The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-09-03
DAY MARRIED
BY THE RAIN
But Nearly All Events We're
Carried Ont.
PRINCIPLES OF UNIONISM
The Subject of Rev Lawrence A. Viii
sons Address--sports at Intercity
Park-Band Concerts on the
Common.

Despite the cold rainy weather the
several Labor day celebrations that
were planned for the holiday in this
city was carried out in full although
the crowds were not what they would
have been had the weather been fair.
The speaking and band concert in the
park in this city, the field day sports at
the Intercity park and the double header
base ball game at the Rangers grounds
we're the principal attractions that took
place and considering the weather condi-
tions all were well attended. The
speaking and band concert In the park
at 2 o'clock were held under the auspi-
cea of tho Central Labor union. The
concert which was given by the Mont.
pelier Military band was much enjoyed.
A second concert was given in the even
ing
The speaker Of the day was the Rev.
Lawrence "a. Wilson. pastor Of the Con.
greaational church In Hardwick, young
man who has worked his way mp to
the ministry from a railway telegraph
operator and has had a good deal of
practical experience in unions and with
the laboring class Of people.
The speaker was introduced by James
Cruickshank who, before presenting Mr.
Wilson gave short address III which
he touched on the growth Of unionism
from its earliest start to the present
time. He said IN part "Of all holidays
established either by custom oT statute.
Labor Day is pre- e-eminently the holiday
that should appeal 10 US as workers:
More 10 to us in Barre because Of the
fact that the bill which orr state legis-
lature passed, making this legal
holiday was introduced from this city.
throughout the length and breadth Of
this great country hundreds Of thousands
OF workers today are assembled for the
purpose for which we are met here.
Continuing he said that labor through
Organization and education has vastly
improved the condition Of all the work.
efs in the last so years Before tnat
time our fathers or mandfathefs had to
work II and 10 hours dav. or from
sun to sun. From 1880 to 1865 the de-
mand for a 10 honr work day became
quite general and during that period
many conspiracy laws were enacted
whicn sent hundreds Of the ablest union
leaders to Jail; TIE militia was called
out on the slightest pretext and the 10
hour agitatoTs were denounced as an
arehists and drunken loafers Today
you win not deny that we are reaping
the benefits Of their efforts, priyntions
and punishments. TO those staunch
union sires We ought to be grateful. We,
who are working but s or . hours a
day are reaping the benefits Of mioaism,
and accepting the benefits. we ought in
return TO give to our unions in the way
Of support and good will"
Rev. Mr.. Wilson's Address.
The subject of the Rev. Mr.. Wilson's
address was "The Principles Of Union.
ism In beginning he said that when
lie was asked to deliver an address in
Barre on this subject he was con-
siderably embarrassed as he thought
that the principles Of unionism were the
hest understood here than in any other
city IN the United States. Having been
a telegraph operator he said that he was
deeply interested in the present tele-
gaphers' strike and considered that
their cause was a Just one. He said
that be used 10 have to work 10 hours
a day and sometimes 12 hours, and the
average pay of operators was St5 a
month. As an example Of the profits
Of telegraph companies he stated that
il cost the company two cents to send
a telegram TO Los Angeles from here
and they would charge you about one
dollar. lie said that the keynote Of
unionisn was brotherly love to all and
he wanted that to be the idea carried
out In his address. The union men Of
Barre he said had shown their brother
" love in sending help to the strikers
at Fair Haven. The speaker said he
was down there Just before the men
went out and had talked with them and
thought that their claims were Just.
Unionism, he declared should be the
means Of spreading universal brother
hood Men have suffered and sscri-
feed 40 that we might build up these
unions OF brotherhood. Men who try
20 break down these unions are the des-
troyers Of brotherly love. The scab
breaks up an entire union In order TO
benefit his own persoE( affairs The
closed shop is said to be denying to
men the right to work. All businesses
and professions in one way or another
are closed shop. The government pro-
tects certain goods by protective tariff,
the merchants fight the peddlcrs and
the doctors guard themselves against
the Quacls, but when the labor unions
attempt to protect themselves against
the scab and the reduction Of their
wages II is Immediately called cal
amity and an outrage
The speaker said that he believed
that minimum wage should be establish
"a an over the world. II should be de-.
tenminod Just what the lowest average
wage is Chat man can live on aad cs-
tabliah it as the minimum wnge all
over tie country. Il protects tho work
Ing men from the beating down Of wages
bv the employers.
Ia speaking of factories Ne said that
III New England there were 10000
children under the age Of t2 years
working in factories and he declared
that child labor was steadily on the in
crease in New England Men over 30
years of age are seldom found IN the