Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1904-02-12

BRYAN DEFENDS LABOR OR.
GANIzATIoNs
The following Is the account given
by the New York Tribuls Of the
scene at the. Holland socie tus banquet
1t New York, whom ". j. Bryan re-
.sponded to Jas: \. Beck's 9dsnunoia-
tion Of labor unions:
william J. Bryan cnt loose from his
set speech on "Peace'' last anight at
the Holland society dinner ats the Wal
dorf- Astoria, and in replv to#s vigor-
GUS attack made by ex-Aseistant At
torney General James II. Beck Of
Philadelphia against s the 8meuacing
and dangerous attitude Of labor lea1-
ers and labor organizations replied
in most dramatic and sensational
manner. denouncing the heads Of
stock watering concerns and men who
use money In elections to corrupt the
voters. T.
It all came at the last of the speak
ing, after Mr.. Bryan had devoted
himself for half an hour to peace
principles as exempli6ed by the es-
tablishment of the peace tribunal at
the Hague. Then, as his hearers
began to wonder if he would let Mr..
Beck's challenge 70 unnoticed, MI.
Bryan turned to Mr.. Beck, and rails
ing his voice to q pitch that swept
it through the ball room like the
breeze before storm, he said:
"When my friend here suggests q
danger from labor organizations I
wish to call attention to other and
greater dangers. Greater than any
danger that can come from organized
labors is the stock .jobbing and stock
watered organizations that plumber
the people and defy the laws of the
land. Applause. There is far less
danger from labor organizations than
there is from the use of money in
elections it's greater menace to this
country than any danger from labor
organizations. (Applause. -
II saw at Rome great arena where
centuries ago brave but helpless men
and women were led forth to- die at
the onslaught of wild beasts. They
we're early Christian martyrs. They
knelt and invoked q power. that
while it was not sufficient to save
them from annihilation, was stronger
than the legions of Rome. It was the
power Of love. I found in Russia an
apostle of peace In Russia where
there are at the command of the czar
1, 600, 900 armed soldiers, the govern.
ment of Russia will not allow the
circulation of the writings of this
man of peace.
AYE. the government will impri-
son any one found circulating his
writings, and yet the government is
not able to stop the spread of the doc
trine of peace, and this apostle Of
love is so strong that. while they
punish those who circulate his writ
ings. they do not dare to lay their
hands on the man himself.
"We cannot bring peace by attack
ing labor organizations. Give labor
organizations credit for what they
have done 70" America and American
citizenship. They have elevated the
citizenship. They have rendered the
ballot more sacred by bringing to this
country the Australian ballot. IL it
degrading for labor to ask for reduc-
tion in the hours of labor7 We love
our children and do all we can to els
vate them. If we drive the laborer from
| the bench to the bed what chHnce is
! therefor him to assist in the spiritual
and moral elevation Of his childl en-?
| Applause y
Raising his voice to it's maximum
Of vibrancy. the speaker turned to the
specially invited guests and said:
"A man who is fit to die for his
country ought to be permitted TO live
for it, &
Instantly there was a thunder of
applause by men who sprang ID their
feet and cheered and waved handker.
chiefs. Not every one got Dip. There
were many who sat with closely shut
jaws and red faces, and who looked
defiance at the speaker, just as T they
would like to have q chance 70 say
something themselves. ~
"Why not give these men the protec-
| ton that justice demands2' oontin-
ued Mr.. Bryan. "Why not :leal-:with
them az brethren? Go and seex their
children in the factories. Children
dwarfed in mind and soul. And yet
these children are made In the image
Of God, just as your children are; and
they must love them, just az you love
your own children. (Great applause
and cries of ''Thsr's right. ~ ~
Here Mr.. Bryan paused and made
as if about to stop speaking. Imme-
diately there were cries for him to go
on.
II didn't have much chance to see
you in the last campaign,'' said he.
"Ycu thought We were radical. We
were not. We simply asked for what
we thought was right. Beware the
radicals who come after us-the men
who will not be content to stop the
wrong, but who will demand that you
60 back and restore the wrong.''
This ended Mr.. Bryan's apparently
unprecedented outburst- AN outburst
doubtless prompted by Mr.. Beck e
brilliant arraignment Of what he
deemed to be an overreaching and
wicked spirit of organized labor. -
New York Tribune.
It is to be presumed that Peter, the