New-York tribune., 1901-01-01
LABOR GREETS NEW CYCLE
BISHOP POTTER SPEAKS AND EDWARD
MARKHAM READS A POEM.
MORE THAN TWO HUNDRED GUESTS HAVE
DINNER SERVED AT HALF A
DOLLAR A PLATE.


A dinner. served at half dollar a cover to more
than two hundred men and women at No. 10 st.
Marks Place last evening, was proclaimed as
"Labor's Greeting TO the Twentieth Century 1t
projected by the Committee of One Hundred,
which was organized to call a convention at Coop
er Union for Janua y IA and to establish in the
city a federation of labor The dining hall
decorated with palms and bunting. and the
dinner was elaborate for the monev. There were
many speakers. each of whom was limited TO ten
minutes.
Ernest H. Crosby was POSTMASTER and began
the speaking with a short address. in which he at
tackled the Ship Subsidy BILL and said that nine
tenths of the so-caed strenuous life of the pres
ent delirium tremens.
John swinton declared that the greatest thing of
the nineteenth century the Introduction of
Callahan TO Cadmus." He said he meant that labor
had learned 10 read TO think and to reason in the
century just ended. "Calaban," he said, lis try
ing to spell the biggest word in the vocabulary.
right When he finds out the meaning look out.
ye rapscallions Callahan IS staring at another
word wrong He it written everywhere.
When he gets the full meaning of that word, look
out
A. J. Boulton told of the aims of the new fedora
tion.
Bishop Potter received an ovation when he rose
to speak to tho toast. Industrial Peace" He said
the union he belonged to the Board Of Media
tion and Pacifcation He wished 70 recognize the
need of better ideal of government both political
and Industrial. Until the labor organizations were
reached what might be attempted in the way of
municipal reform would be futile The city would
have better policemen when there was the right
sentiment in the homes. Industrial peace could be
brought about by intelligence patience and ability
TO put yourself in his place" Employers and en-
ployes must understand each others wants and
difficulties
81 believe that there is no greater danger to the
life Of the future than machinery" the Bishop said.
by that do not mean to underrate the advan-
tages of machinery, but If were fastened to a
machine several hours day. I have men
fastened turning a piece of steel this way and
that way for hours. 1 should go mad"
The Bishop told OF his experience in painting a
barn in the Adirondacks several years ago. He
said he turned his back to the wife of a church
warden who walked near the barn, not because he
was ashamed to be seen in overalls but because
he was afraid to shock the woman. Then he re-
ceived a letter inquirng IL he a member of
the Painters Union OF the county, and he found
1t was heinous crime to paint barn without be-
longing TO the union. He said he had Just been
reading of the strike of the Hebrew bakers and
was informed that some of the bakers had been
Obliged to work eighteen hours day. The Bishop
wondered how people must feel to eat bread made
by other men who worked an exaggerated number
of hours. Il ask he said in closing that YOU
drink with me TO the toast our Hebrew brethren
of the Bakers UniOn-may they triumph in their
fight
Other speakers responded TO toasts as follows:
"The Hours of Labor George E Mcneil; WON
ans Economic Influence" Mrs. Frederick Nathan;
Labor in Brooklyn" John Phillips; Labor in
Manhattan" Matthew Barr The Right to Live
Henry George; Primary Reform" BARLEY J.
Wright THE Ideal of Citizenship r. Fulton Cut
ting What to Do" j. w. Sullivan: ''I.egisla-
tion," John Ford; The Peoples Unity" Joseph
BarOndess; The City of New-York" Bird S CoIer;
"Labor's Need" Michael A. Fitzgerald; Hunting
the Way" Samuel e Mofett; Laws and Their
Enforcement" Charles L. Guy, and "A Good Word
for the Nineteenth Century" John Sherwin Crosby
. Just after midnight Edwin Markham read the
following poem:
"A CENTURY POEM"
Copyright. j.. b. Lppncott s. CO.. Phladepha)
We stand here AT the end of mighty years
7AlLi, And a great great wonder rqShes on the heart
NA,h Mhe shadowy lines Of kings We're blown TO air
Through the large leisure of the centuries?
And what the end-failure victory?
10. man has laid his sceptre on the stars
And And sent sent his spell upon the continents.
sbr Silent ia as IS. GOO . publish their mystery
10 crumple up the spaces Of the world
And snatch the jewels from the flying hours
Are startled by his thunders The Worid-Powers
Crowd round TO be the laGkeys Of the king.
The Law that that was made before the words-hefore
The Law that swings ATcturHs re- @ 5iSt on the North.
And hurls the soul OF man upon the way
Unless ye build a safety for the soul?
And hooks in his incorrgible Jaws;
And yet the Perils OF the Street remain.
ean hunger and the q Wom S4e OF o's Misery eS
The heartbreak and the cry of mortal tears.
But bark. the bugles blowing the peaks;
And hark' a murmur as Of many feet,
The cry OF captains the divine alarm!
Look, the Last Son of Time comes hurrying on,
The strong young Titan OF Democracy!
With swinging step he takes the open road,
In love with the winds that beat his hairy breast
Barring his sunburnt strength TO all the world
He casts his eyes around with Jovan glance
Searches the tracks Of old Traditions; scans
With rebel heart the Book of Pedigree:
Peers into the face of Privilege and cries.
why you haltlng in the path Of man?
IL It your shoulder bears the human load?
Do you draw down the rains Of the sweet heaven
And keep the green things growing? Back
TO hell"
We know last the Future is secure;
God IL descending from Eternity,
And all things, good and evil build the road
Yes down in the thick of things, the men of greed
Are humping the inhOspitable clay
BY wOndrouS tolls the without the Dream
Led onward by "a Something unawares
Are laying the foundations of the Dream
The Kingdom OF Fraternity foretold