The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1898-04-02
BIG MASS MEETING
The Home Consumers League
Met at =. M. G. A. Tuesday
Evening.
Good Speeches Made by Local
Peop1e.-n'ass Meeting Next
Tuesday Evening.
CTS MADE HERE"

Home Consumers league are coming in
from churches, clubs, literary societies.,
civic bodies, fraternities, all kinds and
orders of people. And the trades unions
home consumption, doing business
with each other, is right in line with
what they have been preaching and
dinging into peoples ears all the time.
They are pretty near the head OF the
list. There hasn't been movement IN
Duluth for years that started 10 with
the spontaneity and unanimity OF this.
Not since the canal was dug-you re-
member about that; or if you don't it
can't be told too often.
Duluth decided that it was necessary
to cut way across the point where the
canal entry is now. The outside harbor
wouldn't do and the way around by
Superior was tortuous and impossible.
So they started to dig ditch across the
point. They didn't wait to float bonds.
They didn't wait for any financial ar
rangements. They just dug.
Superior protested; it would divert
the natural channel; 1t would interfere
with navigable waters. A hearing for
an Injunction Was had before the nearest
branch of the United States court
thousand miles away.
Duluth kept on digging. The time
for the hearing came. Duluth dug
harder. Everybody took hand, men,
women and children They dug with
picks and shovels and spades and tin
cups and spoons, and anything that
would scratch dirt. They worked night
and day, and it is feared, Sunday too. =
Well, Superior got the Injunction.
And when the court officer arrived with
a copy of the restraining order, water
was flowing through the cut. The canal
was dug, and it has stayed dug ever
since.
That is the right sort. 1t is the sort
of spirit that Duluth has not always
seemed to show lately. But this new
movement has apparently revived it with
old fervor.
Last Mondays nesting was full OF
that spirit and enthusiasm, and next
Tuesdays will be a new declaration of
Independence. .-..
Judge Ensign presided over the meet
ing of the vice presidents, forming the
general committee, held Monday in Y.
M. G. A. hall. Their conclusion was to
call a mass meeting in the High school
assembly hall next Tuesday night.
John Owens, b. r. Cobb and W. Buch-
anan we're made a committee on music,
and L. NJ Willcutts, John McLaren and
w. Buchanan committee on speakers.
Bishop McGolrick led off with brie
statement of the purposes of the league
and it's hopes He referred to the fail
ures of bonused enterprises and gave
little expectation of much from
such sources in the future.
He spoke of the strangeness Of Duluth
people to each other, coming from diff
ferent sections and speaking different
tongues. We don't know our next door
neighbors.
And then he said Duluth must get
together. It doesn't build up the town
when a man comes in, unlcads stock of
goods and then jumps to the next place.
We must educate ourselves to realize
that it pays to patronize Duluth bust
ness men, Duluth manufacturers, Du
luth products of all sorts. The league
does not encourage mon to do cheap
work and have it accepted because it is
made here, but to build up an honest
trade on honest goods. And the bishop
closed with thought of the ethical
bearing of this plan Of mutual help.
DR.. G. H. Humason followed in similar
vsin. Small institutions, he said, are
springing up, without any bonus. Right
encouragement can make all the differ.
ence between success and its lack. They
don't ask bonus, only this neighborly
interest. Duluth lacks that; we have
not that home spirit. Everybody is just
coming from somewhere or Just going
somewhere. The home feeling is what
we need most. When we support the
efforts of our neighbors other mon will
be emboldened to come with like ven
lures. He waxed fervid on the mutual
interest to be developed by the league
and called for Gods blessing on it's
growth.
Then Mrs. J. L. Washburn, who had
practical hint. She agreed with what
the others had said and was convinced
that the league would be a success by
virtue of the spirit and earnestness of
that meeting. Her special idea was that
printed lists of what Duluth makes to
sell would be valuable. For her part,
she could hardly think of half dozen
things made here, when she was told
there we're over a hundred.
Mrs. S. G. Akin spoke briefly in en-.
dorsement of the movement.
Tohn Owens held forth with spirit on