The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-11-03
CHICAGO EMPLOYERS
REBUKE VAN CLEAVE
President of National Citizens AL
lance Is Set Down on Hard
BY Fellows.
His Speech Was Crushed Because
It Was Considered Too
Fiery and Illogical.

AeIy duO x44O&lCd4.
The st. Louis Dispatch contain
ed the following special from Chicago
on the 18th Of October:
"A stirring address against DEM
agogy, labor and its leaders, by James
w. Van Cleave. president of the Cit
liens Industrial Alliance, of St. Louis.
and also of the National Association Of
Manufacturers, was designed to have
electrified the national body polite
this morning. 1t was to have been de-
livered at the banquet of the National
Association of Agricultural Implement
and Vehicle Manufacturers at the
auditorium last night and then sent
broadcast over the country.
But the executive committee which
had charge Of the banquet at the last
minute decided that the speech was
too fiery for the occasion. explain ed
to those who wondered at Mr.. Can
Cleave's delinquency that he had a
sore throat and he will be compelled
to deliver the speech On some other
occasion If it Is to become factor
in the present national campaign.
when the street car strike was on
IN st. Louis Mr.. Van Cleave led the
posse comltatus which broke that la
Dor effort, and ever since then he has
borne the honorary title of Colonel.
His name did not appear on the en-
graved programme of last nights
banquet and he acauiesced gracefully
in the censorship of the executive
committee. he being member OF that
body. He sat at the speakers table
during the banquet.
women were present at the ban
quet and In discussing the merits of
the speech 1T was tactfully explained
that it might not be interesting to
them. Mr.. an Cleave, however, de-
clared that his remarks will appeal to
all thinking men-women, too-and
that he will deliver it elsewhere,
probably in Boston, in a few days.
II think my speech would have been
more interesting to the women than
some of the efforts they heard to-
night, he declared after the banquet
"Eever since his fight with organiz-
ed labor in St. Louis Mr.. Van Cleave
has had the spirit, and since succeed
ing David H. Parry, Of Indianapolis.
as president Of the association, he has
considered 1t his duty to speak against
what he terms the craze of dem
agogy.'
He considers William ]. Bryan,
Samuel Gompers, William H. Hearst,
Eugene ", Debs and a few minor ones
as the high priests Of the govern
ment. His remarks framed for last
night were to have been directed at
them. Against the Bryan doctrine OF
government ownership of railroads
troll, and he could not refrain from
unof4lcially lambasting it after the
banquet was over
"'Mr. Bryan talks about government
ownership like the dreamer that he
is,' he declared. He does not stop
to think that in order to have gov
ernment ownership the country must
be saddled with debt of $16,0os,o0O,-
900, an amount almost equal to the
national debts of Europe.
ITO many speakers make the cry
for the common people merely to raise
a cheer. Why, one Of the speakers
here this evening shouted that the rail.
roads belong to the people. He did not
get any applause for that statement
for the men he was talking to were
thinking men and not a street crowd
to cheer every attack on capital. That
speaker should know that widows
orphans and children are to large
degree owners Of the railroads stocks
my speech was designed to be {
logical and sensible talk to business
men-to fellow manufacturers. 1t wa!
a reply to this class agitation against
capital and the employer. I spent {
lot Of time on the speech and three
Is some valuable information In 1t
showing the fallacy Of the doctrines o
these demagogues.
when I came here to deliver it
did not expect any women would b(
present at the banquet. 1t was con
sidered too serious for them"
Poor Van Cleave.