Evening journal., 1902-11-24
Mr.. MARVEL ON
TRADE UNIONS
Address Delivered at Dinner
of the Church Club of
Delaware
PEOPLE ARE THE C OVERNMENT

ISOnoniC Laws, lTaue VIII MAIN
tain Its Normal Conditions and
Equality
At the dinner OF the Church Club OF
Delaware on Thursday evening, David
T. Marvel, former judge of the State
courts, delivered an interesting hd-
dress. So many favorable comments
were heard concerning it that the
Evening Journal herewith presents il
to the readers. Mr.. Marvel said:
Mr.. president:
/ hesitate TO say anything in response
to your call after the thoughtful and
well considered addresses by the speak
ers of the evening to which we have
just listened. But l may be pardoned
IL / say a few words upon the subject
suggested and so ably handled by our
guest from New York, Mr.. Cold
Trade unions Individual initiative
interesting subjects to any American
citizen" Il has been well said that in
our intercourse With our fellow men,
certain principles OF morality are as
sumed to exist without which society
would be impossible, that certain in
herent rights lie at the foundation Of
all actions, and upon a recognition Of
them alone can free institutions be
maintained. These inherent rights have
been no more happily expressed than
in the Declaration of independence,
that new evangel Of liberty to the peo-
pie; we hold these truths TO be self
levident.' that is SO plain that their
truth is recognized upon their mere
statement; "That all men are en-
dOwed" not by edicts of emperors, OF
decrees of parliament. or acts of Con-
gress, but by their Creator, with GER
tain inalienable rights" that is. rights
which cannot be hnrtTed away OF
given away, or taken away, except in
punishment OF crime; "and that among
these are life, liberty and the pursuit
of happiness, and to secure these" not
grant them, but secure them, "gOvHn-
ments are instituted among men, de-
riving their just powers from the con
sent of the governed Among these
linhlienable rights, as proclaimed In
that great document, is the right OF
men to pursue their happiness, by
(which is meant the right to pursue any
lawful business or vocation, in any
manner not inconsistent with the equal
rights OF others, which may increase
their prosperity or develop their facul.
lies, so as to give to them their highest
lenioyment The common business ant
lcalllngs Of life, the ordinary trades
and pursuits, which are innocent In
themselves, and have been followed ir
jail communities from time immemor.
lial, must, therefore, be free in thi:
lcountry to all alike upon the same con
ldition. The right to pursue then
without let Cr hindrance. except thai
which is applied to all persons of tn,
same age, sex and condition, is a dis
tinguishing privilege Of citizens of the
4 United States, and an essential elemen
Of their freedom which they claim az
their blrthright
This, in my opinion, has developed
I'm this country a higher grade OF citi
zen than is to be found in any Other
country in the world, this IN my opin-
ion is the secret of our great industria
success, this in my opinion has been th'
chief force pushing us forward unit
we have become the first nation Of tho
lworld.
The statutes of this country. botl
national and State, seem TO show
tendency toward the restriction of thi
freedom. 1t is claimed that these en-
actments have bo,lu made in respons
to the demand of the laboring men ol
the masses. and it is reasoned there
from that labor is antagonistic to capi
tai for one. do not believe that tn
lsO-called restrictive legislation has III
lorigin because Of any real antagcnisn
Of labor to capital-or. in fact. tina
there exists any real antagonism be
twesn these two elements of the socis
Organization OF the country. Capita
ments and progress Of the labOrer a
ments and progress Of tn laborer a
labor Is essential to the remuneratfv
productiveness Of capital. An examin
alton into the economic laws and IN
legislation of the country will demon
strate that no such conflict exists II
this country.
IL would seem that a proper aggre
lgation OF capital was favorable to econ
omic production. IL has been said tha
it is the universal testimony of his
tory that the aggregation of capital il
Indispensable to modern progress, tha
} there is no phase of Industrial progres
which has taken place without it. II
those countries where the least con
centraiion of capital has occurred civi
lization is least forward and progres
most sluggish. So too, of industries
Those industries in the most advances
countries which have participated leas
in the concentration OF capital, hav
met the least progress. Their progress
has been less both in the use Of wealth
lcheapening methods and in the sOcia
effect upon the population. That there
is no phase Of industrial life anywhere
I'm any country, that does not levea
this Characteristic The industrial
world in the evolution that has been
and is going on is adjusting itself tc
this economic law. Legislatures recOg
nizing this economic law. have endeav
lored to enact laws in accord therewitf
and instead OF endeavoring to retart
the progress OF industry by restrain
of the aggregation OF capital, they have