The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-03
THOSE WHO MADE ADDRESSES.
Speeches of Walter Macarthur,
George w. Monteith and Tay-
lor Rogers.

Gne Orlgnt IuIuIe VI IdpOT brought iOTLn
hearty applause. The speakers received
an ovation as they were introduced by NJ.
McGlynn, chairman of the Labor Council,
who presided over the meeting.
Among those who occupied seats on the
platform in addition to the speakers were
the following members of the Labor Coun-
Gil: Thomas Kealy, Harry A. Knox, NJ.
McGlynn, E. ?. Burman, H; s; Turner,
Gregory, J. L. Palenbaum, H. M. Shire, A.
Furuseth and William Zahn.
Chairman McGlynn addressed the meet
ing briefly, apologiZing for the lack of vo-
cal music and stating the reason why
mass-meeting instead of public parade
had been utilized to celebrate the day.
He said that in the present state of busi-
ness, when men were not getting steady
work, 1t would be placing a hardship on
some to ask them to leave their benches
to parade, and thus lose days pay. He
hoped that the day would soon come
when laboring men could well afford to
take holiday on Labor day. and testify
their appreciation of it by parades and
other demonstrations.
The first speaker introduced was Walter
Macarthur, editor of the Coast Seamen's
Journal, who spoke on trades-unionism.
He said:
How true it is that murder will out and the
voice of the people be heard. To-day, in every
nook and corner of the great United States
where two workingmen are gathered, or even
a man and a woman, Labor day is being cele-
brated. While in San Francisco the number
taking part in the celebration is not so large as
in other places, trust that what we lack in
number we will gain in earnestness. / can
Hken the labor movement to the stream that
has its source in the mountain fastness.
Its song as it glides on toward the ocean is
in the main joyous, but sometimes there are
Interruptions. 1t meets bowlder or mass of
rocks. The roar and rumble tell that the rock
is being worn away or tumbled along with the
stream and will in time reach the ocean level,
whittier the waters are gong
Labor unions are not an invention of to-day.
To get at the real history of the labor move
ment we must go back TO a period of several
hundred years before Christ. Then was when
the movement really began, and it has been
growing ever since.
In those days the laborers were slaves, not fit
for the bearing of arms, but merely to furnish
materials and clothing for the soldiers They
were not supposed to have souls, and to distin-
guish themselves and denote their possession
OF that which their slaves did not possess, their
masters adopted color for their dress-white,
which the slaves were not allowed to wear.
Then the slaves adopted color of their own
red, which has been the color of peace and in
dustry ever since, and not the flag of anarchy
and disorder, as many imagine.
The trades-union movement is one of evolu-
tion-a human movement, having the failings
and shortcomings of human nature. The
trades-union is the legitimate successor of the
guild. 1t brings together the printers, the
brickIayers or the shoemakers. Under its rules
these men work together for any object that
may be TO the benefit OF the members collect
lively and to mankind generally. The trade
union is not, as many believe, an organization
intended to precipitate strikes, but rather to
avoid them. 1t is an instrument of peace, for
the benefit of the greatest number. know OF
one trades-union thatfn the slxteen.years of its
existence has distributed $3,0O0,000 in bene-
fits. 1t must have done an immense amount OF
good.
n I'LL
times work to the benefit of all and then good
effect is felt for years afterward. Three mil
lion men in the United States are organized
with trades unions and by the efforts of these
men the hours of labor have been reduced 25
per cent and they have in other ways assisted
the working man: These men have one common
aim-the good of the masses. Think OF the
good that could be accomplished were all
wOrkingmen enrolled in the unions.
Don't think that in joining union you are
joining organization whose object is to re-
duee all to the bread and-butter level. A com
mon level is the object but the idea Is not to
reduce all to the level of tn lowest, but rather
to raise all 10 the level of the highest.
The union movement is the Oldest and great
est movement in the world, and believe the
day is coming when the great majority of the
people will celebrate Labor day, when society
form. Then the day will be celebrated as the
Fourth of July and other anniversaries are
celebrated, but it will be better remembered
and more revered by the people.
The next speaker was Judge James
Taylor Rogers. He was warmly welcomed.
He said:
We stand tonight at the Golden Gate-the
entrance to continent and great ocean.
Go back with me through many decades and
see the Puritans standing on Plymouth Rock,
the Episcopalians treadlng the fields of Vir-
ginia, the French Protestants touching the
Carolinas and the Catholics settling in Mary
land. Out of these diverse peoples comes an
organized effort resulting in our Government
a hot prnh dv hat To
taught and Christ dreamed. One whose prn-
ciples should be as broad as humanity and
contain the seeds of self-perpetuatlon.
1t embodied three great fundamentals first
the right 10 think and worship at ones own
option. With us each is his own master, hold
ing accountability to God alone; second, the
thing, for to vote is but legislation in its high
est form; third, the right to retain for ones
own use what his own hand has created with
out division with any master. While not de-
pressed, yet labor Is interviewer into the very
texture of our Government. This is true be-
cause it is apparent that all things of human
utility are the results of labor.
The statute speaks of holiday Is this your
holiday? And yet your chairman says you are
too poor to parade. If so then it is but hol-
low mockery, for instead of being decked in
the robes of joy labor is to-day dressed in sack
cloth and ashes. What have we here? coun-
try with soil and climate capable of supporting
before in the history Of the world
have such unbounded resources been pre-.
sented to the hand of labor, yet labor
is poverty-stricken. There is but one way of
escape and that is the ballot When you come
to learn that fact and use your votes as you
should. then your conditions will be changed
There is going to be an election after awhile
and if you don't make the most of your oppor-
tunity when that time comes you are traitors
to yourselves. Vote. then, to right your
wrongs.
The last speaker was Attorney George
w. Monteith. He said:
The abuse of corporate and judicial powers
is matter of the most momentous concern to
every man who labors. Back of the abuses we
expect to discuss lies the old-time struggle of
the sordid and dominant few to Cypress the
less fortunate many.
That which once took the form of royal Gov.
errors who saw fit to override at will the liber-
ties of the people by means of military des-
potism, now comes in the guise of great corpo-
rations to subvert the same liberties through
their control of the machinery of the Govern
ment by the baser means of corruption.
Both conditions conduce to monopoly, i. e.
giving to one man an undue advantage over
his fellows in the struggle for life. Indeed
there Is no difference in principle between the
monopoly of the feudal masters of the ages
past and that of the great corporate powers of
to-day. 1t is the same inhumanity, the same
sordid ambition and the same oppression, only
in another form.
We have only to read the recitals of the
Declara ton of Independence to realize the
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