Oklahoma Labor Unit (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 7, No. 4, Ed. 1 Saturday, July 11, 1914 Page: 2 of 4
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THE OKLAHOMA LABOR UNIT
THEOKLAHOMA LABOR UNIT
LABOR UNIT PUBLISHING CO., Own«p .
A clean conservative, Independent, nonpartisan newspaper in the interests
of the Lab orin* People.
Tubllshed Every Saturday by
C. C. Zeifller, Managing Editor.
Address all communications to The Oklahoma Labor Unit, 217 N. Harvey St.,
Oklahoma City, Okla.
" Correspondence from Local Unions, and Contributions from
Union Men solicited.
Subscribers will confer a great favor if they will promptly notify the Business
Office of any failure or Irregularity In the delivery of their paper.
Entered at tbe Oklahoma Pity, Oklahoma, pon I office as second class mall,
under the act of March 3, 1879,
SUBSCRIPTION—(Payable In Advance.)
One year
Sli months °jj
Three months "
Regular contract and flat rates for advertising on application.
"Were it not for the Lrfbor Press the Labor Movement would not
be what it is today, and any man who tries to injure a labor paper is
a traitor to the cause."—President Samuel < .ompers.
LABOR PAPER AS AN ADVERTISING MEDIUM.
Printer's Ink, the recognized authority on advtrtising, after a
thorough investigation on this subject says :
"A labor paper is a far better advertising •medium than an ordinary
newspaper in comparison with circulation. A labor paper, for example,
having 2,000 subscribers, is of more value to the business man who
advertises in it, than an ordinary paper with 12,000 subscribers."
NOTICE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS.
The Labor Unit is not behind any party, clique or candidates. It
has opened its columns to candidates who may wish to announce them-
selves through this medium. All such announcements appear as adver-
tising.
9 ^TRADESji awpi jCOUNCIL
Morals cannot be legislated into man nor man into church. The
politico-preachers should take heed.
Call it "paternalism," or "socialism," or use any other term to
confuse, the day is rapidly approaching that will see the end of land
speculating and stock watering.
Never in the history of this country has there been a time when so
many influential people, when so many influential newspapers and maga-
zines have been giving so much thought as now to the welfare of the
men and women of labor. And for this organized labor should be given
full credit.
Reports from Washington indicate that both houses of Congress
will exempt labor unions and farmers unions from the operation of the
anti-trust law. This was the intention of the makers of the law, but
judges and other satalites of the mighty rich read the labor unions
into the law.
A real understanding of everything affecting labor on the part of
representatives of labor, with all personal, selfish interests set aside,
will bring concerted action whenever needed, and this is the only thing
organized labor needs to secure for its members the maximum amount
of employment at union wages.
At least two candidates for congress in this district are not main-,
taining very elaborate head quarters in Oklahoma City, yet this isn't
true of the city of Washington. The postage costs less when it is mailed
from Washington, don't you know, and that extension of remarks gag
ir an easy matter.
Mont R. Powell would make a faithful and efficient congressman
from this district. He is a man of the people, who believes that the
laws of this country should apply to all alike without regard to race,
creed, sect, poverty or wealth, llis experience as a laboring man and
his connections in the newspaper field is a guarantee of his faithful and
efficient administration of his duties should he be given tile nomination
and election from this district. Three of his opponents are lawyers, a
class well represented in the halls of Congress, and the fourth a minister
of the Gospel, who would be better employed by staying in Oklahoma
and saving souls.
It doesn't require the vision of a prophet to see the trend of certain
political elements in this district in the congressional race. Occasion-
ally you will find a shouter for J. II. Thompson in Oklahoma County,
but when you find one he usually has an excellent reason for this shout-
ing. and that not in the way of legislation or a political job. Few men
work the streets day in and day out, crying the virtues of a candidate
and distributing literature unless they have seen the color of the coin.
And it isn't necessary to state that a few, but by the way a very few,
are doing that same thing and presuming to represent labor.
