Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-09-08

(. Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentle
men: Labor day is legal holiday,
and 1t was made so because the legis-
lators thought the wage earners wor-
thy to have day specially set apart
for the consideration of themes that
concern those who toll | appreciate
the compliment paid me by the pro-
gram committee of this city in inviting
me to participate in the ceremonies of
this day, and it was gladly accepted,
because Chicago is the second city in
the union, and as labor center it is
scarcely second to any city in the
world.
If it were proper to speak from a
text, l would select passage from
Proverbs, for | know of no better one
than that furnished by the words of
Solomon when he declared that as a
man 'thinketh in his heart, so is he
This is bible doctrine; it is common
sense, and it is human experience.
We think in our hearts as well as in
our heads-out of the heart ARE the
issues of life" 1t is poor head that
cannot find plausible reason for do.
ing what the heart wants to do.
begin my speech with this, proposition
because | want to impress it upon the
minds of those who listen to me, and
upon those who read what l say to you
The labor question is more moral
than an intellectual one.
Only ToiIcrs know.
Tolstoi, the great Russian philoso
pher i'll defining the doctrine of bread
labor gives as one of the reasons in
support of it, that personal contact
with manual labor-not a recollection
of former toll, but continued acquaint
ance with it's necessary to keep one
in sympathy with those who work with
their hands He contends-and is il
not true that lack of sympathy, one
with another, is at the root of most oil
the problems of society and govern
ment.
The world is growing toward broth
erhOod. and our nation is leading the
way. There is more altruism in this
country than anywhere else in the
has been before There is more recog
milton of the kinship that exists be
tween us, more thought about the
questions which concern a common hu
mainly than at any preceding time
The labor organization is part of this
great movement of the masses toward
closer fellowship. 1t has worked won
ders in the past and its work is onl!
commenced.
The labor organization helps those
outside of it as its members because
the increased wages and improved
conditions are shared by non-unior
men as well as by union men.
Do not understand me to say that :
labor organization is perfect; ''tht
king can do no wrong" can no more be
spoken of a group than of individuals
The labor organization is composed O.
men: it's affairs are controlled by hu
man beings, and human beings are no
perfect. All that man touches is stain
ed with mans imperfections, and his
frailty can be traced through all hi;
works. But, fortunately for the labor
ing man, the judgment pronounced
against his mistakes must be tempered
by the fact that those with whom the
laboring man comes into contact are
also likely to err. When the employC
deals with the employer, he is dealing
with one of like passions with himself
Each is likely to be insistent upoI
what he believes to be right, and Iht
opinion of each as to what is right i
likely TO be colored by selfish inter
>ests and affected by incomplete infor
nation as to the facts. If the employ
has sometimes resorted to violence t.
enforce his wishes, the employer ha
sometimes employed his position t
secure an unfair share of the join
product 1t is the province of the Law
to place limitations upon both, and thu
security of our government is found il
the fact that both employer and EN-
ploye, in their calmer moments, viii