Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-09-05
Ex-President Reviews Pa
rade and Makes a
Speech at Fargo.
UPH0LDS UNION CAUSE
Declares Organization is NeCeS-
Sary to Maintain Equality
of Men.

Fargo, n. O.5 sept. o.-Great
preparations have been made for the
Labor day celebration and the recep-
tion to Roosevelt. The program of
the days events called for Roose-
velt's first appearance at Fargo col
lege, at the laying of the corner
stone of the library building and to
make a short speech. The parade
was the next with the labor organiza-
tions at the head. They were to be
followed by 60 automobiles with
Roosevelt in the first one.
Speaks mt Park.
Following the parade the crowd
assembled at Island park, where
Roosevelt made an address. He will
attend a dinner this evening and at
IL o'clock will leave for st. Paul In
his address he said:
Today, on Labor day, speak
in one sense especially to those
personally and vitally interested
in the labor struggle, and yet
speak of this primarily as one
aspect of the larger social struggle
growing out of the attempts to read
Just social conditions and make them
more equitable.
The nineteenth century was dis
tinctly one OF economic triumphs-tri-
umphs in the domain OF production.
including transportation and the me
chanics of exchange. The marvellous
progress made in these respects multi
piled mans productive power 70 an
almost inconceivable degree.
In the matter Of the production Of
wealth as much progress was made
during the nineteenth century as dur
ing all previous periods since history
dawned-that is, the changes brought
in single century through machinery
and steam have been greater than the
sum total Of the changes of the pre-
ceding thousands OF years. and these
very changes and this material prog
ress have thrust upon us social and
political problems of the first magni-
tude.
The American wage Garner faces
this larger social problem in a dual
capacity-first as a citizen OF the re-
public charged with the full duty Of
citizenship and next as a wage earn
er-as a wageworker who, together
with his fellow workers. is vitality
concerned In the question OF wages
and general conditions OF employment.
which affect not only his well being
and that of his wife and children. but
the opportunities OF all workers for a
higher development.
Three Different Factors
It is true OF wageworkers, as OF all
other citizens that most OF their prog
ress must depend upon their own ini-
tiative and their own efforts. Never
theless there are three different fac
tors in this progress. There is. first.
the share which the mans own indi-
vidual qualities must determine. This
is the most important Of all. for moth
ing can supply the place Of individual
capacity.
Yet there are two other factors also
Of prime mportance-namely. what
can be done by the wageworkers in Co
operation with one another. and what
can be done by government-that is.
by the instrument through which ali
the people work collectively.
Wages and other most important
conditions Of employment must re-
main largely outside of government
control; must be left for adjustment
by free contract between employers
and wage earners. But to attempt to
leave this merely to individual action
means the absolute destruction OF indi-
vidualism. for where the individual Is
so weak that he perforce has TO accept
whatever a strongly organized body
chooses to give him, his individual lib
erty becomes a mere sham and mock
cry.
1t is indispensably necessary, in order
to preserve TO the largest degree our
system of individualism. that there
should be effective and organized col.
lective action. The wage earners must
act Jointly. through the process OF col
lective bargaining. in great industrial
enterprises. Only thus can they be put
upon a plane Of economic equality with
their corporate employers.
Only thus Is freedom OF contract
made a real thing and not a mere legal
fiction There are occasional occupa-
tions where this is not necessary; but,
speaking broadly, II is necessary
throughout the great world OF organ
lied industry.