The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-09-04

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neither he nor Mr.. Wallace could be heard,
except by those near the stage.
The crowd sweIled considerably wf1ens the
Young Acknowledgement was presented
by Mr.. Krause. He waved his hands for.
silence, and began mis- mastery address
which was often Interrupted by entnll-
siastic applause
MIR MoNTAGUEss SPEECH.
Mr. Montague commenced his address
by saying that the real patriot is not so
much a lover Of his country as he is
lover of the people of his country He
therefore halls this day as commemora-.
tive Of the dignity and true worth of a
great mass of the people. Holidays gem.
orally bring to mind some historic period
or transcendent episode. But this holt
day tends to impress upon the public
mind not SO much the glory and heroism
of the past as a just appreciation of the
present and q true estimate of the vast
contribution which labor makes to the
sustenance of dignity OF life.
1t is in obedience of these worthy con-
sderations that labor organizations nave
secured the legal enactment OF TINS holl-j
day. But it is q profound mistake TO
infer that by reason of this day labor
wishes any governmental favor or pref
crence Labor wishes this day to stand
as the assurance of equality and fair
play, and not of privilege or preference
The American laborer stands for fair
play and free competition. and to TINS
end alone he seeks governmental inter-
vention. So that whenever the labor
I r., II n
ference it has been not to arrest or
suspend fair rivalry or free Competition.
but to guarantee it. He is bravely con-
scious that in the struggle of life he can
take care of himself and his family, en-
noble his calling. and bless his day and
: generation, if only given the application
of the doctrine of equal rights to all,
special privileges to none.
Some point to the efforts of labor or
CARNATIONS to procure certain hours for
work, certain limitations as to women and
children the enactment of arbitration
laws, and the like as q manifestation OF
socialism. This, l maintain, is a super
! fetal conclusion. These limitations are
asked for by labor for the express pur-
pose of so strengthening the physical and
intellectual powers of the laborins man
as to enable him to enter the field OF
! competition and Just rivalry.
I
! grapher, the selfish and avaricious man.
understood or appreciated with anything
! like wisdom or Observation-Disclosures, the true
condition of labor? Have we not, in
large measure, neglected to recognize
| him as a man. and to measure him solely
| by the standard of commercialisn? There
| FORE let us consider for a moment what
is labor. Plainly, labor is expenditure
Of mans energy and intelligence in con-
! tributing to the support and happiness OF
! all slfe. Consequently, labor is distinc-
| lively the personal force of man. While
| labor may be a commodity, it is human
+, commodity, and therefore, indissolubly
| bound up with the laborer So that as
{. a human commodity, it differs from other
! commodities.
| "A man who sells any other commodity
| reserves his own person. He who sells
! his wheat, or he who sells his manufac-
/ tured product, reserves full control Of
/ his own actions.
| These products in the main. are disso-
! ciated from the person, and regardless OF
| the person, these products Will fulfil
/ their economic mission. Again, he who
! sells these material commodities is often
! able to influence the price by the regula-
| ton of production, so as to secure a
! satisfactory relation between supply and
j demand But the commodity of labor
J,
{! He VINO runs may read the vast improve
nlent in the conditions of the laborng
! people of our Western civilization And
| coeya1 with this great advancement is the
| labor organization. It has reached out its
! hand with great conservatism to ask for
! the just amelforation of certain social and
| governmental conditions. To be concrete,
! who can gainsay the beneficence Of the
J energies of the labor organizations to
| bring about the arbitration of difficulties
! between capital and labor thereby saving
I blood and property? Who can gainsay
| the righteousness of efforts to secure au-
I tomato car-couplers. thereby saving the
| lives of thousands? Who but sympathizes
| with the efforts of labor organizations to
! do away with the truck system or com
! missary departments operated by some of
! the great CORPORATIONS and trusts of our
! country. which forces the laborer to pur-
4; chase upon credit and without comDeti-
i ton, thus inviting extravaganza, and di-
i! rectly applying the doctrine Of depre-
| ciated currency? What patriot would op-
I pose the efforts of labor organiza-
I tons for better ventilated rooms, and for
| lfe-saying devices?
] Who can but applaud the effort to
{, effect insurance for the laborer and his
| family. when. under the present economic
| conditions insurance is so difficult to OBJ
tain? Who can but applaud the righteous
| indignation of these organizations in fight
I ing the "back list" and "iron-clad oath?'
And this enumeration might be continue
| ed to the credit of the laborer and to the
i hope OF mankind
! So it may be safely affirmed that labor
| organizations have been enabled at times
j to withhold the labor commodity tempo
rarily from the market and await more
! Just conditions of service. thus bringing
about more satisfactory relation be-
| tween supply and demand.
Again. these organiza tons have enabled
the laborer to find the best market for the
sale of his labor This is done in many
ways, but mainly through the trades news
papers which publish statistics, and give
Information in regard to the state of
| trade. For example. there may not be
work for printers in Richmond, and a
trade journal will inform the unemployed
printers OF a demand for their work in
the city OF Baltimore. Moreover. by this
system of trades journal and statistics en-
ployers themselves are enabled to obtain
l. employes. These organ;zatio likewise
defray the transportation and necessary
expenses of laborers without money to
nIacas where their services gre demanded
! So that even SO great a writer as John