The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-12

from the man at the case. He is the last
man to get excited about any question.
He is the last man to be fooled by the
politician. You can get up a great cry
and get a whole community stirred up,
but the printer, the man at the case,
worries not; he loses no sleep"
Mr. Murdoch was followed by E. B.
Murphy, who said he thought Wichita
Typographical union, No. 14s, had accom-
plished something in its seventeen years
Of misunderstanding that would live
in the memory OF the members for many
years. 1t, the union, had made Victor
Murdoch an honorary member. That, he
said was more of an honor to the union
than to Mr.. Murdoch.
Mr. Pink Rice of Fort Scott was the
next speaker. He said he was not pre-
pared to deliver a speech, having been
too busy selling paper to other printers.
but he had been closely identified with
the printing and newspaper business in
Kansas for twenty-five years. He had
known Mr. Murdoch for number of
years but lowed" there were men in
the audience much more able than he, so
he would give way 10 them.
Col. NJ. NJ. Murdoch was the next
speaker. He told of his early career as
a typo. Il organized a union he said,
land organized a strike, too. There were
FIVE of us working and 1 was running the
hand press. The wages did not suit me,
nor any of the other boys; so we struck.
Yes, We walked out. We were out week
and the old man acceded TO our demands
Ia
men, was my first, last and only strike"
Continuing, Col Murdoch said: Il be-
lieve the time is not far distant when
the labor unions will control all the
trades; when not to be a member of
union will be TO be a social outcast. The
time is coming when labor will be ac-
corded its full share of what it pro-
duces''
The next speaker was David d. Leahy.
He said he was. in no sense of the word,
an orator; neither was he a good story
teller. About thirteen years ago 1 real
lied that ] was growing old and began
to cast about for new timber to lean
upon-something to tie to- / came to
Wichita and climbed to the top of the
Eagle building, and there my gaze fell
upon red glow, a sort of a frecllle. as it
were. at that time, but now the brightest
star in the political armament of Kan
sas-Victor Murdoch" He had believed
that the young fellow was of good stuff;
he had not been disappointed. He spoke
of the printer-the real typesetter-as he
knew him. He treasured in his memory
the many kindnesses shown him by all
the printers. He said that the most
pleasant memories of his newspaper ca
reer were of the printers. The printer.
he said, the intelligent compositor, had
always been his friend, had sworn by
him and at him. but had, nevertheless.
been his true friend. In his closing re-
marks he told a good story on a local
scribe, but it would not be fair to repeat
ii here.
Claud o. Funk, a proprietor, told of
his early printing experience and said he
was glad he had attended the smoker.
After remarks and stories by "Tommie''
Wisdom, Uncle Jesse Lawrence, John
Whiteside, Fred L. Naugle George SEN
ming, A B. Sykes and F. P. Fink, the
meeting adjourned.
This meeting marks a step In the for
ward progress of No. las. and the good
IL has done can not he estina ted