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THE ATL ANTI AN
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MUSE’S
MEN’S WEAR
Everything that-everything thats in fashion
for men is sold at MUSES.
English Models
Conservative Styles and
the New and Nobby Norfolks. f
Be^t Hats and Shoes on Earth.
Furnishings Corredl
and Elegant.
I GEO. MUSE CLOTHING COMPANY I
THE NEW TRADE
UNIONISM.
A correspondent with a most unsea
sonable thirst for information asks the
settler to explain what is meant by the
‘ ‘ new trade unionism. ’ ’ The term is
applied in England to the trade unions
of unskilled laborers, organized during
the last two decades, as distinguished
from the older organizations of the skill
ed trades.
The beginning of the organization
among unskilled laborers dates from the
great London dock strike of 1889. Lord
Rosebery once declared that the dock
strike marked an epoch not only in the
history of labor, but in that of human
ity. In August, 1889, 300 workers on
the southwest India docks struck work
on account of a dispute regarding pay.
The strike spread rapidly, until over
130,000 workers were involved. The
chief demands of the strikers were for
abolition of the contract system of em
ployment under middlemen, and increase
of pay from five to six pence per hour.
•The strike resulted in a complete vic
tory for the dockers, who were supported
by the public, both sympathetically and
financially, in a way that left the compa
nies no choice but to yield uncondition
ally.
The success of this strike gave a tre
mendous impetus to organization in other
unskilled trades—including cab-drivers,
street car and railway employees, bak-
ors, tailors, waiters and shoemakers. At
the same time a new group of leaders
came to the front. This movement
among unskilled laborers, known as the
“new trade unionism,’’ presents in im
portant respects a striking contrast to
the “old trade unionism” of the skilled
workers.
In the first place, it is more aggres
sive in its policy. The new unions call
ed themselves “fighting” unions. They
devoted all their funds to strike pur
poses. The insurance features of the
old unionism were not copied by the new.
The chief reason for the rejection of the
insurance features was, doubtless, the low
rate of pay of unskilled laborers, which
made it well nigh impossible for them
to pay the necessary dues.
In the second place it is more radical
in* demanding State interference for the
benoflt of the working-class. The new
unionism favors the legal eight hours'
day, the establishment of municipal
work-shops for the unemployed and other
measures of a socialistic nature. Many
of the leaders are avowed State Social
ists. The old unions, on the other hand,
have always opposed socialistic State help
for the working class. They have pre
ferred to rely on organized self-help. The
new unions, being weaker, have naturally
been more inclined to call for extension
of State help for the working class.
Under the influence of new unionism the
trade union congress has adopted each
year since 1893, a socialistic resolution
demanding State ownership of all means
of production and distribution.
Finally, the new unionism has in some
instances adopted the policy of limiting
the number of members. In the skilled
trades the difficulty of learning operates
to restrict more or less the entrance of
new workers into the field. In the un
skilled trades this natural limitation of
membership is wanting. Hence, the ef
fort has been made to establish an arti
ficial limitation by closing the unions to
new members. John Burns, who was the
most influential leader of the new union
ism, advocated limiting the membership
in each union to the number that could
find employment. The excluded mem
bers he would have employed by the mu
nicipality.
In the course of recent researches into
the history of New England colleges the
settler came upon the curious code of
rules for students laid down by the first
president of Harvard College, Rev. Henry
Dunster. Some of these precepts de
serve to be revived and enforced at the
present day. Here they are:
Laws, Liberties and Orders.
1. No freshman shall wear his hat in
the college yard unless it rains, hails or
snows, provided he be on foot and have
not both bands full.
2. No undergraduate shall wear his hat
in the college yard when any of the gov
ernors of the college are there; and no
bachelor shall wear his hat when the
president is there.
3. No freshman shall speak to a senior
with his hat on, or have it in a senior’s
chamber, or in his own if a senior is
there.
5. All the undergraduates shall treat
those in the government of the college
with respect and deference; particularly
they shall not be seated without leave in
their presence; they shall be uncovered
when they speak to them or are spoken
to by them.
6. All freshmen (except those employ
ed by the immediate government of the
college) shall be obliged to go on any
errand (except such as shall be judged
improper by some one in the govern
ment of the college) for any of their
seniors, graduates, or undergraduates at
any time, except in studying hours or
after nine o’clock in the evening.
7. A senior sophister has authority to
take a freshman from a sophomore; a
middle bachelor from a junior sophister;
a master from a senior sophister, and
any governor of the college from a mas
ter.
8. Every freshman before he goes for
the person who takes him away (unless
it be one in the government of the col
lege) shall return and inform the person
from whom he is taken.
9. No freshman, when sent on an er
rand, shall make any unnecessary delay,
neglect to make due return, or go away
until dismissed by the person who sent
him.
10. No freshman shall be detained by
a senior when not actually employed on
some suitable errand.
11. No freshman shall be obliged to
observe any order of a senior to come to
him, or go on any errand for him, un
less he be wanted immediately.
12. No freshman, when sent on an er
rand, shall tell who he is going for un
less he be asked; nor be obliged to tell
what he is going for unless asked by a
governor of the college.
13. When any person knocks at a fresh
man ’s door, except in studying time, he
shall immediately open the door, with
out inquiring who is there.
Pensions, Parasites, Paragraphs.
That artful alliterator, playful para-
grapher, genial josher, and social satirist,
Joseph Smith, touched up the question
of pensions for public employees in his
last Monday monologue. He objects to
pensions for city employees who have
better pay, better hours and easier work
than men in kindred and unofficial
places. “Why,” he asks, “should the
other laborers who have harder work, less
wages and longer hours be taxed to pen
sion this favored class!” Why, indeed!
As applied to the usual non-contributory
or hand-out type of pension this objec
tion is absolutely conclusive. But if di
rected against such a retirement system
as that recently enacted by the legisla
ture for State employees, the argument is
mistaken. That system is based on the
contributory principle. Instead of taxing
the. citizens for the benefit of a favored
class, it will readily save money for the
taxpayers by promoting economy and effi
ciency in the public service. A similar
system is offered to Boston and other
cities in the permissive retirement act
passed by the legislature last year and
amended this year. Doubtless Mr. Smith
himself would approve of a retirement
plan of this kind, for he commends the
German system of social insurance, which
is founded on the same principle of joint
contributions as is the recent legislation
in this State.
OUR HEARTFELT, THANKS,
MONSIEUR!
Gabriel Hanotaux.
The men of the United States have
the spirit of good fellowship and open
heartedness. They face life in a good
humor. They take up things laughingly.
It is indeed remarkable that in this
light-hearted manner the Americans are
so much like the French.
LACKED THE COSTLIER
FUEL.
(From the Cleveland Plain Dealer)
A Philadelphia landlady somewhat in
sistently demanded her pay from a back
ward star boarder and he poured hot
water on her. What he should have done
was to heap coals of fire on her head
by paying the bill and then quitting.
SOME ONE SHOULD TELL
HER.
(From the Chicago Record-Herald)
No woman ever made a greater mis
take than that which is made by the
woman who thinks she will please her
husband by sitting up and waiting for
him until 2 o’clock in the morning.
CAN JUMP THROUGH A
RING.
(From the Syracuse Journal)
Evidently fewer monarchs have been
better trained than King George of Eng
land. He says, “The queen and I.”
ITS MEANING.
“Always remember ter show respect
fer a gentleman dat’s an ‘LL.D.’ ”
“Dat’s nothin’, I’m a F. F. E.”
“A ‘F. F. E!' What’s dat stand
fer!”
“Fast freight exclusively.”