The age-herald., 1897-09-07
IT WAS HIS SENSE OF DUTY
Which Imp E Him to Discuss the PreS-
 ent Situation
S,OR AS AGAINST CAPITAL
Prl ,>rty Must Not Only Begin With the Tol. ( ssrs, But It Must Be Measured by the
 Amount of It They Enjoy
 Advocates Arbitration.

St. Louis, Sept. 6.3The feature of La- Dor Day celebration in this city today was an address by Hon. w. J. Bryan at Concordia Park. The biggest crowd ever seen In the park greeted the spsal1- CT. His speech throughout was enthus- iastically applauded.
 Previous to the meeting MT. Bryan reviewed a parade of 15,000 1aboGing men.
 MT. Bryan spoke in part as follows:
 While l find pleasure in participating in the exercises of the day, I am also actuated by a sense of duty because the observation of labor day affords me an opportunity for th= discussing of those questions which especially concern the people of this country. In a pamphlet by distinguished New York banker find the assertion that prosperity of farmers and laborers depends upon the prosp :Tity of the business man. So long as one entertain such erroneous views upon social and political quss- tions, all of the literary, professional and commercial bodies will find upon in- vestigation that they rest upon those whose brain and muscle convert th+ na- tural resources of the country into na- tural wealth. Not only must prosperity begin with those who toll for it, but the prosperity must be measured by the amount enjoyed by the producing class. Und4r every form of government it is possible to protect a few persons pos sessed of means and refinement, but it is ihe average progress of the few that must be considered. Ths improvement to be hoped Tor must come from ef- forts outside of politics.
 Mental discipline, moral training, hab- its of industry and economy all have their part in improving the general con- dition of our people and yet the inf1u- ence of legislation must not be over- looked. A form of government like ours makes it possible for the people to have such legislation as they desire, but even then 1t is possible for a few persons to overreach the people as whole. The welfare of the people must be sought not in securing special privileges to themselves, but in the denying of special privileges to anyone. Labor organiza- tions have been one of the most potent influences in improving the condition of wage-earners.
 Labor organizations are almost en- tirely responsible for the fact that skilled labor wages have not fallen as much as prices, although they have not always succeeded in keeping employ ment up to full time While giving these organizations credit for what they have done, it is only fair to suggest that neither labor organizations nor any other form of protection can secure to labor permanent immunity if the gen. eral level of prices begin to fall. They are a menace to men who have employ ment and the number of idle men must increase if we have a monetary system which constantly raisese the value of a dollar and constantly lowers the mar ket value of labor. Thereby arbitration of the differences between large corpor- ations and their employees is one of the political reforms most needed by wage earners Therefore until arbitration is secured the strike is the only weapon within reach of labor. Society at large is interested in the application of prin- ciple or arbitration to the differences winch arise from time to time between corporations and the employees.
 Laborimg people have spec.al interest just now in securing relief from what is called government by injunction. The extent to which the writ of injunction has been abused wfsh.n rece mt years has aroused a hostility which is almost uni- versal. It is ordy a question of time whSn government by injunction will be cured by legislation The madn purpose of the writ of injunction is to avoid trial by jury. Trial by jury is cnore important to the American people than than anything that has come before 1t in thenation's history. It was intended to be a protection againf,t royaly and it is the np2dn protection the people have against plutocracy, whclh is to this country what royalty is to a monarchial form of government.
 MT. Bryan was given a rousing re- ceptdon at the Jefferson club. At least 5000 people attended the reception, and were given en opportunity of meeting MT Bryan.