The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1903-09-08
OBSERVANCE
OF THE DAY
Continued from page ~

| him to the end that he may act in
concert with his fellow Workmen for
only by united action can anything
be accomplished. Progress at the
| bsst is slow and tedious. for, as I
have said, the laboring man has
nothing but his hands with which to
fight his battles. while opposed to
him are the organized forces of those
who enjoy special privileges and
such privileges are the weapons used
against labor. We may elect our
candidates only to have them fall be-
fore the temptations of gold or power
out occasionally one will be found
who will remain true. and when
point is gained no backward step
need be taken.
Organized labor expects no special
privilege under the law; all it de-
mands is that those who possess
wealth shall not be permitted to use
that wealth for the purpose Of i'm
posing harsh conditions upon the man
who la5ors. All mankind has an equity
in the natural riches of the earth
and no man or corporation has a right
to monopolize those riches for the
purpose of eXacting tribute from his
less fortunate neighbor. Some peo-
pie contend that organized labor
should cOnfine it's work to securing
better hours and wages and those
things in which the laboring man has
a direct interest: but isn't the price
which man must pay for meat for
his table or oil for his lamps just as
much a matter of concern to him as
the price he receives for his labor?
! | believe it is properly within the
province of organized labor to work
| for legislative reforms along these
lines, and united action at the ballot
box is the only effective method. The
| people who are anxious to restrict
the political influence of organized
labor are those who enjoy special
privileges which they fear to lose and
special privilege for one man
means a special burden for another.
When one man enjoys the privilege
of railroad pass it means that
some other man must pay more fare
and so long as you elect men to the
legislature who accept passes and
other favors from railroads and other
corporations you will get no legisla-
ton in the interest of labor as
against the interests of the corpora
tions. The affairs of labor must be
handled by the same rules of COM
mon sense and business Judgment
and the interests of labor and of pro-
ducers generally are identical. The
farmer suffers from the same oppres-
sion that bears down the wage earn
er, and the farmer will get no relief
until they organize. Under present
farmers grain at its own price and
sells the flour to the laboring man at
a fancy figure. The trust puts into
it's pocket the profits which rightfully
belong to the farmer. and it also eX-
acts tribute from the wage Garner
who must buy the flour, and ] need
not 90 beyond this audience to prove
this assertion. The trust is able to
do this because it enjoys the priv
le@e of special rates from the rail
roads and YOU farmers and wage
carriers will get no relief until you
learn to pull together. and you vii
make no progress SO long as you
throw up your hats and. shout for on@
candidate or another Just because
the party label on the ticket pleaseS
YOU.
Much has been said in criticism
of labor unions because of violations
of law by laboring men during
t strikes. and while such violations arr
deplored by all friends of labor yol
? might as we'll hold the Catholic o
3 the Methodist church responsible 70
. the individual acts of members. as t
i hold the unions responsible for sucl
/ violations of law, for both the union
q and the churches advise obedience t.
G law.
/. AS a matter of fact the destruction
e of property and other forms of viz
f ence during strikes have been muc
l. reduced since the organization c
II unions The unions have eXerted
l. restraining influence upon member
l. and in this direction they have ben
fitted the employer as we'll as tn
wage Garner.
n. And now in conclusion. let me sa
e. that in all things pertaining to labt
Ell we should remember that justice
the foundation upon which we mus
build. for he who demands justice Il
H. himself must first render it unto OF
ers. Remember that the cause Of
Dor will be no better than it's mer
is bers. for stream rises no high
than it's source Self respect mu