The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1900-10-27
| GREAT ADDRfS|li'S'|i 8
BY HON. 4. NJ. DEWEY OF THE DE.
PARTMENT or LABOR,
He Claims That All Reform Organi-
zatiOns Only Look at the Effects
Of Wrong Doing and Not at the
Cause-NO Settlement of the Lu-
bOr Question Will He Secured I'm
til the Competitive System is Abo-
lished.

On Aoos Auesuay night the people of
Pueblo had the satisfaction of listen
ing to most comprehensive statement
and review Of the indutrial problem,
by Hon. Adelbert M. Dewey, a special
agent of the Department of Labor at
Washington, who is at present in Colo
rado gathering statistics for the de-
partment, says the Pueblo Courier.
knowing that the very nature of his
occupation placed Mr.. Dewey in a.
position that gave him most accurate
knowledge, the Pueblo Trades and La
Dor Assembly induced him to stop here
long enough to speak in a public place,
and give time to announce the meeting,
so that the laboring men and their
wives might hear him. When Mr..
Dewey ascended the platform at the
Board of Trade hall he faced magni-
f1ecent audience of toilers. H. G.. WAL
lace, president of the Trades Assembly
acted as chairman of the meeting.
Those on the platform with the speak,
er were Mr.. and Mrs. w. l.. Smith, Mrs.
Lois j. Shepherd, county superintend-
ent of schools; Rev. A. A. Hokin, past
Or Unity church; Mr.. and Mrs. A. D.
hamilton, H. S. Branscombe, o. F.
Thum and F. H. Richardson. Mr..
Dewey spoke for an hour and half
and held his audience TO the very end
waiting in the extreme.
The fact that Mr.. Dewey is authority
on industrial questions, having had
large experience in gathering statistics
in those lines, warrants us in giving
our readers the benefit of a liberal
synopsis Of his remarks. =.
The speaker started out by referring
to the fact that ever since creation the
curse laid upon Adam had followed the
sons of toll even until now. In all the
history of the world the few have en-
slaved the many. And whether it be
under the reign Of Solomon in Judea or
Mckinley in the United States, the re-:
suit has been the same. Mr.. Dewey
announced that he is an optimist and
has the fullest confidence in all the peo-
pie. The will Of the majority must be:
supreme, and when the majority is in-3
Iss,l,ss M tnsass's s'' J, x,ll alsappsa
of sthe
age the greatest because with It's %
5lution would come the solution Of all
other problems. We are living in re-
markable age of progress and inventive
genius. We have the railroad, the tele-
graph the electric power, the perfect.
ing printing press and linotype ma
chimes. In all branches there has been
immense progress, but few, compara-
lively, can enjoy them. Modern appli-
ances and methods of living are indeed
luxurious when compared with methods
of hundred years ago. But how many
people enjoy them? What benefit does
the human family derive from rapid
transit easy communication, and mod
ern inventions that make life easier,
when they have no means to use them
or enjoy their benefits? And when
these same appliances are used not
only to benefit the few, but also to fur
ther enslave and degrade the many we
must with Goldsmith exclaim:
:" Ill fares the land, to Fastening ills
a prey,
decay
"Some years ago I made investiga-
tion of conditions in the Pennsylvania
coal fields, the same as where there is
now serious strike. When I was
ready to leave l remarked to one of the
principal owners of the mines that he
could take his coal to market and give
it away to the consumer without money
and without price, and still make
money for his stockholders and bond
holders off the profits from the sale Of
powder, provisions, clothing and rents
that he got from the people working for
him.
This statement created quite a sensa-
tion in the audience, as the source was
undoubtedly official and the conclusion
accurate.
What do we find today? We find
that soon there will be pangs of hunger
in the coal fields of Pennsylvania, be-
cause there is no sale for the coal that
is mined. We find that soon there will
be privations in Kansas and that farm
ers there, amidst most bountiful crop,
Of the very things needed to stay the
hunger in Pennsylvania, will be burn
ing corn and wheat for fuel because
they have not the means to buy coal
What is it that stands between the man
who has plenty of coal in Pennsylvania
and wants to sell it, and the man who
has plenty of food in Kansas and wants
to sell 1t? 1t is the transportation COM