Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1896-09-12
THE DIGNITY OF LABOR
BRYAN SPOKE ON THIS SUBJECT
AT CHICAGO.
~hs.rnsbOoter's Park damned With
wage EarnaEs to Hear tAe
silver Apostle.

Chicago. Sept 7.--Long before ~
the hour set for the arrival of William
+ Rrvan. Sharpshooters' Park was fill
ed with labOring men. OUTSIDE uh-
numbered thousands had gathefed'
waiting impatiently to see the apostle
of free silver. Every tree within near
ing of the speakers stand was filled
with those seeking an unObstructeu
view Bryan left the Auditorium an
mex shortly before 3 o'clock. Accom-
panying in carriages were Edward Jar
roll. president of the building trades
council; J. Ryan, chairman of the COM
mittee on speakers, and j. ID. Mclnley
chairman of the carpenters district
council. Behind them came carriages
containing prominent leaders of organ
lied labor.
Mr.. Chairman, ladies and gentle
men. I desire to thank the building
council for this opportunity which they
have extended to me to speak before
the people assembled here on Labor
day. Labor day has become fixed
thing among our institutions, and i is
we'll that it has, because on this day,
gagged in the production of wealth meet
in order that they may commune with
each other, discuss those questions in
which they are especially interested,
and emphasize before the world that
there is nothing dishonorable in the
fact that one earns his bread by the
sweat of his face.
II am glad to stand this day in the
presence of those to whom this nation
is so largely indebted for all that 1t
has had, for all that it has now for all
that it can hope to have. | am not in
dulging in idle f1attery when l say to
you that no part Of the people of the
world are so important to the welfare
Of mankind as those whose labor and
brain convert our natural resources in
TO material wealth (Applause)
II might quote you what Mr.. Car
Isle said of these people In 1878 He
described them as struggling masses,
who produce wealth and pay taxes to
the country. He did not praise too
highly the struggling masses, who rot
only produce wealth and pay the taxes
of the country in time of peace, but
the struggling masses have ever been,
and must ever be, the nations surast
protection in time of peril. applause.
and voice, Good boy, Willie.")
LincOIn's Words.
Let me quote you what another
American has said. In speaking Of
labor and capital, Abraham Lincoln, IN
his message to congress, used these
words: Monarchy itself is sometimes
limited at as a possible refuge from the
power of the people. In my position |
would scarcely be justified were / TO
omit to raise a warning voice against
this approach of returning despOtiSm.
1t is not needed nor fitting that a gen
eral argument should be made in favor
of public institutions, but there is one
point, with it's connection not 50 hack
neyed as most others, to which l ask
brief attention. 1t is the effort to place
capital ON an equal footing with, if not
above, labor In the structure of the
government. 1t is assumed that labor
is available only in connection With
capital; that nobody labors unless
somebody else commanding capital
somehow, by the use of it, induces him
TO labor
And then he adds. Labor is prior
to and independent of capital Capital
is only the fruit of labor, and would
never have existed if labor had not
first existed (Applause) Labor is
the superior of capital, and deserves
much higher consideration Then he
adds: No men living are more worthy
to be trusted than those who toll uL
from poverty, none less inclined tC
take or touch aught what they have
not honestly earned. Let them be-
ware Of surrendering the politiCa
power which they already possess
which, if surrendered, will surely bt
used to close The door of advancement
aginst such as they, and to fix new
tasks and burdens upon them unit