The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1907-11-21

position occasionally, and WORKING
mems children were allowed to 90
semi occasionally. | remember
the growth of the several exnosi-
1ions held in various places, and
they show continued and marked
progress. In one place / saw an
exposition being arranged in which
contract convict labor entered. and
because l criticized that do not
uhlnk my stay in the town WAS
prolonged with the consent or en-
coulagement of those WHO were in
charge of the management
OF the exposition. we saw a large
measure of recognition in the eX-
position i'll Chicago, little better
recognition in San Francisco, in
Omaha, in Buffalo, in st Louis.
but 1T remained for the great
Jamestown Exposition manage
ment to have all this grand work
OF genius that existed in the minds
OF the projectors transformed into
actuallties by the brain and Drawn
OF American organized labor. And
IL was the great concern, both of
the management Of the exposition
and of organized labor that there
SEould not occur one hitch on
which opponents and critics might
find peg on which to hang their
criticism. You may 20 through
the grounds and view the BUILDINGS
from the exterior and the interior.
and you will see that they are so
artlStically construed as to make a
deep impression upon the minds of
all who visit the exposition. They
are credit to every one who had
anything to do with their designing
and construction, and the pity of
1T all is that the exposition will
soon have to be closed, perhaps
not to be re-opencd.
Today the only people, if there
be any, deprived Of any rights: the
only people, if there be any, upon
whom tyranny and wrong and in
justice are imposed, are the men
and women of labor. 1t is the
last estate i'll the development of
hnman progress upon which in
justice will be practiced. But we
have made great progress. and we
propose to make still more. If
ever a movement has been estab.
lished whose influence extends far
beyond its own membership. that
movement is the much Il bused
organized labor movement, for it
consists of such elements that its
members cannot do anything for
themselves that has not Il CORES
pending influence upon every
other working man, particularly,
and generally upon all the people.
know of no organization that
makes so little pretense Of patri-
Otism, but in which trne
patriotism prevails to such ii
large extent as in organized
labor. We want peace: we love
peace and we are working for
peace, and i'll the proposition our
working people are better organ
lied, in that degree will we secure
peace. But we are not Supine. we
are not driveling sycophants; we
know our rights-or we think we
do, and that is just as good and
we are going to stand for them.
L believe that induStri peace is
essential to our progress, almost as
essential as is air TO lung breathing
animals; but the time is passed
when the pOSSeSSorS of wealth. the
employers Of labor who consider
themselves masters, can look down
upon the labcring man who stoops
with bent shoulders and accepts
the order of the master. Labor
today stands erect looking the
whole world in the face. insisting
upon equal treatment and equal
opportunity, and reseuts any at
! tempt at injustic or wrong.
Governor Swanson. the Mayors
of the two cities, representative of
organized labor. we want to aSsure
you that we appreciate yoTr words
of welcome to Virginia more than
we can find words to express. We
/ thank you most earnestly for them.
and viii endeavOr to show by our
actions what is in our hearts, al
though we cannot adequately eN-
/ press it now. We are all grateful
and thankful for these words of
welcome. for we know and feel
they have been expressed in all
sincerity. We know they are not