Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-11-29

to penetrate the future, and there in the outer
most shadow we see three dark and dread
specters approaching. The figure in the
lead is labor, bowed by oppression and
specter of drunkenness and debauchery;
while toddling behind we see the neglected,
unwashed aud untaught child of the future.
These specters can only be kept in the dim dis
tance by men strong in character, with back
bones of steel. Men who will neither bend to
those below nor cringe before those above them,
but, planting themselves firmly on the principle
of equal and exact justice to all, stand firm
though the heavens fall. Add to this detsrmin-
alton to do right, active unselfish genius and a
large, warm, generous heart and you have the
ideal mediator between unorganized labor and
organized capital You have. kind friends, the
characteristics of our beloved, our honored
dead. Hope of reward is ambitions spur; re-
move hope, ambitions fire is quenched and
stolid Indifference, with its wasteful progeny
brushes aside even the dying embers.
Where is the slave who freemans place can
fill? Is not a bare subsistence akin to slavery?
Think of it, you who employ labor, and see
heavy load to draw will you seek
a combination of hide, hair, bones and
dead ambition for your purpose. or Will you
proud ambitions fire." Labor unoppressed by
wealth, envies it not. Tell me-who envies
Gods nobleman, Hon. Leland Stanford, his
great wealth? Tell me. say, who envies him
and his fond wife? Has their wealth made
them unmindful of their less fortunate fellow
creatures? Have they trampied ruthlessly upon
our rights? Have they sought to oppress and
degrade the bread-winners? No. mol On the
contrary, what has been done and what has
been projected by these noble people cannot
and never will be fully realized and appre-
ciated.
Then our noble guardian angel. Mrs. E. B.
Crocker. Who that is mean enough to speed
the shaft of envy toward her? None know her
but to love her. Wealth cannot be universal;
l,@11 fxl1 aIrr
on the heels of aggressive wealth, and our i'll
omened dread specters of the future hasten their
approach. Drunkenness and lawlessness are
bosom companions of poverty. Can we expect
the offspring of drunkenness and lawlessness to
become educated and refined? Can there be
true refinement where its symbols and accom-
paiiments are withheld? Does it tend to refine
ment to toll laboriously all the livelong day
and receive therefor only the bare necessaries
of existence?
These specters of the future, let me repeat, are
advancing stealthily and slowly. Every ship
load OF oppressed and penniless people that is
dumped upon our shores from Spain, Italy,
Arabia or China but bring these ill-omened
thoughts more forcibly to eur minds Have we
not in our very midst an element, the strength
of which we as yet little appreciate or fear, the
eolored people of the South They, too, have
been oppressed and abused and from long suf-
fering that which to you and /, fellow workmen,
would seem but pittance, is to them bounti-
full reward The colored men are already press
ing forward and entering the labor market in
competition with the skilled mechanic and
their influence will soon be felt all over the
United States. Do not all questions fade into
nothingness before the great question OF labor
and its proper protection?
We are confronted with FIVE sources of peril
First-The freedom given all Europe and Asia
to make cur fair land their dumping ground
second-Pernitting individual ownership of
vast tracts of land, the real source OF all wealth
Third-The formation of trusts and huge
bazars, which tends to crush out the small man
ufacturer and dealer.
Fourth-The regulation of the rum traffic and
fifth the lack of compulsory education.
While we may fearlessly welcome to our
shores those of other lands who bring with them,
as did our forefathers, the elements of progress
intelligence, skill and capital, we cannot
and must not permit outcasts, the ignorant
and vicious elements of European nations 10
come in competition with our own people, Not
dispuTing mans right TO become wealthy, we
DO dispute his right to withhold large tracts
Of land from those who have a birthright
interest therein. While legitimate business en-
terprises must be fostered and encouraged, we
feel that in large combinations there lies dan
ger Tor the many, safety only for the few.
While we feel that the entire suppression of
the liquor traffic is next to impossible. yet we
cannot, on viewing lis devastating influence,
consent to its unlicensed sway. While we ac-
knowledge that there are cases where the scant
earnings Of children are greatly needed by pa