St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-05-02
NO EXPLOSIVES HERE.
Minneapolitans Observe May
Day by Making Eight
Hour Speeches.
Martin, Erickson, Owen, Luz
cas- and Sample We're Or
ators Of the Day.
Rev. H. M. Simmons Said
Something of the Day and
Dynamite.
Three Opinions on Holman's
Hell--Loeal Press Club
Business.

Labor Day was celebrated yesterday
in quiet, transformations mauner.l A
mass meeting was held IN Harmonic
hall in the afternoons at which the eight
hour day men were well represented
and the cause enthusiastically advo-
Gated. the meeting was held under the
auspices of the trades and labor as
sembly, assisted by the State Eight
Hour league. There were nearly 600
people present, and throughout the en-
tire exercises an enthusiasm was mani
tested which demonstrated that their
hearts were Tor the great reform. III. b.
Martin was president of the day, and
acted as chairman of the meeting. The
Reform Quntette of male voices furn-
ished some excellent singing, and sew
eral solos were also rendered. The
speaders of the afternoon were Rev.
). w. Sample, II. B. Martin, 0.
L. Erickson, S. NJ. Oven and
Tom Lucas. Mr.. Martin as presi
dent delivered the first speech.
He reviewed the past year, and spoke
of the great progress that had been
made since May l, 1891, when the va
riOuS labor organizations the world over
had congregated and INDUCED in public
demonstration. Whatever progress
could be seen now was due. he said, to
the laboring men. They were gradually
bringing themselves above the low
level the monopOliStS tried to force
them to keep, and marching onward to
victory. Mr.. Martin referred to the
eight-hour reform, which was gradually
pOpularizing itself and which in time
would become permanency. This
popularity in the state of Minnesota is
largely due, he said, to the ener-
by the State Eight-Hour league
and the local trades and labor
assembly. Their purses were always
open and their hearts and hands willing
and eager 10 aid any cause dear to the
people. The work of the organizations
is progressing steadily and the working
man at the present time has the felicity
to behold an important and significant
change in the tone of the public press
and the pulpit. The reduction of the
hours of labor. the speaker said, is the
momentous question that needs settle
ment at once. The ten-hOur system in
vogue today Is
A DeIuSiOn and a Snare,
inasmuch as in reality it entails several
hours more of labor. In order that the
labOring classes may use their mental
power, it is necessary that they have
more leisure. The physical boiy be-
comes too fatigued to allow for the
proper exercise OF the brain,
when the wage Garner is forced
to labor at muscular employment
from early morning until late at night.
In concluding Mr.. Martin paid his re-
spects to the members of the city coun-
ell, and deprecated their unwillingneSS
to give the laboring man a fair show.
They refuse to institute the eight-hour
system and thereby retard the reform
materially.
When Mr.. Martin had finished, and
member of the Quartette had rendered
a patriotic labor song. o. T. Erickson
delivered an address, taking for his
subject, The Eight-hour Man in Poll
ties" Previous to beginning his dis
couse Mr.. Erickson delivered himself of
a lengthy preamble, with o. T. Erick-
son as the central figure. He had been
damned up and down, he said, for act
ing as champion of the labOring man.
He had been called every bad name in
the slang vocabulary, and accused OF
being an office seeker. Mr.. Erickson
side of Depew and Stanford, who. he said
could not be accused of being office
hunters simply because they come out
and let the world know they wanted the
United States presidency. NJ. Erickson
was frequently interrupted in the deliv-
cry of his eulOgy by a croSS-eyed baby,
who made loud demonstrations to show
its appreciation of the proceedings.
When Mr.. Erickson finally got down to
his subject he said that the mOnODolistic
newspapers sQuelched-or attempted to
every labOring man who came out and
declared himself candidate for office.
1t was not so, however. with the wealthy
men. They were pampered and fed:
encouraged by these monopolistlc sheets
and aided to accomplish their desires.
The eight-hour system should first begin
on public works; and, in order to con-
summate such thing, inject the queS-
ton into politics; elect aldermen who
will advocate, governors and presidents
who will support it; place honest, hard
working men into executive positions,
and relegate the men who buy offices to
oblivion.
as the World Ready for It." was the
title of the address delivered by 5. Nj.
Owen, who took his position Oh the
platform after flowery and eulogistic
introduction by Mr.. Martin. According
to Mr.. Owen, the world is more than
ready for the eight-hour day; it is pant
ing for it. The world is very rich. roll
ing in wealth, and Mr.. Owen said he
realized that it was the labOrlng man. in
shop and field, who is making the dol
lars. It would be to the honor
of the world at large to make
more men and less dollars. Scale down
the dollar and scale up the people who
are making it, was Mr.. Ovens motto.
He could hear in every whirling spindle
and the clank of every wheel, the plant
for
Less Work and More Pay.
From every nook and Granny of the
universe reverberated the cry, I'VE are
ready for reduction of the hours of
labor" Man should devote less time to
the mean drudgery of life and have
more time for the development of the
mind, Mr.. Owen referred TO the prog
gIess of the world in the matter of IN
ventions, rendering 1t possible for one
man to do the work it formerly took ten
to do. Yet with all these blessings the
condition of the laboring man grows no
better. He is paid no more, and scarcely
as much, as when IN the old times he
labored in crude and clumsy fashion
without machinery. With the advance
ment in the realms of inventions and
mechanics, why does not the condition
OF the wage-earner keep apace?
Before taking his seat Mr.. Owen
Touched ;4non notifies and cOniured his