Birmingham age-herald., 1895-09-03

 stance:
 Ladies and Gentlemen: It is not my province to criticise the committee or arrangements in selecting me to intro duce the orator of the day, MT. Thomas Wisdom. It looks to me like it is wrong. am here to introduce the distinguished l gentleman, and l am pleased to do so, but if l understand people and read the countenances of the intelligent men and women whom I saw four hours ago well come him, they need no words from me. I saw thousands of people standing on the streets welcoming him, and when it comes now for me to say, Here he IS, it looks wrong.
 But as it is on the programme, I must say it gives me great pleasure, as mayor, for the people and in behalf of the labor ing men and women of this city to ex- tend to this man of the iron grip most hearty and cordial welcome. I say iron grip because l have shaken hands with him. l told him it did my heart good 70 give such a man as he a hearty welcome to Birmingham. A man who handles q pick, a trowel or any other implement oI labor honestly is always welcome, and I say God be with him. s
 We are here as organized labor. The only difference between me and you IS have been labcring along lines where no organization was known. l wish 10 say emphatcally believe in organized labor. I believe I voice the sentiment Of the entire board of aldermen of this city when say we reverence organized labor <Applause)
 Why do I believe in organized labor? Because every department of industry believes in organization. In rendering this address of welcome I believe it is not only right but the duty of all de partments of labor to organize.
 MT. Wisdom, we are glad to see you here. and while it seems Jupiter Phvius is not favorable we are all the more glad you are with us. If some substantial strong, permanent good comes out Of your visit here then, sir, you would take back to your Pittsburg home the hearty wishes and prayers of many, and you will feel that you have done something for your fellowman. Applause)
 MT. Thomas Wisdom.
 MT. Wisdom was introduced by Presi- dent Mason, and received an ovation.
 He spoke in substance thus:
 MT. Chairman, MT. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen: It affords me pleasure to be here as your guest and receive in the manner I have by the city and citizens so hearty a welcome. l am here in the defense of organized labor.
 MT. Mayor, I can assure you there has been many misconceptions of the objects of organized labor. If capital will listen to our objects they will see they are fear less and fair. You will find there is to- day a condition that will bring about a revolution There is no doubt that revolution is necessary to bring about the needed change. There have been revolu- tions of all kinds. It is for the laboring men and women to ask themselves the question, What kind of revolution shall it be-" Shall it be by education or shall we go along in a line of discord and grunting and let the time come when it is necessary to bring about revolution2
 Favors Intelligence.
 I believe it is within the reach of the toilers to bring about the revolution by intelligence Look at the laboring men many of them as far as intelligence is concerned-their time is so occupied in labor they have none to spare in which to gain knowledge. The higher our un- derstanding in morals the freer we be- come from deceits; the more earnest en- ergetic we are; the better we will be off I am sorry to say there is no better op- portunty for them.
 We may be said to be a selfish crowd. In my experience of thirty-five years I have found many so-ca1led labor re- formers. I want to say the workman who so far forgets himself and family as to go to saloons and spend hours there instead of at home with his family is too selfish to be a member of any labor organization.
 Only One Home For Laborers. '
 There is but one home. I want to tell organized labor that with the small pit tance they receive they cannot afford to keep two houses. You must try to keep only one home and make it pleasant and sociable and happy A great deal of our present condition is due to ourselves. Sometimes we blame the capitalists. We are wrong sometimes. The capitalists are not always to blame. If we want to improve ourselves we must begin at home. By so doing our intellectual pow CTS would become better. Just so soon as we obiterate social functions con- trary to ourselves, that soon will we be bettered.
 Some Complaints.
 We have complained in the past and do so today as to the dealings with which we have to contend The time has come when the working man and woman must think for himself and herself. If you will read and think for yourselves you will be the better able to do without lawyers. doctors and others. We condemn capi- tai for taking undue advantage of us. What have we been doing? Some of us get aristocratic because we get better wages than some of our fellow men, Capital doesn't do this. We do. We must think labor is equal one with the other We have thought labor is not equal on all sides, especially our women. Capital took advantage of this and em- ployed our wives and daughters and sisters If we would think a piece of work done by woman equal to that of man we would begin to benefit by it.
 Educate Your Children.
 There is more female labor today than should be. Many of our daughters should be in school. I believe a laboring mans child should have as good education as that of a millionaire I believe that 1t is important that we fathers and mothers should educate our children that our future achievements should be success ful. We are pointed from time to time to the condition of the laboring people of Europe. If they had such opportuni- ties as we there would have been revo- lution greater than the world has ever known. We don't realize our opportu- mites We have been blind. Labor has not been intelligent along those lines.
 Too Old d-Fashioned.
 We like to march along in the lines of our grandparents. We have men in Pitts burg q don't know about Birmingham who would vote for any man that be- Ionged to the party of their grand parents You have never heard of any one who was going to vote in the interest of capital They were always for labor. Those promises have been made north and maybe not south. daughter)