The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-09-08
BRYAN ADDRESSES
THE WORKINGMEN
A Large Audience Greets the Willie
Of the Platte.
AN EULOGY ON AMERICAN LABOR
Did Not Make u Political Speech, but
Advised People Not to Vote Accord.
ing to the Ideas OfTheir Employers.
His Address Was Applauded at
Frequent Intervals.

Frequent Intervals.
Chicago. Sept.7-As early as 10 o'clock
Sharpshooters' Park began To fill up
with men and women and by twelve
every seat before the speakers stand
was taken by people who sat in the boil
ing sun for two hours II get chance
to hear the orator of the day. a few
minutes after o'clock half Il dozen ear
riages bearing the Bryan party arrived
at the pa., and were followed into the
grounds by Il cheering, running crowd of
men and boys. Without sufficient police
protection Mr. Bryan was forced I"
push his way through the crowd at III"
speaking platform. and after shaking
half hundred OutstretChed hands he
dropped to a seat with his party follow
ing. amid the same obstacles to their
passage. In Mr.. Bryan's carriage were
Edward Carroll. president OF the Build
ing Trades council; j. q. Mckinley.
president of the Carpenters district
council. and j. j. Ryan, local labor
leader.
The crowd of $4,000 was IL motley and
disorderly one and ii was fifteen NM
heard Nobody wanted to hear him.
and he quickly introduced the man Tor
whom the thousands kept up an inter-
mittent fire Of "Hurrah for Bryan.
The crash around the platform was 81
great that several women tainted and
narrowly escaped being trampled upon.
Mr.. Bryan appealed for quiet. ana nm
ally il was accorded him, broken occa-
Sionaliy by cries of Good hoy. Willie.
The speaker began with an culr2y on
American labor.
Although his audience was largely in
sympathy with him politically, judging
by the general manifestations and the
absence of amy hostile demonstration
Mr. Bryan did not maze partisan
speech. tie said he did not intend to
disregard The prOurletics of the occa-
, sion by entering into IL discussion of
partisan questions. His speech was dc
voted To an exposition Of the form of
government in this country, its useful
ness and its abuses: to AN appeal to
workingmen to maintain the integrity
of the ballot. to bring about a reforma-
ton in the conditions which surrounded
them If they were discontcnted and
wanted change.
He told the people not to vote accord
ing to the ideas of their employers and
was greeted with tremendous applause
Discomfort lay at the foundation Of all
progress He impressed upon the work.
ingmen the Importance of voting only
as their judgment and conscience die
tated. When he said: Some people
| have criticized labor organizations.
voices cried Hanna" derisively. His
| address was applauded at frequent In
| tervals.
BRYAN'S SPEECH.
MIR. Bryan said in part: Ladies ana Cen
| tlenen: ! desire to thank the building
and trades council for This opportunity
which they have extended me OF speaking
! to the people assembled on Labor Day.
| Labor Day has become IL liked eVeht
| among our institutions and ii Is well mat
| II is 50, because on THIS day, all over this
! nation those who are engaged IN the pro-
dnction Of wealth meet in order thai they
may commune with each other discuss
those questions in which they are esp"c-
| tally Interested, and emphasize '.iore the
, world that there is nothing d!shonorablc
| in the fact that one earns his bread in
the sweat Of his face. I am glad 10 stan
| on this day in the presence of those 20
| whom this nation is so largely indebted
for all that it has had, for all that ii has
now, ana for all that il can hope to have.
am not indulging in idle fiattery when
| say to you that no part Of the people OF the
world arr. 50 important to the welfare uf
mankind as those whose labor and brains
convert the natural resources of the world
into material wealth. l might quote 10
you what Mr.. Carlisle said 10 these p"O-
! ple in 1873. " hen he described them as the
| struggling masses who produced The
| wealth and who paid the taxes OF the co'in-
try. He did not praise them too highly
The struggling masses not only produce
the wealth and pay the taxes in time oi
peace. but the struggling masses hav"
ever been and must ever he the nation :
| suIost protection in time Of peril. The
speaker then took from his pocket tn
copy of an address by Abraham Lincoln
| delivered IN congress, from which NJ
quoted certain paragraphs. one of which
called attention to an effort made 10 place
rapital on an equality with labor in the
structure of government and following
with the assertion that capital is only the
fruit of labor and could have never cE-
listed without il. Labor said Lincoln
..is superior to capital and deserves mu"i
higher consideration"
HE QUOTES SOLOMON.
Mr.. Bryan followed with II quotation
from Solomon and continued. Solomon
favored neither poverty nor riches. HI.
regarded that condition best which is 10,
at either extreme, but lies between tn,
extremes, neither great riches nor abjrrt
poverty. furnish US the soil in Whici
grows the best civilization. Those who
are pressed by poverty lose the ambition
the inspiration, the lofty purpose that ar'
necessary to lead one OIL to the creates
achievements, and those who possess to,
great wealth. lose the necessity for labor
that labor which is absolutely essentia
to the development of that which Is bes
in human nature. Solomon was right
Therefore. when he praised this intermediate
condition for the great middle classes ar,
the bulwark of society and from the mid
die classes have come almost all the soot
that has come to bless the fpman race.
Let me call your attention to the fac
that when the meek and lowly NaZaren'
came among men and preached peace oi
earth and good will towards men he wa
not welcomed by those who are described
as people who devolir Widows houses an'
under pretenses made long prayers, bu
when he gave that great commandment
! "love thy neighbor as thyself' who lis
tened to him? The Scripture tells us i
was the common people who listened Il
his commandments and who welcome
him, il Is the greatest compliment eve
paid to the master. The Scriptures sa,
the common people heard him gladly--an
. the common people are the only peopl
who have ever heard gladly any mar yh
preached humanity and equal rights
prolonged cheers.
THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS.