The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-13
JUBILEE OVER OSCAR STRAUS.
Civic Federation TickIed At Having One OF
its Members in the Cabinet.

stAVh hhtNNNu ~ W O"~
Its Members I'm the Cabinet.
The annual dinner of the National Civic
Federation, held last evening at the Park
Avenue Hotel, turned out to be more or
less Of a jubiIation over the selection of one
of the declarations most prominent men,
bers, Oscar s. Straus, to be the mex Secre-
tary Of Commerce and Labor.
Mr.. Straus presided as POSTMASTER,
and himself introduced the subject by
saying:
ever qualifications | may possess for
the department for which | have been named
! owe them principally to the training | have
received as a member of the Federation, in
coming in contact with the great leaders OF
the industrial forces of this country. A great
labor leader said to me this evening: When
you have taken up your new position we can
feel that we can come freely before you be-
cause you understand us and we understand
You"
Now this is no compliment TO me but it is
a tribute to the work of this organization.
| am sure that nine-tenths Of our labor
troubles result from misunderstanding, and
l feel that capital and labor have by this
organiZat ion been brought closer together
than they have ever been before. / was told
the other day that we shall never be able to
sat isfy labor. THANK God for II, forthe desire
to benefit ones condit on is the basis of our
civilization. When that desire is dead
civilization Ia dead. Healthy dissatisfaction
is the basis Of our prosperity.
Now my condition at present il a good
deal like that Of Mahomet's coffin. ! am
floating between Washington and New York
and not permanently attached to either city.
but l have the distinction OF possessing a
high Office without having any OF it respon-
sibilities. | shall owe that ofice to you.
gentlemen of the federation. and l promise
that with the help OF God l will discharge
it's duties with absolute impartiality.
Edwin Markham talked about child labor
and said that the best thing for children
was to nave their lives made up of a little
work, a little play and a little school.
After DR.. j. s.. Wainwright Of Scranton
had finished he had almost persuaded his
hearers to throw up all their jobs and be-
come coal miners. DR.. Wainwright is sta
toned in a hospital that looks after the
Lackawanna miners and he said that his
town of scranton had suffered terrible
things at the hands OF what the miners
| call A~soakiologists.' These persons came
10 Scranton, stayed over a train and then
went away and wrote ISLANDERS about the
miners and their condition.
DIR. Wainwright declared that the coal
district was a happy and healthful one,
despite the "soakiologists," and quoted sta
| tistics TO show that the average life OF the
miner was longer h that OF most manual
WOTkeES. Tic HuIC was SbuANy wiz
| and public spirited and would be a credit
to any community.
~Why," said he, Il know a miner 90 years
old who has spent sixty-two years working
in the mines and / would be glad to back
him for a ten round go with rs per cent. OF
the people in this room"
'Dr. Wainwright said that Mr.. Markham
had written an article in which he said
that in the mining districts children died
faster than in the worst of the city slums.
~ - -..NA 80 WEAaVn that SnEnn-
toms infant mortality was far lower than
New York's n BOston's.
Nov" said he, Il want Mr.. Markham to
prove what he said tonight or retract IL
tonight
Mr.. Markham retorted by leaving the
roon..
Archbishop Ireland said that the fedora
ton was ? really wonderful institution, and
added:
I am happy when we can sead to the Cabinet
such a good and great man as Oscar Straus.
When the workmen find that their employers
are thinking of their happiness and their
health they will realize better than ever before
that they are really brothers and fellow
citizens.
believe that only in America would such
an institution be possible. and | am proud
of my country because of IL, and l see here
the great generals OF the civiliZing powers
| that will spread around the globe and lift
America before the world as the beacon light
OF the truest civilization.
Il am proud when l hear OF great fortunes
in this country. because many Of the men
Who have made them have risen from utter
obscurity and IL shows that this is the land Of
onportunty. Not that | would have these
great fortunes exercise their power to despOil
others OF opportunity or absorb life and
liberty. Let the rich remember that they are
trustees and let those who have less never
forget that the doors of opportunity are al
ways open to them.
Archbishop Ireland was followed by
ex-Mayor Low, NJ. f.. ingalls,, Rabbi Stephen
s.. Wise and Samuel Gompers, who spoke
briefly OF the work the federation had ac-
-----lL.kal In Ahn Gold Of lnhnr