The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-01
MIR. POWDERLY'S ADDRESS.
Delivered Last Night in Woods College
Before Largo Audience.


Before Largo Audience.
Hon. 7. V. Powderly lectured last
night at Woods college for one hour
and a half to very large audience,
composed of the faculty and students
of the college, together with their
friends and the public generally. La
Dor and Christianity" was the subject
of the lecturers discourse.
1t was the same able and eloquent
address which he delivered at Vandling
three months ago. but SO simpliiied as
to bring it within the comprehension of
the average school boy. The speaker
said:
1--WE live in rapid world. This Is
the age of electricity and machinery
In politics, education and religion we
move just as rapidly. The thories of
today are practical operations tomor-
row, or they give way to new theories.
The subjects of arbitration. cc'nmun-
ism, socialism, cooperation, profit
sharing, free trade and protection have
been discussed. tried repeatedly, pro-
nounced failures, for the reason that
man is imperfect. Yet they are very
much alive again, today. Since their
failures are due to mans imperfections.
why not give our attention to MANI"
Mr.. Powderly followed out this line
of thought deliberately and advocated
prenatal culture as the remedy In the
case of the nation. as well as the fami-
ly and Individual.
THE CAUSES CONSIDERED.
The Industrial and financial depres-
sion of the country at present was de-
scribed very graphically by the speak
er, and its causes very forcibly consid
cred by him. To the extensive emigra-
tion of the past decade he attributes
the present poor industrial condition of
the United States. The methods used
in importing foreigners to our shores.
their condition as to cleanliness. NOR
ais and wealth. their ignorance of our
laws and customs, their aim and OBJ
ject In life were recited in detail; but
one Illustration will suffice to show the
injurious effects to our country of un-
restricted emigration as now carried
on.
Five years ago while in New York
the speaker observed labor detective
from the LackaWanna region accost Il
number of newly arrived foreigners.
He followed them until they arrived in
Scranton and then to Priceburg and
Dickson City where they expected to
receive employment at $3.50 per day as
| promised. but We're paid only 81 cents.
The result was that they took the
place of American laborers who usually
| earned $3.50, and removed So cents from
circulation in the commercial business
of our city. Some very interesting
| statistics of the labor saving machinery
| which has come into existence since
| 1880 We're given to show how rapidly
hand labor Is being displaced. Self
binding harvesters invented in 1888 now
| do the work of one million men in the
| great northwest. The plow performs
in a day the work of fifty men. The
| typewriter put upon the market in 1883
involves an investment Of thirty mill
lions of dollars, and cash registers fif-
| teen millions. The money invested in
bicycles far exceeds any of these
amounts. The Mckay stitcher stitches
one thousand shoes per day, and the
| average machine of the machine shop
| perform in 6 hours that which decade
| ago required 60 hours.
! GLIMPSE OF THE FUTURE
From these evidences we can infer the
| possibilities of the future in the work.
shop and factory. Woman with adept
| fingers will press the button that shall
| set in motion the countless machines
of the industrial world while man. poor
man. If he does not wake up will have
t ODE content with looking on. The
| convict labor contracts and Its detri-
mental results to the wage Garner was
outlined in logical manner. The H.
literacy of the emigrant and large
| percentage even Of native Americans
| in the mining regions as proved by the
lecturer. was a surprise to his aud
ience. "The little red school house on
the hill about which you have heard
so much" said he, "is the panacea for
illiteracy providing we fill them and
talk less about them.'
| He advocated the enforcement of the
| factory laws which forbid any child
under fifteen years of age being en-
ployed therein. Immense sums OF
money should not he sent abroad to
christanize the heather when we have
nearly 200 of them in the neighborhood
| of New York city. Religious differ.
ences should make no distinction be-
tween men. for in our prayers we all
say Our Father and If he Is Our Father
then we are his children, brothers and
| sisters, therefore should we all be firm
bell GERS in the doctrine Of the father.
hood of God and the brotherhood OF
| man.
Labor organizations and labor agitat
Ors in all their movements have beer
laboring to better the condition of the
American citizen, the American labor.
er, with reference to education, morals
patriotism, love and respect for theil
| fellowmen and their God, therefore
they have been doing truly Christian
| work