Among the candidates aspiring to the legislature from Coal county
is Henry Waldecker, a young man living in Phillips. To the miners
Henry needs no introduction as he has always taken an active interest
in the affairs of his organization. The Coalgate Leader-Democrat has
the following to say of him: "He has always played an important part
when the affairs of the miners were under consideration, and his stal-
wart, fearless attitude and his unswearing course in the path of right
and justice as he viewed it,, makes him a most formidable candidate in
this race. On account of his fitness the various miners' unions of this
' ounty have endorsed Mr. Waldecker, and in fact he was placed before
the people while he was in Kansas City attending a meeting of a joint
committee. Henry has been a resident of what is now Coal county all
his life and is thoroughly familiar with the needs and conditions of the
mining element as well as being well versed in all other affairs of the
county. There is no questioning his integrity and fidelity to a trust im-
posed by people upon him, and should he receive the nomination will be
found true and firm to the best interests of Coal county."
limited way during the '70s of last century and at the present time, a
system of "municipal employment bureaus covers the whole of the Ger-
man empire and private agencies are permitted only in small cities that
lack one under government supervision.
In the face of much agitation over unemployment as has recently
been witnessed in this country, it is probable that a similar system will
giadually come into existence here and when it becomes fully organ-
ized, the "pay" bureau will no doubt find business so unprofitable that
it will suspend.
Officials in the local free employment office say they would handle
a much larger volume of business if laborers out of work were aware
that such a bureau exists to serve them. It appears that many floating
laborers, by habit, resort to the "pay" bureaus without realizing that it
is unnecessary for them to do so, this being especially true of those who
are strangers in the state.
The office this year handled its work in a systematic manner, visit-
ing various cities over the state prior to harvest to ascertain in ad-
vance something regarding what the demand would be in different sec-
tions. Liberal aid was given by bankers, merchants, editors, lumber-
men, real estate men, and others. Besides this, branch offices were
maintained in several of the larger towns, which were made distribut-
ing centers, and the plan was so well worked out that the army of 13,-
000 men was dispatched to the wheat fields when needed and the grain
r-.ired for without the usual distress cries from the farmers that they
could not find help to harvest their crops."
PLATFORM OF
Mont R. Powell
DEMOCRAT CANDIDATE
For Congress 5th. Dist.
Believing that every candidate for
public office should, at least, outline
the more important principles of gov-
ernment for which he stands, below is
a brief synopsis of measures which I
favor:
Mont R. Powell.
1st. The passage of a Rural Credit
System law that will be entirely in
sympathy with the farmer, thereby
all benefit accruing from such a law
will redound to his credit. The elim-
ination of all speculation in the loan-
ing of money so that the rate of in-
terest charged the farmer will be the
minimum. I firmly believe that such
a law will greatly reduce the num-
ber of tenant farmers, a condition
which should be sought by every patri-
otic citizen who is desirous of prov-
ing the stability of our government.
I favor the Ashland plan of Wiscon-
sin which takes ample care of the
farmer.
2nd. A law strengthening the pres-
ent one regarding the franking privi-
lege which, as now abused, is a great
burden to the taxpayers. I am op-
posed to any office holder persistent-
ly campaigning at the expense of the
government during his term of office,
which the present franking system al-
lows, and which has been done in this
Congressional District for more than
a year.
3rd. The Parcels Post, the build-
ing of the Panama Canal and the effec-
tive manner in handling the United
States mail has demonstrated the
feasibility of Government Ownership
in the United States. I therefore
favor the government owning and ope-
rating the express business and the
West estranged the timid love of the
administration machine and trans-
ferred its affection of ^®chine lo
Robertson.
One thing is certain, there is no po-
litical machine backing Judge Wil-
liams. He is making the campaign
on his own merits; the record he
made in the constitutional convention
and on the supreme bench; his lite
long record of economy; his well
known hatred of graft; his ability; his
honesty and his integrity. He is de-
pending upon no machine, but will be
elected by the suffrage of each indi-
vidual voter who believes him the
best qualified man for governor.
Pol. Adv.
The following editorial is taken from the Daily Oklahoman of July
6th, and reflects much credit upon the State Labor Department. The
work spoken of was under the direct supervision of Assistant Labor
Commissioner W. G. Ashton, who is a candidate for Labor Commis-
sioner on the Democratic ticket to succeed Chas. L. Daugherty, who
is not a candidate.
"AN OFFICE THAT GIVES SERVICE.
"The efficiency and usefulness of the State Free Employment bu-
reau as a medium of exchange between employer and labor was amply
demonstrated by this year's wheat harvest which has just drawn to a
close. Through this agency, employment was found for 13,000 men.
