The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1902-09-06
them back, the last one leaving at 10

them back, the last one leaving at 10
p. M
The main exercises were held on the
Wisconsin side Of the river and own
ers of row boats struck a. small Klon-
dixie by ferrying passengers across from
the Minnesota side. The regular ferry
was crowded to the waters edge at
each trip.
The games probably attracted more
interest than any of the other events
and some excellent work was done by
the various competitors.
At the conclusion of the races, Louis
]. Nash, of st. Paul, the orator Of the
dey: spoke.
Mr.. Nash chose for his subject The
Masses and Milnonaires." He said
in part:
1.-THE dignity of labor is a stock
phrase with those whose lot is cast in
pleasant channels and who manage to
live in '.ixurX through the labor OF
others. The men who live In palaces
have no use for those who build them
and live In ho.els. sEs.@ &. + III 1}J3*
;2sstf Read the social coliln NJ your
s q s =; :
suxolusive caterie5 Slna1e snp
your city four shundred How many
OF your wives ever spend n hundred
dollars tor ball dress and .five dollars
for a ticket to the great social func-
tion (the charity ball."(?)
Ask the 1spe1ling miners who were
denied the right to contribute to the
fund for the Pennsylvania. strikers, at
the risk Of losing their positions 1t they
did contribute, what dignity there is in
labor.
Ask the employees Of the Twin City
Street Railway company, who are COM
PEELED to forfeit their manhood by s,gn-
ing an ironclad contract not to join, a
trade union, If there Is any dignity in
labor.
Ask the lackeys who officiated at Mrs.
Vanderbilt's $4,000 entertainment two
weeks ago how dignifed they felt be-
side the billionaires and millionaires
who were in attendance. And 50 Oh
down the whole gamut Of paid en-
ployes you will find the. dignity Of
labor ar unknown quantity, the degree
Of iebasement becoming more prom
ounced with each step Of the ladder.
Have you ever noticed that the poorest
paid !ahOrers start to work earliest in
the morning. and come home latest at
night? 1t is fact, and you will find
in the words Of Brother Gompers that
If you work by the piece, or work by
the day, decreasing the hours increases
the pay
So much for the dignity Of labor
All Not Born Equal.
But we are assured by the gentlemen
of the press and of the pulpit. that all
men are created equal, and it is their
own fault If some fall in the race while
others succeed. I will admit for the
created "cual. to the extent that they
sake of argument that all men are
each count for one when born, and
there the equality stops.
Do you mean: to tell me that your
children have an equal chance in the
race with the child of Rockefeller, an
Armour, Whitney or a Carnegie? Not
bit of it.
re sense of American equality has
been lost. BY a hundred indirections
the cwner of million dollars may mul-
tiply his vote to a hundred or a thous-
anu. Hence we often hear of a mil
lion dollars eloping with a. timbleful
of brains and becoming United States
senator. Why has the doctrine of
equal rights in~the state failed to soften
the inequality of conditions between
men? y
With the creed of human brotherhood
on his lips why does our civilization
deepen the gulf between classes?
For nineteen centuries it has preach
ed from it's pulpitsx the sermon on the
mount and lived in Its marts by the
gospel Of mammon;@ its teachings and
its examples have never been, introduced
to each other; they never speak as they
pass BY. The equality, theory, outside
Of the pages of5a book. is a myth, ana
while it is being preached, cunning con-
tinues to grasp the wealth Of the world.
Fraud piles up colossal fortunes In the
hands Of q few. Corporations corrupt
the suorces Of public power. The larger
industries steadily absorb the smaller.
drivinb' increasing numebrs Of erstwhile
independent men, and women into the
dependent ranks zof wage Aearners, the
profits Of Their safning g.soing: in to- the
@:@ '...' \ Coats ia s,on !, Pase Eisht. 4