Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-09-07

march are monuments, sacred to the
memory and achievements of the wage
earners of our land
I 1t was my good or hard fortune, |
hardly know which. to have been born
in poverty where stern necessity COM
PEELED work, and / toiled for years on
the farm and in the lumber woods for
wages by the day and month, small
indeed. compared with those now paid
for similar services, and / think | am
qualified to comprehend and realize
better than those who never did an
honest days manual labor in their
lives. something at least of the hopes,
desires and aspirations. as well as the
difficulties, hardships and trials of the
men who perform it. ! can appreciate
your laudable desire to save something
for a rainy day, and also to smooth the
path of life in your declining years
And especially to educate your children
so that they shall be intelligent and
honored citizens. and of the aspirations
which many of you have to, at some
time in the not far distant future, con-
duct business enterprises on your own
account. For this grand truth has
come home to you all, that nearly all
the prosperous business men of today
began at the foot of the ladder as COM
mon laborers. / recognize the fact
however, that the stone cutters, and
other labor unions, contain many
skilled laborers, that rightly command
a much higher price than the average
workman.
These captains and knights of indus
of our age. 1t is to them that this
country of ours and the whole civilized
world are very largely indebted for
development and civilization. For la
Dor creates wealth and thereby affords
the leisure, and means for intellectual
pursuits. opportunities for study, in
vestigation, culture and Improvement.
From our standpoint-and l think it
the true one-the drone who simply
exists is an object of pity and deserved
contempt. He is reaping where others
have sown, consuming what worthier
and ADLER hands have produced
We have no special call in this coun-
try for your elegant gentleman OF
leisure or your gentleman of elegant
leisure. Inc man who is too proud or
too lazy to devote a reasonable amount
of his time and energies to some useful
calling, whatever may be his wealth and
social standing, neglects his duty to thos3
from whom he has inherited them and
the blessings of this free government
imperatively demand that he should
employ proper portion of his time in
some honest, useful vocation.
We live in an era Of constant activity
and unrest The desire and determine
ton to work and to accomplish some
thing in our day and generation is
dominant everywhere in our land. Ii
is a fever in the blood of our age. and
! has almost accomplished the impos-
| sibe 1t has taught us to annihilat2
| distance ny the use of steam and cleo
| tricity, make those living in distant
states our neighbors and bring then
products to our doors.
1t is not my purpose or intention tt
| pose as the champion of the laborlne
man or of any class OF our citizens.
| believe the rights of all are and shoulo
be equally sacred ard respected, ane
we all are or should be, workmen in some
useful field of labor. Men who on Ger
tain occasion and times for politica
effect and purposes are smitten witt
| great love and pity for the man Wn'
! works, I think underrate your keei
insight and insult your intelligence
Especially when the principles the'
advocate would undoubtedly lead t
your injury You will hear no more /"
these benefactors or their canards til