The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1905-04-20

majority Of this board II dstsrmlned;
stili It IL my duty to make the attempt.
II, however, no one who hears me y
persuaded by my words, shall not
have spoken In vain IL the record OF
this days work be made perfectly un-
mistakable. I intend that no man In
this room shall be able to say here
after that he did not fully understand
what he was doing. propose to flx
the responsibility Of each and every
vote cast to-day, so there may be no
possibility of error or escape. For
more than is years have been an en-
have conscientiously worked to i'm
prove the condition Of the wage-earners
under my personal control. cannot
claim to have accomplished any lasting
result, but have learned something
from my failures. II is only since I
became connected with this company,
however, that /"
"Is this from the advance sheets Of
your biography" interrupted Mr..
Trundell. "If so, It seems a pity TO
anticipate what we shall all doubtless
read with pleasure"
Kennard turned like flash upon the
speaker, but checked a retort and
merely gazed at him in silence for a
moment.
are too important for me to be dis
turbed by any personalities. and they
cannot be disposed of by ridicule. IT,
however, cannot speak here without
interruption, may have to seek lar
ger audience, from which shall un-
questionably receive proper attention"
He paused, but Mr.. Trundell merely
smiled.
"The condition of this company is
we'll known to every director" he con-
tinued. at is making money-more
than fair commercial return upon a
large capitalization representing good
will and other Intangible assets. You
know by what economies this has been
made possible. II has been effected
by the substitution of cooperation for
competition, and by the concentration
Of capital. This company is merely
typical of any we'll organized and con-
Quoted enterprise based on similar
lines. Everywhere capital is combin-
ing to secure like results. But II you
have watched this movement at all,
| you must also be aware that labor is
forming in more solid ranks than
were ever seen before in this or any
other country. Why? Because the
wage-earner of to-day can understand
the benefits of cooperation Just as
well as you can, and is alive to the dan
ger of isolation in this age of union.
He is not only better informed than
heretofore; he is aware that intelli-
gent cooperation means power, and
he Is becoming more powerful. Do you
not see the suggestiveness of this con-
centration Of capital on the one hand
and this national uniting of the rank
and file on the other? Do you not re-
alize how, all unconsciously, the cap
italists Of this country are playing into
the hands Of the socialists? You do
not like socialistic ideas? Very well.
The movement already started cannot
be stopped, but It can be controlled, II
can be guided, and II is for us to de-
termine now whether we will direct II
or let others do so. A little later the
privilege may be taken out of our
hands. The wage-earners of this coun-
try are to-day politically. socially and
economically the minority, but tell
you they are multitudinous minority
Of unsuspected powers.
"You may tell me that the so-called
working-classes have obtained their
share Of every economic benefit the
world has ever seen. admit they
have obtained q large share after
| fighting and suffering But the time
| Is coming. IL II is not now at hand.
| when wider concessions must be made
and a more equitable basis agreed
upon. You may say this situation is
being met, and that reasonable conces-
sions are freely made. could point
out dozen strikes within year
caused by opposing the march Of pro-
gress. In some cases the opposition
was honorable, in others dishonorable;
but in every instance 1t was ignorant"
"Rot!"
Mr.. Trundell addressed this COM
| meUt 10 T1dTNutSS, anu OIu HOt iOON
up as Kennard paused. When the ST.
lence continued. however, he turned
impatiently to the speaker
"Oh, go on-go on" he burst out,
angrily opening and shutting his
watch-case as he spoke. III we have
TO endure this, let's get through with.
It as soon as possible"
Kennard gazed contemptuously at
his interrupter.
Ignorant obstruction Of this or any
other kind is not only useless" he con-
tinued calmly, II tell you It is useless
and dangerous. The wage-earner Of
this country is determined to have a
fairer return for his labor than he has
ever received before-a fairer return
in money, in manner Of working, in
manner Of living. The problem Of how
this Is to be brought about will be
solved in this country, first, because
these United States are destined to
become the ruling power of the world.
commercially and politically, and, Sec
ond, because the genius of the people Is
equal to the magnitude of the questions
involved. Then why worry about
them? Because we must either meet
the issues or be brought to them. We