Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-27
ON LABOR UNIONS
President Gompers at Rock
land, Maine.
A BIG CROWD PRESENT
EFFORT TO ORGANIZE UNIONS IN
THE STATE.
Labor Leaders Propose to Make Maine
Their battle-ground in the
Coming Campaign.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch The Star.
ROCKLAND, Me, August 26-Samuel
Gompers of Washington, president of the
American Federation of Labor, delivered
an address before one of the largest meet
ings which has ever been held here to-
night. The heads of organized labor have
been making a determined attempt to
arouse a united labor sentiment in Maine,
which has been the poorest organized state
in the Union To this end, Stuart Reid of
Chicago a representative of the American
Federation. has been in the state for sew
eral months engaged in organizing unions
in every place. 1t is stated by the heads
of the labor movement that they propose
to make Maine their battle-ground in the
coming campaign. In pursuance of this
policy Samuel Gompers has been in this
state for the past week, addressing labor
meetings at the larger cities. Thursday
he spoke a Bangor, Friday at Vinal Haven
and tonight he concluded his labors. ad-
dressing the largest meeting of his journey
at Rockland
Rockland turned out well to hear him
too. Saturday night. that night OF all
nights, when the working population is al
liberty, he took for his time, and although
in other places the meetings have been
poorly attended, here a large and enthus-
lahor's leader. Although Mr.. Gompers is
mild in delivery and his speech did not at
tempt to arraign the captains of industry
with fierceness, he made number of strik
Ing statements and defended the cause of
organized labor in sweeping terms.
Mr.. Gompers and the other heads of or
ganZed labor have in mind a great plan of
unonizing New England. and it is authori-
tatively stated that this work of Messrs.
Gompers and Reid is only the preliminary
step. The labor leader was very favorably
received in the LIMERICK city. His speech
reflects the ideas of those high in the coun-
ellis of labor.
Main Points of His Speech.
The main points of Mr. Gompers speech
were as follows:
Ever since the world began men had tyS-
annized over each other. Some were strong
and some were weak. Even within the life
time of those now living this had been done
to greater or less degree, but the men and
women workers Of the world were rising.
They want more of the wealth which they
produce. To be sure, he said, when they
got what they were after, they would
want still more. Some interests show a de-
sire to crush out the spirit and strength OF
labor unions-the desire of the working peo-
pie for a higher and better life To those
who desire to crush out the spirit and lib
erty Of the people 1t may only be said that
they have begun too late. If the best
suits in the intellectual growth of children
are to be assured must begin with the
grandparents. Those who wish to promote
this feeling should have begun with the
grandparents.
Why People Are Trades Unionists.
The people of the United States are trades
unionists because of the rights enjoy.
Do they think that by crushing out the
American Federation of Labor they can
crush out the desire for right, justice and
higher and better life?
In Russia, we have the example of rights
denied to the people. The people have no
free speech, no free press no free meet
ings. What does the wealth of their OPP
prssors bring to them but curse?
1t is the purpose of unionism to make
the guide of the people that great magma
charta the Declaration of Independence. 1t
Is not its purpose to harangue against ac
cumuated wealth. People do not like to
be called from bed at night by the sound
ing of the fire alarm, but they would rather
be called out than roasted In their beds.
The labor organizer does not make condi
tons. They are already there. He does,
however, sound the alarm against condi-
tons that the workers may arouse
themselves. There are certain people who
would pray for the working people at least
five minutes out of the week and sit on
them the rest. Are the Astors, the Van
deroilts, the Rockefe!ers or "Fellers" by
any other names interested in preserving
the freedom and principles of the coun-
ducers who always have been, and always
will be- forced to fight for their liberties
that interested in that freedom and
those principles.
Legislatures and Courts.
Legislatures and courts have been SO
ccurted paid and bought that they have
proven themselves incapable of dealing with
accumulated wealth. 1t has remained for
trades unionists alone to bring corpora
tons to a realization that there is a power
worthy of their attention and with which
they must deal And the labor unions
ask no favorS, but do demand that justice
shall be meted out. to US.
Men in associated efforts are judged by
their best efforts. Nobody thinks of judging
the work of the churches by the hypocrites.
Speak of trades unions and those concern
ed are judged, not by the good they have
done or propose to do but by the popular
idea of the staggering walking delegates.
A few of the organizers are not what they
ought to be, but as a class, man for man,
there are no better meE in any profession.
no calling excepted.
Only one little feature of the good done
by the unions is the doing away of the
working of women in the mines where,
stripped to the waist, they performed work
which is now done by mules Had we done
nothing else than to rescue women and
children out of the clutches of these mon
sters who know no good but the almighty
dollar, then we should have justified our
existence
Strikes are q deplorable calamity. The
best way to avoid them is to be organized
and prepared fer strikes. The best organ
lied have the least occasion to strike. The
labor movement is constructive, not de-
Structive. We have learned the lesson of
unity and also the new proverb, Thou
shall not take thy neighbours job