The Portland daily press., 1893-02-25


The blue label mass meeting held at
City hall last evening under the auspices
of the Boot and Shoe Workers Union,
was attended by about 500 persons, who
were well repaid for their attendance.
On the stage were seated officers and
members Of the various unions in the
city and other invited guests. During
the evening fine selections were given by
Shaw's quartette, which were received
with applause.
The object of the mass meeting was
for the purpose of gaining friends for
what is known as the blue label. Every
boot or shoe bearing that label is made
in a strictly union shop, and all work is
performed by union men. A large num-
Der of the dealers in the city carry these
goods and more are continually adding
them to their stock.
The meeting was called to order by
President Florence F. Driscoll Of the
Portland Shoe and Leather Association,
Will LILO 1OllOWIAS I0iudlhS
Ladies and gentlemen it is with feel
ing of intense satisfaction and gratifica-
ton that / stand here tonight as wit
ness to the hearty manner in which you
have responded to the call of the Boot
and Shoe Makers Union. You have
not come to listen to the wiley harangues
of political demagogues, you are not here
as the adherents of any clique or party
but you have assembled in order that
you may receive from able and ex-
perienced representatives of the trades
unions instruction in particular branch
of that great problem which is. now
agitating the entire civilized world. To be
brief, your attendance was prompted
by your love for humanity, humanity
how much that word implies. 1t was
the cry of humanity that commanded the
monarchs of the old world to descend
from their lofty stands of despotism and
compelled them to recognize the condi-
ton of their fellow beings; it was his
love for humanity that inspired and now
sustains that Grand Old Man, the peer of
statesmen, in making the browning
one hand directs the realization of the
traditional hopes of the Irish
people with his other hand
he is guiding and is pledged to sustain
and direct the great labor reform move
ment which is now proving prominent
factor in the economic life of Great B1i
tain. And in our own United States, in
our own New England, are we less pro-
gressive? Not at all; for progressive
eras demand progressive measures, new
times demand new issues, and one of the
most progressive issues of the present
day is the formation Of the labor union.
Mr.. Driscoll then read the following
which was adopted and voted to be sent to
the representatives and senators at Au-
gusta:
WThe friends of organized labor, in mass
meeting assembled, desiring to promote
the cause of justice toward all men of
whatever vocation, with no invidious
discrimination against any, believing
that the act known as the Conspiracy
Act, placed upon the statute books of
Maine, is intended as a special menace
to the freedom of labor, do, therefore,
ResoIye, That the Conspiracy Act, SO
called, in it's aims and purposes, is in
Justice and to the manhood of our free
American laborers, and we demand its
immediate repeal.
AT bne CONCLUSION OL ME. DflscOli IT,
marks, he said: take great pleasure in
introducing to you Mr.. Edward L. Daley
General Secretary of the Lasters' Pro-
teeqive Union of America. Mr.. Daley
made very favorable impression, and
held the attention of the audience. He
was followed by Hon. George Mcneil of
Boston, who made long and able adj
dress.