The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-09-08

Bryan's Address to the Labor
Organizations of Chicago.
THOUSANDS HEARD HIM
Extolled Advantages Of Organ
iZed Labor to ToileTs.
THE BENEFITS OF FREE COINAGE


Carnc. Destroy Labor Without
Destroying Possibility
of Capital"
Chicago, H.. Sept. Long before
2:3o p. M, the hour set for the arrival
of VIM. j. Bryan, Sharp Shooters Park
was filled with laboring men. Outside
a crowd of unnumbered thousands had
gathered, waiting impatiently to see
the apostle of free silver. Every tree
within hearing of the speakers stand
was filed with those seeking an unob-
structed view.
Mr.. Bryan left the Auditorium annex
shortly before o'clock. Accompany
ing him in his carriage were Edward
Carroll. President of the Building
Trades CcuEcil; j. Ryan. Chairman If
the Committee on Speakers and j. ID.
Mckinley. Chairman of the Carpenters
District Council Behind them came
several carriages, containing promin-
ent leaders of organized labor. Mr..
BRYAN was eheered continuously as he
drove rapidly through the streets.
AS his carriage neared the park.
the densely packed crowds gathered
there. set up a roar that lasted for
fully ten minutes. Then with rush
the gates Were broken down. The pol
ice were utterly powerless to control
the crowd, and in a short time the park
was one dense mass of crushed, but
still cheering humanity. No one was
seriously injured in the jam, though
one or two women were in a fainting
condition.
On the stand with Mr.. Bryan were
Judge VIM. Prentiss, Judge Mcconnell
and the labor leaders. Mr.. Bryan be-
gan speaking at 2:55 p. m, choosing
for his subject the Dignity of Labor"
THE PRODUCERS OF WEALTH.
He began by extolling the value of
organized labor, and showed how great
had been its benefits to toilers.
His discourse soon took on politi-
cal aspect. with Solomon" said Mr..
Bryan, "I want neither riches nor pow
erty, and with Carlyle I want the rul-
ers to win new wisdom in the con-
duct of affairs" AS he urged the bene-
fits to be derived from the free coin
age of silver, and especially to laboring
men, he was continually interrupted
by applause.
ssI am glad to stand on this day in the
presence Of those to whom this nation
is so largely indebted, for all that it has
had, for all that it has now and for
all that it can hope to have. am not
indulging in idle fattery when / 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 natural resources into
material wealth. (Applause) I might
quote to you what Mr.. Carlisle said
of these people in 1878. He described
them as the struggling masses who
produce the wealth and pay the taxes
of the country. He does not praise
them too highly. The struggling
masses not only produce the 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 surest protection in
time of peril. (Applause and a voice
"Good boy, Willie.")
Let me quote you what another
American said, speaking of capital
and labor. Abraham Lincoln, in a
message to Congress, used these words:
Monarchy itself is sometimes limited
at as possible refuge from the power
of the people. In my present position
I could scarcely be justified were / to
omit to raise a warning voice against
this approach of returning despotism.
1t is not needed nor fitting here that
a general argument should be made in
favor of public institutions; but there
is one point in this connection not so
backneyed as most others to which /
ask brief attention. 1t is the effort
to place labor on an equal footing with
if not above capital, in the structure of
government. Tt is assumed that labor
is available only in connection with
capital so 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
could never have existed if labor had
not first existed. (Applause.) Labor is
the s'sperior of capital and deserves
much higher consideration
CAPITAL AND LABOR.
'Then he adds: No men living are
more worthy to be trusted than those
who toll up from poverty, none less
inclined to take or to touch aught
which they have not honestly earned.
Let them beware of surrendering a
political power which they already
possess, and which if surrendered will
surely be used to close the door of
advancement against such as they.
and to fix new tasks and burdens uD-
on them, till all of liberty shall be
lost (Applause.)
These are the words Of Abraham
Lincoln. They are not intended 10
arouse animosify towards capital. but
they state great truth that is always
10 be remembered, that capital is but
the fruit of labor. and you cannot de-
stroy labor without DESTROYING the