PROGRESS OF TRADES UNIONS. Trades union progress in Nebraska has been so extensive in the last few years that we believe a full showing of its development would surprise those not familiar with the matter. An attempt was made to secure returns from secretaries of local unions that would enable the Bureau to make a tabulation of value, as showing the influence of this great factor in our industrial life. This attempt failed, unfortunately, because local secretaries were too busy or too careless to fill out and return blanks sent them. The assistance and support of central labor bodies was sought and obtained, in Lincoln and Omaha; but even their endorsement and urging of the effort did not avail, except to a limited degree. Hence, the table herewith presented is the merest skeleton of what it ought to be. It is given space in this report solely with the hope that the paucity of its showing will serve to stir trade union officials to a real activity in making reports along this line to Deputy Commissioner Maupin, who takes charge of the Bureau after January, 1908. Much is heard, favorable and otherwise, of trade union activity in the open labor market. Very little is heard by the general public of the real, basic spirit of brotherhood among men that marks the work of the unions in their meetings and accomplishments as organizations having the uplift of the workers, men and women, ever in view. The securing of fair wages and reasonable working hours goes hand in hand with an ethical and material helpfulness, behind the scenes, that the uncaring majority very little appreciates. Satisfaction to the active membership of the trade unions comes as largely from duty done, one to another, as from victories the struggle for which deeply engages public attention for the time being. Fight, if they must, the unions will on occasion. Help one another they always do; and indirectly, but none the less satisfactorily, this help extends to many having no claim on them, possibly opposed to them. As the Railroad Brotherhoods comprise the largest membership of organized workers in Nebraska, some interesting statistics and conclusions from Secretary Mosely of the Interstate Commerce Commission will be in order here. Secretary Mosely devoted several years to gathering and compiling his data, and the following conclusions on the question of railroad earnings and wages will therefore carry weight: "The figures indicate that since 1900 the net earnings of roads have increased 82 per cent. The average earnings of the men have not increased more than 17 per cent. "The figures show the significant fact that those railroad men have obtained the largest increase in their wages who are banded together in an aggressive organization. For instance, in five years the average wages of switch tenders, crossing tenders and watchmen, who are not organized, have increased only 1.14 per cent, while the average wages of conductors, who are organized, have increased 15.13 per cent; those of railroad firemen, also organized, 14 per cent and those of engineers, who have an organization similar to the conductors and firemen, 12.33 per cent. "Where no organization exists the same treatment has been accorded to the men as in the case of switch and crossing tenders. For instance, general office clerks have had an increase of only 1.37 per cent, and other station men only 4 per cent. The railroad officials have not been niggardly with themselves, for their salaries have increased 28.86 per cent. "All information I have collected demonstrates that neither prosperity nor politics cuts any figure in causing an increase of wages paid to railroad employes. The increase is forced by the organizations of railroad men. "Perhaps the action of the railroads is influenced further by the desire to conciliate labor and prevent the passage of more hostile legislation by congress. They have awakened to the fact that they are unpopular. They have been engaged for more than a year in a campaign of education designed to show the public that they are not what they have been painted." As to wages and hours of work being regulated largely through the power of intelligent organization, what is true of the Railroad Brotherhoods is also true of other unions. This is the opinion of all active unionists and of all students of the question. And it is this knowledge-now pretty generally spread—that is, primarily, sustaining and increasing the membership of the trade unions throughout the |