The Washington herald., 1908-05-11

With services solemn and impressive,
organized labor Of the District yesterday
hcnored the memories of its brethren who
were called forever from the ranks during
the past year
The exercises were held in the audi
torium of Typographical Temple. under
the auspices of the Central Labor Union
The speakers rostrum was decorated
with American flags and banked with
potted palms and ferns, interspersed with
handsome individual designs Of cut flow
ers. Almost every branch of organized
labor in the city was represented, and
there was 81 large sprinkling Of women
and children.
The principal speaker was Samuel Com
pers. president Of the American Federation
Of Labor. lie chose as his theme the
great strides and advances made by or
ganized labor. After paying high tribute
TO the dead leaders whose heroic efforts
IN the pioneer days OF organized labor
had made possible the magnificent Or
ganization of to-day, he said that while
they deserved great credit, it was the
unSung, unnamed-the masses-that were
the real heroes. 1t was this class. that
suffered and endured so much in silence
and still chung TO its convictions, bear
ing the bruHt of the most awful suffer
ings, 70 whom he desired Ia pay his real
tribute. he said He said that many days
were set aside for celebrating military
events and other things. bat that all Of
them were for achievements OF man over
man, and that it had remained for or
ganized labor TO set aside day when
those who died on the field Of peace
should be honored
All Must Bear Burdens.
THE day has come. he said. when
individuaiism is a thing of the past and
each must aid to bear his brothers bur
den, and no longer shall the men and
women who fall upon the peaceful field Of
labor be stigmatized as hoboes
1T is the purpose of the organization"
he continued, TO teach men and women
how TO be Of service. how to live, and
now 10 work out the command Of spiritual
life, The w0Tkingman has imbibed new
spirit. II is a libel 20 refer 10 him as the
man with the hoe bent back and re-
Clining forehead. This 10 longer repre-
sents him The laborer of the twentieth
century stands erect. intelligent, and de-
mandina justice for all mankind
He SAID that the Sovereignty of labor
must not De obscured, that IT'S struggles
had heel made, and were being made, for
gloom -revailed. and 10 give euighten-
ment "a opportunities to feIloW-men
Conrn ng, he said that mistakes had
been mt tde but that there had been no
great R.ovement carried through without
some mistakes.
'T5e crusade. the reformation, the Rev
JlUJlonary war the war of the rebel
lion, and the war with Spain were all at
tended with some rougnness, he contin-
ued, "and SO il is with the labor move
ment. but, thank God, mankind forgets
the roughness in tie great good il brings
10 mankind
Marches Ever Onward.
lie said the labor movement is march
ing onward and upward in its rights and
duties. ard that the movement is con-
Quoted peacefully and nationally. and
he continued. 1T cannot be crushed out
or thWaTted. He then referred to the ef-
forts Of organized labor in behalf of cAil-
dren working in factories and mills, and
closed with a high tribute to labor in
general, and the men who had made it
all possible by their yeoman service in its
early struggles.
The services opened with ChoplnE
funeral march by the orchestral. fol-
lowing which Rev. John Lee Allison Of
fered prayer and the audience Joined in
repeating the Lords Prayer.
John II. LOTch. president of the Central
Labor Union, explained the origin Of the
memorial service, and told of the puT-
pose of the gathering. He eulogized in
the highest terms the late John Hammer
strom and Milford Sp0hn, former pTesi-
dents Of the central body. and paid high
tribute to their indefatigable work in be-
half of the wOrkingman iu the fight be-
tween capital and labor. William Davis
then played a c0Tnet solo, after which
Secretary Samuel De NedTev read the roll
of departed members. which numbered
something over 100. Miss Laura Black
sang vocal solo, after which Rev
George 4. Miller spoke or the brother
hood OF man Following this was an ad-
dress by Rev John Lee Allison and plac-
ing OF wreaths by the memorial commit
tee
The congregation then united in singing
Nearer, Ny God. to Thee 20 Rev. Mr.. Miller
pronounced the benedicton. and the ser
vices closed with the selection, Our
Ionored Dead, by the orchestra.