The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-11-23

masses Of Virginia, who are .glad to
see you mere in our midst. Before I
welcome you as an organization,
want to welcome your distinguished
officers ITO Virginia. for 1 feel a pride
In having your president and your
splendid secretary here in this state.
was in Congress for years and +
wish to pay. this tribute to these two
splendid officials of the American Fed.
GRAFTON Of Labor. They have been
patriotic, unselfish. and have served
the organization actively and untiring-
ly. I am glad to have this opportunity
as a member Of Congress to pay this
tribute to them, and also as Governor
or Virginia, to say they have been. to
see me whenever labor had any rights
to be maintained or wrongs to be re-
dressed in this state. I could not have
any peace, I was chased up and down
from committee room to lobby by your
president and secretary, if a bill at
fecting labor was pending-and they
always got me.
also want to extend a cordial well
come to this splendid organization.
If there is any body Of people that
has done a great deal for the uplift-
ing Of America, for the building Of
American institutions, for the honor
and credit Of America abroad and at
home, 1t Is the American Federation
Of Labor. pass down the streets of
a city every day, and see beautiful.
gladstone little girls going to school.
When I look at them I think of the
homes they will some day preside over,
Of the future Americans who will
cluster around them, and realize that
the fact that they are going to school
instead of working in factories Is due
to the American Federation of Labor.
(Applause.) When I pass one Of those
sweet little flaxen-haired girls I give
a tribute Of gratitude and approval to
the institution that brought these
| great blessings to her and to Amer
| lea and to humanity. I go to the
laboring mans homeland I have been
there, am one of them-when go
| to that home and find comforts, when
I find leisure on the part Of the man
| to talk to his family and keep in
| touch with his children, when I find
| the hours of labor are limited so that
tshe can get some pleasure in life, give
the credit to this great organization.
| Indeed I go further. I think Of the
great future Of this country. the home
! Of the greatest race the world has
| ever seen, the amalgamation of all the
victorious white races met here. The
| Anglo Saxon, the Scoth, the Jew, the
| Irish, the Dutch, all are met here and
blended into one great race, the Am
erican the greatest and noblest race
Of all time that holds In It's hand the
destinies of the world. The races we
descended from were great races. /
know the organization and the people
who have stood as a barrier against
| the gread Of capital and refused to
| have an infusion of Oriental blood III
America are right. You have built,
not only for yourselves, not only be-
! cause you did not want competition in
labor, but you have been broad enough
| to build America for future genera
! tons. Surely an organization that
could do this, an organization that is
4 broad enough and, patriotic enough to
| build American institutions, not; for the
day, but for the future, is entitled to
g. cordial; warm loving welcome at
the birthday party given for: the cele-
bration of the foundation of this great
nation. 1 extend to you the high seat
in the synagogue here today. Take
| possession Of it.
There has been a great deal Of COM
plaint about the demands of labor. I
was In Congress for many years. and !
nave been Goevrnor of Virginia for
two years, and it has been very rare
ly that they have come to me with de-
mands that were not just. Some times
they have; for I have had labortne
men come to me with demands that
were not Just, not the organizations
but the members, and I have mad the
courage to refuse them when they
were not right: but nine times out Of
ten when the organizations make de-
mands they are just.
My friends, what makes America
great? It is not the vast fortunes
piled up here and there; it is not the
great millionaries, not the great states
men, speakers and soldiers; it is tne
myrial of happy homes dotting the
hills and valleys whose inmates are
blessed with refinement and education
They are greater than ali the armies
and navies and splendors and wealth
of the world. And America is builded
that way. The settlement here al
Jamestown three centuries ago, mark
ed the beginning of a great social re-
volution. Up to that time castle, the
privileged classes and the aristocracy
; ruled the world. Labor was servile
and to admit you were a laboring man
was to admit you were slave Of SOME
feudal lord, some king or some .aristo-
crat. But in. the forests Of America
humanity made for itself new ex-
istence. Privilege, castle, aristocracy
had no power in the wilderness. What
was needed was ability to fight saw
ages, to build homes and construct
bridges and roads, courage and ach1ve-
ment become the pass word Of success
The idle and listless drone however
nigh his station or blue his blood
had no place in the forests OF Am
erica and disappeared: Enterprise, la