The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-09-12

be called the wisest of men, Solomon,
said on this subject: Give me neither
poverty nor riches, feed me with food
convenient for me lest / be evil and
deny thee and say who is the Lord,
or lest 1 be poor and steal and take
the name of my God in vain
The Golden and Silver Mean.
II want you to remember that Solo
mon regards not extremes, butt was
about to say a golden mean l will
say golden and silver mean, rather.
daughter and applause.) He regards
that condition best which is not ut
either extreme, but lies in between the
extremes. Neither greaS riches nor
abject poverty furnishes the soil in
which grows the best civilization.
Those who are oppressed by poverty
lose the ambition, the aspiration, the
lofty purpose that is necessary to lead
one on to the greatest achievements,
and those who possess too great wealth
lose the necessity for labor, that labor
which is absolutely essential to the de-
Velopment of that which is best in hu-
man nature. Solomon was right, there
fore, when he prayed for this interme-
date condition. The great middle
classes are the bulwark of society, and
from the middle classes has come al
most all of the good that has come to
bless the human race. (Applause)
LET me recall another compliment
paid to the common people. You know
when we use that term there are some
who say that we are appealing to pas
sions of the masses, there are some
who apply the name demagogue TO
everybody who speaks of the common
people. My friends, let me call to
your attention the fact that when the
meek and lowly Nazarene came among
men, preaching peace on earth, good
will toward men, he was not welcomed
by those who were described as peO-
pie Who deVoured widows houses
and for a pretense made long prayers.
(Applause) But when he gave thai
great commandment, Thou shalt love
thy neighbor as myself who listened
to him? The scriptures tell us. and
in so doing pays the highest cornpli-
ment ever paid to the masses. The
scriptures tell us that the common peo-
pie heard him gladly. (Applause.) The
common people are the only people who
have ever heard gladly any person who
(Applause)
Labor Organization First.
"The laporing men of today enjoy
the advantage of an Australian ballot
because the laboring men of this coun-
try compelled the adoption of the Aus
tralian ballot laws. Now, my friends,
among all the agencies which for the
last few years have been at work bet
tering the condition and protecting the
rights of the laboring men of this coun-
try, / believe that the labor organiza-
ton stands first among them all. Gap
plause 1t has brought them together
where they could consult with each
other, where they could compare their
views, where they could unite their
strength, where they could make their
influence effective, and the laboring
man has his organization and his own
efforts to thank for such blessings as
he has secured.
Now, my friends, some have criti-
cized labor organizations. (Voice, Han
ma Applause) There are some who
believe banking associations are joint
associations, that railroads are joint
associations, that everybody was emit
tied to join an association except the
laboring man. The laboring mans as
ISOLATION has been the means by which
he has protected himself in his war
fare against other organizations among
other people.
| Believes in Arbitration.
Now, my friends, the labor organi-
cation has done much good, and yet
there is a good that society can do thai
will add to and supplement the work
of the laboring men themselves.
want to speak of it here-the principle
of arbitration of differences between
corporations and their employees. THAI
principle has been forced upon the at
tention of the American people. l be
lieve in arbitration. Arbitration is sim
ply the extension of the idea of tn,
court of justice. 1t is merely institute
ing tribunal, an impartial tribunal
before which men may go and settle
their differences, instead Of resortins
to violence to settle those differences
| The laboring men are interested in ar
bitration. Yes, they have so expressed
themselves; but I want to say to you
my friends, that society has highe
interest even than the laboring MAI
in the principle Of arbitration.
Society has a right TO protect itsel
against these contests between labo
and capital. Society has a right to sa,
to both employer and employe, instead
of asserting a right or a claim and de
Tending it by force, you shall, in thu
interest of society, submit that CLAIM
to an impartial tribunal and let jus
tice be done by those who can see boil
sides.
Our Greatest Menace.
IF you find a large number of mel
II. 4. liz.