The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1895-09-06

amply paid. We want you to enjoy your
selves. Have good time. We can not
give you the key to the city, as our gates
are never locked. they are always wide open
to you. Stay as long as you can, come
again as soon as you can.
To the honorable speaker of the day and
those of our visitors on this platform with
him, and to you all, we again extend to you
hearty welcome, and hope you will all
come again.
In introducing Mr.. O'Donnell, Mr.. Sim.
mons said 1.-TWO of the mighty factors
entering into our national life are capital
and labor. am glad to introduce to you
one who knows what capital is, aud one
who knows what labor signifies. l have
the honor of presenting to you the Hon.
James O'Donnell, of jackson, orator of the
day" Mr.. ODonnell is not unknown to
| the laborers and farmers of Michigan, and
ablest and hardest workers in their behalf.
| He has served as congressman from the
| Jackson district several terms and made a
reputation that extends to all sections of the
country. AS soldier he served during the
entire war and is one of the best known and
most enthusiastic g. A. Il. members. AS
an editor he has always been for the right
at the right time, and by honest and just
dealing has built up a fiourlshing business.
| As a politician he is just what he looks to
be---a observation-disclosures and fair at all
times. He Is an approachable, affabe
gentleman and made hundreds of friends
while here who will remember with pleas
ure the meeting with Mr.. O'Donnell. He
said:
| 1 feel honorcd at being invited to speak to you
| on this day. l congratulate you on this demon
stration, this grand outpouring of the masses ;
those who toll in city and country; The growth
of LABOR day is significant of the importance OF
| labor. 1t impresses all witha sense Of the dig
nifty and honor OF labor, and the lessons incul-
Gated to-day cannot be too deeply instilled for
| patriot. This demonstration is an object lesson,
for it shows that the working forces Of the coun-
| try are organized to maintain their rights. In
no other country in the world could labor day
| be so appropriately held as In our beloved Am
| erica. This is nation OF laboring men; nearly
| all its great leaders have been laboring men in
| the strctest sense of the term and they owed
| their greatness in large degree to foundations
| laid in the faithful performance OF labor. The
| road TO distinction has started from the farm,
| the workshop and the store Labor is the crown
as Well as the foundation of republican institu.
tions. This is holiday for all, because all
Americans are workers. In no other country is
labor so honorable, and nowhere else can the
laboring man exercise so much influence for
good tor this is peculiarly the laboring mans
country.
LABOR ORGANIZATIONS.
Labor organizations come down from the
past. They have always had an influence for
good, for the upbuilding Of the masses. If you
90 back to the Greek or Roman you can find
that trades and professions always had their
societies and fellowship by which they were
united together. Go back to the earliest period
OF Saxon history and you will find that there
| were always associations OF those who labored.
They were in the form Of guilds. They were for
mutual benefit and protection, and some times
| for the vindicat1on of liberty from the oppres.
| sive jurisdiction of those who had authority.
| In France as far back as 1452 they had trade
tribunals, composed of workmen and employers,
constituted TO arbitrate on trade Disputes
| They were so satisfactory that they were reviv-
| ed in 1906 by the great Napoleon. Even in ia
pan guilds were formed over 200 years ago. So
you see your labor organizations are as old as
our civilization, and they have aided in implant-
ing civilization all over the world. The law rec
| ognizes the justice of your organization. In
| union there is strength Protection of labor
and industry has always been right of those
who follow the same craft 1t is well to organ
| ize. Labor has right to protect itself and it
| can do this best by organization. This doctrine
! / believed in when worked at my trade. be-
lieve in 1t now.
The number of persons engaged in gainful
occupations in the Unitod States aggregate %
million. Fully million are employed In man.
ufacturing and mechanical industries. You
add over million farm hands, and those in
other fields and we have an industrial army OF
nearly 40 million people, nearly all producers,
the rights OF labor have been won by struggle
Adam Smith, the economist, who hourshed in
1870, held that 1.-The property which every man
ig N uf na1
formulation of all other property, so il is the
most sacred and inviolable," this declaration of
'he great economist all acknowledge now. The
i-L..-IOAy OF the poor man lies in the strength
and deXterity OF his hands. 1t is his property
and he can use II in such mapner as he thinks
proper, without I'M ury TO his neighbor. Shake
speare wrote, centuries ago, in his play, "As
You Like II" and put in the mouth Of o laborer
| these philosophical words: II am q true labor
| err; l. earn that eat; get that / wear; owe no
| man hate; envy no mans happiness, glad of
other mems good content with my home"
| Labor has right to determine for whom and
| when it will work. 1t is the sole Judge and con
| troller in this matter; it alone can determine
| whether IL can subsist upon the recompense
| offered. There is a law as old as humanity
| which says: IF u man will not work neither
| let him eat" There is another law equally as
| Just and venerable, "the laborer is worthy of
| mis- hire" These two laws are unrepealed, but
| are sacred statutes, accepted OF all men. The
| laboring man has ditched the waters, builded
| town aud villages constructed our railroads.
| covered the land with harvests, and extended
| prosperity Labor Is the basis OF progress !;
| labor is courageous and always content under
! prosperity. Let our laws aid labor, lift the
| general Masses higher; thus will an extension
| be had OF patriotism and exalted citizenship,
| which will make all more prosperous ana
| sweeten the relations of life The higher
| status OF social comfort attained by the work.
| ing millions mean corresponding multiplied
| tion of the things to be produced by labor. 1t
| means an ever increasing diversity of industry,
| new avenues of employment and new mines Of
| prosperity TO be worked by the busy hand of
| labor Cheapness is not always desirable; let
| labor be well paid, receive wages that give as
| surance OF comfortable living; competition
may be depended on TO regulate prices. Let
me say that when you buy at an exceptionally
low price an article made by the labor of ano tn.
| err workman, you may be sure that in conse-
| quence he received meager compensation for
his toll.
EIGHT HOURS.
| In view OF the introduction OF machinery in
| every branch of labor and manufactures, and as
| a measure of justice to those who TOLL 1t seems
| TO me IL would be advantageous, not only to the
| workmen but to society, to have eight hours fix
| ed for labor. This would be an equitable sub
division OF time-eight hours for labor, eight
hours for improvement and recreation, and
eight hours for sleep. BY such division of
| time none would be injured, but 1t would make
| the days gladstone for those who toll. When
| was u member Of Congress it was my privilege
| to speak and vote for the eight hour law for
those In government employ. The effect of that
act has not impaired any interest, but on the
contrary 1t has proven beneficial