The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-04-14
President Parry of the National As
ISOLATION of Manufacturers
Is Emphatic.
He Tells of the Work of Defeating
Semi-Sociaistic' Measures
in Congress.
Chicago Union-Ridden City-An-
nual Convention of the Man.
ufacturers.

ASSOCIATION or Manufacturers, represent
ing hundreds Of millions of invested Amer
lean capital, began at Tulane hall to-day
what promised to be the most important
annual convention in the history of this
organization
The open and avowed hostility Of Pres
ldent u. M. Parry towards the methods of
organized labor has attracted wide atten-
ton and the largely increased delegate
representation from the various manufac-
turing states of the north was declared by
the members to be largely due to the in
terest taken by the members in the labor
question. .-.~
Large delegations from the eastern and
New England states arrived Sunday and
yesterday and the special train bearing
representatives of the middle states section
came In this morning with President Par
ry and other officers of the association
Immediately upon the arrival of the train
the delegates gathered at Tulane hall on
University place, where James w. Porch,
vice president Of Louisiana called the con-
VentiOn to order.
Mayor Paudeville of New Orleans and
Governor w. w. Heard welcomed the dele
gates and PRESIDENT Parry responded.
linen the convention began it's work
with the reading of the presidents an
nual report. The report follows:
Mr.. Parry Has His Ak.
After calling attention to the marked
growth of the National Association of
Manufacturers, which now has over twen-E
ty-one hundred members on its roll, Mr.
Parry Immediately took up the question
OF the battle between the manufacturers
and organized labor in connection with
the eight-hour and anti-conspiracy bills
which were defeated at the last session OF
congress. Referring to this contest, Mr..
Parry said:
1.-THE mere defeating of these two bills
does not tell the story. What was done
hot 1I,
reaching, was to give an Opportune check
to socialistic impulse. 1t is impossible to
hide our eyes to the fact that a large mass
of the people, forgetful of the liberties
and blessings they now enjoy, are with
restless ardor striving to force the nation
to what must eventually mean industrial
disaster, if not anarchy and despotism.
"OrganEed labor, an army presumably
two million strong, feeling its strength
and exulting over many victories it had
won, concluded last winter that the. time
was ripe to make congress engraft upon
the statute books of the nation its spr1gs
| OF socialism,, legalizing those denials of
Individual rights which it has heretofore
Isought to enjoin by force. 1t drew up
and fathered the eight-hour and anti
| injunction bills, the former of which could
well have been entitled An act to repeal
the bill of rights guaranteeing the free
dom Of the individual" and the latter
should have been termed "A bill to legal
ize strikes and boycotts.'e
1.-The introduction in congress Of such
measures as these and the support they,
received there and from the press and pub
| lie, can only be regarded as omfnous man
| ifestations Of the deep seated power Of
an organization which in late years has
had such an insiduous growth that we find
! 1t dominating to a dangerous degree the
whole social, political and governmental
system of the nation. Who can take note
of the hundreds of strikes of the last year,
of the many acts Of aggression and ruth
less violation Of the principles heretofore
held dear by the American people, Of the
subservient and apologetic tone Of many
newspapers and public men towards those
things, and also Of the all too prevalent
antagonism toward capital without be-
ing impressed with the gravity Of the sit
uation? If organized labor had succeeded
in getting it's two bills enacted into law,
more measures. Of similar character
would have followed close upon the heels,
and we should have found socialism steal
| ing upon us at a rapid rate.
| ut is well that those who would revo-
llutionize the social order. should at the
very inception of their national program
meet with organized resistance, and 1t was
fortunate that there was an association
strong enough to checkmate the influence
of organized labor this last winter, and
that at a. time when, in the full plenitude
of it's power, it seemed certain to succeed.
This conf1ct-and it was a conflict, and a
very n1omentous one-deserves to go down
in history as the first decisive defeat Of
the socialistic forces which have. of late
years had such surprising growth.
."On the institution Of organized labor
as at present conducted the people, firm
lily believe, will place their stamp OF dig
approval, and 1t will dwinde in power
faster than it grew. Perhaps a new form
of unionism will take its place. benef-
cent unionism-for the right Of the work
men to organize within the spirit Of the
federal constitution is not to be disputed.
The employers Of this country have no
Quarrel with the men who work for them,
considered as Individuals. The welfare OF
those who toll in our factories calls for
our most earnest consideration. But what
we must protest against is the unwarrant-
able usurpation of rights and the disas-
trous industrial policy which character
ICES them in their present associated ca
opacity.
"Organized labor knows but one law.
and that is the law of physical force.
the law of the Huns and Vandals the law
of the savage. All it's purposes are ac-
complished either by actual force or by
the threat Of force. 1t does not place
it's reliance in reason and justice but In
strikes. @boycotts and coercion. 1t Is, IN
, all essential features a. mob power, know
ing no master except its own will, and Is
| continually COnQeElHlIiS VI RuelSiHS tuC
constituted authorities.
ut has not hesitated to resort to vio-
!. lence and the destruction of property to
, compel the acceptance Of its demands.
: It's history is stained with blood and ruin
Many man whose only fault was that
: he stood upon his rights, has been made
Ito suffer outrage and even death. and
many an employer has been brought face
. to face with financial ruin.
-"Composed as it is of men of muscle.
!. rather than the men of intelligence, and
= commanded by leaders who are at heart
disciples of revolution, it is not strange
that organized labor stands for principles
Z that are in direct conflict with the natural
laws of economics. It's first great princi-
!. pie is that an arbitrary division of the
p production would be better than the d.
4 vision regulated by natural law. provided,
!. however that 1t can dictate what this
!; division shall be. 1t says to capital ard to
n mental and unorganized labor:
i 1--WE shall take this proportion Of the
e product of human industry and you may
7 have the balance. II you do not agree to
this arrangement you are unfair" you