The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-06-23
P. j. MCGUIRE, OF New York, Gives
an Interesting Lecture TO
Workingmen.
A Talk to Young Women at the
Summer Normal by
Rev. Kelsey.
Chattering Parrot of the Drawing Room
Young Men Who Cannot Afford
to Marry.

p. j. Mcclure. of New York. a we'll
known lecturer on labor matters, talked to
the %workingmen of Helena in the opera
house last night. Col. Daniel McCallum
introduced the lecturer, and said the stand
taken by the labor organizations was some
thing like that of the carpenter of l.sOO
years ago, fighting the evil in the human
heart. "On this rock we take our stand,
and neither the gates of hell nor the Build
ers' Exchange can prevail against it."
Lecturer Mcclure said one Of the reasons
why the labor problem was not solved was
mans sel6shness and his desire for his own
advancement. The man with many mil
lions had little respect for the man
with one million. The man with one mil
lion looked down on the man with $4,000.
Each was anxious to move in q little orbit
by himself. "We are trying to make our
selves masters. and our masters slaves.
There ia the danger. That is not the cor
rect condition. II you were builders to-
morrow you would DO members of the
Builders Exchange and perhaps harder
than they. We are not fighting capital.
Capital is the child Of labor. The trouble
is the capitalists have adopted our child
and it has grown SO strong that it under
takes to spank the old man," Continuing,
the lecturer said it was the nature of man
to advance. While he had no quarrel with
capital he condemned the man who wanted
to reduce wages. He argued that a reduc-
ton of 10 per cent. in wages meant
10 per cent. less purchases from
the merchant and the grocer, and a reduc-
who were trying to break up labor organi-
cations, he commended, were cutting at the
roots of their own institutions. Some peo-
pie objected to labor organizations because
of boycotts, he said, yet over a hundred
years ago a law was passed in Massachu-
he bought tea imported from England. He
appealed to the Builders and Manufactures
association to tell why they claimed a right
they would not grant to others. 1t had
been claimed that the carpenters refused to
treat with the association. The fact. was
association asked them to boy
colt all eastern material. The committee
refused. Then the association had gone to
the man who was using eastern material
and told him the men were going to ask for
more wages. and scared him into joining
their organization. "The merchants ana
manufacturers who try to break u.s. said
Mr.. Mcclure, ''are blind. When we have
no money the merchants had better put up
their shutters" The present conditions,
the lecturer asserted, would last just as
long as w%orkingmen remained democrats
and republicans. The workingmen of Mon
tana had a sure thing on eight hours, but
when it came before the legislature they
did not get it, because they had sent men
there to make laws who were opposed to
organized labor. He thought it safe
to predict, however, that the
next governor of Montana would be a la
boring man, that the United States senate
WOuld EOOn have another KNIGHT of Labor.
and that the next legislature would give an
eight hour law: then the pledges would be
redeemed because men would be put in
power who knew what the workingmen
wanted. Mr.. Mcclure made a strong plea
for more education for the masses. He
said the trades unions and the Knights of
Labor were arrayed against each other and
who was getting the benefit? The capital
ist and the millionaire. If the working
people fought their enemies half as hard
rs they did their friends, they
would soon settle the matter. Mr..
Mcclure then made an appeal for working
women, and referring to the fact that in
some of the big cities they made shirts at
40 cents a dozen. He said 20 cents was a
narrow step between virtue and vice. Yet
people asked for a union label ON cigars
and never thought to ask for a label on the
shirt. All they wanted was a cheap shirt.
In conclusion the lecturer referred to the
liquor question. The Knights of Labor,
into their organization, because they were
n~on-producers. They produced nothing
but headaches and delerium tremens.
Every non-producer made the burden
heavier on those who labor. If men would
only reflect, they would find that 10 cents a
day meant over $36 a year-a nice dress for
the wife or a nice suit of clothes for the