The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-01-19

l have about twenty cents worth of com-
 mon sense
 1 T am proud to introduce to you not
 only a good printer, but good farmer ] the largest, am glad to say, in New England" was Postmaster Lees in 1 troduction of George H. Ellis of Boston.
 He said in part:
 | The difficulty that we are now pass l ing through was originally about the question of the eight hour day rather 1 than the open shop, and in this the employees thought they were employing 1 common sense. Many of us would like
 to work for the eight hour day. But the adoption of this would result in i driving a large percentage of book and l illustrated catalogue publishers out of
 business. This is not founded on con-
 lecture but on fact. The increased per
 cent. of cost. which would be at least
 fifteen per cent, would result in much or this kind of work being done across
 the ocean,
 The objectionable feature to the clos ed shop theory is that the union offers
 its labor at a certain price, but says II you don't take it at this price you
 cannot buy 1t elsewhere. It has been said that the open shop is essential to the union. Is it? Figures show that the increase in the National Pressman's union for the past few years has been about sixty per cent.
 under a system of open shop, while that of the Typographical union has
 been no more than five per cent. under
 the closed shop rule. Is the closed shop really essential to the union?
 The present fight is being made on the line of not standing any longer the attitude of the unions expressed in Anthony Absolute's statement: T have made up my mind. and have now come to discuss the question with you.' l believe out of this will come better times for all of us. I think the unions have done good work, and I would not like to see them disrupted. But they must be cooperative, not antagonistic. The open shop principle is fairly es- tablished in most of the cities of the United States.
 The fight in New York to-day is won by the typothetae offices
 Rev. Watson L. Phillips was the next speaker. His topic was Benjamin Franklin. He said in resume:
 I am not the representative of any industrial organization, nor yet do own farm, yet 1 calm to be a work CT. I am not capable of determining IXbot fc o fof 1av a i1tct wage. But I believe the principle that is to settle this must be that of fair play and square deal. In this land of liberty everyone is free to do as he pleases so long as he does what is right and does not interfere with the rights of others.
 The toastmaster has said am to speak about Franklin. Is there any thing you don't know about your pa- tron saint? He doesn't need any eu- logy for he has reached the highest pinnacle of fame, for the United States government has put his image on its one cent stamps
 There was spirit of independence in the man that was at the bottom of Franklin's character, and if he were alive to-day, I am certain he would ap- ply that same independence in the problems with which you are grappling. Having found what was right he would stand fast to it.
 You all know he was a self-made man. He owed nothing to graft. I'm agine him head of the Standard OH or president of the Equitable Assurance society. You can't. imagine Benjamin Franklin walking in the way of the feet of the men who have climbed to high places in the financial circles of g this country.
 It Is my honor to introduce to you his excellency, Governor Roberts, who comes from city of honest insurance companies and good printers" said Mir. Lee. The governor spoke briefly on the ' history of printing in Connecticut. Ow- I ing to have to leave early Governor | Roberts was obliged to make his re- marks very short. He concluded: Now ' whether this trade can continue to ex- ist if the demands of labor continue to be made upon it is doubtful, In my mind it is a great question if we can | compete with foreign countries if la- Dor makes too strong demands for higher wages and shorter hours.