1 lie department was maintained at an expense to the state of but $700
during the wheat harvest, and through its services, millions of dollars
have been saved to the farmers, who, without it, would hvae been put
to considerable effort, not to mention expense, in obtaining help during
the harvest season.
The State Free Employment bureau is a comparatively new idea
and in all states where it has been given a trial, it has proved its worth
readily. The old custom was for the employer and man out of em-
ployment to meet at a "pay" bureau where one or both were required
to pay fees for services. In this manner, laborers in the past have
spent thousands of dollars every year buying the employment that the
state is now able to furnish them free of charge.
It is probable that the idea of a free employment bureau originated
with the Germans. At any rate, they were practicing the method in a
Judge R. L. Williams
"OUR BOB "
Not a Machine Man
The people of this state have never
had any great love for political ma-
chines. For this reason they have
tried to place as much power as pos-
sible in the hands of the people, and
enacted a compulsory primary elec-
tion law. For this reason they pro-
vided that the four highest state of-
ficers could not succeed themselves.
Judge R. L. Williams in an inter-
view over his own signature, goes
further than the constitution, and de-
clares that he is hi favor of an amend-
ment prohibiting any governor from
telephone and telegraph systems of
this country.
4th. Favor a Compensation Law to
apply to government employees who
are incapacitated from work through
injuries or occupational diseases con-
tracted while in the employ of the
government. Also favor a law provid-
ing for a pension, sufficient to guar-
antee an honorable livelihood, subject
to the employee's election, after hav-
ing been in the employment of the
government tewnty-flve years or more.
5th. A Mother's Pension, properly
safeguarded, to apply to all mothers
with a family who have no other
means of earning a livelihood than
her own personal endeavor. Believ-
ing every woman who bears children
is as patriotic as the man who shoul-
ders a musket and goes to war, I
strongly favor a law that will forever
prevent a mother from being forced
into the labor market to earn a liv-
ing for herself and children.
6th. Favor a law that would pre-
vent so-called employment agencies
from importing from one state to an-
other professional gunmen and strike-
breakers. Such man are used to shoot
to death men, women and children, if
need be, to serve greedy capital to
the detriment of honeBt business and
labor in the states where they operate.
I believe that such a law would have
a tendency to bring about a more har-
monious understanding between em-
ployer and employe* and cause the
peaceful settlement of such estranged
conditions as have occurred in sev-
eral states in the past two years.
Such troubles could be settled by ar-
bitration, thereby guaranteeing Jus-
tice to those engaged in such con-
troversies whether they be employee
or employer,
7th. A Corrupt Practices Act that
will forever eliminate crooked elec
tions and dishonest officials and place
all violators in a felon's cell.
8th. I believe that the members of
the United States Supreme Court
should be elected and I most emphati-
cally oppose the appointment of any
man to office for life with power co-
ordinate to a king. I believe that the
courts have usurped powers never in-
tended by the constitution and such
power should be taken away by em-
phatic laws.
If nominated and elected as your
Congressman from the Fifth District,
I would at all times support such
measures as I believe the majority
of my constituency favors, fully real-
izing that you do not elect your repre-
sentatives to do their own bidding,
but on the contrary, yours.
MONT R. POWELL.
running for any office for at least one
year after his time expires as gover-
nor, and emphatically declares that
he will not be a candidate for any of-
fice if he is elected governor. He
says that a governor should spend his
whole time in attending to the duties
of the office and have no thought of
building up a machine to elect him
United States senator of any other
office.
A few months ago Judge Williams
was accused by his opponents of be-
ing a machine candidate. The very
men who were accusing him of this,
were at that time, engaged in getting
possession of a machine, and have
since largely been successful. It is
a well known fact that Charles West
is backed by Ex-Governor C. N. Has-
kell, whom West has repeatedly said
was a Standard Oil tool, and has at
his command all that is left of the
old Haskell machine and added to
this, an immense slush fund put up
by some oil men of the state, to whom
great inducements must have been of-
fered to secure money enough toput
from thirty-five to fifty stenographers
in the headquarters of Charles West.
If the people of this state are looking
for a machine to swat, here is one
worthy of their efforts.
Another candidate who appears to
have become possessed of a machine
is J. B. A. Robertson of Chandler,
who appears to have fallen heir to
the Cruce administration machine,
headed by John R. Williams, and Dr.
