The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-08

J. was nearly O'Clock before the last di-
speaking was postponed to allow the foot
sore and -famished men an opportunity
to find refreshments
Meantime the thousands of people who
crowded into the park had plenty of oppor-
tunities to amuse themselves. Riverside
Park is one big mint field and the air was
redolent with the pungent odor of the IA
vorite herb of the South. The feet of the
trampling mulutudes ground the herb into
shreds, not unlike the process of making
q juep The idea of immense mint
julep was further heightened by the fact
that there was water on the side the
park laws next White river. Scattered
about over the grounds We're innumerable
, side shows. Madame De Ida, a fortune
teller and prophecies. she calls herself,
was the recipient of good deal of eager
curiosity but her promise TO reveal things
to prove attractive enough to lure away
quarters. A woman with strident voice
stood under a big Japanese umbrella invit
ing the boys to. step up and get pic
ture of your future wife or husband. a
company of mountebankS came in for
good deal of attention and a large crowd
witnessed the free shows given on the out
side. Near by them was a dancing floor
and it filled with whirling and
able merry-go-round with its grmacing
monkey grinding away at wheezy hand
snake charmers and st. Louis panorama.
Fruit and pop corn vendors helped to in
crease the din, which at times almost
drowned the speakers voices. A balloon
ascension was advertised for 1:30 o'clock
but it did not occur urtil O'Clock. Just
as President Gompers was in the middle
of the most impressive part of his address.
Instantly the audience forgot all about him
and the cause of labor in the general de-
sire to the parachute leap. Mr.. Com
pers was equal to the occasion and drew
forth a round of applause and laughter
WI when n ne remarked ;s thai "a good many OF
eral minutes before the parachute was cut
loose and sailed gracefully down a half
mile away from the speakers stand. At
another time Mr.. Gompers was interrupted
by long loud blast of music from one
of the many bands that were in the narrow
confines of the park, and he was compelled
to remark that 1t was hard to speak
against SO many rival attractions, but the
under the circumstances and were listened
to with a great deal of careful interest
by several hundred people.
Mayor Dunlap. of Anderson. was the first
speaker of the afternoon. He spoke briefly,
welcoming organized labor to the city. He
said that he felt the city of Anderson had
been greatly honored by having been
chosen as the place for holding the second
loudly aplauded when he declared that he
believed in union labor. Robert F.. Croft
State Superintendent, responded briefly. He
feel grateful for the hospitality extended
by the Mayor Of the city. and would en-
deavor to enjoy it in the same hearty spirit
in which it was offered.
MR.. GOMPERs's SPEECH.
Samuel Gompers, president of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor, spoke for an
hour making an earnest plea for the cause
of labor in general and urging the necessi-
ty for organization. Mr.. Gompers is
scholarly man. has studied carefully the in
dustrfal conditions, not alone of this coun-
try. but the whole world and that he is
thoroughly in earnest no one can doubt
after listening to him talk. His zeal and
earnestless are at times almost pathetic
ana one cannot but be aroused to the need
Tor rational solution of the labor ques-
ton His address, while made under ad-
verse conditions, appealed to his hearers
and his apt illustrations were received with
much applause
Il want to say" commenced Mr.. Com
pers, that this movement of labor reaches
further than is ordinarily understood This
day, Labor day, is known throughout the
world as labor's day, while you have been
marching these streets, thousands of toll
ers, men, women and little children have
where-in-rfffs world. Organized labor saws
that SO long as there is one man willing
to work and anxious to work, and who
duty to perform. 1 tell you my friends.
that there are none to whom / will take
second place in my loyalty and devotion
to our Republic. 1 have a keen apprecia-
tion of the results of the battles of our
1orefathers. ! do not underestimate the
wonderfuI gift they have handed down to
US. MY friends, the Constitution of our
country the Declaration of independence,
clared that the right to live and pursue
happiness was an inherent right of man.
| How can labor live and pursue happiness
without the right to labor for that living
IS assured There is no liberty without the
right to labor. Labor is the creator of all
wealth, whether it be the diamond in the
field tree in the soil, coal in the mines
or gold and silver. So long as it NAV re-
nam nam sthere it is of no use to man. 1t be-
comes OF use as soon as the magic touch
or labor is applied to # Labor fashions
al al, Things without shape: Why is it if
labor fares so badly? WIN is "aisn' # so aG, rat
laborers live in miserable tenements upon
coarse food and dress in coarse clothing?
Labor says that the question must find a
solution. II ! am not mistaken the whole
world believes there must be some solution
and believes that some time a change NAV
come. Some say in a few years-ofbers IN
a 1ew decades, others in a century but not
one one Will maintain that these awful condi-
tions must last forever. If any doubts
that there is labor question let him 60
70 the men and women of this country
70 70 earn IVelhood and ask them whether
there IS labor question. The answer will
come, come aye there is labor question, a
In agitation, Mr.. Gompers said. was to ba
found the first step towards a solution of
the problem Of the age. Contentment. he
SSauslled you will find it slipping back into
parharlsm Labcr is disccntented. Labor
says that labor IS entitled TO larger share
OF labors production. Labor is hungry
hungry for better food. for better homes
an an th0se thlngs that make life worth lfv-
1rg We want more. They tell us that We
are receiving more than we did Yesterday
GRANTED. But we want more When we
get 1t, we Will want still more We will
continue struggling and struggle until We
nave obtained the full productions of our
labor. The man who is making 81 q dav
wants 81 %, you say, and the man who is
making 81 a day wants So The man who
has an income of $1,000 soon wants $40 600
and the man who has $500 600 wants to
double his money. that he NAV he
classed with the millionaires We are en-
titled to more. No man on earth is or TITLED
to more than those W no labor t. create the
wta alth cf the world
Child labor, Mr.. Gompers said is the
greatest evil of all, and it must he
stamped out by absolutely prohibitive leg
islation, if the Republic is to be preserved
How long can a republic last he asked,
that Is based upon a nation of dwarfed
hC dies and minds?'
STRIKES AND ARBITRATION.
I'VE do not want strikes he said. land
yet we have them We know that organi
cations best prepared to engage in strikes
are those who have less occasion to en-
gage in strikes This, he said was be-
cause the corporations are compelled to
listen to the claims of a thorough organi-
zation.
Arbitration Mr.. Gompers, thinks is not
the solution of the question unless it is
reSorted TO by equals. Corporations with
their heels on the threat of labor who talk
of arbitration, are like the highwayman
who stands you up at night and demands
money or your life. ." Arm the victim and
then he will be prepared to talk to the roll
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