The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-10-24
ADDRESS BY CATTERMULL
He Spoke Last Evening in Carpen-
ters' Hall on the Labor Question.
His Local References.

The members of the unions allied
with the Building Trades council of
this city held mass meeting last
evening in Carpenters hall on Wyo-
ming avenue. While the hall was not
crowded, it was comfortably filled and
was very enthusiastic in its reception
of the speakers remarks.
President Devanney, of the council,
presided at the opening of the meet
ing, but relinquished the chair in favor
of John Devine, who acted as chair
man of the evening. The principal
speaker was a. G. Cattermull, of Chi
cago, a prominent labor man and a
member of the carpenters national
executive committee.
He spoke on labor matters in general
and also upon the labor difficulties in
this city. In opening his remarks he
referred to the summers strike and
the excellent manner in which it hal
been conducted. He also referred to
the strict fairness assumed by the
local press, which he said was a spe-
cial feature of the strike. After dis
cussing the question of trusts at length
he said:
We ask for the shorter work day and
the employers combine against it. When
the employe asks the privilege of work .
ing one hour less a day he has to strike
to obtain it. The employer opposes it be-
cause he knows it means greater inde-
pendenCe for the laborcr because he
knows it will give time to do more think
ing about his own welfare, because he
| knows it means an increased wage
l want to tell you men here that your
strike is not altogether ended. You have
| taught a lesson that will not be forgotten
| for years. The citizens and general pub
| lie of this city have learned more this
summer about the purposes of organized
| labor than they ever knew before. There
are some men here who think the results
were not as satisfactory as they might
have been, that they have not received
| what their sacrifices deserved.
| l want to tell them that in this move
| mcnt of ours nothing is gained without
| sacrifice. Nearly every advantage OBJ
tanned by wage workers in any part OF
this country, increased wages or reduc-
/ ton of the hours of labor has been
wrunE from the employers.
No matter how the combinations of ON
ployers oppose, the hours of labor should
be reduced. Behind the movement there
| is a great moral force founded upon a
principle of right and justice. In the
words of the president of your Builders
| Exchange In this city, Mr. Schroeder
"The eight hour day is inevitable" Mr.
Schroeder made this remark to me on the
occasion of my last visit TO this city.
Your efforts have not been thrown
! away, your contest has not been in vain
l predict that with the advent of spring
and the resumption of building operations
in this city that there will be no opposi
tion to the unanimous adoption of th'
eight hour day.
I was not sure when I came here a
first as to whether 1 would have to jacl
you up or not. But, now after lookins
over the field | can say that you are no
in need of jacking up. You can congratu
late yourselves on the energy and Yea
you have displayed. I trust that whei
the Builders Exchange meet again to d,
business that they will temper their ac
tions with more fairness to their EN-
ployes than in the past.
Addresses were also made by p. F
Holton and ]. F. Hammes. Mr.. Cat
termull will remain in this city for sew
eral days and will consult with th
leaders of the various building trades