The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1906-02-09
ROODLAED WAS REPRESENTED
SENT DELEGATES To STATE La
BOR CONVENTION AT TOPEKA
Meeting Of 400 Delegates From Over
Kansas, Representing Many
Labor Unions.

Labor Unions.
Engineer P. J. Mcbride, Conduc-
I tor Russell Goode and Fireman
! Charles Gregory returned from Tope-
4 ka Thursday morning, having attend
/ ed the annual meeting Of the State
Society Of Labor and Industry, where
a three days session, Monday, Tues
\ day and Wednesday, was held About
/ 400 delegates, representing many Ia
\ Dor unions Of the state, were in at
! tendance. Twenty delegates from
/ Kansas railroad lodges were there
/ but their representation should have
| been 12O; however, Engineer Me-
/ Bride, in speaking Of the convention,
l said it was a successful meeting, and
/ more and more the different trades
unions in the state are coming to re-
! alize the necessity of cooperative eff
/ fort In carrying forward the purposes
/ OF unions and the rights of labor Mr,
/ Mcbride, OF the legislative committee
/ OF the 3. Of L E; Russell Goode, Of
| the legislative committee OF the o, r.
/ c., and Charles Gregory, Of the leg
| islative committee Of the Is, Of L r,
/ were the delegates from GoodIand to
the labor convention.
The officers elected were:
President, Frank LivermOre, juno
ton City, a member of the railroad
trainmen's order; II. P. Miller, vice
president, Topeka; W. L A. Johnson,
state labor commissioners, secretary.
The legislative committee elected for
the state were: G. o. Van Pelt rep
resenting engine and trafnmen, Pitts
burg; Q. Z. Bramlette, mine workers,
Mineral; Q. o. Churchill, miscellan-
eOus trades, lola; Z. B. Murphy, car
penters, Topeka.
While the State Society OF Labor
and Industry is a non=partisan or
ganizatiop, its purpose is to foster the
best interests Of the workingmen in
Kansas and therefore aims to support
those men for the legislature that viii
protect them against injurious legis-
lation,
The main point pressed home to all
Of the delegates was the need Of local
organization; to amalgamate the
members Of the various trades into
one harmonious body; to have Htera-
ture printed and distributed for educa-
ton along the lines Of necessary state
legislation. The GOodland delegates
were much interested in the work Of
the convention and intend to take
steps in bringing all the labor unions
Of this city into a trades organizati ton.
The labor representatives received
a royal welcome in Topeka and were
addressed by Governor Hoch, who
made some salient remarks on labor
organization and the man who tolls.
He said:
Il am a friend Of organized labor
said the governor IT think it has
been and Will continue to be one of
the greatest factors in the upbgflding
Of our state and nation. 1t should be
the proudest boast of every Inan that
he is a laberer, either vita his head
or his hands. Feu men are the rep
resentatives Of the great class that
labor in the mines. the factories and
the shops whereby the daily exercise /
Of your Drawn and your brains you
are adding to the material, the moral
and the intellectual wealth Of this
great state
Bad Tendency.
THE best book in the world has
said that every man shall live by the
sweat OF his brow The great trouble
in this day IS that there are too many
people who are trying to live by the
sweat Of some other persons brow
There is an alarming disposition ON
the part Of many to get something
for nothing; to get a Ewing without
earning 1T One or the crying needs
Of the country is a revival sOf respect
for honest labor. There is no place
for incidence nor greed. We want
men who are workers and who by
their work contribute to the perman-
ent welfare Of the state.
"a year ago I had the great pleas
Ure and honor OF welcoming you to |
this city and this building At that
time the legislature was in session and
am sure that you are proud of tbe
record made that IN
judgment there were more seed and |
wholesome laws enacted by the last
legislature than by any other similar /
body in the history Of the state
congratulate you that the old struggle |
between capital and labor is growing |
less intense and less bitter every year.
Wise Men Are Agreeing.
Il believe that it is because the wise
men among the capitalists and the
wise men ia the ranks OF the labor
ing men are coming 70. realize mat
capital and labor arg not antaEaRistic |
forces. They are coming 70 see that |
labor cannot well get along without
capital, and that capital cannot get
along at all without labor
Il am one Of those who believe that |
any legislation looking toward a work |
ing day Of reasonable length is one
Of the best things for the co6ntry-'
think that a man can DO more work
and better work in an eight-hour day
than he can m longer hours. I be-
lieve in the old division Of time: Eight |
hours for work, eight hours for sleep |
and eight hours for play, OF to get
acquainted with your family
And just as strongly as I believe
in an eight-hOuF day do believe in /
a six-daE week. Every man owes it
to himself to rest one day in seven,
This Is not from any religious senti-
ment although the sentiment comes
from this, but on the ground OF ply
steal and moral strength. tell you
that when the avarice OF man or the
cupidity OF monopoly forces any man
to work seven days q week or lose his
job, the labor viii have received one
Of the most telling blows ever deliver
ed against it I am surprised that
labOring men and labor leaders have
not taken this matter up long ago.