Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-09-08

. CONTINUED from First Paee.)
the issues of life." 1t is a poor head
that cannot find a plausible reason for
doing what the heart wants to 10
begin my speech with this PROPOSE
ton because | want to impress II upon
the minds of those who listen TO me-
and upon those who read what say
to you. The labor question Is more
moral than an int .llsctual one.
Tolstoi, the great Russian philoso
phrr. in defining the doctrine OF bread
labor" gives as one OF ,.e reasons In
support Of ii, that personal contact
with manual labor--nOt a recollection
OF former toll. but continued acQaaint'
ance with it's necessary 20 keep one
IN sympathy with those who work
with their hands. He cOntends-and
is 1t not true THAT lack OF sympathy,
enc with another. is at the root OF
most of tn. probe ms OF society and
government.
The world is growing toward
brotherhood. and our nation Is lead
ing the way. There is more altrutsm
in this country than anywhere else
in the world and NOR today than
there ever has been before. There
Is more recognition OF the kinship mat
Exists between MS. more thought anoht
the question which concern common
humanity than at any preceding tme.
The labor organization is a part OF
this great movement of the masses to-
ward closer fellowship. II has work
ed wonders In the past and its WORK
Is only commenced.
+ The labor organization helps those
outside OF 1t as well as members be-
cause the increased wages and improV-
Id conditions are shared by non-unioh
men as well as by union men.
Not Perfect.
Do not understand me to say that
a labor organization is perfect; the
king can do no wrong can no more
be spoken of a group than Of indivlu-
sals. The lalor organization is COM
posed Of men: its affairs are controlled
by human beings. and human beings
are not perfect. All that man touches
is stained with mans imperfections.
and his frailty can be traced through
all his works. But. fortunately LOT
the laboring man. the judgment pro
nounced against his mistakes must
be tempered by the fact that those
with whom III laboring man comes H.
to contact are also likely to err. When
the emplove deals with the employer.
he is dealing with one of like passions
with himself. Each is likely TO ne
insistent upon what he believes to De
right. and the opinion of each. as 10
what is right. is likely to be co'ored by
selfish interests and affected by IN
complete information as to the facts.
II the emplOve has sometimes resofted
10 violence 10 enforce his wishes. the
emDloyer has sometimes employed his
positiOn to secure an unfair share Oh
the Joint product. 1t Is the province or
the law to place limitations. upon
both. and the security OF our govern
mant is found in the fact that both EN-
Dloyer and employe. in their cafmer
moments. will JOIN in the enactment
of laws which will restrain them IN
moments OF temptation. Some a..
sumo that labor Is lawless and tha'
TO settle the labor question perma-
,neptly We need only enforce the law
vigorously. yield to none In insis-
t: nee upon obedience to the law.
Law is necessary in human society,"
and its enforcement is essential TO
.peace and order. Tat We must remedy
abuses by law IL we would insure re-
Hspect for. and obedience to. law.
tn important lesson to be learned
by the citizen in a government IKE
ours Is that the ballot is both shield
Eand swcrd-it protects him from IN
jury and enfOrces his rights.
The first thing that is. needed Tor q
better understanding OF labor ques-
tons is the recognition OF the equai
rights Of all, and. second, more inti-
mata acquaintance. We have rights
that NAV be called natural rights: they
are inherent: We have them because
we ar. human beings. The govern
ment did not bestoW them upon US
the government cannot rightfully with
draw them from US. We all come IN
to the world without our volitton: the
Of youth largely deter.
MINIS tho course Of our lives. and
this environment is not OF our choos-
ing. We live under the same moral
obligations. and are responsible to the
same Supreme Being. We have our
needs that must be supplied; We r.
quire food. clothing. shelter. compan-
ionship. We have our domestic ties.
and thu tenderness Of these ties IL
not measured by wealth or position In
society. Man has used petty disfine-
tons to separate society into diner
en-; CLASSES, bit these distinctions are
when compared with the
great similarities that unite us In
a common destiny and impel us to-
.war.i a common end.
All Linked Together.
On this day II Is well to emphasize
IN. fact that We are linked together
by ,onds which we could not break
if We would and should not weaken
II We could. II ought TO be easy TO
learn this lesson in the United states.
for here. more than anywhere else.