The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-09-10
Labor Day Observance
Continued from Page ,

the rich, the laborer and the million,
aire, were created free and equal.
| This day is set apart as the sweet
| Christmas time is set apart to EN-
phasize che Divine doctrine of broth.
erly love, which rises like benedic-
ton above the clash of swords and
the horrid din of human warfare
Peace on earth and good will to-
ward all men"-as sweet and divine
today as it was nineteen centuries ago
when the Star of Bethlehem shone
down upon the humble cradle of the
humble carpenter of Galilee.
Today a great department OF the
government is in existence devoted to
the interest of commerce and labor
made SO by act of con gress. l might
add that no political party dare go
before the people of this country with
out a plank in its platform which it is
hoped will satisfy the demands of
labor
And what have been the result of
these efforts of organized labor? Bet
ter wages, shorter hours of labor, bet.
ter homes, happier families, better
citizenship, and further, am here to
declare-and statistics prove by state.
ment- that these results have no.
| been achieved at the expense Of CAPT
tai, but on the contrary the employer
of labor has been financially benefited
| by the change.
These results have not been accom-
plished without heroic struggles, en-
ormous sacrifice and through great
| tribulation. Some times labor has
| been in the Valley Forge of despond-
ency and almost Of despair. But have
you not good cause for self-congratu-
! lation in the accomplishments of the
past? may you not justly hope and
believe that the Yorktown Of victory
is almost here? Think you not that
the day is not far distant when all
! over our land labor and capital, whose
interests are identical and whose CO.
operation is essential, may march
shoulder to shoulder for the accomp.
lishment of common purpose? That
they will be found marching side by
side under the snow white banner Of
peaceable arbitration, on past the
! mine, the flaming forge, the busy
workshop, the fertile field, the bustl
ing factory, marching as brothers en-
gagged in common cause and working
| out common destiny?
May we not hope that the day is
soon coming-nay, that the dawn of
that day is now here-when bitterness
and strife shall give place to peace
and righteousness?
And now, for I must close think
speak for every industrial interest
in this beautiful city, built by the
joint labor Of your hands and brains
| and these interests, when I say we
welcome this day and this occasion.
May justice and fairness to your
selves and to all interests character
| ize your every official act.
May this day be red-letter day
for you and yours and may it long
linger with you as precious memory.
That you may long be spared to
assist in the upbuilding of this COM
| munity and incidentally ,benefiting
yourselves and all Of Ills is, I am
sure the unanimous wish Of the rep
| resentatives of all of our industrial
| interests.
Mr.. DonneIIy Speaks.
Following Judge Burdette's speech
Mr.. Heller introduced Hon. Samuel B.
Donnelly, of New York, whom he de-
clared was one of the greatest friends
of organized labor in the country. In
his address Mr.. Donnelly death with
the many phases of the labor question:
touching on injunctions, conditions of
employment and other subjects of in
terest. His address was in part as
follows:
The celebration Of Labor Day and
the interest shown in it's meetings is
manifestation OF an increasing in
terest in economic discussions and
the material welfare of all the eco
nomic groups that, taken collectively,
constitute what we call society.
The assembling Of thousands of men
and women in all the great cities and
industrial centers of the land on this
DAY; the orderly parades, the display
of banners and the playing of patriotic
airs by companies of musicians has
become a permanent feature of o,r