.T. C. Mahr. At first it was thought
that West had captured this machine
and would perform a great acrobatic
feat of riding two machines at one
time, but latest developments indi-
cate that the great love of Haskell for
Geo. W. Clark
of Oklahoma County
Dist. Judge, 13,th. Dist.
and Democrat Candidate
for Re-election
He Courts a critical investigation of
hit record as a Public Official.
—Pol. Adv.
M. C. Binion
PRESENT SHERIFF AND CANDI-
DATE FOR RE-ELECTION SUB-
JECT TO THE DEMOCRATIC PRI-
MARY, AUGUST 4TH.
He has faithfully performed his
duty as he understood it. He has ful-
filled every promise made before his
election, and has complied with the
law as it was laid down, and if you
are not satisfied with this, blame the
law and not Binion.
He has been impartial in the ad-
ministration of the affairs of the of-
fice at all times. He has been fair
to Labor. He has been fair to Busi-
ness. He has been fair to those who
have had to deal with him or with
whom he nas had to deal. Has at-
tended strictly to the affairs of the
Sheriff's office and not meddled with
things that did not concern him.
What more do you want. If you want
a man who will do his duty at all
times as he understands it, vote for
Binion. Pol. Adv.
R. H. WILSON
State Superintendent R. H. Wilson
is one of the men who has always and
at all times stood for the laboring
man and the laboring man's cause.
In fact, his record on this question
has been so clear that four years ago
while out in the campaign and with-
out his knowledge, the Chickasha
Trades Council endorsed him . and
asked the laboring men of the State to
support his candidacy. This was done
because of his attitude towards labor
before.he ever became an official. As
a member of the State Board of Edu-
cation, he offered and supported a
resolution requiring that all texe
books used in the state be made by
union labor and that they bear the
union label.
Having been reared on the farm
himself, working his own way through
the public schools and college, it is
but natural that he should have a ten-
der feeling for the laboring masses
and this friendly feeling has been
displayed throughout his official life.
In his work as state superintendent
he has realized that the value of his
services has depended upon the in-
terest, activity and initiative that he
had had opportunity to display. He
has devoted the best part of his work
to making the schools serve in a ma-
terial way the communities in which
they are located. By developing the
schools into vital social centers and
by encouraging the teachers to take
active interest in local affairs he has
endeavored to make the schools pro-
duce immediate dividends upon the
money spent for their support as well
as to lay the foundation for a better
citizenship for the future.
During his administration for the
first time in the history of the State,
schools in ifiany places are giving
credits in school work for tasks per-
formed at home. He has urged the
teachers to apply locally the rules
of hygiene and the laws of health and
sanitation. He has also urged the
teachers to make local applications of
the study of agriculture thereby not
only increasing the interest that pu-
pils might have in that subject but
making the lessons learned the means
of improving the conditions of the
farmers in the country and creating a
civic pride in the breasts of our
young.
As a member of the School Land
Commission, Mr. Wilson has always
stood for the immediate sale of school
land, opposing at all times the tenan-
try system, contending that the farm-
er who occupies the land should own
it as a homestead, believing that the
best governmental conditions can only
exist where every man owns his own
home. During his administration the
income from the school land has ma-
terially increased, paying to every
school child in the state today more
money than ever before, notwithstand-
ing the number of school children has
increased by a good many thousands.
In the sals of the state school land,
Mr. ^Vilson believes that the school
land lessees should have full prefer-
ence right to their homes, and full
and equitable appraisements on all
improvements placed thereon by the
lessee as guaranteed to him under the
terms of the laboring act and the con-
stitutional laws of the state. Mr. Wil-
son worked his way through school
and is in sympathy with every boy
and girl who must go through school
under the same conditions. He be-
lieves in the farmer because he was
reared on the farm and his people are
all farmers. He believes in the
working man because he has been
compelled to work for a livelihood, all
his life and today if you go to his of*
fice you will find him as busy as he
can be. At this season of the year
the work in his Department is unusu-
ally heavy.
A vote for R. H. Wilson is a vote
for the laboring man's friend as well
as a vote for the farmer's friend. If
you do not believe this, ask someone
who knows. —Poi. Adv.
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Zeigler, C. C. Oklahoma Labor Unit (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 7, No. 4, Ed. 1 Saturday, July 11, 1914, newspaper, July 11, 1914; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc157208/m1/2/: accessed March 18, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.