The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-09-08

privilege highly appreciated and much
| sought after. To be q factor in the up
building OF ones country, even in the
smallest manner possible, Is n degree OF
the highest attainment which. II pro-
Derly nurtured. grows into broad dimen-
sions as time rolls on. and others, catch
ing the inspiration develop into that
manhood to which the injunction, AN
honest man is the noblest work OF God, Z"
cnn be so truly and tittingly applied.
Natures noblemen are those who. in the
struggle incident to life. stand ever
ready with barred breast and willing
hands to take the sufferngs Of their
fellow men and bear them upon Their
own oyer-burdeped shoulders. Like the
tinv stream which finds life at the
summit Of some lofty mountain peak
the lives of such men as L see before
me to-day grow and in the flight of
time the good which they accomplish
fills the great ocean of the world of labor
with O leaven. which raises hope and
sweetens and softens the burdens of
their companions. who daily toll that
the revolutions Of the wheel of time may
not be lessened. but that the lives of
those men and women who are number
ed in the ranks of the toilers may grow
more beautiful In their sacred efforts to
elevate.
To labor belongs the credit of the
creation of all that is beautiful and
Ehence all prosperity flows, for with
out labor there would be no accom-
plishments. and though the toiler fur
fishes his capital, which Is his labor,
his share OF the interest therefrom has
been oppression and suffering. But as
the world progresses in knowledge. and
as the minds OF men become more en-
lightened as to the real value OF labor,
and the utter lmpossibility of advance
ment without II. u change is about talk
ing place. and instead of being looked
on. as In days gone by, with n cautious
eve and spoken of in IL tone OF sarcasm
and distrust. organized labor to-day oc-
cupies a prominent place in the daily
history OF America. l claim, nor do I
ask for any higher distinction than to
he numbered among you, standing up
manfullY battling for the rights of
those who need the assistance of their
brethren. and it is n qualification to me
to know that l have with you fought
panv a battle for the laboring man,
and when the smoke of battle had
cleared away l saw not only advance
ment. but i have seen the great good
ACCOMPLISHED thereby.
Gentlemen, organized labor is the only
means through which you can give to
yourselves. your homes, your children
and YOUR country that protection which
should at all times surround you.
Through 1t comes not only unity in
strength. but education and n co-opera-
ton which leads to a full understand
ing of your wants and the remedies
thereto. Thus when men, whose cause
Is sacred and who stand shoulder to
shoulder with purpose to accomplish
a great work. whose aim in life is to
strike the shackels from the limbs of
the workingmen of this country, that
they may forever be free from that
thrnldom which designing men might
ensnare and keep enslaved. there is but
one conclusion. one result and that can
only be to the credit of those who labor
and upon whom 1t can be truthfully
said rests the future greatness OF this
country. and who. likewise are UNI
doubtedlv the source from whence all
prosperity flows.
The next speaker was MIR. Alex. Il.
McCulloch, of Manchester, chairman OF
the Legislative Committee, OF the Nir-
glnia Federation Of Labor, who said:
THE eyes of the American people are
at last being opened to the great danger
OF longer permitting corporations and
plutocrats to dictate the policies of our
government. The money power, alarm
ed at the campaign of education that
is going on. is sparing no effort to stamp
1t out. Coercion and intimidation are
the order OF the day. Eighteen of Dele
wares best citizens are languishing In
Jail at Dover, the capital of the State.
for exercising the right of free speech in
advocating Henry Georges single-taX
| theory: Would imprisonment have been
melted out TO them had they been pro-
| pounding, instead. the spurious taxation
| theories OF William Mckinley or the
single gold standard n la Whitney?
"Plutocracy seems bent on prccipita-
| ting revolution. This scheme we must
defeat Ballots. not bullets must be
our motto. Henry d. Lloyd, the grand
est champion labor has ever had in this
| country declares that the safety of the
| future lies in organized labor.
Mr.. McCulloch here paid his respects
| to certain labor leaders who oppose the
| discussion of political and economic
questions in trades-union meetings.
| Men who talk this way in times like
| these are either knaves or imbecilcs
| You don't hear Eugene V. Dcbs talking
| this sort of rubbish.
The speaker then proceeded 10 discuss
! the political platform recently adopted
| by the State Labor Federation of Vir-
| ginia, advocating government State
and municipal ownership of natural mo-
! nopolieS. He cited. as 4 case in point,
| the city of Glasgow, Scotland, which
| has decided to levy no taxes after Janu-
| airy 1st 1897. as the revenue derived
| from owning her gas, water and street
railways Is amply sufficient to run the
municipal government.
He advocated the> adoption by the
| government OF a postal telegraph eys-
| tenn. punctuating his remarks with Illus
| trations of the practical working of the
| system In England and other European
countries. where all telegraph lines are
| operated as a part of The postoflcc de
| partment, claiming that In taking the
| system out of the hands of monopolics