The record-union., 1893-10-03
LABOR DAY IN SACRAMENTO.
How 1t Was Observed by the Citi-
zens Yesterday.
Eloquent Addresses on Subjects AT
fecring the Interests of the
Laboring Classes-Etc,

AidhluS IL q AOiANeaJ III tAC AhbOAS SoS
of the masses of toilers in the various
occupations and vocations of life.
The old Pavilion hall was well filed in
the afternoon by an earnest and atten
tive assembly of men and women to
listen to the remarks of a number of
speakers, who addressed them under the
auspices of the Council of Federated
Trades.
A number of railroad men proceeded
to the Plaza, where the statue of A. j.
Stevens. whose memory is so highly ven
Grated by the associations of organized
labor here, was decorated with flow
ers. From there they went to the Pavil-
ion and mingled with the assembly in
the hall.
The exercises at the Pavilion were
opened by the announcement that the
Chairman of the Committee of Arrange
ments was unable to be present on ac-
count of illness, and that NJ. NJ. Glenn,
President of the Council of Federated
Trades, would therefore preside.
Rev. b. b. Burton offered an eloquent
invocation, thanking God for the fact
that through all the troubles and dan
gers through which the nation is passing
His hand was at the helm; asking Him
" O4cSS LuO CdIo0 llIdb Idu O4OuSnI IlIAo
assent mbIage together, to harmonic all
interests and direct all things to ultimate
prosperity.
REMARKS OF THE PRESIDENT.
Mr.. Glenn then made the following
remarks:
Ladies and Gentlemen: Through the
efforts of the Legislative Committee of
Sacramento Federated Trades Council, of
which had the honor of being MEM
Der, the last Legislature passed a law
making the first Monday in October in
each year legal holiday-designated
Labor Day-and we are assemb bled here
for the purpose of celebrating the first
anniversary of the day under the statutes.
In September, 1912, Labor Day was
appropriately observed, the day being
given US by proclamation of Governor
Markham, true and kind friend to the
laboring man, who would be with us in
person to-day, as he has assured us he is
in spirit, were it not for engagements that
necessitate his presence elsewhere.
In our celebration this year we have
thought it wise, for many reasons, to do
away with the usual street parade, and
make the exercises held in this hall the
feature of the day.
a short sketch Of Sacramento Federated
Trades Council and the aims and objects
of our organization will probably not be
amiss, as many people have formed
erroneous ideas of whom and what we
are.
Sacramento Federated Trades Council
was organized August 2S, 1889. The
charter contains the names of six unious
the Iron MolderS, Painters, Printers,
Carpenters, Brewers and Mechanics and
Laborers. representing a membership at
that time OF about $50. There were earn
est workers in that small company, how
ever, and through their efforts union
after union was added to the Federation,
until there now stands upon our bulletin
board the names of thirty-four unions
embracing a membership OF nearly 1900
union men.
The aims of our organization are to bet
ter the condition Of the working classes;
to educate them; to bury the dead, take
care of the sick and assist the needy. We
are banded together for protection.
An erroneous impression exists among
those who know nothing of our aims and
objects, that we are organized Tor the sole
purpose of fighting capital, but those
who have followed the course of our
organization will see that labor has al
ways been on the defensive instead of the
aggressive side of every trouble with
capital.
AS organizations we discountenance
force in any form 10 win victory,
L wish 10 read to you a resolution
adopted by the council on recent occa-
sion, which is as follows:
WHEREAS, AT 1915 o'clock this morning
Sunday, September 24th) q most terrible out
rage was perpetrated in San Francisco in the
blowing up of non-union sailors boarding.
house with dynamite bomb; and whereas
under the bitter antagOnism existing between
the non-union and union Sailors it may be
claimed by those opposed to organized labor
that this diabolical affair is the OutgrOwth of
the underlying spirit of unIonism; therefore
be il
hot
nounce said nhuman conduct, ana hope that
whoever participated in its perpetration. or
connived at 1t in any way, Will receive the
severest penalty that can he imposed upon
them by law.
AS organizations we discountenance
forcein any form to win victory. Arbi-
tration is resorted TO first as a means of
settling disputes. Failing in this we
fight capital with its own weapon, bv
cutting off its revenue; in other words,
we withdraw our patronage from those
who would starve us to enrich them
selves by our labor. We ask for Justice;
nothing more.
This year we have deviated from our
usual Labor Day exercises, in the fact
that we have chosen speakers from with
out the ranks of labor, so that they may
add their testimony to ours to show that
our cause is just one. / will now intro
duce to you 81. w. Johnson, who will de-
H. w. JoHNSON'S ADDRESS.
81. w. Johnson said there was no law
yers' day, no doctors day, no day in the
interest of any single organization; but
this day has been set apart in the interest
of q large portion of the nation-one that
comprises the bone and sinew of it. 1t
marks the progress that has been made in
the past few years by organized labor.
He pictured the condition of labor and
of labOring men, the scarcity of work
and the army of men asking for employ
ment. He directed their attention to the
hordes of immigrants daily entering the
gates of Castle Garden, and said that the
remedy was to close those gates at once
and keep them closed. The politicians
might describe to them the beauties of
protection, but that was small issue in
comparison to the influx of foreigners.
He asked them if they realized the power
they possessed; that If they properly di-
rected their united efforts to any point
they could secure whatever they wished.
If they stood by their unions and avoided
the leadership of bad men, great good
must result to them. \ great RESPONSE
bility rested upon them. A great oppor-
tunity was open to them. II they failed
to improve it the result must be on their
own heads.
REV. J. B. KoEHNE FOLLOWED,
Saying that he did not agree with the
last speaker. He would give them some
ideas, the result of his investigation.
Fifty years ago, in Norway men lived on
black bread; in Denmark, men were sold
with the land; in Hungary, there were
$4,000 mobiles and 1000, 900 serfs, and man
was whipped who refused to bow to no.
BILE. In those days labor WAS slavery.
The employe of to-day makes a mis-
take when he thinks the rich man is re-
sponsible for the present condition OF
things It is not so. This condition is
the result of the past. Nothing in this