The Portland daily press., 1891-09-08

FA~~''"6 oPOahCi WIN q BuUu tOiC6 anu BOOQ
presence. He congratulated the working
men of Maine on the possession of holiday
wnereon they can meet and discuss with
their fellows the questions of the day The
opponents Of labor organization denounce it
as day Of idleness. James Watt was called
an idler when he was watching the kettle
from which he derived the idea of his steam
engine and Franklin was regarded as loaf
er when he was flying that kite without
which we might never have had our wonder
iul electrical discoveries. A lOafer has no
business In this land whether he is a pauper
or the possess0r of millions. Such are
only parasites on the body polite.
The speaker had no patience with
those discussions of political economy
which deal only with weights and measures,
with bushels and yard sticks In measuring
men the souls and minds and hearts are the
on the conditions prevailing in industrial
centres, to some extent even In Maine, where
the father walks the streets or cooks the
meals, while the women and the children Of
or or 10 years do the work and earn the
wages. Wealth Is public trust. and the
right TO have something to say about wages
and hours OF labor pertains to the workers
from whom the wealth comes. Generally
your condition is better than that of your
fellows elsewhere, but you can't avoid ulti
mately sharing their suffering and it Is your
duty to help tile toiling masses elsewhere to
raise and prop themselves mp If you would
avoid sharing their lot II they come down
you will be crushed In their fall. He re
ierred to the adoption OF the Australian bal
lot system and claimed for the working peo-
pie the credit thereof. 1t is always a de.
mand OF the wage workers which leads to
progress. The masses must move for the
possessors of wealth will not.
Mr.. clason's Speech.
The Hon o. B. Clason of Gardiner,
prominent member of the last house, was
then introduced. He said:
am pleased to be present at the first cello
brati0n Of Labor Day since it has been made
a legal holiday, 1t adds new dignity and
character TO these annual gatherings to
know and to feel that the State of Maine,
dell berately, and without dissenting voice
IN Its legislative halls, made the first Mon
day. The sentimental the people of our
state has changed much in its estimation of
labor organizations, during the past few
years; This has been brought about by the
laboring men themselves. Leaders nave
come to the front. of recognized ability and
character, who have the interests of the la
boring men at heat. They have no friends
to favor. no foes, real or imaginary, to pun
ish. They appeal to the reason. not to the
passions of their followers. Education and
Intelligence have been their notices, rather
than Ignorance and prejudice. The result is
that whatever claims are made by these or
ders, through their recognized leaders. will
have great weight. for their demands will be
reasonable and just
This is not a political gathering. The pol.
itlcian and the demagogue have no mort
cages to f0recl0se, no liens to enforce upon
the people. They are not wanted here and
are things OF the past. However, it is fitting
that there should be candid and frank dis
cal questions that are agitating the country,
An interchange of ideas is healthy and bene-
hclal, land 1t affords the vast throngs that NAV
near these discussions, thoughts for refiec-
tlon and consideration. No better educating
influence could be asked than this
But, fellow citizens, the bill providing for
legal labor day. was not the only bill
passed by the legislature last winter that is
OF great Importance to US as state, and to
us Individually. One 0the law was enacted
ana placed upon our statute book. and 1t
SAID that every man. every legal voter, be he
rich or poor, however humble his position or
however lofty, shall have the privilege of
voting as he sees fit, without fear and with
out dlctatlon. 1t said that every voter shall
vote IN secret, SO that no mortal, save the
voter himself shall know how he voted. 1t
said. In substance, that the people of the
state of Maine, want an honest ballot. and
want the majority to rule. They care not
whether that majority be one or thousands /;
all they want to know Is whether this ma
]orlty, gives an honest expression of the
voters Of the state. Under the law as it
will be at the next election, no voter need
fear that he will suffer any loss or injury by
his vote. All fears. of that kind are re-
moved. The beneficial results of this law
are many, but one, to my mind, stands out
prominently, and that is the educational in
fuence IL will exert. Every voter will feel
that ne Is not voting as A or b votes simply,
or as they desire and demand. but that he Is
voting as he individually wishes and his
conscience dictates. Bring this responsible
ity home upon the shoulders of every man.
so to educate himself as to cast an honest
and intelligent vote, one that accords with
ms views rather than with the views of
others. This one results streng argument
III favor OF the measure and unanswerable.
One thing more. One.other law should be
passed. and would support such measure
heartily, and that Is, law compelling every
voter to vote at every election, whether ma
tlonal, state or local. have no patience
with an intelligent voter who says ii did not
vote today because did not care for the re-
suit" etc.. This is not right. If this is a
government Of the people. for the people,
statement reasonably true, every man enti-
tied to vote should vote. ills when all exer-
else this right that corruption gets a black
eye. 1t is then that the trickster and the po-
litical manipulation is relegated to back
seat. Arouse the voters, educate them, get
them out, and you need not fear the result.
1t Is only when there is little interest and
light vote that we fear the result. The class
OF voters that stay at home, as rule, are of
the class that do their own thinking, and If
they had gone to the polls their ballots would
have been cast in the interests of good gov
eminent. | think there is not man here
but what would favor this plan, and the
more you consider the more reasonable 1t
seems.
The laboring men of this state ara coming
to the front; their Influence is increasing
year by year. The. more intelligent and bet
Ter educated they become the stronger will
be their influence. Education should be
your motto. and. with that as watchword,
your power will ever continue TO increase
and be rightly exercised.
Mr.. Spears Speech.
Hon. A. M. Spear, Mayor of Gardiner. was
the next speaker and made one of the best
speeches of the day. He said the invited
speakers conferred no honor on the occasion
by their presence. They themselves were
the honored ones. Coming along today it
could De seen that some of the mills had not
closed their doors, but he took this great
gathering In the rain and storm as sure in
dication that next year when the day comes
round not mill or workshop will be seen
with open doors. He expressed his sympa-
thy with the working people and said In the
kenneDec valley 1t was not among those
who inherited wealth and distinction that
true worth most abounds. The speaker jus-
Maine had made no demand which was not
reasonable and justified In few years. First
ten hours day was asked for Finally 1t
came and the statelis better off. Soon will
come eight hours, which, under the i'm
proved methods of production, we can we'll
afford. The way to win is to be moderate.
make fair demands and If beaten once come
again. Reforms which are for the public in
terest are bound to come. He referred To
the wonderful sObriety which prevailed in an
large gathering and closed by saving he
was with the working men when thew were
right and they had been right In all their de-
mands. w
Mr.. chadbourne's Speech.
Hon. Benjamin f. Chadbourne of Bidde-
ford next spoke. Ii the governor and other
speakers had, in the past, won tho common.
dalton OF this audience, 1t was because thew
had done their duty, nothing more. He no
ferred 10 the aims of the Central T,ahor
Uni0n-organiZation. education, fraternitv
These should be the concern of all, When
the secret ballot was proposed In former
house of representatives, 1t received bnt *
votes, but 10000 workingmen petitioned for
IL and got It. He eul0giZed the institution NJ
Labor Day as one In which there are no mil
itics. We have too much political scheminp
for our best good. Eulogztng the HONESTY
and freedom from demagogUery of all who
supported the labor measures In the lepisia.
ture he also praised the honorable manner in
which the affairs of our state have been con-