Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-09-07
BRYAN AND AL7GE[D
Two Most Notable Men Who
Spoke to workingmen on La.
boris Annual Holiday.
PITH OF THE TWO ADDRESSES.

| Too Good for This World Now and Advo.
Gates Government and Municipal Owner
ership.
st. Louis. Mo-, Sept. THE feature of
Labor Day celebration in this city yes
terday was an address by Hon. w. J..
Bryan, at Concordia park. The biggest
| crowd ever seen in the park greeted
| the speaker. His speech throughout was
enthusiastically applauded. Previous
| to the meeting Bryan reviewed a parade
| of 5000 laboring men. Bryan spoke in
part as follows: While I find pleasure
| in participating in the exercises Of this
day 1 am also actuated by sense Of
duty, because the observance of Labor
Day affords me an opportunity for the
discussion of these questions which es-
pecially concern the producers Of wealth.
In pamphlet written by distinguished
New York banker 1 find the assertion
that the prosperity Of farmers and la
borers depends upon the prosperity of
the business man. So long as one enter
tains such an idea he is certain to en-
terrain erroneous views upon social and
political questions.
Everything Depends on Labor.
"All Of the literary, professional and
commercial classes will find upon in
vestigation that they rest upon those
whose brain and muscle convert the
natural resources of the country irto
material wealth. Not only must any
real prosperity begin with those who
toll, but the nations progress toward
higher civilization must be measured by
the progress made by the producing
classes. Under every system of gov
eminent few are possessed of means
ard refinement, but it is the average
progress, not the progress of the few,
that must be considered. The improve
ment to be hoped for must come from
efforts outside Of politics. Mental dis
cipline, moral training, habits of in
dustry and economy, all have their part
In improving the general condition of
our people; and yet the influence of
legislation must not be overlooked. A
form Of government like ours makes it
pos sible for the people to have such
legislation as they desire, but even then
it is possible for a few persons to over
reach the people as whole.
Special Privileges to Nobody.
1.-THE welfare of the people must be
sought not in the securing of special
privileges to themselves, but in the
The labor organization has been one of
the most potent influences in improving
the condition Of the wase-earners La
Dor organizations are almost entirely
responsible for the fact that skilled la
Dor wages have not fallen as much as
prices, although they have not always
succeeded in keeping employment up to
full time. While giving to these organi-
cations credit for what they have done
1t is only fair to suggest that neither
labor organizations, nor any other form
OF protection can secure to the laborer
permanent immunity if the generallevel
of prices continues to fall.
Idle Man Is Menace.
The idle man is the menace to the
man who has employment, and the num-
Der of idle men must necessarily in
crease if we have money system which
constantly raises the value of the dollar
and constantly lowers the market value
OF the products Of labor. Arbitration Of
olnerences 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 prin-
S-fAS VI al OieA dllou " the OluGr6nCoS
which arise from time to time between
corporations and the employees.
Refers to Government by Injunction
Laboring people have a special in
terest just now in securing relief from
what Is aptly described as government
oy injunction The extent to which the
writ of Injunction has been abused with
In recent years has aroused a hostility
which is almost universal. It is only a
question of time when government by
Injunction will be cured by legislation.
The main purpose of the writ of injunc-
ton is to avoid trial by jury. Trial by
jury is more important to the American
people today than it ever was before In
American history. 1t was originally in
tended as protection against royalty.
and it Is today the main protection Of
the people against plutocracy, which is
to the country what royalty is under a
monarchical form of government"