Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-28
FEASTED BY FRIENDS.
Secretary William Martin Given a
Complimentary Dinner
BY LOCAL LABOR REPORTERS,
Colored Hotel Walters of the City to be Or
ganizsd This Week.
D0INGS OF A DAY IN LABOR CIRCLES

Probably there was time in the life oil
William Martin. Secretary of the Anal.
gamated Association of Iron and Steel
Workers, when he regarded the industrial
reporters of Pittsburg, from an association
point of view, as a mean and contemplate
lot of people, but it was not last night. A
number of those who at one time or an
other have been employed on what is known
as the "labor route" for the various papers
in the city rendered Mr.. Martin compli-
mentary dinner at the Schlosser upon his
retirement from Office. 1t was a modest, So
ciable crowd, representing nearly all of the
higher branches of the newspaper proies-
sion. for some of "the boys" have risen to
the ranks of managing editors and Froprie-
tors, and, as Mr.. Martin expressed it him
self, the occasion was one that he will never
forget. In fact, to Mr.. Martin belongs the
honor of being the first labor leader in the
city whose personal worth as an individual
and officer of trust has been acknowledged
in a suitable manner.
The guests of the occasion were William
Martin. John Armstrong, brother of the
late Thomas A. Armstrong, and Peter
Shields, real estate agent.
THOSE WHO WERE THERE.
The newspaper men present were: VIII.
Gutelius, George A. Madden, W. H. Davis,
George H. Welshons, Norman L. Hender-
son, 81. B. Montreville, S. F. Luty, A. S.
McSwigan, f. J. Kelly, J. B. Johnston,
Richard Collins, Frank Bell and G. E.
Kepple. The following letter of regret
was read from L. M. Ackley, former
labor reporter" of Pittsburg, but now of the
Chicago bar:
believe that too great honor cannot be done
TO the wise and conservative men who have.
within recent years, been placed at the head
OF the great labor organizations of Pittsburg,
and whose ability, courage and skill have done
so much TO increase the popular respect for
organized labor throughout the country A
very few years ago the man who went about
organizing labor for its own protection, was
looked upon as dangerous enemy to society,
whose presence was the forerunner of strife.
1t is not SO to-day, and if we inquire the reason
for the change the answer must be found in
the high character of the men whom the work
Ingmen have chosen as their representatives.
The time was when the head of a labor union
must be, above all things, an agitator; he might
be lacking in intelligence, good judgment. or
even character, but he must possess the faculty
ofpersuading men to band together and fight
i'll unison. Men of that type were necessary
in order that working men, as a whole. might
absolute necessity for union and thor
ough organization. Their mission was q
most important one, and their work has been
SO we'll done thatithe sentiment of working
men everywhere Is in favor of organization,
The necessities of the case then called for a
different sort of men for leaders. Their essen
tial qualifications must be honesty great in
know the markets of the world They must
be accurately informed as to the Industrial
capacity of every other country as well as their
own. They must not be inferior in tact and
skill to the chosen representatives of capital.
They must know to hair line the rights OF
labor. and, knowing they must have courage
and honesty and strength to advance and main
tain them.
To this class of men belong William Martin.
and you and I-present and former newspaper |
men of Pittsburg-who have had such good op- |
portunitIes to know his many admirable quali- |
ties. do ourselves honor in honoring him. L |
join with you all in wishing Mr. Martin a |
bright and successful career in the work which |
he is about to undertake.
THE WIT AND EATABLEs.
Other letters were read from Parker L. |
Walter, Byron P. Clark, Harry Wilkinson, |
James Hughes and others. The dinner was |
commenced at $50, and lasted until after 10 |
o'clock. The menu was credit to Mr.. |
Schlosser, and while the various courses |
were served and disposed of the boys dis
cussed the old times when they were wont |
to hustle for the latest developments in the
miners strike, or try to Scoop" their
on the new scale, and
how Mr.. Martin would enjoy being
called from his bed sometimes after mid
night to give out the result of conferences
with the manufacturers. The speechmaklng
began about 9 o'clock, W. II. Gutelius
acting as toastmaster. The speech of the
evening was made by George II. Welshons.
He was given "The Labor Reporter" as a
uu hiaot ond his humnrouo 1oso.;~4:.-
the ups and downs of labor reporters
life kept the company in an uproar for
nearly half an hour. Among other things
Mr.. Welshons said:
The reporter was the founder of the news
paper in the beginning, as he is now the
of its success. The earlier papers
we're the plain chroniclers of whatever was
going on of public interest, without comment,
Then, after the reporter had blazed the way.
came the editor, like Jacob holding up the
heel of Esau and despoiled him of his BIRTH
right. The reporter was crowded off into an
obscure corner OF the paper so that the editor |
might take the world by the tail and swing
It. On most subjects the editor had views
nansard roof upon the very top story of divine
Those he printed at great
ength, and if the facts which the re.
porter porte gathered ere did not not accord with
or the facts. They did not get into the naner
This went on for some centuries Then came
reVolt agalnSt tn1s seiI-appolnted over-rullng
providence. The people began to say 'sWho Is
his king of our opinions, besotted with his
,wn vanity who takes distorted fact of abon. !
he size OF an em quad and bangs us over the
read with Two columns OF his views upon it,
We will have no more of him. we will STRIFE |
gainst him, and take his paper no more untiI
We get back the Prince Charming whom we
now OF old, he who put our names in the
'aper in fine language and who was a boiv
error to our evil-doing people.n
Mr.. Welshons then took up the labor re-
'orter, following his career of usefulness tn
he present day, and stating that Commits.
ioner Wright, of the Bureau of Statistics
as such confidence in the labor reporter Of
D-day that all Information contained in his
lst report is compiled from the files of :
ewspapers.
THE OTHER SPEAKERS. {
Other speeches were made by F +
lelly, on "The Labor Reporter of the
resent" j. B. Johnston, "William Mar.
n;" N. L. Henderson. 1.-THE Manufactur-
r;" W. II. Davis, on the Creation of the
'abor Route" and William Martin. on
The Labor Reporter and the Kind of a a.,
elbow He Is'
Mr.. Martin expressed deep gratitude e
'r the testimonial of appreciation ac-
,rded him, stating that he re- s
arded 1t one of the most pleasant :,
oments of his life, and assuring the bows
lat whenever the occasion arises in the fut- I
re he will continue, as in the past, to ex-
md every favor possible when it does not
lterfere with the cause of labor. He then
lnonnced for the first time his intentions
r the future. On last Monday he accepted
le position of general manager of & con-
,rn to be known as the Commercial Com
any. limited, organized for the
nj /