The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-09-07
BASIS OF PROSPERITY
IT IS THE AVERAGE PROGRESS
THAT MUST BE CONSIDERED.
A HIGH DOLLAR MAKES LOW LABOR
Until Arbitration is Secured the Strike is the
Only Weapon Within the Reach of Lab
or--Injunctions Avoid Trial
by Jury.

St. Louis, Mo, Sept 6.-The feature
of Labor Day celebration in this city
to-day was an address by Hon. VIM. j.
Bryan, at Concordia Park. The big
gest crowd ever seen in the park greet
ed the speaker. His speech throughout
was enthusiastically applauded. Pre-
vious to the meeting, Mr.. Bryan review
ed u parade of $4,000 laboring men.
MIR. Bryan spoke in part as follows:
While | find pleasure in participating
i'll the exercises of thus day, | am also
actuated by a sense of duty, because the
observance Of Labor Day affords me an
opportunity for the discussion of those
questions which especially concern the
producers of wealth. In a pamphlet
written by New York banker, l find
the assedtion that the prosperity OF
farmers and laborers depends upon the
prosperity Of the business man. So
long as one entertains such an idea he
is certain to entertain erroneous views
upon social and political questions. All
Of the literary, professional and CONNER
| cial classes will find upon investigation
that they rest upon those whose brain
and muscle convert the natural res
ources of the country into material
wealth. Not only must any real pros
| perity begin with those who toll, but
the nations progress toward higher civ
| ilization must be measured by the pro-
gress made by the producing classes,
| Under every form of government it has
| been possible to point to few persons
possessed of means and refinement but
| it is the average progress, not the pro-
gress Of the few that must be considered.
/ The improvement to be hoped for must
! come from efforts outside of politics.
Mental discipline, moral training,
habits Of industry and economy. all have
their part in improving the general con-
dition of our people, and yet the indu-
ence of legislation must not be over
| looked. A form of government hike ours
makes it possible for the people to have
such legislation as they desire, but even
then it is possible for Il few persons to
over-reacb the people as a whole. The
welfare of the people must be sought,
not in the securing of special privileges
to themselves, but in the denying of
special privileges to any one.
THE labor organizations have been one
of the most potent influences in improy-
ing the condition of the wage earners
Labor organizations are almost entirely
responsible for the fact that skilled labor
wages have not fallen as much as prices,
although they have not always succeed
ed in keeping employment up to full time.
| While giving to these organizations
credit for what they have done, it is only
fair to suggest that neither labor organi-
cations, nor any other form Of protection.
can secure to labor permanent immunity
if the the general level of prices contin-
ues to fall. The idle man is the menace
to the man who has employment, and the
number Of idle men must Qecessarily in
crease of we have a mo1p system which
constantly raises the value of the dollar
and constantly lowers the market value
of the products Of labor. Arbitration Of
differences between large corporate EN-
plOyers and their employees is one Of the
political reforms most needed by wage
earners. Until arbitration is secured the
strike is the only weapon within the
reach of labor. Society at large is in
terested in the application of the princi-
pie of arbitration to the differences which
arise from time to time between corpora
| tions and the employees.
"Laboring people have special inter
lest just now in securing relief from what
lis aptly described as government by in
junction" The extent to which the writ
of injunction has been abused within re-
cent years has aroused q hostility
which is almost universal 1t is only a
question of time when government by in
junction will be cured by legislation. The
main purpose of the writ of Injunction is
TO avoid trial by jury. Trial by jury is
more important to the American people
today than it ever was before in our ma
TONS history. 1t was Originally intended
as a protection against royalty, and it is
today the main protection the people
have against plutocracy, which is to this
country what royalty is under a mon
archial form Of government"
Tonight the champion of the silver
cause was given reception at the JEFF
ferson club. At least 5000 people attend
ed and many Of these were given an op-
portunity of meeting Mr.. Bryan.
Richmond, Va, Sept. 6.-Mr. George