The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-08
President of Federation of Labor
 Talks of Unions
FOXES FUN AT MIR PARRY
Says President of Manufacturers May Yet Decide There Is Something to Arbltrate-Individual Work
 men Are Helpless.

Indianapolis Ind, September 1.-The
 Labor day parade this morning was the
 largest ever seen in this city, over two
 hours being required to pass Many vis-
 iting delegations were here from neigh
 boring cities and towns. The address of
 the day was delivered this afternoon by
 Samuel Gompers, president of the Amer
 lean Federation of Labor. In the address
 to 15.O0O persons at the fair grounds, he
 said
 Gompers Address
 "I ask every thoughtful man and
 woman within the sound of my voice. I
 ask any one who may, perhaps. have the
 opportunity of repeating what l may say
 this afternon, how can a workman, an
 individual workman. act upon his own
 initiative, and from his own volition:
 Where can he act as individual to try
 and secure improvement in his condition.
 much less protection against a great cor
 poratlon?
 Some may say the working men lose
 their Individuality when they join union
 of labor. In truth, the working man has
 lost his individuality just as soon he
 enters one of our great modern industrial
 plants. The old idea, even among the bus-
 mess men, that competition is the life of
 industry is no longer held as an econom-
 ieal tenet; it is no longer believed and de-
 clared by men who know the trend of
 events in the development of industry.
 They believe that competition Is today the
 death of the trader
 Strike a Disagreement. "A strike Is nothing more or less than | a disagreement between the employer and l his workmen about continuing industry
 upon an old agreement And strikes are
 diminishing in numbers in spite of what l our opponents say We stand for arbi- | tration and we pin our faith to it, but we believe that as nations mHst.l2e sStronE i in order to have fair arbitration and to
 secure fair treatment from other nations. l so must the working people be organized and prepared to defend their interests if l they want cOnciliation and arbitration | from the other side"
 l President Gompers then turned his att tenton to D. M. Parry. president of the National Manufacturers association, and devoted the remainder of his address to
 MT. Parry's opposition He said MT. Parry
 had constituted himself the savior of so-
 ciety and civilization. His references to
 MT. Parry were on the standpoint of rid icule.
 Said he in closing:
 Results Obtained. "A strike may bring about strife and | discord but as soon as 1t is done, better l feelings are engendered and mutual re- | spect Is brought about. l don't think I
 would care to have strike in MT. Parry's | factories but l don't believe in an un- | mixed evil for he might learn the lesson
 that MT Baer has learned-that there is l arl,it n diepfIga n
 cede From what l learn the wages 1 paid by MT. Parry are less than paid by l, any fair establishment in the same line of business in the whole country. "Organized labor has no feeling against | MT Parry It has no designs against his 1 life, his children or the safety of his prop 1 erty. He Is as safe from labor as is Pres 1 ident Roosevelt.
 As to Parry. "I have never as yet challenged MT.
 Parry to joint debate, but l say l will | challenge him to a debate on the labor | question and the labor movement not | necessarily before great public gather | Ing, although l will do that if it please | him. but I am willing to meet him in de- | bate before any economic association that | he may select 1 will meet him before the l Indianapolis Ministerial association, or 1 the Manufacturers association, or that or | any city in America. 1 challenge him to | submit the report that he prepared for | the last convention at New Orleans to | the next convention of the Manufacturers | association and ask the convention to en- | dorse all he said in that report He knows that the National Manufacturers
 association will not be committed to such an unjustifiable and unreasonable attack on organized labor"
 At Co,umbus, Ga.
 Columbus, Ga September 7-Labor day
 celebration here today was the most 1 elaborate ever held in this city All busi-
 ness was suspended for the entire day. l Thousands of the laboring people hocked | to the parks where elaborate programmes were carried out. There was a large | shoot at the grounds of the Columbus | Gun club. there being participants from all of the leading cities of Georgia and Alabama
 At Chattanooga. Chattanooga. September 7-Labor day
 was observed here with great eclat under
 the auspices of the Central Labor union. In the morning there was monster ps-
 rade which was witnessed by at least 15, 900 people. In the afternoon there were
 games and amusements at Olympia park. mass meeting was also held there, and Joseph Vasey, prominent United Mine Worker. delivered an address. At Little Rock. 
 Little Rock. September 7-Labor day | was celebrated in Little Rock and all the | largest towns in the state today under | the new state law. declaring it a public l holiday. Three thousand wage earners
 were in the parade here today At New York. New York September 7.-Condtions | were never better than today for the I celebration of Labor Day. clear skies and l cool breezes giving ideal weather for | parades. excursions and other outing recreation.
 Several large political outings were ar ranged for the day and there were many | special events on the athletic programme. The central feature of rhe celebration in | this city was the parade which took place | this morning, representatives of the unions in the board of building trades and some of the outside unions marching -~>-~-~~--~-~----~~--~---~- -~-->---~-~-------~----