The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-10-17
DEPEW ON LABOR.
Speech Of the Oentraps President at the
Engineers Convention.

pTTTsBURG. Pa. Oct. l6-A public meet
ing of the international Brotherhood of
Locomotive Engineers was held tins after
noon Speeches were delivered 10y several
prominent men, among them Cauncey NJ
Depew Among other things Mr.. De
pew said:
Only an invitation of unusual attrac-
fivene.S could induce me TO spend two
NIGHTS on the sleeping cars and deliver an
address But your call 10 be with you for
"a third time was an indication OF the
unabated friendship which has existed
between MS that demanded an equally
cordial recognition
NV voiuhle and voluminous friend,
Mr. Powderly, said recently that at the
meeting al the locomotive engineers OF
New England which | addressed i'm the
opera house at New Haven just before
sailing for Europe your grand chief, Dir.
Arthur. and / rdiird the audience by
falling into each oiher, arms and kissing.
While that event did not take place, / am
glad now, az then, 10 express he esteem
felt hy everyone for the man whose ability
and conservatism has done SD much To
elevate and dignity labor, uua 90 win for
ils efforts the respect q. the country. ! his Is
the twenty seventh annual convention OF
the Brotherhood OF Locomotive Engineers.
The success of your body Is due TO its rigid
mud unswerviug adherence To the right
principles upon which il was founded.
1t is clear that success Is impossible
unless the manhood of the individual Is
secure, and his ability 10 improve his con
uitiOn and rise above his surroundings Is
conceded. That the fireman can become a
locomotive engineer. the locomotive en-
ulueer Che master mechanic. the master
mechanic the superiudeudeut of motive
bower. the ,uUeuutcnacut of motive
poNer the superintendent or general man
ng~r of the railway and, possibly, lis presi-
dent. L. tha law ut our American develop
,uent and che source of our national pre-
cminenCc. But it must also be admitted
that the individual must have liberty OF
thought and expression, and that the viii
of the majority must be secured before aC-
tion can he taken. No labor organization
can permanently succeed whose sole and
only object ., to Increase wages and di-
,pinish hours. o. lacks tine essential bond
of mutual sympathy aud brotheriy help IN
bearing or ligu.vuing each Others burdens.
The tendency of such an organization Is
inevitably aud and rapidly collision and
failure.
"lu the United States our pace Is 50
rapid and our development 80 phenomenal
that. without due consideration, We ru>l
rapidly 70 extremes. lhls j. true uoth o
CAPITAL and labor: but within a few YEAR
everything, from pine lands 10 peanuts
aud from sugar TO sardlncS, has been or
EaniZed into some form OF corporation o'
trust. Hostile legislation and the laws o
trade viii leave only the legitimate enter
prises surviving Ia the same way, an,
from the same causes there have beer
several ambitious attempts 10 form glSan
tic labor trusts, which should Combln
Muder one central and autocratic aUthouJ,
every occupation ln which the wage-earne
or bread winner could engage. Labo
must be a. Intelligent aS capital upon 10
own grounds. No matter how able ma
may be as cabinet maker, a CarrCnter. O
a mason and no matter how competent &
represent his own trade. he would be al
solutely helpless I'M enCeavOriug 10 argI
the claims ot "A Brotherhood OF Locomotlv
Engineers. And - the locomotive engineer
educated in the principles OF the brother
hood, would never attempt 10 speak q
that which they do not thoroughly unoel
stand They attend 10 their own bushes
and that of their brethren.
A committee called upon me last n
with a series of complaints and demands
all of which were quickly and sausIactor
lv adjusted To demand FOR the locom'
tive engineers. / said 10 them: 'Gentleme
that Is "A body able 10 speak Tor theu
selves. They then said that their obJe'
was 10 break up the organization OF loc'
motive engineers, and 10 gather into IN
one organization every department OF O.
railway service ana that II the manAg
meut of the Central road would reCognl
the claims of engineers only through then
fbis result would be brought about. 81
rpon a much lower basis than the brothe
hoo could admit under their rules- ana
we did not do 20, they would STRIKE ana Z
M the road said 10 them; lregard q
BrotherhoOd OF Locomotive engineers :
the best labor organization 10 the nitC
states. and as a safeguard both 10 the pa