Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-09-05
WILLIAM ALDEN SMITH,
Orator of the Day.

patient. Labor suffers not alone. no
walk in life escapes its blight; great IN
dustries languish; the rich are made
poor; entire fortunes are swept away.
while industries that employ labor are
suffering a double anguish. No folly
must be committed, and no change OF
industrial policy suddenly precipitated.
The best governments are those whicn
leave untramelled the free will OF labor.
Every time il has been tampered with,
an industrial catastrophe has stricken at
the same time government, capitalist
and workman. The law which governs
them cannot be seen with the eye. liz
has been said to vanish under the hand
as we attempt TO write IT down. One
law. however. Is plainly visible. With
little attention anyone can read u, writ
ten in plain characters IN all Ian
guages and in every cline 1t is the
law Of supply and demand. The rate
OF wages regulates itself Invisibly by the
scarcity or abundance OF labor. There
is no power on earth that can raise tue
price OF labor when occupied workmen
throng the doors OF shops, or can lower
or depress II when work Is plenty ana
worxmen are few. During CONNER
cial crisis. such as the present, with
check 10 consumption. when the supply
is greater than the demand, shops run
at loss or close entirely. Then wisdom
in the foresight Of man. which holds IN
reserve for these difficult times. capital
accumulated by savings often the
small savings of the monest artisan ana
mechanic which, in their aggregate ac-
cumulation. is very large affords the
means OF tiding the workman ana EN-
ployer across the troublesome sea Oh
disaster into the haven OF prosperity.
We ATE specially fortunate In this thris-
ing city in having our trusted deposi-
tories To whom accumulations have Teen
entrusted. prudent and economical. wise
and honest and IL rs our duty 10
strengthen and aid them In every pos.
slble way. 10 maintain the dignity anu
honor Of our city. The small savings
Of the operative. through this safe me
dium. finds its way out into the com
mercial sea 10 be reconverted and re
earned again. These institutions are
not the enemies II industry. but their
true friends in prosperity and distress
Must he United
We are all a part of this complex civi-
lization and closely related Classes
and distinctions are but minor ques-
tons We should be united ia desiring
tho continued and permanent prosperity
~ our common country. We live IN the
greatest industrial age of the worlds
history With machinery never dreamed
~ by me last generation. and yet how
easily have our people adapted IL to
their uses. and how little has u inter
fefsi with the employment Of the IN
disiduaI. While IL has been the means
of supplying his wants AZ greatly re
du.ed price. " has enabled him 70 have
many q the comforts and Injuries
II life that were denied IN our
fathers Inventions have made
production easy. snd machinery
instead ~ being curse - mankind gas
- sonesirnes claimed - the fired ] ~
labor. Instesi - usnrYiug the lawful
functions a the workman. u aids him
IN making his task less bur,ieueonBe and
stimulates his g~rius r. higher attain.
ments The great Industries FURNISHED
throughout ~ modern machinery are
enabled - reach unlimited markets
where With fhe~e Increased facilities
md Tremendous producing powsr. ifs
pfo1acts are eola IT largely rrfnced
Prices. The Rresf mandatory q %
dey - e4nspssed rifk al modern ma
cklrerv sea II idie- u IS = senrrr -
great exrenee - 'he osnef. fesanec q
TIE laree permanent isvesfna It snd
fsis fact aloee j. ofien fhe rrin ipai n
essnfivs f5r the uanufaesarer = cer-
finae - ma. vhen. Il 'the ae.,s inFesf
msas tAerssa vss tie dsy xAg : a ne