The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-10-18
LARGE GATHERING
At SOCIALIST
MEETING
Nearly 400 in Attendance De-
spite the Weather Conditions
MARY R. SANFORD PRESIDED
Able Addresses Delivered by John
Sparso, Rev. George D. Lunn
and Mrs Rose Pastor Stokes

About 400 people braved the cold
and rain of Saturday night and at
tended the mass meeting of the Ben
nington local Socialists held In the
grandstand of the Morgan Park base
ball diamond. Considering the cir
cumstances the meeting was a decid-
ed success. Not only was the atten-
dance large but the speakers also de-
livered able addresses which held the
attention of the audience so closely
that nearly everyone remained until
the end of the meeting, despite the
weather conditions.
Miss Mary r. Sanford who is well
known here where she has spent
the most of her life, presided. In the
course of her brief Introductory ad-
dress she stated that for twenty-five
years she had sought solution OF
the various sociological and econom-
ical problems of the present day but
found no remedy until she studied
Socialism. This she believes would
settle all questions of social life and
ush : forth an age of peace and
brothei;y love the like of which the
world has never seen She was es
peciaIly glad, she stated, to be able
to preside at a Socialist meeting in
Bennington where part of every
year of her life has been spent.
The first speaker of the evening
was Rev. George r. Lunn of Schen-
ectady. He proved an entertaining
speaker who was able to keep his
audience in good humor by his stor-
les and humorous remarks. The
year 1863, he stated, saw the begin
ming of a new industrial age. 1t was
that year the steam engine was in
vented by James Watt During the
next century a series of inventions
occurred which completely revolu
tionized the conditions of mankind.
Machines were made which could do
the work of many men. Before this
date families for the most part were
self-sustaining. The father TILED the
soil while the mother did the work
about the house and made clothing
for the family. Sometimes a master
had a few apprentices but all were
considered in the same social class.
There was no class hatred or struggle
against capital and labor as at the
present day.
With the introduction of steam
power, he continued. conditions
changed at once Many were thrown
out of employment and women and
children were employed instead Of
men. because they could do the work
as we'll and could be hired cheaper.
Great suffering followed and strug-
gle between the owner of the mach
ines and the mass of the people fol-
lowed. This struggle has continued
until our own day. The trainers of
the constitution thought they had a
remedy in their document. but 1t has
failed to cope with the problems. So
cialism alone offers the remedy He
urged all present to make a careful
study of Socialism and to join the ad-
vance guard of the Socialist move
ment which is bound to become the
greatest step in the progress of the
world towards the freedom and equal
ity of man.
The principal speaker of the even
ing was John Spargo. Mr.. Spargo
is a summer resident Of Bennington
Center He began his work in the
Socialist cause in London when
youth and his success as a writer and
speaker has won him international
fame. He is the author of several
books and pamphlets on the subject