The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-09-20
BIG MEETING HELD
AT CARB0NDALE

Five thousand miners and miners
sympathizers participated in a parade,
followed by mass meeting on Sandy's
field, just west of the central portion
of Carbondale, yesterday afternoon.
The sky was cloudless and the air cool
enough for comfort Hogarth's Jermyn
band rendered several inspiring airs.
AS Rev. Henry j. Whalen, pastor
of the Berean Baptist church, left his
cab and started across the field for
the platform the mass of miners div
ided and formed an aisle for his ap-
proach. Each lifted his hat respect
fully, while those sitting around the
stage commenced to scramble down.
The planks creaked, and Mr.. Dicher
said: sit still, there's plenty of room;
if we fall We'll all fall together. It's
like this strike" Then there were
cheers.
Here comes the reverend gentle
man." continued Mr.. Dilcher, 'let him
talk first. l always like to follow a
preacher"
Joseph Johns, president of Branch
No. 7SS, in introducing Rev. Mr.. Whal-
en-, said he had been invited to speak
as a result of his eloquent sermon on
the labor situation Sunday night.
Mr., Whalen said that Mr.. Johns had
not told it all. He had been requested
to take the place of Mr.. Mcclure and
the situation reminded him of the Ne
gro and Irishman, after a brilliant
effort by Fred Douglas. The former
said: How is that for a nigger?" The
Irishman thought it was pretty good
for half a man and that he would
know from 10
one. We'll" Mr.. Whalen went on,
MIR. Mcclure is a thoroughbred, while
l am only half Irish, and was born
in Connecticut. When 1 get through
you will know what to have expected
from Mr.. Mcclure"
No Apology to Make.
Then he grew serious and asserted
that as a Christian minister he had no
apology to make for being there and
that he served a church which will ask
for no apology. He said:
When Christ was born three.fourths of the
world was in slavery while onc.fourth repre-.
scntcd ayarice and power. The Christian re.
liSion has changed all this. Distinctions have
been wiped out and the golden rule which our
Saviour has given us has led to recognition
of equality | am proud to be identified with
this movement If any apologies are to be made
let them be made by those who sit in their
comfortable homes while this struggle goes on.
Under Christianity all the substantial prog
rcSs Of the race has been made. America Is pc.
Culiarly the field Of that progress. Fifty years
ago my father and tine fathers of the middle
aged men in this audience left the old coun.
tries to escape oppression They were labOung
men, but here they laborcd under conditions
which made it possible to educate their chill.
dren.
Many left England who had been cursed with
a landed aristocracy; cursed by statute which
made a crime for Irish Roman Catholics TO edu.
| cate their children My father could neither
read nor write, But here he found it possible
| TO advance his children. Today we find in con.
gress and in many of the higher walks of life
| lrishmcn whose father and mothers could not
| write their names Shame on him who will
| say like privileges shall not be passed on to
| less favored classes who take up the work left
| behind by the advancing hosts. When the Hun.
| garans, Poles and Italians shall have come to
what We enjoy, God will find other races ready
| TO rise in the scale of life.
| Consequently the contention Of the miners Is
not alone for few cents more on a days
pay. 1t is for the far,rcaching influence to be
| eXerted II is the struggle OF humanity in its
upward tendency
The speaker then referred to the
/ crowded schools and said the lead
ers had not asked for enough. These
| children should not leave the schools.
| Men should do their work around the
mines at mems wages.
Mr.. Dilcher interrupted by giving
him a hearty hand-shake, while the
crowd fairly yelled.
Advice to the Men.
| Mr.. Whalen urged the men to re-
main true to their organization, which
/ has As much right as organizations of
| capital. He paid tribute to Rev. T..
| s. Phillips and to the dignitaries of
the Catholic churches who are in
! teresting themselves in this matter,