The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-09-04

labor ever had. 1 speak to you as one
who has employed labor and as a labor
Ing man myself. / have been an en-
ployer of labor and 1 know what it is
TO work hard for my daily bread and
l am sure that l feel the needs of both
laborer and employer. 1t is my observa-
ton that more sympathy should exist
between them. Capital should have more
his store of wealth. Labor should cher
ish kindly feelings toward the man who
pays him wages, thus enabling him to
support his family and educate his chill
dren. But these conditions do not al
ways exist, and unfortunately the differ
enccs between labor and capital often
lead to economic warfare, to the great
injury of production, and resulting in
harm to labor or. to capital or to both.
Capital, TO gain its point resorts to
"lockouts," and labor seeks redress in
strikes. am great believer in peace
full methods. Nearly everything can be
secured in a peaceful way, and now all
realize that if we are to better the in
duStTial situation, the efforts OF labor
ard capital must be directed to a peace
full arrangement of their differences.
is advancement, ana am confident that
a great Improvement in the harmonious
adjustment Of the controversies between
capital and labor will be made in the
labor. Arbitration is the true method
of settlement, and let US hope that it
will soon be universal in the laobr world.
Another question to be settled is the
trust problem When capital organizes
for the purpose of creating a private
monopoly, or to corner the market or to
force out of business men with small
means, or to render more expensive the
food that We eat or the clothes which we
wear, it is time-to cry halt" The trust
thus formed is not only an enemy to
labor, but to free institutions as we'll
We have the trust problem and it must
be met 1T is not a partisan question:
every candidate for Office from path
master to president is against it; every
polit cal platform declares against it:
were it a partisan question I would not
mention it on this occasion. I have faith
to believe that the dangers from this
source will be successfully combated Our
ability to solve great problems has been
well demonstrated, and this question is
bar Cromwell wrote: Reform the abuses
of all professions. If there be any enc
that makes many poor to make a few
Iich, that suits not a commonwealth
Our government was organized on pr.n-
clpleS opposed to these very abuses and
we shall not at this late day decline to
heed the teachings of the past That
the trust problem is a difficult one tn
solve, nobody can deny: the states can
not control; they have different interests;
In fact, certain states encourage the for
nation OF trusts within their borders.
The federal government cannot control
It is said, on account of certain provis-
ions in the constitution. 1t seems to me.
therefore, that there is but one course
to pursue, and I will say, as I did
year ago, when addressing the labor I'M
ions of Winona: eff under our ccnsti-
tuition we cannot deal with this evil. then
let us amend our constitution"
In conclusion [ desire to congratulate
you upon the fact that labor is so gen
orally employed. The products of farm.
factory and shop find a market In all
parts of the world. The vast sums of
money, coming to our shores from these
products, make us the richest nation
on earth In view of our wonderfu1
trade expansion, a French writer pre-
diets a peaceful but Irresistible COM
EQerc1al conquest of the world.
Again congratulate you that you have
not only equality before the law. but
equality Of opportunity as well. No
other country gives its citizens such OPP
portunltfes; alexander, Caesar Charlie
magne Napoleon, established empires,
founded on force--not so with ours. The
sons of the poor have equal chances with
the sons of tie rich
In fact our greatest men have come
from the former class, notably so. Lin
COIN, Grant, Garfield; one a rail- splitter
one tanner, and one a driver on the
canaL 10 come nearer home, I call to
try with his widowed mother when onIv
SIX years old. He worked hard and pros
Pered as he should, and is now In the
United states senate, the highest office
our soil: refer to the Hon Knute Nell
son. l have in mind another boy, coming
from another foreign land, that Of
S olS, VINO mas been the architect of
and perseverance has become governor of
the great commonwealth of Minnesota.
position which ought to satisfy the
ambition of any man. It is hardly ne
cessary to say to you that I refer to the
Hon. John Lind. who is present on this
occasion. e---'
1 congratulate you on the many bene-
fetal laws placed upon our statute books.
through the efforts of your organiza-
tons, such as the factory Inspection iaw
to secure the better protection of life
ment of children in factories and mills:
laws against what Is known as the
sweating SYSTEM" laws to lessen the
hours of labor; laws to abolish company
your efforts that the movement against
convict labor coming into competition
with free labor has grown so strong.
The wards of the state, as far as possible,
tutions. should be managed in such a
manner as got to affect or come in COM
petition with free labor
This state, in making the first Monday
In September holiday devoted to labor
not only honored you, but greatly honored
itself and well may this nation too. as 1T
QoeS, mold you in the highest regard. and
| further congratulate you that you are
the hope and promise of the future of
our great republic; not only are you fight
ing and winning the battles in our com
mercial supremacy. but you are ready
to march forth under the old flag as you
and your fathers have always done in the
past, and defend the principles which
we consider as essential not only to our
own, but to the worlds progress; ready
to die, if need be, not only for the preser-
walton Of our republic, but that the i'm
mortal principles of truth, liberty, Justice
and honor may not perish from the earth.
When the programme was over the
guests Of the day left for St. Paul with
the feeling that the occasion had been
success. They so expressed themselves.