect that a
much more perfectly representa-
tive organization of the voters
of such numerical strength
would have ample power to do
such things?
And to get pledges nf fealty to
such organization ought not to
be more difficult than to get sig-
natures to an initiative petition
for any measure that the voters
might want enacted into iaw.
ll'hat I propose is that we
start a plan of organization on
the broadest base possible, so
that all shades of opinion except
the trustocrats can find place
for their exercise thereon. I
think that even the trustocrats
should not at first be barred
from membership. Of them-
selves they naturally would be
disposed io discourage enroll-
ment, To sign the enrollment
would be humiliating to their
pride;
If girls would eat more on-
ions they would have fewer calls
from physicians; also other men.
The goat who tries to butt the
railroad train off the track is
just about as wiseas the worker
who remains outside the union
and expects to get a decent liv-
ing.
If there's a brain so dense that
the rights of the worker when
put forth so justly will not
pierce with effect, then that brain
needs trepanning and something
substituted.
It is work and not talk that
we need. Long distance discus-
sions and hot air matinees will
get you nothing. What you
need is employment at living
wages. The only way you will
ever get it is to join your union.
The noble man has feelings
even for his enemy. The true
soldier recognizes good in his
foe. The union man knows
thers is much that is worthy in
the non-union man, and instead
of condemning him tries to con-
vert him to trades-unionism.
. ,r , and in any event, with a
L. nor theC>rangeare sufficiently | good plan of constitution there
representative of the whole peo-1 would be no way that they
pie to cause their legislation to
j be respected and sustained as
I the same 01 something similar
H the way ot legislation might
could become a dangerous factor
in the management
I claim that such organization
as I hav outlined mav be effect-
ive and inexpensive; that a
The trades union opponent,
who never did see any good in
organization, is the same sort ot
craven who sees no good in the
sunlight, the flowers and the
myriad beauties of life. The only
thing that looks good to him is
the dollar, and the only God he
worships in his bank account.
What has the world gained by
organized labor? What has it
lost? It has given to the world
a nobler manhood and woman-
hood among the masses—a
priceless gift. It has robbed no
man of what rightful!v be-
longed to him. And vet there arc
fools on the earth who op-
pose it.
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The Labor Signal. (Oklahoma City, Okla. Terr.), Vol. 4, No. 45, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 27, 1905, newspaper, July 27, 1905; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc121738/m1/1/: accessed May 14, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.