Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-06-18
de,ire to ply this avOcatiOn for century

y storm had spent it's fury, the program WI
resumed.
Music by the ,Glee Club was followed b
State Master Smeade. who, in a brainy az
dess, increased his already high reputation
as an orator and exponent of the Patron
cause.
"There are more people this year tina
last, he began "and if l were profane mar
l weuld swear that there are more patrons.
He said that he saw many people watchin
y the parade out of curiosity but that the
shouldn't mind that; down in his county, a
one time, mothers secured good conduc
from their children by threatening to set tht
Patrons on them; but that that status o
r things had ceased, for, the Patrons increas
ing in numbers and power are looked upor
otherwise than with odium-rather is it fear
mingled with respect.
A portion of his speech was devoted Il
the youths of our land. His respect for {
S ragged boy was as expressed by Garfield
when | meet a ragged boy on the street, !
feel like taking off my hat for may be do.
ing such courtesy to future PRESIDENT
''or" the speaker added "the head of the
Patrons, which is infinitely greater"
He paid high tribute of respect to a
| mother and her care, admonishing young
people never do aught but revere this pa
rent.
Defining the Patrons as the "Horny hands
lawyers, doctors and dudes we're not eligible
to membership.
He did not want people to think that the
Patrons aim was to ruin trade but to
equallze it; and also taxation. 1t is said that
in Toledo there are 400, in Columbus 1900
and in Cincinnati l 900 men whose average
wealth is .$260,000, yet they are taxed no
more than the owner of an ordinary farm.
To remedy this the farmer does not ask to
have legislative bodies composed entirely of
his class; but what he does ask and demand
is, that he have his share of representation.
He thought that too many were trying to
pose before the voters as farmers for politi-
cal favors, when if the truth we're known, all
the claim that they have to this distinction
was birth on farm and that by accident
Arguing that the intentions of the Patrons
were misconstrued, he asked that they in
vestigate the principles that underlie the Or
ganization. They would find nothing here
but the foundation of justice and equity.
Mr.. Hugh Cavanaugh of Cincinnati,
Grand Worthy Workman of the X. of L.
then addressed the assembly with his cele-
brated speechon
Labor Organizations"
He began with, "0ur friends are holding
Prohibition convention at Springfield today,
which doubtless accounts for so much cold
water"
His speech was mastery effort and de-
| llvered with the eloquence of statesman
accustomed to sweep before his ironclad
logic all fallacious standpoints. A few of
his ideas are here given though mostly in in-
direct discourse:
AS understood by him, the farmer orga-
nlzations are not very far from the X.
OF L.-both have the same aim-the amel-
loration of the condition of the occupants of
| farm and workshop. He was the represen-
| tativa of tho lohoripr oInSs in citias yubosa
organization has existed 81 years and hence
attained it's majesty; it is the Trades Un-
ion in another form. The declaration of
| principles calls attention to the centraliza-
ton of wealth which must necessarily result
IN the degradation of TIE classes that COM
pose the majority.
| At one time Knight of Labor was cons i'd
cred dangerous man to society; now it is
different as but few newspapers fail to de-
vote columns and even pages to the subject
either pro or con.
We are told that this country is the rich
est the Sun shines upon. 1t is true, but
what matters it if those who produce the
wealth suffer for the necessities of life
Not on the farm is this so much as in the city,
where want and squalidness reign supreme
while they for whom they slave are lolling
in luxuries. This subject has been constant
ly before the people and it shall be preached
until suitable recognition is received.
Our great object is to make industrial
wealth the standard of national greatness;
in other words, which shall reign-the Git
izen or Dollarp The Dollar is mighty, but
henceforth Industrial Wealth shall be
mightier. We will not size up our legisla-
tors by the bulk of their purse but the bulk
of their moral wealth. We have had in our
own recent state elections the power OF the
dollar and it is to rob it of this power at the
polls that the Ballot bill was passed-a meas
ure due chiefly to the K. of L.
IL by goE Q days it was difficult for q far
mer or laborihg man to gain information;
they had no system. We therefore establish
ed Labor Bureaus-bureaus of statistic-sof
which every state in the Union can boast at
least one. Every man can become inform
ed on subjects of national importance. You
can here post yourself on the employment of
child labor. There is no necessity for the
employment of child labor to produce the
necessities of life yet as the result of re-
cent investigation, children were found
working GO hours per week in factories.
Think of it Compelled to leave the cradle
for the workshop This is not in England
nor Germany but right here in our own state:
and in many other states children but Z
years of age work GO hours. "Is not this
crime, calling to Heaven for Justice So
long as it exists, the objects of the labor
organizations will not have been accom-
plished.
An indication that the movement has
come to stay is that woman has taken hand
in it. Some men scout at the idea of wo-
men being eligible to a membership. Man
generally considers himself much superior
to woman, but in the eyes of tho organiza- |
tion of labor their are no rights to which he
is exclusively privileged. Woman can not
possibly make worse mess of settling great
questions than man has done.
A few weeks ago monstrous conference |
was held at Cincinnati. You are all aware
of the work done there. 1t was one of the
most important assemblies ever held in this
country. He did not know whether they as
sembled there by authority or not; but the
fact that they were there was an indica-
ton that the farmers and mechanics
are SO dissatisfied that they are willing to
clasp hands for veal or woe If there ex-
lists no other evidence of the importance
of the movement the long editorials con-
demning it is sufficient. AS a reminder
of our strength, let me cite the wiping out
of $4,000 majority in one state.
"Some wiseacre has said that it is class
legislation. What have you suffered from
all these years but class legislation ? You
should have little of it for the class of
which you are members. Of course we
deal in politics and I am of the opinion
that he who does not exercise the right Of
a citizen, should vamoose the ranch. We
are politicians WHO must take the reins in
while. You are told that one party favors
you while another does not. You had bet
ter remain in your own organization and
1 k<,A 4. L. Ioksn