The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-06-25
CANDIDATE CROSS
TO RAILROAD men
Makes a Splendid NOn-Part-
iSan Talk to IntelIi-
gent Listeners
Special to Daily Leader

Asher, o. 7, June &C. Hon. VIM
Cross a'dit ssed a large crowd here
Saturday, the occasion being picnic
given BY the brotherhood Of Locomo
tive Firs.aen. Mr.. Cross said.
Ladies', fellow citizens and mem.
bers Of the brotherhood of Locomotive
Firemen
u am glad to be present and take
part in these exercises. am not here
20 make political speech. but to add
what little can to the success Of a
non-partisan occasion.
'gt is well that the leglons Of labor
have a holiday once in a while at least.
and enjoy themselves in the spirit Of
good feeling that should run through
all classes OF unionism. II brings To-
gether, such an occasion as this one,
those who are united by common ties
Of interest and fellowship
To the railroad interests the mem.
bers OF your order are welded by a
sense OF duty and by Obligations OF EN-.
ployment. In faithfulness to your en-
ployers should come the full and
rounded measure of reward Capital
recognizes that fidelity OF employ s
means the advancement OF its own
interests. In consequence, promotion
generally comes as a result OF such a.
deity. Nor are the employers. though
they be termed soulless corporations,
always ungrateful. At intervals they
may become arrogant. but the signs Of
the times, IN my Judgment, point to
the dawn OF industrial peace. When
that sun rises. prosperity will be a
general condition in the United States.
Until it does rise there is to be no
ample golden harvest.
But while you owe duty to your
employers, you also owe a duty to
your own manhood and to those whose
sacred lives providence has intruste1
ro your keeping. To them your first
thoughts should be given; for them
you struggle, and by them your paths
are made less rough with each sue.
ceeding year Of toll In consequence
you cannot afford TO be cowardly in
making demands that are just, nor
wishy-washy where you should be
firm and unyielding. IN this republic
the dignity of labor. and the justice Of
It's cause, must be recognized or the
main pillar in the temple will totter
and fall You must not forget that
many of the great captains OF in
dustry" have come from the ranks OF
labor While some of them. since ele-
waited to power, may have forgotten
ther ow nstruggles. the majority OF
then, have no scales that must fall
fro mtheir own eyes.
Il could never see the reason for
any deadly conflict between capital
ana labor. One is dependent upon
the other They must stand, or fall
together To permit the breach TO
widen is to permit the whole nation
. TO suffer. Without labor capital
amounts TO nothing il is the soil
from which the crop Of gain is to be
harvested Il Is the foundation upon
which rests secure the none yinterests
of the country II is the depot into
which must come The train OF pros
perity II Is the engine that must pull
the cars OF capital; the lever that
must move the engine; the strong
rails over which the cars must glide
Strikes do not merely effect the
strikers and their employers They
damaee every interest In the country
Il IS a duty that both employer and
employed owe 10 the entire citizen
ship TO be upon friendly and intimate
terms. The prosperity and welfare OF
all Americans depend upon the ex
istence OF such friendship BY a
study Of the strikes OF the country
during the last twenty years, you viii
find that the striker has sucsred IN
finitely more than the employer ane
can stand IL infinitely less. The wage
loss from strikes during that period
has been 1857 sos AIS; the loss to EN-
ployers. si223S212l. making gran,
total os S3So. 5s4 500
Il would be nard 10 estimate th'
suffering and distress resulting from
such an unfortunate condition Of al
fairs and II would be equally impossi
ble 10 estimate what lasting benefits
that great amount Of money woul'
have been II il had flowed down IL