The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-03-23

keep his audience interested to the end
and to mike them regret the ending. This
describes the manner and style of his
speech. The matter will speak for itself
lie was warmly applauded at all his tel
ling point, and his denmnciaiion Of Gov
ernor Laushton's vetocs brought down the
house.
Abe Spring announced that W. +.
Gushing, the intended chairman, had not
returned from the convention at Cakes
dale. He therefore called on +. J. Ware,
president of the Building Trades Council.
70 preside. Mr.. Ware then instructed
James J.. Barry. secretary Of the Western
central Labor Union. to read the names
of the presidents Of the several unions and
the other vice presidents of the meeting.
Mr.. Barry first called Mayor White, the
board of aldermen and house of del
egates, and after a few minutes delay the
mayor. Aldermen Snyder. Miller and korn,
Delegates Maldoon, Barton and Hart came
up and were warmly received. The other
vice presidents were the presidents of the
various unions and delegates TO the West
crn Central Labor Union and building
Trades Council. Mr.. Ware then intro
duced Mr. Gompers, who was loudly
cheered.
Mr.. Gompers> ssid:
think il would be idle tor me to say that
appreciate the very cordial reception rendered
me AS representative CT the organized wage
workers Of the country Oh my advent on the Pa
ciiic coast Wherever ] have bean, wherever
have gone. the organized wage-workers have
turned out and the business public have come
out to hear what the representative of the or
gsnizcd wage workers had to say on their be-
halt. ain neither fool enough nor conceited
enough to think that these compliments are
paid TO me ~ an individual. but receive them as
PAID TO the organizations | represent, and on
their behalf give you NY heartfelt thanks.
There are quite a number OF people whose
hearts SO out In sympathy with the wrongs OF
labor; there are those who paint those wrongs
In glowing coors. yet will not follow the labor
ers in the only channel which can bring relief.
Many kind hearted man and woman has de-
llcted their lot rs hard one, yet adds word
OF condemnation for the organization of labor.
They overlook tho fact that all other classes
are organized and reserve their condemnations
for the labor organization and the labor agi-
tator. Yet organization Is natural and inner
cnt, even among the lower animals. We find the
fish, fowls and beasts organizing to defend
themselves against the stronger OF their kind.
We see thnt men and women who are possessors
OF wealth organize for their protection. We find
chambers of commerce. oil exchanges, cotton
exchanges we find iron manufacturers, master
builders. Inine owners. bankers and railroad
corporations organized. In fact, wherever per-
SOUS are engaged In manufactures or commerce,
we find them organized. / ask you, II the men
who own and control millions OF dollars find it
TO their advantage to organize, how much more
necessary Is ii for you to organize who control
absolutely nothing except Your power to labor.
IT seems to come with very bad grace for the
organizers Of trusts to always curse labor organ
izatiens. Even the learned professions organize.
IS u not true that the doctors have their organ
izations, the engineers have theirs, the clergy
have theirs Woe be to him who practices with
cut belonging to regular school OF medicine!
He is sure to be written down suack. The
lawyers also have their bar associations, and
what would be charged il man attempted to
practice without certificate: Is not that a
card OF membership in the legal profession?
mat man might possess the eloqucnce of a
Demosthenes, but If he attempted to address
the court. the judge, acting as walking delegate
70 the lawyers union, would ask for his card of
membership and tell him he could not work in
That law court. Is IL not a fact that they have a
standard rate Of fees, which every lawyer is ex-
rected to live up to, aud ii he accepted less he
would be written down shystcr: Are we to be
blamed II we have pet names for those who hang
ike clog to the progress of labor?
There arc many who wish that the modern
labor sgltatOf would inhabit some warmer eli
mate, but the labor agi;ator will continue to
flourish ana prosper and warn the workingmen
that there is something radically wrong at the
bssic foundation of the institutions of this
country which ought to be remedied. We are
told that the labor organizations ought to be
driven out OF the country. There are certain
self-ey.dcut truths, as that water runs down
hill, the sun will shine and the lightning win
flash III spite OF the efforts of the lightning-rod
man to conduct IL to the ground So with the
labor moyemcnt-it is founded on justice and
humanity. IL is the product OF tho society in
which we live, il Is the foundation of the aspir-
ations OF the working class and will continue
the struggle until it achieves its aim.
We are charged with breeding discomfort
What Kind OF disconten. do they In AN The
discomfort which we promulgate is discomfort
with injustice, discomfort with barearism. dis
content with INSCRIPTIONS scheniers who
would sap the foundations OF the institutions
OF the country. show me a country where the
people are contented in the minds of the powers
that be, and will show you a country where
serfdom exists. show me a country where
discomfort exists and | will show YOU
a country of independent, liberty loving people,
1t was the declaration OF the car that peace
reigned in Warsaw. There was peace, but il
was peace nj the point OF the bayonet We do
not want peace founded on bayonets the peace
we seek is founded on social improvement, and
peace OF any other kind il not to our liking We
have been devoting the latter half OF the nine
feenth century to investigation of economic
problems, and we have concluded that
all tangible objects are the product of
labor. We want to know how it
is shat the producers OF all this wealth enjoy so
little of It, We arc told; We'll, last week you
had little Improvement Well, we shall ask
for a little more, aud then we shall demand a
little more still and then We shall insist on yet a
little more until we receive the full reward of
our iahors. Some say: Are we not a little
selfish in that?' No, we are not You can
always measure a mans desires by the position
he occupies. Go out and meet DOOR, hungry
man on the street; what he wants is more
and he does not want a drink, he wants q
square meal Ask the man who earns a dollar
a day.. and he wants 10 cents more; ask
the man who earns IS a day, and he wants 50
cents day more, ask the man who has IS a day.
and ne wants dollar day more; the man who
earns 5000 year wants another $1,000 year:
the man who owns 100000 or 100000 wants
ssDo,tno or 100000 more, and then he'll be mil
iionarc. The man who has s2oo.0oo, 900 or $780,.
oio,ooo vents all the millions more he can get.
he wants the earth. We have no COMPLAINT
against these men, but we protest when they
continually turn their backs on us when We in.
sist on getting 10 cents mere.
say Il is not good, il is not practical, for
these men to oppose every effort of the wage
workers TO improve their condition; il is not
business-like; il is blind. When the working
men come together in convention they have tho
radical aud conservative, the hot -headed and
the cool men: the convention is the best repre-
sentative oi the workers; il is the best evidence
OF moderation that alt these elements are to.
sethsr for .hc conservative can rnodersfa thu