Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-09-05

well as of the majority of the states
of our union, have wisely set apart
by statutory legislation one day in
each year to be known and designated
as Labor day. The success of the
. movement is due to the active efforts
of the many labor societies and or
CARNATIONS of our land, who pressed
upon our legislature the needs and
necessities of such day.
! The object of the movement in
thus setting apart one day each year,
/ is, as / understand, II permit and en-
courage the wage-earners of our land
to put aside their work and labor for
one day and to assemble as you have
this day to discuss measures relative
to YOUR mutual welfare. The occasion
, also enables YOU to visit one with the
other, members of one union With
those of Another, and thus promote
this feeling of interest and sympathy
which should actuatc you all. The
day also affords you the opportunity
of organizing the mammoth parade as
you Just have done, and to demon
strate and exhibit to the people the
important part yos can and may take
in the society and affairs OF our
country. If / were here for the pur-
pose of giving instruction l would
certainly caution you to always OBJ
serve the day as it is originally in
tended it should be observed, and
never allow it to be turned into a day
for pleasure only.
Labor is noble, and should always
be dignified. Honest labor appeals to
all that is grand and noble and should
never be trified with. Labor is the
foundation of all success. 1t is the
ground work upon which all industry
is based. 1t is as ancient as is civill-
cation itself. 1t always has been and
always will be.
Labor has in the last half century
assumed the position of organization
1t has been compelled to assume this
and partly to advance and hold its
position with capital. The tendency
has been during the last few decades
toward organization and com bination.
Capital has in many instances COM
bined into gigantic trusts and mo-
nopolies, and has been enabled to
WELD remarkable power. 1t has, we
regret to say, often been used to
break down and crush labor in q ruth
less manner. 1t has often, when col
lected into large amounts, been used
to break down competition, and thus
render it impossible for the small
dealer or manufacturer to exist. But
the great temporizing power that has
and will hold capital within it's proper
sphere is the movement to organized
labor. If labor be organized upon the
lines of reason and with honest in
tent, it cannot be else than success
full in it's battle for preservation.
Skilled labor is now nearly all organ
lied into trades unions. If, in adj
hitting members to your unions, you
exact that they pass satisfactory
examination as to their proficiency
and skill, and remove the possibility
of unskillcd men using your organi-
cation for selfish purposes, you can
not help but be successful in forcing
the greatest respect and admiration
for your cause.
Organized labor has done a great
deal toward uplifting the cause of Ia
Dor and ameliorating the condition of
the laboring man. 1t has caused laws
to be enacted requiring the abolition
of child labor, the proper ventilation
of coal mines, the inspection of fac
tories and the removal of dangerous
machinery, etc. 1t was largely
instrumental in the passage of
the ballot reform law, and
has always upheld and promoted re-
forms in legislation. The element of
labor enters largely into the cost of
nearly all manufactured articles. 1t
therefore lies largely with skilled la
Dor, when properly organized, 10 reg
ulate the rate of wages. 1t is always
presumed, of course, that organized
labor is fair and reasonable, and that
it's principal object is to maintain and
protect it's members in their rights
and to demand only what honestly
belongs to them. Labor in all of it's
embraces a great deal.
l presume nine-tenths of the people
labor in one capacity or another. Some
are required to labor with their hands
and others with their minds. We are
all dependent on one another. We are
all laborers in common field, labor
ing for common purpose, the better
ment of our condition in life. / de-
sire to congratulate the organized
labor OF orr trl-cities upon the spien-
did appearance and the impression
they have made while in the parade
this morning / hope you may enjoy
yourselves without stint and that the
day may pass without accident or in
jury to you.
Speeches by Mayor Swensson, of
Moline, and C. j. Searle followed.
Little Taps.
Every body will go to the picnic
The parade was over three miles
long.
1t is estimated there were 5000
men in line.
1t took the procession 50 minutes
to pass given poins-
All the organizations presented a