The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-11-23
At the Auditorium, Jamestown
=. Exposition, Norfolk, Va,
First Day. f.
Reported Expressly for the Labor
- World By q Staff Cor
respondent.

Mr.. President and Brothers Of the
American Federation Of Labor It
gives me great pleasure as President
Of the Jamestown Exposition to well
come to it's gates your great body. All
expositions should have some great
distinctive object in veiw. Our expo
sition has BEEN chiefly historical; but
we have sought to emphasize certain
things in the building and running Of
this Exposition to be signalized as diff
ferent from anything else that has oc-
Cured in the country. We count our
selves happy in having in the celebra-
ton Of the Jamestown Exposition
signalized one great fact, that it is the
erica by union labor. We have demon
strated to the world that capital and
labor can work 41armoniously together.
I take special pride In the position
which I occupy in this Exposition in
being able to point to the world the
one. great achievement made on the
soil Of Old Virginia-the unity of
capital and labor in this great under
taking. You know Old Virginia is
always first in everything. he is like
the Irisnman, first at frolic. a. fight.
OR funeral. Mighty good qualities.
We fight sometimes down here when
some people think we ought not to
fight, and we are sometimes called
rebels Some people don't like the
word REBEL like it. The men or
the people that has not the starch
to rebel against wrong or oppression
is unworthy Of freedom. (Applause.)
My simple province is to bid
you welcome. want you 70 see this
Exposition. 1t has had a great deal
of knocking besides what the carpen-
tiers have put on it; it has had a great
deal Of hammering besides what mas
been done on these anvils: but want
you to go and look at it.. to go
through the beautiful walks and
buildings, and then when you leave
these grounds, say whether or not
this Exposition is not worthy Of the
great event which it celebrates,
worthy Of our great people and
worthy Of Old Virginia. (Applause)
Some people ask me whether we are
going to pay out, and say, "Yur Ex-
position is not a success, is it? You
are not going to pay out" Some
people have an idea that you cannot
have anything that is a success UNI
less there is a little money in. Did
you eever hear anybody ask the ques-
ton whether Abraham Lincoln died
rich or poor? :
Ibid you God speed in your work.
I trust your session may be- a. pleas
ant and profitable one,' and that
when you leave these shores you will
say 1t was good for us to have met
together in Jamestown in that Expo
sition builded by union labor and car
ried through without controversy by
| them. (Applause)
President Gompers introduced Mr..
James G.. Riddick, Mayor of the City
of Norfolk.
Mr.. Riddick said: Mr.. Chairman,
Ladies and Conference.-The City of
Norfolk today bids every laborine
man within the confines of the United
States, from Canada to the Keys, from
the Atlantic to r. the Pacific, and
every laboring man from the center
of the world to it's Outermost circum-
! ference welcome within her gates
We are glad to have yo uamong u.s.
Our city has no locks or kegs; there
! are no golden gates that open to
golden keys. We are proud to grasp
the hand of the laboring an; we
are proud to feel that you have hon
| ored us with your presence, and we
are more than glad that you are well
represented among us. Our city Is
open at all times and all hours. We
ask you to enjoy every blessing thai
We can offer.
President Gompers introduced Hon
S. r. Buxton, Mayor Of Newport
News.
Mr.. Buxton said: Mr.. President
pleasure to welcome you on behalf Of
the city of Newport News, which, In
this day of 1907, when we are talking
about birtnplaces and things Of which
we boast. I will designate as the
birthplace Of the American battleship
as supplement the words of welcome
that have been so graciously extended
by the gentlemen who have preceded
me. Your honorable president was
with us on two occasions prior to this
On one of those occasions the cities
and communities Of Underwater, Vir.
ginia, were celebrating "Tidewatei
Day." Mr.. Gompers made on that oc-
:casion one of the best addresses tt
which I have ever listened. In his
concluding remarks he took as his owr
the sentiments that are contained ir
the conclusion to toast to Vorginia
! that was given by some good Virgini.
an, and with which you are. familiar
It concluded in this way: He believed
| that that happy land the Lord had
prepared for moral man was built
eactly on the plan OF Old xVirginia
! and prayed that when his time should
come to die they would take him
back and let him lie close to where
the James goes flowing by. While,
do not know the author of that little
bit Of verse, nor from what section
Of; this commonwealth he or she may
have come, I am persuaded tina,
when those lines were penned thu
writer must have stood on the bank