The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-06-20

There are not as many laws on. the
statute books Of North Dakota as there
are in some other states, relating to
the rights and interests and providing
for the protection of the wage earners,
but our lawmakers have always been
willing and ready to accord to labor
any just and reasonable demand
There is no more important person
age in this state of ours than the hon.
est laboring man. / am proud of this
new and aggressive state which is rap
idly forging to the forefront and I am
justly proud of her citizens in what
ever sphere Of action they may be
employed.
In Union There Is Strength.
while labor may not be designated
as profession, yet this does not pre-
vent the advisability of organization
for mutual benefit and common good.
In union there is strength The
DOCTORS lawyers, merchants, publish
ers and farmers organize and find it
not only beneficial but profitable. There
should be no criticism of the rights of
laborers to closer organization or the
privilege of the exercise of their in
alienable rights.
while the doctors, lawyers and 9TH
er professions do not have a repre-
sentative to make contracts for them,
they yet have been able to secure the
enactment OF laws which establish
prices and safeguard their services and
their interests. To deprive others Of
equal rights would mean class Iegisla-
ton.
sfFThiG &c 30
men whose labors have been crowned
with success are the men who have
found something to do and did 1t, be-
fore the other fellows knew what they
were doing.
"The result has been to develop this
state at pace seldom equalled, but
never surpassed. Manufactures are
being established; new towns and other
cities are coming into existence; rail-
roads are gridironing the state and
the era of prosperity and the upbuild-
Ing Of the state is here and is here to
stay.
you are, and have been potent
factors in bringing about these pleas
ing conditions and are to be congratu-
lated upon your efforts and your in
fluence in doing more than your part
in this great work.
'"The laboring men are real flesh
and blood, filled with human hopes
and high aspirations They have hu-
man needs and possess as generous
impulses as other men, and that they
have a lofty ambitions and mental
capacity has been shown in all the
advocations Of life.
TN church and state, we find emil
nent men who were formerly laboring
men or mechanics. It was a happy
idea in the formation of government
that class, cast and previous condi-
tons ere thrown to the winds, and the
humblest citizen of today has the
right to represent a constituency in
the halls Of state and nation tomor-
row.
This is inspiring to every young
man who is thrown upon his own re-
sources and who for a few years must
toll to earn a suff1ciency to educate
himself and place himself in a higher
position. The mechanic Of today may
in fe short years become the execu-
tive Of his state, and use that power
for the good of his people.
''In this state today are many prom
inent lawyers and doctors who a few
short years ago were either brazemen
or conductors. They were not only in
dustrious and frugal, but inbued with
commendable ambition and deter
mination to win honor and renown.
"Do not understand me as attempt
ing to place the position OF a brakemen
or conductor upon a low plane, for I
do not so regard them, but when a man
- o.
where he can establish practice that
brings him wealth and fame it is
preferable to a position OF uncertainty,
beside the qualification of knowing and
demonstrating to the world that he
has merit This is certainly a COM
mendable ambition.
Labor and Capital InseparabIe.
Labor and capital are so closely
interlinked as to be inseparable. La
Dor cannot live without capital to
furnish employment, and capital, with
out labor to enable it to become eff
fectives valuable and profitable, is as
useless as the gold that lies in the
mountain side. When capital selfishly
strives to secure unfair proportions OF
the profits by reducing the laborer to
conditions which endanger the health,
morality and education Of his family
1t is certain to invite revolt which
will end in its inpa: -ment and destruc-
ton. When labor pushes it's demands
beyond a point where capital receives
no return, but sustains loss, 1t nee
essarily produces stagnation In BUSH
ness and works an injury to the labor
er. Fortunately there is happy medi-
um and when this point is reached
1t works advantageously to both in
terests, I understand, so that you may
and can intelligently study and proper
ly comprehend the true situation. This
is proper and right. This is not a
country where the people are ruled, but
nation where the people rule
Your federation is one that must of
necessity study thoroughly the rela-
ton OF cause to effect and when the
true significance that existed between
these two great elements OF strength
are thoroughly understood there can be
conflict or misunderstanding.
I'm this portion of the United States
the pace Of development is so rapid
and remarkable that we are likely to
80 to extremes. The money required