St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-05-17
THE LABOR LYCEUNr.
Speeches by H. III. Shadrick an
Others..Local Strikes.

Speeches by H. III. Shadrick and
Othcrs--Local Strikes.
There was rather light attendance at
the Labor lyceum last evening. The meet
ing was opened by r. Il. Shadrick of Min
neapolis, who spoke on labor reform.
Bloodshed, the speaker said, was justifiable
when it was necessary to secure liberty, but
when liberty was secured and the ballot was
in the hands of freeman, as in this country,
bloodshed like that of the recent riots of Chi
cago was without the shadow of justification.
The labor cause, like other reforms, suffered
from injudicious advocates and assumed
friendship that was more dangerous than
open enmity. In sixteen years experience
he had found but one man who was true to
his promises when the suffrageS of the labor
element had raised him to political power and
position, and that was DIR. A. A. Ames of
Minneapolis. Workingmen were often told to
mistrust the man who said mo politics in the
movement but in reality there must be
politics in the cause, for the ends
must be reached by the ballot.
He paid tribute to Martin Irons, who
achieved reputation in the recent south
western strike, saying that he was being IN
justly bounded to death. He was judcous
and conservative man, and was forced into
the measures he took. Irons was as worthy
of applause and Ont1dence as T.V. Powderly.
In closing he said that he wanted to pay q
debt he owed to P. H. Kelly. Some time ago
he was employed on a government job at
MINNEAPOLIS, and was removed at the demand
of Mr.. Kelly because he was in active SYM
pathy with the labor movement. He had re-
ceived this information from E. P. Bassford,
the architect. Referring to the boycott, he
said that it was the liberty of every man to
buy where he pleased, and it was his liberty
to persuade his fellow-man to buy or not
buy at any place. If the courts decided the
boycott illegal, the boycott could be carried
on by secretly appealing to others, instead of
by open proclamation.
OTHER SPEAKERS.
c. W. Stevenson was brought in from
the ante-room. and in his remarks he said
that the eight-hour movement was not a
failure. as was often asserted. Labor Or
CARNATIONS had learned most valuable
lesson. They had learned their own weak
ness and had learned that the movement
was premature and injudiciOus. Other
means than strikes and force must be used
to gain reform. If it were possible to force
wages up to high figure, the conditions of
society would force them back again. These
conditions OF society must be changed and
the change must come slowly. Monopoly
of land must be done away with, and land
held for speculative purposes should be
taxed to its full value. Weekly paymedts
should be established as tending to economy.
He most emphatically denied saying the
things about the plumbers that had been at
tributed to him.
Timothy Reardon said that his state
ments of last Sunday evening gave the sit
uation as he understood it and as he under
stood Mr.. Stevenson's remarks. He had
no intention of doing an injustice to any
one. He was sorry to hear that the Trades
Assembly had approved the strikes of the
plumbers and bakers and their unlawful
acts, and was also surprised to see Mayor
Rice's Endorsement of the striking plumbers.
C. D. Gilfillan was called upon for few
remarks and said that at some future time
he would be pleased to deliver short adj
dress.
Maj. Newson declined to make any ex-
tended remarks, and the president an
nounced that on next Sunday evening CO.
operation in its practical forms would be
discussed. A plumber present rose to de-
| fend the plumbers and bakers from refec-
tions that had been made. The plumbers
were not on strike. When the notice that
certain demands would be made was sent
to the bosses every man was discharged,
and the affair was lockout. They had
since conducted themselves in a perfectly
lawful and gentlemanly manner. and had
been grossly misrepresented before the
public.