The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-09-08
THE PLEA FOR LABOR.
Strikes and Boycotts Should
Give Way to the Ballot.
HENRY W. STEMS GRAFTON.
Only Ono Way For Man 70 supply His
Wants, the Application OF HIS LADof
70 Land-Idier Robs the Worker
Tns orator Of Labor Gay was Henry w.

n. orator Of Labor Gay was Henry W.
s,.in. HI. address a, Madison park "as
itsssneS 70 By an immense tnrong o. peo-
pc Nj Stein is one 81 the sincere frlsh2s
81 labor. IS q student. 4 thinker ana says
things worth listening 10 or reading.
Mr.. STEMS speech was mainly plea iof
ne equa5 rights OF all men n TIE ssrth'
and IN. admonit.on 20 workingmen 70
cling TO the ballot. unrestricted py eitheF
an educational or property dnaAnc40oil'
lie called TIE attention % his hearers
70 he fact that Il was under the auspices
OF organized LABOR that they had met Z TOM
a hundred platforms IN the land the pea
today went up for labor. whether organ
tied or not. The non-Gnion man vas re-
minded thar whatever OF good existed III
this day was the result OF union IL was
organized labor that spoke 10 them
Every union was schoolhouse where
wcrklngmen were learning the lesson thar
the ballot. rather than the strike and boy
colt, was the effective weapon. Inc ola
methods were falling into dtsrepute- ana
more and more workingmen were gin
ming 10 see the need Of political acton
Today vas celebrated the dignity OF !aper'
ba; while labor was essentially respectaoiS'
4 was idle Il close our eyes 10 the fact
that Il was not respected as u should De.
Labor was underpaid or idle. homeless men
walked our streets. and d sturdy yeomahTy
was fast falling into q hopeless tenahTy.
Bat there was hope for labor. The great
ami good % all time had been on the side
OF the people and left them thoughts that
are the guiding stars OF men 10 better
things one OF these high souls OF our own
country and near our own time was JeHeF-
son. The Declaration Of independence had
been the Inspiration OF hundred years.
Il constituted today the unfedee met
pledge OF our national life. When JeHeT-
son declared that all men are created
equal. II was objected that such a state
ment was absurd. Il was true that men
IN stature. in the color Of their hair. IN
mental gifts or spiritual elevation we're
not equal but In their necessities. in their
rights before the law. they were on the
basis OF an essential equality and thls
was what jefferson plainly meant.
j VAS Idle, however. 70 spend the time
IN repea ing what could be heard on every
Fourth OF July. The needtul thing was %
point out how this equality could be at
tanned. how men could assert their right
% lise liberty and the pursuit Of happi-
ness. Since time began, and until time
should end. there had been but one way
Ia which man had supplied his wants, ana
that vas by the application OF his labor 20
land. There was no other method. and II
idleness fattenea Il must be because OF
the robbery OF the worker. The monstrous
social Inequalities seen today on every
hand we're the direct result Of the theory
that made merchandise OF the source Of
vealth-the land upon which all men must
live WitaoG, land man was Ike a fish
oa1 OF water. Air and water were the COM
mon property OF al men and IL was quite
wicked 10 make merchandise OF the
earth. az necessary 10 the lie OF man as
the former
What labor needed was not props but
fveedom-fr freedom OF access 20 natural OPP
portVnsties. We had passed avs in re-
st~alnt OF corporations but they had
faded OF their object. Laws had been e1-
acted 70 protect workers IN mine and fac
tory but they stood dead lettsr on the
books. because man IN his individual
rac'y was bound by the necessity 70 toll
a. any wages that offered. The freedom
OF society rested on the freedom OF the In
6lviduaL
But was there no hope2 Would tor ever
20 shorn OF the reward OF It's labor. and
id,eness rean where & rad TO. sown? He
believed not. II was not 50 written IN The
laws Of natur. or the ordinances OF God
Bwf ena ncipation lay In them SelveE-ln
their courage and frTpncss. Their weapon
was The ballot their great defense. and
history would yet record the wisdom OF
shs advice that toii them - cling 20 4 rs
their best w~ano1 The ballot should how
ever ne unrestricted. n was danger
Gus experiment 20 Insert an educational
qualification There was education that
came In The stress and struggle OF Nfe.
ana which was Of greater value than any
mere ability TO read a7f write. Reside.
tAe enemy might con~tr7ie the law into
Formidable wea non aaairs; he people
4 proner4~ qualification for ne suffra sc
was also opposed or .he ground TIA, pov-
crtv was not necessarily re result ~
81 re- essresa or lariness or immortality.
Property Qualification for Office would
dfsfrn r. h.se r. great number Of people.
Such seachlng was false and 20 Re corr
eatte3
T'Ae speaker e'so rasd~ 8 pI~s ror tree
dom - conduct. Il wss presumption %
tel the WORD ~ what direction u should
r. man Was 700 Hnte bang % law
Nown AIRY 'aw 81 sct!oa as ths uttlnasA
good Ne could bar stand aside ami after
having esnarsoips;sd man from restr5 otsors
;sa; he0xed him afoat. ies him IN free
com work out rs Own salvation
TIE bet;le was on botwseD ohe powers
- wealth organized ana arrn"l from
hesi 20 foot. flushed With si-,ory. and
- common People. uncrwss4zei leader
i~ss sn5 ana ~Tne5 save w3fa ne oal .uf-
Bu. pl,h ire hosts Of the people was ne
rieef arss NotsEh thar Noes ~ rnt uoe
e1Eer ne tsn& - promise br- or.y eak
u~~s1 * from come mountain tno 90 faith.
v. aas seere ese rsu4rs-ce ~ sress gers
40 as.t eone H@sore Jhat ne ian~ "a
fo9 wen NIX art hooev. A. prese ~ gee
we~~ aeH-.rz rs As ~s.i~r ra]f ana ofa~-
s-H ugrn .q altar .ee best - otIr ttscs
srf raes 1o-sno hs1 shattered :1se tah.s@
- 80 ~ ea ~ 80 were inscribed '"E'ao2
SHAH rot s.fR1'
sra~s ta~ goo, c'T7~ woe'. core IN
te 1Vrs - these s.s1irr 70 arr -ofs v.
wt<Ft q crty .u the aHez ~ faa.-
cea. Fax @s0s@ -rre saf-e sutslern