The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-02-26
M'FWFN PRESENTS
THE SIDE OF LABOR
State Federation Official Dis
cusses Capital, Anarchy and
Economic Conditions.
Special to The Globe.

Special to The Globe.
MANKATO, Mimi, Feb 25.-At the
Mankato theater tonight 400 people lis
tened to an address on Anarchy and
Patriotism" by w. f. McEwen, of Du-
luth, secretary treasurer Of the Min
nesota State Federation of Labor. Car
field Morrison, secretary of the Man
kato Trades and Labor Council. intro
duced the speaker, saying the great
question today was that capital was
prosperous and labor was not receiving
its proper share. The following ex-
tracts show the drift of Mr.. McEwen's
argument:
The conservatives Of today may be
the radicals of tomorrow. There is not
that We enjoy today that was not pur-
chased for us by the blood and tears
and patient suffering of the radicals.
1t is the radical who has indicated hui
mainly III every struggle. 1t is the radical
mo has stood in the van of every moral
sontiict and achieved all that is nbole
n the history of the world.
The struggle for the independence Of Ia
Dor is on. Decry it, evade it, believe it.
Juggle 1t as much as you will il is here
and whether we wish to or not we have
1t is said that he who would array
class against class in this country is
an enemy TO society. Granted. But
nevertheless, the struggle for indus
trial independence is a class struggle.
1t is struggle between the producing
ana the parasite class. 1t is a struggle
between the class that works and the
class that does not work To be can
dld my friends, it is a struggle for
the determination. as a class of the
useless ones to society. The bench the
chufch, the bar; in fact the whole fabric
rests upon the backs of the men and
women VINO toll with their hands. 1t is
ridiculous to say that capital makes la
Dor; just the contrary Is true
1 believe that in our present civiliza-
tlon the modern machinery of society is
necessary, and if controlled by Justice
no one would complain. The trouble is the
parasites make and conStrue all of the
laws; make all the regulations, and bend
everything in their own favor. AS a re-
SUIT labor Is crushed beneath a load of
injustice. Before he asserted himself the
laborer had no voice in anything and was
reduced to mere beast of burden
AS rule capital can win any strike by
protracting it. Capital needs no bread,
while labor does. But II is also true
that the victory is generally a barren
one For in few years labor comes
the disputed point is conceded. Labor
wins in the end because justice requires
II. Capital rarely suffers by recognizing
organized labor and dealing direetlv with
the unions. Only pride has suffered that
is all
What Organization Has Done.
Without organization the workingman
would be ground to atoms and he
chlldren would be made beasts of bur
oen: through organization he has AL
ready improved his condition immeas-
He who would attempt to foretell what
the ultimate end of this Industrial strug-
gre VIII be IS but an idealist Trade
unions are the weapons of TODAY Some
sort of political organization NAV he
the weapon of tomorrow, for while /
peneYe mat trade unions are absolutely
necessary for the purpose of securins
immediate economic improvements corr
pIete industrial independence can never
be fully enjoyed until the coalition be-
tween the money power and the politicians
IS severed, and this can never be accom-
plished except through the influence of
the labor class in politics.
Know that in some cases the full
rights OF the other fellow have been
overlooked, bat labor has been robbed
OF Its full rights for SO long, that it
is surprising that it has been able to be
the wrongs that 1t suffers cannot be re-
moved by one stroke. We are accused of
attempting to destroy individual liberty.
~ is not true. Trade unions protect the
Individual On the other hand the trust
capltaIS organization-destro him
Through ignorance and false leadership
iapor has IN some instances violated the
law. 1t is not general, however Every
time that 1t does occur the daily press
never fails to make mention of 1t. and the
strong arm of the law very righteousy is
brought down upon it. They lose most
who lose the friendship of the law. No
righteous cause needs to resort to lawless-
ness to gain victory With but few ex-
ceptions, wherever labor has violated the
law it has suffered ignominious defeat.
Let US profit by the experience of the past.
II Partially is shown to some violators
OF The law, let US not ask It, Let us be
content with Justice for ALL Let us not
only. demand 1t, but work necessarily
for it.
Discusses Anarchy.
Anarchy is having it's day. The educa
tlonal organizations of the working classes
are paving the way for true Democracy,
founded upon the eternal principle Of
justice. It is our organizations that are
charged most generally with being an
archlstc and we are called anarchists
Am an anarchist when / demand nv
snare OF that which 1 produce? Am l an
anarchist when ask for liberty life and
the pursuit of happiness? Am 1 an an
archlst when l demand that my children
snail nave the same rights privileges and
opportunities as are enjoyed by my neigh
practically represent the entire demands
OF labor. This is what our enemies cali
anarchy. This is what we call patrfotism
If you think that 1t is anarchy make the
most of it.
The apathy of the American peopIe is
responsible for the wholesale endowment
OF special privileges by legislative bodies
10 private parties. Most of the ronop-
olies OF this day. have been fattened on
government subsidies
While capitalism Is organizing. CEN
trallZlng and syStematizing 1T is the duty
OF the people to organize and educate
themselves. But one or two systems can
result from the remarkable industrial de
velopment of the past twenty years. il
permitted to go its full length-either
capitalistic feudalism, or a greater de-