The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-09-07
.LABOR'S DAY
COMPLETELY
Even the Weather Man Capt.
ulated Yesterday
CELEBRATION A SUCCESS
Exercises Held at Intercity Park Were
Attended BY Upwards Of 5000
People--Address by City Clerk
Mackay,

/ year Will 60 down IN history as a record
breaker Of al the celebrations held in
I former years BY the Central Labor union
Of Barre and vicinity. Not only did the
largest crowd turn out that ever attend
ed Labor day celebration in Barre, but
the success of the sports and the pro-
gram throughout the day eelipsed any
thing that the C. I. q has ever before
held. The weather man fulfilled his part
70 perfection BY delivering bright, sun.
shiny day.
The crowd that swarmed into Intercity
park. where the celebration was held,
was estimated during the afternoon at
over 5000 people. During the forenoon
there we're 900 people present and every
ear after IL o'clock, until three was
crowded to the last inch Of space The
crowds came from both cities, though
the number from the capital was small
in comparison with the crowd from this
city. There was the usual long wait
for transportation home after the wind
up at f.45, with 1000 people an wanting
to get home at the same time
! The days program At the park started
shortly after 10 o'clock and there was
something doing Of interest To tho crowd
every minute until nearly five o'clock In
the afternoon. The Barre Citizens nnion
band oi 26 pieces furnished music during
the afternoon
Tho first event On the program IN the
morning was d base ball game and this
was followed by The list Of races, a
speech By City Clerk James Mackay, a
wrestling match, aud wound up With a
second ball game.
Mr.. Maekay's Address.
City Clerk james Mackay gave an
interesting address and one which con-
tanned many facts and figure IN con-
nection with the labor unions Of Barre
Z HIS subject was Twenty Years Of Trade
I Unionism in Barre
IN opening, blr Maekay saidi "Twen-
( ~ wears af trades uniuiiism in Barre is
far broader subject than its title would
indicate, for it really means 40 years
of umoniam III Vermont, for Barre is
without doubt the father oi trades union.
I ism Ii the state, and whatever benefits
have accrued the workiHgmen of the
state Barre should be given a large
share 81 credit for II it had not been
for her initiative in this matter, / am
afraid that there would have been a far
different story to tell to-day Of working
conditions III the state Of Vermont
Although, AZ I have already indicated
the subject would admit Of great lati-
tude, ! shall eonflne my remarks TO I'M
ions in Barre and our own immediate
vicinity" The speaker then took up
in a brief way the work Of the various
unions, referring to them ID the order
in which they we're organized.
He began with the granite cutters
union, which was organized ii this city
iii August, 1885. and told of the remark.
able work which was done By this organ
ization TIE spoke OF conditions ii the
granite industry 20 years ago and eom-
pared them with those 81 tile present
day. The speaker referred briefly to
the struggles that the union had to get
its wages increased and hours OF work
shortened
From the granite cutters, Mr. Mackay
went on to the others Of the s unions
which arc represented in Barre, giving
brief sketch Of each, including the adj
Yantaeas which have been obtained for
the members of the craft Of which it is
composed.
IN closing Mr.. Maekay said My
advice to all workingmen here to-day,
If might be permitted to offer 1T would
be this: try to get full conception Of
the benefits that the particular union to-
which SOU belong has secured for you;
further ito realize the power which YOU
may exert through Yom organization for
your future benefit, keeping iii mind also
that YOU have indirectly the interests
of Others to consider, as well as your
own, even II you feel that they do not
fully consider Yours
BY doing This Won viii enlist the
sympathy of All fair minded men and
secure their mora import. which is an
almost Indispensable factor. in securing
for YOU your legitimate aims Arrive
at a full realization Of yom individual
responsibility for the acts Of the organi-
zation to which you belong, This can
nHtN HF aQi39 DE kdAtfiE aN dtiINe sNhit
in The work Of the same, DO not leave
this work to the few officers whom you
have placed in control Of your organiaa
ton If You 10 So, you are not doing
justice to yourself the organization to
which you belong. Of the officers whom
you have selected To serve y0u
If Won desire the several unions with
which you are affiliated to reach their
highest sphere of usefulness to you. in
your several trades, let an their acts
be your acts. and the future viii hold
IN store for trade unions even greater
success than they have accomplished in
the past
II his address Mr. Mackay quoted from
table which showed that from tile
times that the various unions were or
ganized the number of wofbmeh Ia Barre
had increased from 335 to 3.6T0, an Of
the latter total being members of trades
unions. The carpenters and plumbers arc
the only unions whose branches have
shown decrease in membership The
increase IN the granite cutters union
since organization has been from 250 to
500, and that Of the quarry workers
from $50 to 9o0,