The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-09-03
BRYAN SPEAKS
To WORKINCMEN
Democratic Candidate For Pres
ident Delivers Address
At the Labor Day Celebration
in Chicago.
TRIBUTE TO LABOR.
Says Those Who Enjoy the
Fruits of Honest Toll
Should Not Despise Those Who
Minister to Their Wants.

Chicago, Sept. s.-William J. Bryan
addressed the workingmen at the Labor
Day celebration today as follows:
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: I
am greatly obliged to the committee for
the invitation which enables me to par
at this place This day has been wisely
set apart by law to emphasize the dignity
subjects which especially affect the inter-
ests of the wage Garner The laboring
men constitute SO large and so tndispen-
sable a. proportion of the population that
no social, economic or political question
can be treated without an investigation OF
their connection herewith But there are
some questions which touch them 1mmed-
lately while others only operate upon them
in a general way.
The first thing to be considered is the
Iaoor1ng mans ambition; what are ms
aims and his purposes; for what IS ne
striving2 The animal needs only food and
shelter, because he has nothing but a
pody TO care Tor; but man wants are
more numerous. The animal complains
when it is hungry, and is contented when
the image of his Creator. is a three-fold
being and must develop the head and the
isfied with mere physical existence; neith-
er will he be content unless all avenues Of
advancement are open to him His posi-
bilities must be unlimited as his aspira-
tions.
In other countries and other civiliza-
tions, men have been condemned by birth
to a particular occupation, place OF caste;
in this country each man. however or
wherever born. can strive for the highest
rewards in business, state or church, and
these avenues of advancement must be
No civilization can be considered perfect
which does not plant a hope in the breast
of every child born into the world; the
nearer we approach to this ideal. the bet
ter is our civilization Those who COM
plain of existing conditions, can not be put
aside as disturbers of the peace To seek
a remedy for every abuse of government
systems and then frown down all criti-
cisms. There should be no antagonism be-
pations, and there will be none when all
recognize the mutual obligations which
are due between citizens Our desire
should be, not to separate the people into
warning factions, but to bring them into
better acquaintance and greater sympathy
with each other. The enmity which the
poor sometimes feel toward the rich and
the contempt which the rich sometimes
manifest toward the poor would be avoid
ed If each knew the other better and both
were content To be guided by the strict
The extremes of society are really not
as far apart as they appear Those who
government, be employers in few years,
and the sons of those who are employers
today may IN a short time be day labor
ers- Since no one can save posterfty from
the evil effects of a bad law, all should
strive Tor legislation which will protect
each citizen in his rights ard in the en-
1oyment of the fruits of his own genius,
his own industry and his own integrity.
It is of advantage to the rich as well as
to the poor that the children of all have.
an opportunity to secure an educa ton:
for education widens the individuals hori-
zon. increases his capacity for usefulness
multiplies his enjoyments and makes him
in every way more serviceable to society.
Victor Hugo has described the mob as the
well-to-do have a selfish interest. and
should feel a moral concern in removing
misery is lessened the security of property
Is increased; human life is protected in
pr9PortlqPn T2se IP115 as happiness nap Is promoted
supplied table forget the man whose toll
nv he fro
the man whose labor in the forests or in
should the man clad in the sbest products
of the loom, forget the man whose cal
loused hands make fine clothing possible?
Both the consumer and the producer
comes first in point of time and in point
of importance. Shall the rosebud, bloom
on the air, despise the roots of the bush
because they come into actual contact
the roots and a second bud viii appear as
beautiful and as fragrant the first; but
perish. '7-- wal
How can the wage Garner secure that
share of the earth's bounties and the
governments protection which he de-
serveS2 The associations formed by work
ing men have been productive of much
good.
The labor organizations, as we now find
It, is the product of industrial conditions
The individual found himself at a disad-
vantage when dealing with the corporate
enables him to contend for his rights upon
terms more nearly equal, but it stimulates
MIN TO study and understand the cOndi-
tons which surround him.
The labor organization. as we now find
most in advocating the reforms which
- have already been secured Several wears
ago the secret ballot was demanded by
the wage earners for their own protection
That ballot has been obtained and through
It's operations those who toll for fndivid-
uals or corporations are able to protect
their political rights and to use the bal
lot according to their own Judgments
This is a long step in advance.
The labor organization has done much
n ODP
can visit the factories where children are
employed without cOnternpla ting the crime
which Is being perpetrated upon poster
advantage in the employment of children
OF tender age, 1t is insignificant when
measured against the permanent injury
done to present and future generations
To rob q child of its school days is bad
enough, but to bend its back bv a load
for which only the adult is fitted is even
worse.
The labor organization has also contri
huted toward the shortening of the hours
of toll. and it should not cease its e'ffoTfs
until the eight-hour day is secured Ap-
proXlmatety one-thlrd OF the twenty-four
hours must be given to sleep; If another
third of the day is devoted to manual
labor, only eight hours are left for eating
for going to and from the place of work
tai Improvement, recreation. social inter
course and domestic life. Since the hours
occupied in eating and travel can not be
encroached upon, every hour added TO the
days labor must be taken from the time
devoted TO intellectual DEVELOPMENT re-
creation and the family.
me laDor organl1a tlon fgts foeen a con-
sistent and persistent endofser Of the doc
tr1ne of arbitration, although it is difficult
to see why the burden of this reform
should be thrown upon the laboring man
comDrehensive view of his own interests,