The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-06-06

Q0eot O1u - va An0 0fVWHN sAhat Tic
payment Of salaries every two weeks,
was sxpeusive and cumbersome.
tell you this. gentlemen. merely In
expisnation Of one Of my acts which
has not been generally understood:
In oloxns wish you the most suc-
osssful meeting In the history Of your
organization"
Mayor Richardson.
'"rhe words. Welcome to Rich
noud.' do not adequately express ths
warm and hearty welcome which
With to extend you to representative
labor men from all over the Com
monwealth.
To-day is q day Of organization.
We have organizations OF bankers and
bootblackR and there II every reason
In the world why the men who labor
and toil for their daily bread should
organize for their mutual benefit.
Lawyers organise and fix fees. No
one finds fault with the bAristers. Why
should labor mon not organize ~ fix
their fees? There 10 q reason. /
say, for labor organizations and II
iB the right and the duty OF men who
live by the sweat OF their brows to
meet togther for their common good
and advancement.
The welcome I extend to you Is
a welcome to the representatives OF
labor. organized labor for without
labor. gentlemen, this beautiful city
OF Richmond would stagnate, halt and
come to an untimely death.
You are men OF sufficient intel
ltuA trAf ak
to guard your own interests without
outside help and I'm not going to de-
tain you with advice. Having the
ability yourselves to guard your
rights and interests ! know that you
will guard and protect without aid
from outside.
I'm not man to decry wealth. 1t
has been my pleasure to know one
or two miliionaires and ! know thous-
ands of laboring men and / And that
the difference between the rich and
the poor Is small. But II Ia not the
very rich nor the very poor that
builds a State or nation but the
vast middle class.
II believe In aristocracy. not the
artstoCracy Of wealth or family, but
the aristocracy of virtue and honesty.
We find this aristocracy la the great
middle class
Col. Har-vood Speaks.
After the address by Mayor Rich
ardaon. Colonel John s. Harwood was
introduced az the representative OF
the business interests OF Richmond
He delivered an able speech, deciar-
ing he is an advocate Of a mining
law. not only In Virginia but In ever,
State where mining is an industry:
that he favors the abolition OF child
labor and laws providing for the safe
guarding OF the workingman from
disease and injury while at his daily
tasks. Colonel Harwood asserted tina,
the working man has become q DOM
tnant factor in the social and poiiu-
cal life OF the greatest nations and
that his influence and strength lis de-
sired and sought by men OF all ella sses
bankers. politicians and merchants
Representative John Lamb, who
was on the program to speak, was
unable TO be present because OF a
pressing business engagement out OF
town, A letter from him, exSressinp
his regret at his inability to appear
before the convention and extending
his wishes that the meeting be the
most successful and profitable in the
history Of the State body was read
Miss Johnston n Delegate.
Then Miss Mary Johnston, who was
present In the capacity or a dele.
gate from the Equal Suffrage League
OF Virginia was introduced, Miss
Johnston dissipsteti the opinions Of
some Of the men present tina,
women speakers cannot attain IN.
perfection OF address common TO mer
who appear frequently on the public
rostrpn In a clear, welf~modulatet
voice which carried to every part o,
the auditorium she leaned forward
on the table on which rested the pres.
ident's gavel and spoke with an earn.
esthess, sincerity and directness thai
awoke the Assem- blage To Applause Al
every interval
MISS Johnston wasted no minuta
or minutes but stating the meanins
OF her presence at the convention
10 aid the workingmen in the
causes for which they are striving
she declared that with members ot
the Equal Suffrage League she adyo.
Gates living wages. the eight hon,
work day. the eradication OF chile
labor. not only within the boundarie.
@s y trgsTfa +suT throughout the United
states. proper legislation for the pro
lection of the health OF the laborins
classes and other laws formulated TO,
that vast class which supports ever,
nation. the great middle class.
When, the applause following Miss
Johnson's address had subsidized Sec
rotary NJ. X. Pace read the roll of
delegates and as each man answered
to his name he was REQUIRED to
state whether he wore union clothes
and was apparclled only In union
made clothing at the time. This
caused confusion. as some Of the
delegates refused to declare the maker
'Sas .ssaa- sss,thtna. SefssRnssat.A rtias
j. w. Tatem said he would not say
whether he had on union clothes or
not. but that the proof of the pud-
ding Is in the eating and that he was
willing TO be examined at once
NO one showed any inclination to
examine the clothing of the serge can't
alarms and the calling OF the names
OF the delegates was resumed. Each
who responded was given a badge,
showing the Seal of Virginia and the
inscription. Virginia Federation OF
l.abor--Organized 1895" on the face,
and the Robert E. Lee statue on the
reserve.
Committees Report,
Vice-President Phil Metx. Of Rich
mond. chairman Of the entertainment
committee. announced that automo-
biles were in readiness at the hotel
entrance to convey the delegates about
the city on a Sightseeing tour. Be-
fore adjournment was taken President
Epperson announced the appointment
of the following committees:
William A. Jobscn, f.
G. Davidson. John p. Sauerwald, II.
r. Colvin and NJ. T. Lathram.