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


i and then throw the men after them.
j abpfehehd that anything like a lon,
i speech on this occasion might excit
something Of the feeling on your part
as did the music on that OF the fava
officer, ana therefore as assured tn
committee, my remarks will be com
mendable for brevity II for nothin:
else
/ / congratulate you, my friends, on. TIL
| significant fact that labor has lega
public holiday This day. in our State
has been recognized since 1891, and thu
! governor of that year, now Congressman
i Burleigh, gave the net establishing II
his hearty pTey na rns aay s aod tb.
consideration of the MANY Important
/ questions affecting the interests of labor
and the laboring man. BY its proper OBJ
1 servance. the dignity of labor and the
/ worth of the laborer are recognized. and
| n better feeling among all classes cult
yatea ana promoted. | have sometimes
| felt thai, i'll the agitation which has char
actetized the newly felt interest In labor
and laborers, We all are liaHle 70 overlook
the great idea which underlies thls agita-
ton We see evidences of discomfort, and
we hear of strikes of conflicts and vio-
lence At times we feel that there Is a
contest and We cannot always wholly APP
prove of the conduct of the contestants
tracts our attention and we become
alarmed at what seems to be a dangerous
conflict between classes OF our people
between capitalists on one side. and Ia
borers on the ether. but II We look deep
er than the surface. ] think We shall see
that a great movement for the uplifting
Uf humanity is in progress. and IL dis
content exists among the common people
it is but an evidence of an aspiration for
better things an aspiration which ought
to be and must be satisfied. l believe
that the people, as a mass, are growing
wiser. better. happier, and are coming to
a more perfect understanding OF their
rights, duties and responsibilities.
The disagreeable symptoms which
shock ana alarm our pessimistic friends,
seem to me to indicate not decay or de-
teroratioh, but hearty and vigorous life.
The truth Is. hs | read 1t, that the COM
mon people are coming to understand
their rights and their duties. and are de-
terininea to enjoy the one and perform
the ether. Mistakes they will undoubt-
edly make. but out Of all the agitation
and contest they will reach higher
PLANE In social, moral and political life.
The solution OF the labor problem on
strict lines Of political economy, is not
only difficult but seems impossible. That
question involves ethics the basis of
which is found In the Golden Rulei do
unto others as you would that others
should do unto you Not as too often
interpreted and acted on DO to others as
they will DO TO you. | am optimistic
enough to believe that the spirit of the
ageis more in accord with the Golden Rule
than ever before. and in this fact ] see
great hope for better things. The politi-
cal equality guaranteed by our Republic
can form of government affords an OPP
portunity for the humblest born to rise
through superintendent strata of pow
erty and hardship to higher planes of ex-
istence. improvement Of this opportu-
nifty is well illustrated In the life and ca
have occupied the gubernatorial chair for
several years past, all of whom came
from the ranks of the common people
and arose to high station against adverse
influences.
Many of you present are familiar with
the career of the late Gov. Bodwell. un-
der whose administration the bureau of
labor was established. Coming from his
native granite state. O. mere boy, with
stone cutters chisel his only possession
in his hand. he carved out from the hard
rocks of our bleak and barren shores an
ample fortune and an honest fame. With
none of the artificial aids of inherited
wealth and early education, he reached
the highest honors In the State. Through
ii all he illustrated the noblest character
istcs of American manhood. With the
qualities of honor. integrity, industry and
enterprise, combined with the opportuni-
ties and resources which our country pos
SesseS, every man, however humble his
origin may hope TO rise IN the social scale.
| believe my friends, that the proper dis
tribution of wealth depends upon good
wages and Il chance TO earn them. An
incident thar occurred during the sessions
of the convention of labor statisticians at
Albany two years ago, will Illustrate my
meaning Our sessions were held in the
costly and magnificent state capitol, and
at a banquet given us during our stay in
Albany, one of our body expressed the
sentiment AS | view the superb struc-
ture. in which we have been permitted
to hold our sessions and reflect that thou
sands of poor laboring men are roofless
and homeless, feeling of sadness and
regret comes over me. that the millions
here expended in useless ornament were
not employed for much better purposes.
1t occurred to me that this sentiment was
ill-judged when | reflected that these mil
lions came from the pockets of the rich
and much of ii went to the laboring man,
by giving him employment, and that my
own State had been directly benefited, as
much of the stone had been cut upon the
banks of our beautiful Kennebec, under
a contract with the late Gov. Bodwell.
and hundreds of men We're here furnished
work and wages by means of which the
necessities and luXuries of life were OBJ
tanned for themselves and families.
1t is often asserted that the rich are
growing richer and the poor poorer as a
result of our laws. Commissioner
Wright. whose character and standing as
a careful and honest statistician are
world. discusses this question In a recent
article. Mr. Wright adduces proof which
goes to show chat while the number OF
rich men is increasing. the relative num-
Der of poor men is decreasing, the ten
deney of the population being towards an
increase in well-being and in wealth all
along the line. The increase in the rate
of wages is also progressive. Thus In 1850
it is found that the average annual earn
ngs of each employee engaged in manu-
featuring and mechanical pursuits. in
Guiding men. women and children, in
round numbers, were S241, in 1850, $3.50,
in 1870. 500: in 1880, S347 and in 1890. Si45.
In 1870 says Mr.. Wright, there We're H.
563, .i2' persons engaged in supporting
themselves and the remainder of the peo
pie-that is to say 80 43 per cent of the to-
tai population--wcre so engaged. In 1850
the number of bread winners was II, 1872 09S
or "a 81 percent of the total population. In
1890 this number had risen to %. i;3, 99l or
Sc 81 per cent of the total population. The
figures quoted show that the proportion
of the total population thus employed is
constantly increasing. The statistics
show that the number engaged in the
lowest walks of business is decreasing in
proportion. while those employed in the
higher walks are increasing i'll numbers
relatively TO the whole population. The
inference then must be that the general