Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1908-09-07
CANDIDATE TALKS
OF LABOR CONDITIONS
Advises Use OF Ballot In Obtaining
for Ldborind Men the Things
They Need Urges Depart
ment of Labor In the
Cabinet.

Chicago, Sept. William ]. Bryan
was today the center of a Labor
Day celebration which outranked
similar celebrations of years past.
With the exception of an hour that
he spent in the Iroquois club. he was
in the hands of the laboring men
nearly all day.
This morning he reviewed a parade
in which approximately 10000 men
and women took part, the greatest
parade since 1892. At o'clock Bry-
an addressed the unions at Forest
park on the subject of injunctions In
labor disputes and this evening he
will speak to the Electrical Workers
at Brands park. In his speech this
morning Bryan said in part:
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
world, and more today than there
ever has been before. There is more
recognition of the kinship that exists
between US, more thought about the
questions which concern common
humanity than at any preceding time.
The labor organization Is a part of
this great movement of the masses
toward closer fellowship. 1t has
worked wonders in the past and its
work is only commenced.
The labor organization helps those
outside of 1t as its members because
the increased wages and improv-
ed conditions are shared by nom
union men as well as by union men.
Do not understand me to say that
labor organization Is perfect; "the
king can do no wrong" can no more
be spoken of group that of individ-
uals. The labor organization Is COM
posed of men; its affairs are controll-
ed by human beings, and human be-
ings are not perfect. All that man
touches Is stained with mans imper-
fections, and his frailty can be traced
through all his works. But, FORUM
ately for the laboring man, the judg-
ment 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 employe deals with
the employer, he is dealing with one
of like passions with himself
Each is likely to be insistent upon
what he believes to be right, and the
opinion of each, as to what is right,
Is likely to be colored by selfish inter-
ests and affected by incomplete In
formation as to the facts. If the en-
plOye has sometimes resorted to vio-
II vg.l,
pioyer has sometimes employed his
position to secure an unfair share of
the joint product. 1t is the province
of the law to place Limitation upon
both, and the security of our govern
ment is found in the fact that both
employer and employe, in their calm
er moments, Will join in the enact
ment of laws which will restrain
lem In moments of temptation. Some
assume that labor Is lswless and that
to settle the labor question perman-
emily We need only enforce the law
vigorously. / yield to none in insist
ence upon obedience to the law. Law
Is necessary in human society and
its enforcement Is essential to peace
and order, but We must remedy
abuses by law II We would insure re-
spect for and obedience to, law.
The important lesson to be learned
fy the citizen In a government like
ours is that the ballot Is both shield
and sword-it protects him from in
jury and enforces his rights.
The first thing that Is needed for a
better understanding Of labor ques-
tions is the recognition Of the equal
rights OF ALL and, second, more in
innate acquaintance. We have rights
that may be called natural rights;
they are inherent; we have them be-
cause we are human beings. The
government did not bestow them upon
us-the government cannot rightful-
ly withdraw them from US. We all
come into the world without our vo-
liton; the environment OF youth
largely determines the course OF our
lives, and this environment is not of
our choosing. We live under the same
moral obligations, and are respon-
sible to the same supreme being. We
have our needs that must be sup
piled; we require food clothing, shell
ter companionship. We have our do
mestic ties, and the tenderness OF
these ties Is not measured by wealth
or position In society. Man has used
petty distinctions TO separate society
into different classes, but these dis