The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-09-06

borne in mind that organized labor mas
learned the lesson that supply and de-
mapd regulates the labor as well as the
commercial market. One grand aim OF
labor organizations is to encourage Tne
workingmen through holidays OF this
kind to have definite purpose IN view
and that purpose shall be to fight tor
that are great advantage that cannot be
taken away from them; that is leisure.
This year in particular the working
men recognize that a supreme effort
must be made to solidify and bring the
movement to the front as never before
as from the attitude of organized capital
to make the useless attempt to destroy
labor organizations it should not be
necessary to point out to the WORKING
men that it is now struggle not TOT
even raise of wages or a shortening OF
the hours but to maintain that principe
for the right to combine for the protec-
ton of the home and freside. At this
particular time capital is succored by
ecutive, while labor's effort is now
directed towards the maintenance of the
best institutions of the country.
Mr.. Lloyd then alluded to the political
phase of the labor question, favoring, II
he may be judged from his words, the
destruction of both the wage system and
the tariff system.
The time is at hand when organized
labor must take more active and intel
ligent part in settling the political dis
putes at issue. The workingmen must
learn that the strike at best is but a
clumsy weapon, that it entails too many
sacrifices at the expense of the few, and
that the ultimate end of the trade union
movement must be the destruction of the
wage system, and this can only be brought
about by intelligent work at the ballot
box. We may get advances in wages
through the aid of the strike, but the
Legislatures can so levy taxes that the
purchasing power of the dollar is no
greater than it was before the raise, and
in many instances even less, and there
fore if the workingmen are to secure a
permanent settlement of this question
they must unite in sending men to Con-
gress who have common interests with
them and who will legislate in the inter-
ests of the masses as against that of the
classes.
The danger to the masses of our peo-
pie today is that the few are being en-
riched at the expense of the many, and
then the unwholesome doctrine is being
taught that American labor is encour-
aged and protected from the products of
foreign pauper labor, while as matter
of fact the cheapest and most degraded
labor in the world is encouraged to come
here in active competition with us.
The best government is that which
gives the best living to its people with
the least expenditure of effort, while the
duty of our government seems today to
erect a superstructure with the million
aire at one end and the pauper at the
other. As an evidence of this truth 3d.
600 people in the United States today
control three-ffths of the wealth, while
65, 900, 900, who create all wealth, control
the other two-ffths. The combine and
but are pressing that great middle
class into the trenches to become ac-
tive competitors with the wage earners.
As witness today the position assumed
by the great protected industries, the
iron and steel works, the wooden mills,
and coal mines, where they levy tribute
on the people and prostitute our legis-
lative assemblies by the use of the lobby.
1t is evident to any thoughtful man that
the wealth producers of the world are
now engaged in desperate struggle to
retain a large measure of the wealth they
create and wish to point out to the in
telligent wage Garner that in England
and Germany and finally in the United
States we are becoming alive to the fact
that we can only secure this much de-
sired object through active and intelli-
gent political action and while we would
not for moment encourage the intro
duction OF partisan politics in the
unions we do believe that it
is impossible for us to confne our efforts
o1nna fn tho r,hoco of Tho
question, but our aim should be to COM
bine political and economic by only sup
porting parties OF the units of parties
who will fight for that greatest of demo-
cratic principles. perfect equality before
the law, and the thorough destruction of
the great and growing evil of the govern
ment in its tendency towards lending it's
assistance to the accumulation of wealth
in the hands of few.
The speaker congratulated organized
labor in the State of Maine upon its rapid
growth and unity of action and hoped
that they would never relax their efforts
until emancipation of the people was
complete and the establishment of gov
eminent in the interests of the whole
people, and the erection of institutions
that will be the symbol and the beacon
light of liberty to the world.
After the speaking, the sports were re-
sumed. For the double working boat
race, three crews drew positions as fol
lows: LIST, O'Brion and Paine; I'd, Keenan,
and Jack O'Brion; Sd, Black and Nc
Donald, all of Portland. The course was
two and one-half miles and turn. keenan,
and O'Brion went off at the lead and
maintained it to the quarter mile, when
they were passed by O'Brion and Paine,
who kept the lead, finishing at a slow
stroke ten lengths ahead, time not given.
A long list of other contests occurred,
participated in by large number.
Notes.
Twelve of Portland's highway depart
ment teams were in the parade in Port
land and proved unique and taking fea-
ture,
Most of the Unions carried bran new
banners.
The Boot and Shoemakers' Union of
Auburn turned out over one Thousand
men and women.
Caterer Collins says that he must have
fnd 7k00 naon1a