St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-02-16
LABOR MASS MEET Nc.
Samuel G0mpers Addresses a Big As
semblags at Market Hall.
NOT A POLITICAL GATHERING
The Workingmen Are Urged to Organize
I9I ---Strong Arg uments on the
NJ Labor Problem.

~ The labor mass meeting at Market
hall last night, contrary to general ex-
pectation, had nothing whatever to do
with politics. A thousand or more
WOrkingmen, some with their wives and
children, occupied seats in the hall at s
O'clock, and the meeting was called
to order by r. b. Rice. Seated
on the platform were j. Nj. O'Grady,
Aid. M. +. Kahn, Mai. II. NJ. NewSon, l..
E. Allen, w. Clark and c. Ii. Francis.
A communication had been sent to
Mayor Smith yesterday afternoon, in
viting the mayor and members of the
council to be present. Mayor Smith
was indiSpOSed and confined to his
house all day, and Secretary Horace
Dunno Sant a letter regretting his in
ability to be present. None of the
there was insufficient time to notify
them.
Samuel Gompers, of New York, presi-
dent of the American Confederation of
Labor, was introduced, and delivered
an address lasting two hours and half.
M. GOmperS is short, thick-set man,
not very imposing i'll stature, but he has
fine voice and an intelligent
eOuntenance, and speaks with ease
and eloquence. Frequently dur
ing his speech he provoked
the audience into storms of applause
with his apt illustrations and express
siOns OF sentiment. He touched upon
nearly every phase of the labor ques
ton, asserting that the working people
have their deStinies
IN THEIR OWN HANDS,
and Ii they complain it is evidence of
want of intelligence OH their part.
Speaking of the work of children in
factories, he said:
F. cit is your duty to prohibit
the employment OF child - at
any occupation unless that child shall
be at least fourteen years of age. The
working people should learn lesson
from the capitalists and organize.
When one man as an individual makes
a demand there are always others who
are ready to do the work just as we'll
and at a lower rate. We want to organize
so that we can tell the employer when he
says he can get others to take our places,
that he is mistaken, we have organized
A reduction in the hours of labor,
think, will finally lead to a solution of
the labor problem. So long as there is
any man or woman looking for work
who can't find it, the hours
of labor are too long. To ac-
cOmplish results we must organize.
Individual effort in all things always
fails where organized effort succeeds. l
am not in favor of strikes, and yet do
not denounce them. If the working
people once decide that they will under
no circumstances strike, then their en-
plOyerS will do all the striking for
them. We should reduce the number of
strikes by practical methods. We should
prepare for them. There is no argu-
Inent SO potent as when the working
men are thoroughly organized and have
good treasury to back up their Organi-
Zation. The time is not far distant when
strikes will he abolished.
q FAVOR ARBITRATION,
but do not favor all kinds of arbitra-
ton. When the employer recog-
niZeS that you can inflict as much
injury to him as he can to You, it is very
likely he will invite you to talk the
matter over. Until then all talk of ar
bitration is but mOckery ana delu-
sion."
Abiding to the trouble between the
Milwaukee brewers and their employ
ees, he said: ''Some people say that
boycotting is Illegal, but l doubt
if you can find :. law on
the statute books of Minnesota to COM
pei you to drink Milwaukee beer. adj
wise you, wOrkingmen, not to drink the
filthy stuff. Boycott that beer. and boy
colt those that do not boycott it,
At the close of Mr.. GomperS' address,
there were loud calls for Maj. Newson,
but Chairman Rice declined for him on
the ground that he was not feeling we'll.
AS the meeting dispersed, gentleman
who occupied seat on the platform re-
marked: "NOne OF the politicians were
here. Well make 'em regret it when
the time comes"