Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-03
BRYAN TO WORKERS
Presidential Candidate Addresses La
Dor Unions at Chicago.
DISCUSSES POLITICAL QUESTIONS
DwelIs at Some Length on Gov
eminent by Injunction.
TAKES NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

CHICAGO, September 3.-Following Is the
speech delivered by Colonel w. J. Bryan
before the labor organizations here today.
Mr.. Bryan said
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen
1 am greatly obliged to the committee Tor
the invitation which enables me to part1ci-
pate In the celebration Of Labor day at
this place This day has been wisely set
apart by law to emphasize the dignity OF
labor and for the consideration OF those
subjects which especially affect the inter-
ests Of the wage Garner. The laoorlng
men constitute 80 large and so indispensa-
BILE proportion Of the population that no
social. economic or political question can
be treated without an investigation or their
connection Herewith. But there are some
questions which touch them Immediately,
while others only operate upon thetn LII d
general way
The first thing to be considered is the
laboring mans ambition? what are ms
aims and his purposes? For what Is ns
striving? The animal needs only FOOD ana
shelter because he has nothing but BODY
to care for; but mans wants are more
numerous. The animal complains when IL
is hungry, and is contented when Its nun
ger is appeased. But man. made In the
image of his Creator. is three-fold being
and must develop the head and the heart
as well as the body. He is not satisfied
ne be content unless all avenues or ad-
yancement are open to him. His possibil1-
ties must he as unlimited as his aspira-
lions.
In other countries and other civilizations
men have been condemned by birth to
particular occupation, place or caste. In
this country each man. however or whe:-
ever born, can strive for the highest re-
wards in business, state or church ana
these avenues of advancement must be
kept open.
No civilization can be considered perfect
hich does not plant hope In the breast
Of every child born into the world; the
nearer we approach to this ideal the bet
ter Is our civilization. Those who com
plain Of existing conditions cannot be put
aside as dsturbers of the peace. To seek
q remedy for every abuse of government Is
more patriotic than to profit by bad sys-
TENS and then frown down all criticisms
There should be no antagon1sm between
those engaged in the various occupations
and there will be none when all recognize
the mutual obligations which are due be-
tween citizens. Our desire should be. not
to separate the people into warning fac
lions, but to bring them into better ac-
quaintance and greater sympathy with
each other. The enmity which the poor
sometimes feel toward the rich and the
contempt which the rich sometimes mani
fest toward the poor would be avoided II
each knew the other better and both were
content to be guided by the strict rules OF
justice. o
Extremes of Society Closely Allied.
The extremes of society are really not as
far apart they appear. Those who work
for wages today may, under good govern
ment, be employers in a few years, and the
sons Of those who are employers today may
in a short time be day laborers. Since no
one can save posterity from the evil effects
Of bad law, all should strive for legisla-
ton which will protect each citizen in his
rights and in the enjoyment of the fruits
of his own genius, his own industry and his
own integrity.
1t is of advantage to the rich as well as
to the poor that the children of all have an
opport unity to secure an education; for ed
ucation widens the individuals horizon in
creases his capacity for usefulness. multi
plies his enjoyments and makes him in
every way more serviceable to society.
Victor Hugo has described the mob as the
human race in misery. Those who are
well to do have selfish interest. and
despair from every human breast. AS mis-
cry is lessened the security Of property Is
increased; human life is protected in pro-
portion as happiness is promoted.
Why should the man who eats at we'll
supplied table forget the man whose toll
furnishes the food? Why should the man
who warns himself by the fire forget the
man whose labor in the forest or in the
mine brings forth the fuel? Why should
the man clad in the best products Of the
loom forget the man whose calloused hands
make fine clothing possible? Both the con-
sumner and the producer are necessary, but
of the two the producer comes first in point
Of time and in point of Importance Shall
the rosebud. blooming In beauty and she'd
ding it's fragrance on the air, despise the
roots Of the bush because they come into
actual contact with the soil? Destroy the
bud and leave the roots and a second bud
will appear as beautiful and as fragrant
the first, but destroy the roots and bud
and bush will perish.
How can the wage Garner secure that
share Of the earth's bounties and the gov
ernments protection which he deserves?
The associations formed by workngmen
have been productive Of much good.
Labor Organizations of Today
The labor organization as we now find it
Is the product Of Industrial conditions. The
individual found himself at disadvantage
when dealing with the corporate employer,
and the organization not only enables him
to contend for his rights upon terms more
nearly equal. but it stimulates him to study
and understand the conditions which sur
round him.
The labor organization has been foremost
in advocating the reforms which have al
ready been secured. Several years ago the
secret ballot was demanded by the wage
earners for their own protection. That bal
lot has been obtained, and through it's op-
erations those who toll for individuals or
corporations are able to protect their polit-
ical rights and to use the ballot according
10 tnelf own judgments. InlS is q long step
in advance.
The labor organization has done much to
lessen the evils of child labor. No one can
visit the factories where children are en-
ployed without contempla ting the crime which
Is being perpetrated upon posterity. If there
is any temporary economic advantage in the
employment Of children of tender age it is
insignificant when measured against the
permanent injury done to present and fu-
ture generations To rob a child Of its
school days is bad enough, but to bend its
back by a load for which only the adult is
fitted is even worse.
The labor organization has also contrib
uted toward the shortening of the hours of
toll and 1t should not cease its efforts until
the eight-hour day Is secured. Approx
mately one-third of the twenty-four hours
must be given to sleep; If another third of
the day is devoted to manual labor only
eight hours are left for eating for going to
and from the place Of work. for the reading
of current news. for mental Improvement
recreation, social intercourse and domestic
life Since the hours occupied in eating
and travel cannot be encroached upon,
every hour added to the days labor must
be taken from the time devoted to intellec-
tuaf development, recreation and the fam
lily.
The labor organization has been con-
sistent and persistent advocate of the doc
trtna of arhitra tim q1thonoh 10