Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-10-20
FORMALLY OPENED,
Mayor cMediIl Speaks Words
Of Welcome at the In
dustriaI Fair.
COUNCIL ATTENDS In A BODY

COUNCIL ATTENDS In A BODY.
states Attorney ssaris Congratulatss the
LaborinG People on Their Progressive
mess and Trustee Thomas Gives . state
msat Of the Receipts and Expenditures
Of the Home Banding.
The formal opening OF the indus
trial fair At the roller rink occurred
last evening under the most auspici-
Gus circumstances. The attendance
was large and the exhibits shone in
all their brilliancy, and the surround
ings had that oldtime fair-like air
about them. Bleuer's band played,
and there we're several delightful
numbers by Bowlby's Mandolin or.
chestra.
On the stage were Mayor T. J. Me-
dill, Jr., the members of the council,
States Attorney Searle and Post
master T. H. Thomas. trustee of the
Industrial home, when Gustav Klotz.
president Of the Industrial Home as
ISOLATION, announced the commence
ment of the exercises. He first in
troduced Mayor Medill, who made
the address Of welcome. At the out
set he took occasion to congratulate
the association upon the beginning
of fair which had every promise OF
success, and referred to The generous
manner In which business men and
citizens generally contributed.
1.-THE aim, as I understand it, In
the holding of fairs of this nature, ~
continued the mayor. '.is primarily
for the purpose Of raising money to
meet the Indebtedness coming due
on your industrial home building.
This monument to organized labor
which you have erected with your
own hands. the conception of which
originated in your own minds, and
construction made possible by your
own efforts and exertiun, is indeed q
monument, and every public spirited
citizen should look upon it with
pride and feel an interest in it and
assist you to pay for it.
why Labor Organizes.
1.-The trend Of all lines Of business
now seems to be toward orgsniza.
ton. Transportation as well az
manufacturing. commercial and
mining industries have combined to
effect their ends. That is, large in.
terests in the same line have asso.
ciated themselves for the purpoee oil
forcing up or down the price Of theil
commodities, as the case may be,
thus rendering it absolutely impossi.
BILE for party OF small means to
compete with them. l might also
add that it seems where such large
volumes Of capital are thus engaged
in the employment Of labor that the
first movement for retrenchment OF
curtailment in the cost of produo tion
or transportation 10 directed against
labor. Whether the element of la.
Dor constitutes the greater part OF
the cost Of production CT transporta.
ton, depends largely upon the arti-
Gle produced. but 1t Is very evident
that labor first feels the strong arm
of retrenchment. These reasons and
others I might name are the cause
why labor has organized. You have
formed trades unions for the many
lines Of trade and occupation that
you pursue. BY the establishment,
Of an association or congress, II
which all lines of trade unions are
represented, you thus mbine all in
terests and organize q most formida'
BILE combination.
1.-THE exercise of this power should
be used with moderation. Labor
thus organized. should not become
arrogant and too dictatorial; for in
Its strength lies its weakness. Re
member, the object OF organizat; on
is mutual proteotion for the craft
To transcend its object is to weaken
its foundation. This great power
placed in irresponsible hands may
lose for you that object which you
had hoped to attain. To use IL with
care. to be firm in your position, and
reasonable in your demands, cannot
fail to excite the admiration of man.
kind, command the respect of all,
and crown your efforts with success.
Mind Labor.
"You will pardon me II / refer to
remark that once made while ad-
dressing your association some few
years ago, that We must dispel from
our minds the delusion that he alone
labors who labors with his hands.
That the world was caused to move
by means of mind labor This as
sertion is partially demonstrated by
the fact that you could not have
erected the magnificent building that
you have. were it not that the plan
was conceived and evolved from
your fertile brain. Thus does the
mental labor come in for its share of
the credit. Your association, as
understand. is composed of the rep
ressntatives of the trade unions.
Your unions s,e composed Of all
skilled labor. Your skill lies in the
knowledge which you possess-thus
does mental labor claim with
physical labor an equal credit.
Il has been said that so in
A.