The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-09-04

True. I0c0. tDdI III uCCCccHty oGt lOFltALidlC III
ployments are equally honorable, why should
there be different levels in society among those
who pursue these legitimate employmentsl Why
should the fact that circumstances may have
assigned Won to one position or business in life
aud your neighbor to another place you on un-
equal grounds in society," No one can give q
logical reason why there should be any differ
ence. and yet there has been, for ages past. as
we ell know. 1t was even so when the Greatest
Man of all the ages earned his bread by the sweat
of his brow 1T the carpenters bench in his
Gslhlean home. But will not the men of this
enlightened age adopt the teachings Of this Man,
who first worked with His hands aud then taught
with His lips, making His rule, DO unto others
as you would that they should do unto you,' the
supreme, the only test, of mans position in So
cietyf The character of the man, and not the
kind OF labor he performs, should form the test
and Xix the standard. TX a man Is honest. he will
do honest work: and then, no matter whether
that work consists in holding the throttle OF q
locomotive. measuring tape behind a counter,
Telling trees In the forest, carrying the bod, or
computing interest behind q bank counter, he IS
still the nobles5 work of God This idea of
equality in society, as well as equality in politics
and equality before the law (simply making
honesty and responsibility the testl, is SO rap
idly gaining favor with the intelligent classes in
this country, that your battle 10 that direction
is already more than half won.
'But there are other problems for your con-
sderation which must be solved. Questions OF
wages, the number OF hours that shall consti-
loNo . 4oI = u NaO oaAoN 0t4t ~ ~
allowed the laborer without loss of pay, and
kindred subjects affecting both the employer and
employe, must, from time TO time. be met and
adjusted. Ttese are mainly questions Of con-
tract. The laborer is not only worthy of his
hire, but his social and physical condition and
requirements are matters of deep concern to
him, and should be fairly weighed and Justly
considered by his employer. In the settlement
Of all these questions the employer must be con-
suited. No question is one-sided where a con-
tract is involved, for it takes two to make 10.
Capital aud labor must here meet on equal
terms; at least, they should so meet.
There is always a wav to arrive at q fair ad-
justmsnt when controversies arise between
capital and labor, but il does not therefore fol-
low that the true and equitable solution Of the
difference in controversy is always reached.
Reason ought always to assert itself, but obsti-
macy and ill-temper too often take the place Of
good Judgment and fair dealing, and defeat jus
tice. But organized labor is to be commended
for having first set the example Of proposing
friendly consultation and just arbitration when
controversies have arisen. By a strict adher-
ence to the principles underlying your orgsniZa-
tons, you cannot go wrong in these matters.
And when you have right on your
sids' s s1a be mos done A1 on this this R RixI.,;
occasions to bring about a mutual good feeling
between employer and employe, and to settle
past Misunderstanding between capital and
labor. Your own conduct will, OF course. have
much to do with it. Public sentiment is a great
instrument in the settlement OF all kinds Of
troubles. And you know how favorable public
sentiment is acquired. 1t is not all done by
talking. Actions frequently speak louder than
words. / believe the laboring men of Indianap-
oils can be trusted in these matters.
Il wish there could be several such days OF
rest and profitable enjoyment as this each year,
in which all classes OF laborers and business
men could join. We haven't enough holidays
and too many election days. If l could have
my way, I would abolish the township,
school and city elections now held
at different seasons and 10 the odd
years, and hold them all on the
same day. with our regular county and State
elections, turning the useless expense and i'm
Iuense waste OF time devoted TO them TO the ad-
vantage OF the community In general and tho
manual laborers In particular TALL OF whom need
more rest and more time for social enjoyment
and mental culture than they now have) by
adding to the number of holidays now observed.
at affords me great pleasure, Mr.. Chairman
and laboring men Of Indianapolis, to bid you
welcome here to-day. l do it on behalf of the
committees on arrangements, for whom 1 am
authorized to speak. as well as all the people.
feeling that l voice their sentiments in doing
30. And in conclusion, let me express the hope
| that this may be a day Of much pleasure and
profit to you all, and that Labor day may be
universally established and observed through
out the land in the future, as its few years
trial seem to Indicate"
Governor Gray followed the Mayor. He said
he thought he could by looking around him
see some of the fruits of organized labor. The
present was not a political occasion. He claimed
he came there as the friend of labor, because he
recognized it as the source Of all prosperity. It
was labor that discovered America; it was labor
that built the ship that brought Columbus
| across the Atlantic. There was some legislation
that should lie done in behalf Of the laborine
classes. Unfortunately capital had had more
protection than labor. He believed all trusts"
should be removed, and then recited some in
stances of where trusts had been formed, the
price Of labor reduced, and the men compelled
to pay higher prices for what they consumed.
The mines of the country, he said. were In the
hands of trusts, and the men who worked in
them were the sufferers thereby. He thought
the time WAS coming when the American people
would peacefully and lawfully rid toe country
of these combinations. In conclusion, he said
hours Of labor should be fixed by law, and that
laborers should be given more holidays.
Congressman Bynum was the next speaker.
His address was upon the Rewards of Labor"
| and was carefully written out He claimed that
the workinemen of to-day are not given their
just share of the profits of capital. There was
he thought, an unequal distribution of wealth,
and with it an unequal distribution of power. 1t
was within the power of Jay Gould to Cypress
the farmers OF the West by increasing the rates
OF freight over his many railroads. Wages had
not increased in proportion to efficiency, and
the workingman was more dependent in 1880
than in 1860 A wrong was being done Amsri-
can laborers by the importation of foreigners.
Now over 50 per cent. OF the workmen in
American manufactures were foreigners, and
many Of them were brought here under con-
tract The people had been paying too much
attention to production and not enough to dis
tribution. IL more attention Was paid to the
wide distribution OF products there would be
fewer millionaires and lever strikes.
He said that he did not agree with
Governor Gray that laborers should be
permitted to work more than eight hours if
under contract The Governor, who sat behind
the speaker, reminded him that he was mis-
interpreting him, whereupon Mr.. Bynum
apologized, and said he had probably misuuder-
stood him. Railroads, the speaker said, often
charged higher rates than they should be per-
mitted to do. In his opinion the interstate
law had been a failure, aud would DO
until there was a commission appointed to fix
and maintain rates. He closed by favoring the
ownership by the government OF the telegraph.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Bynum's address
Father Gavisk was introduced, and delivered
what was, perhaps, the best address of the day.
He did not agree with Mr.. Bynum in all that
gentleman had said, and particularly with ref
erence to the governments owning the telegraph.
He thought all things should Be left in
the hands Of the people as our fathers had orig
iually intended. The laber question touched
political questions, and If Catholic clergy were
not heard more frequently on the question, is
was because they were not permitted to discuss
politics publicly. Some people were no doubt
kept out of labor organizations because they
looked upon them with distrust. All legitimate
effort 20 organized labor, however. could count