The Bolivar County Democrat., 1906-09-22

as follows
Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends and
Fellow w-Citizens-We learn from the
Declaration OF Independence that all men
are created equal. st. Augustine ad-
vanced the same idea, you will remem-
Der. in one of his essays written IN the
earlier wears of the Christian era. But
antedating both by many centuries, we
read in Genesis that Jehovah himself
had practically established this as a
fundamental and eternal principle when
he told Adam In the sweat OF thy lace
shalt thou eat bread till thou return to
the ground" The larger part of human
ity realizes that such is the case and
that labor, therefore, for this and other
reasons is highly honorable. But lest
we forget. it is eminently right and
proper that at stated intervals-cer-
tainly not less than once in every twelve
months-a day should be especially set
apart in honor OF labor and its stalwart
sons and loyal daughters.
And so, my friends. it is for this high
purpose that we are assembled here to-
day, ana feel greatly honored at hav-
ing been invited, with Others who are
distinguished gentlemen, to address you
on this interesting occasion.
| do not know, after all. that | can
suggest anything that will prove Of es-
pecial interest The laboring classes. as
they are sometimes called. including the
farmers, amount to nearly 50 per cent.
of the population of the world, and as
we all know they are its real wealth
pral,nors IN of those the
labor problem is one of transcendant inn
portance. Rivers of ink and tons OF pa
per, if | may indulge in a little hyper
bole. have been consumed in discussing
it in all OF its phases, while some of the
best men and greatest patriots and ora
tors of the ages have lifted their voices
in its behalf.
| shall not weary YOU b. entering into
anything like minute discussion OF
this interesting and important subject
| want to say, though, once for all, that
am now and have always been in favor
of labor unions ard other approved forms
of organized labor. They are the only
adequate means, in my opinion. that
haze so far been devised whereby labor
can protect itself in a lawful and prac-
teal way and organized labor, let me
say, does not ask nor desire anything
that is not fully sanctioned by the laws
of the land Indeed. with few excep-
tions, its members are not only among
the most useful, but they will be found
among the most conservative and patri-
otic of our citizens.
1t was Henry Georges belief, you will
remember, that wages constantly tend
toward minimum which will give but
bare living" Gunton has vigorously
antagonized this suggestion. 1t would
not become me, my friends, to attempt
to decide any question of this kind be
tween these able and learned writers
but | venture to say that certain
amount of selfishness is inseparable from
human nature, whether the man is EN-
ployer or employe. Perhaps, then, when
ever the laws and customs and senti
ments of country will permit (as ours
do not Just now the compulsory arbi
tration act of New Zealand, or something
similar, might be advantageously in
voked. Henry Demarest Lloyd, in ar
interesting article written several years
ago, after personal visit to New Zea.
land made for the express purpose of ex-
amining conditions there, tells us that
this law is a complete success, entirely
satisfactory to the working men, and
for the most part satisfactory to the
employers. He states. among Other
things, that there had been no strike
of any kind in New Zealand after its
adoption for period of more than five
years.
NJ Leclaire, the father of profit shar-
ing, as he is sometimes called, a practica1
philanthropist, as well as successful
business man of Paris, did much to ad-
vance the mutual interest of employer
and employe, and his system, or some
thing like it, is still advantageously used
to limited extent in this and other
countries, but it will not answer all the
exigendes of the situation. | was never
satisfied altogether with this system
nor with the efficacy of the individual
industrialism, according to ''the school
of Manchester" as it is called nor with
other eXpedients or schemes, which il
seems unnecessary to mention in detail
In short, | think as organized capital
along legitimate lines mot trusts, mark
YOU, to which | am unalterably opposed)
is necessary to meet the requirements OF
modern times and modern methods, Just
so, l think, organized labor is also a ne
cessity, and should meet with every
proper sympathy and encouragement
This done. it will prove of mutual bene-
fit to capital and labor, and will pro-
mote the best interests of the country
at large This must be so, for l hold
it automatic that no country can be
blessed with permanent and continued
mote Russia, for instance) if
its toilers, its wealth producers, its plain
people, as they are sometimes called
are in a condition bordering on penury
and want. The wise capitalist or en-
ployer then, whether he is or is not also
a good man and patriot, should from
self interest, if nothing else. be solicit
Gus in trying to promote the welfare of
the laboring man, for it is the casting
of an anchor to windward against the
storms of the present and the future.
ITO fall'n humanity, our father said
That food and bliss should not be
found unsought,
That man should labor for his daily
bread,
But not that man should sweat and
toll for naus sht."
From this fate your labor unions, my
friends, have helped to save YOU The
first organization of the kind in the
country dates back, believe, as far as
1903, but it was long after that before
any real progress was made, or any sub
stantial benefits were secured. Be-
tween 1866 and 1908, however, real
wages rose more than 100 per cent. in
most industrial callings, and more than
20 per cent. along agricultural lines.
This was owing in large measure to
the efforts of organized labor. and it is