The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-09-04

Libelous Effort to Keep the Work
ing Men from Hearing His Speech
at Lake Lodore.
At Lake Lodore yesterday afternoon
Hon. T. V. Powderly, commissioner
general of immigration of the United
States and ex-grand master workman
of the knights of Labor who probably
knows more about strikes, their causes
and results than any other man in thu
country, solemnly counseled the an
thracite miners not to strike. He spoke
little more than an hour and was list
ened to attentively by several hundreds
OF persons, though the thousands on
the grounds were made up three parts
of young and frivolous pleasure-seek-
ers to one of earnest laborers thirsting
for a solution to a prospective diff
Guilty which promises to stir society to
Its foundations. The speaker was
loudly and frequently applauded.
Mr.. Powderly opened his remarks by
requesting the men wearing felt hats
to turn down the sweat bands and see
If they contain the label of the hatters'
union. you needn't do it now." he
continued. wait until you have leis-
ure." And a hundred hats were at
once replaced.
Here he emphasized the Importance
of buying only union made goods.
Every man, woman and boy who so
much as buys a match is an employer
of labor and should help to sustain
labor. But they do not understand
their responsibility or they would hold
labor organizations the highest among
men.
SACRED TO LABOR.
This day." the speaker went on to
say, lis sacred to labor. Away back
in the centuries men who toiled for
their daily bread were slaves. They
had their holidays, but not of their
choosing. They We're ordained by the
men of society, who celebrated them
by the brutalizing combats of men and
beasts. The Christian era overturned
that order of society. Progress spread
rapidly upward and today we have
twenty eight states demanding by
their laws that the first Monday OF
September shall be Labor Day--a day
when the sons and daughters of toll
and their children may get together
an uninterruptedly discuss their af-
fairs.
And why not? We have saints
days. BY the way, look over the
calendar OF saints. How did they be-
come saints. Not one by idleness.
Every one by labor performed at the
command OF the living God. It mat
ters not what vocation they pursued
they labored. Why should not labor
itself be honored by having one day
of the year to show what a blessing
it is to the carth7 The day is not
for politics. worship, patronage, me-
chanics. They have their apppro-
pirate times. 1t is the day on which
all other thought should be separ-
ated from that pertaining to the earn
ing of your daily bread
II have talked to laboring men for
| years, and never saw the time when
would say remain away from the or
| ganization. Above all things remain
| organized. Don't disband at the first
| breath of adversely. Make up your
mind to be organized today, tomorrow
| and always. When you die say to
| your children. Il was organized during
| my life. YOU remain so after my death
Mr.. Powderly then told about the
| false reports circulated to the effect
that his Washington residence was
| built by scab labor. He said he per-
sonally asked the foreman of masons:
"Are you a member of a union?"
None Of your business"
BEG pardon, sir; but l own this
| house and expect TO occupy 1t when
it is finished"
Excuse me, I didn't know you were
Mr.. Powderly. Here is my card"
The result of Mr.. Powderly's dill
gence along this line was the bringing
into the union of the only scab plumb.
| ing establishment in Washington, DC.
LIBELOUs DODGERS.
At this juncture the speaker paid
| his respects to the spirit which
prompted the circulation of libelous
| dodgers through Carbondale stating
| that there would be no excursion to
Lake Lodore and inviting the people
| to hear the labor agitators from the
| balcony of Hotel Anthracite.
| He said 1t may have been conceived
| in honor. 1t may have been honestly
! intended, but l can look back from
! almost the end of life and say that |
| never struck a bow to the dishonor OF
| labor, and this effort to keep people
| from hearing me was entirely unnec-
| essary and wholly uncalled for
After paying a tribute to his birth
| place Carbondale, and saying a word
| for the flint glass works strikers at
! Honesdale, Mr.. Powderly empha lied
! the right of labor to organize and the
| duty of employers to recognize organ
lied labor. II don't say labor should
| have everything it asks for. 1t has to
ask for more than it expects to bring
| the other fellows half way"
81 left Carbondale," he said, "be-
| cause OF strike in 1869. l was not a
! miner. 7 did not strike, but was laid
| off with other shop hands and was
obliged to leave.
"Wnl your strike affect others?
"Wnl persons lose employment who
! desire to work?
"Tnless YOU can answer these ques-
tions satisfactorily l ask you to hesi-
/ tate
GLOW about your merchants. VIII
they profit by a strike?"
Mr.. Powderly went on to show that
| this talked-of strike is everybody's
business. 1t is war and affects every
body-engineers, firemen, brakemen,
switchmen, tracklayers. No employ
ment, no money; no money, no busi-
ness. Clerks will be sent home and
all industry win be prostrated To
| the l40. 900 miners alone ii means-at
$50 a day-S2lOOOO the day they
strike. In five days million; in ten
days more than two millions of dol
lars. And he never saw a strike that
| % a I, ,g,,I