United labor bulletin., 1911-08-24
STIRRING ADDRESS BY
PRESIDENT G0MPERS
500 Listen To A. F. of L. Head at
Eagles Hall.

Eagles hall, Club building, was filled,
Sunday, when L. NJ. French, chairman Of
the board OF trustees Of the Denver
Trades and Labor Assembly. called the
FIVE hundred unionists, who had gath
cred TO hear Samuel Gompers' address,
TO order. Mr. French Introduced Vice
President J.. A. Conkle. who presided In
the absence Of President Dellitt. The
chairman said that as the day was warm
and as Mr.. Gompers had a strenuous trip
ahead Of him, all speakers except Mr..
Gompers would be eliminated. MIR.
oompers was then introduced amid much
applause. He said in part:
The work must be done now. 1t is
the duty OF men in our time to act to-
day. 10 bear the consequences today. to
gain the advantages today. Every one
knows this condition OF affairs cannot 20
on for all time. a better day must come
for the working man. when he shall get
a fair share of what he produces and live
life worth living. All men agree to
this. but there is difference OF opinion
about the time when this will happen.
The time should be the present. Let us
not wait for better days in the sweet
bye and bye. Let us better our condi-
tions today.
III this movement be misunderstood,
then upon the heads of those responsi-
BILE must rest the result Whether the
effort to tie men of labor to their work
be made by injunction OF courts or gov
ernors or in other ways, il will not be
tolerated. The constitution bestowed
he right OF free speech and free press.
and we trades unionsts believe you can
not deny these rights by injunction. The
workingman is free man and Will not
allow any condition imposed upon him
which will take away these rights.
'Injunctions are like Mrs. Partington
trying to sweep back the sea.
lin every age there has always been
some Judge who would clothe in con-
vcnient terms the tyranny of those in
power. Republics have always failed
through weakness within and not from
foes without Those who held wealth,
held power; and possessing power they
secured privileges, titles, immunities,
concessions. In order to prevent the
masses from protesting against these
special favors. the rich have passed laws
taking away from the people the right
to change conditions, TO form associa-
tions and to protect themselves. Such
is the history of the world. Look at
Rome.
Thus people became enfeebled. no
longer part of the government, merely
spiritless chattels to whom it mattered
little who ruled them, as theY coulu not
rule themselves So the republics which
started out so well have failed one after
another. because they became rotten in
side.
Ask yourselves IL there is anything
similar TO this in the United States to-
day. Do you see anyone enjoying privi-
leges. concessions. immunities? Is there
not an effort to make impotent the pro
test OF laboring men against conditions
in America?
Il am an optimist, thank God. l see a
silver lining in the clouds over labor,
but the bright future will come through
the efforts of labor and through nothing
else sympathy for the poor working
man? Yes. some minister prays for us
five minutes on Sunday and preys upon
us for the rest of the year. No one of
us would reject n prayer, but when work
ingmen cannot make their complaints
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