The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-01-15
HON. EPPES TUCKER, JR'S
ADDRESS BEFORE THE
FEDERATION Of LABOR

Mr.. Epps Tucker, Jr.. said in part:
1t affords me pleasure to be tn"
speaker on this occasion on the sub
jet of organized labor, and ! also
I me of one so illustrious who stands
ever so close to the hearts of the PEG
pie of the State of Florida, and es-
pecially to the people OF Lakeland.
our own Governor Park Trammel'
am sure thai he could have spoke"
better than L. and it is our mutua
loss that he was unable to he pres
cnt with us today.
1t is pleasant surprise to me.
known to he a corporation lawyer.
representing rs do all the public
utility corporations coming to Lake
land except the telegraph company.
and many of our local corporations.
and consider ii an unusual com
Guested to make an address to the
| joint meeting OF delegates from
unions and the laboring classes OF
men from all over this great State.
and ! take ii as IA mark of progress
in the friendly feeling and Il reali-
zatiOn of mutual Interests that are
now existing between capital and la
bor 1t is eminently as essential for
labor to organize as it is for capital
to organize. There is no strength
without unity. and there is no power
without organization. by close
analysis OF the relations between
capital and labor. ii must be admit
ted that one cannot stand long with
out the other, and that IA Y are dc
pendent each ON he other for their
ovistcnc" The members OF the
Unions are the employees OF the cap.
ital. he men who weather the storm
I
and who by he honest sweat of their
hrows not only make il possible for
utilities. advancement and improve
nicnt. but are the builders of thou
sands Of homes which constitute a
great portion of society and civiliZa-
ton.
am opposed to violence and law
lrcaking, whether il be by laymcn
or so-callcd preachers in the name
Of the great Jehovah or Of the lOwly
\azerine, and am opposed to strikes
except as IA means of last resort to
obtain justice and equality. am
opposed to strikes on the same prin-
riplcs tina, am oppOsd to wars, for
war should never be declared except
10 maintain the peace of the nation
lives and interests of our citizens
and at this time counsel you as
delegates not to be hasty in your
declarations of a strike, and ! say
this on the principle that it Is the
! sacred and solemn duty of ever,
member of your organizations t.
obey the order To strike, and to walk
out, whether he individually ap
proves of the order or not. Public
sentimcn, is the great ruling factor
in our nation; even the laws upon
our statute hooks are merely the out
ward expression of public sentiment.
and unless you have public sentiment
Il, support YOU. failure is almost in
cvitable.
Labor was first organized for the
purpose of seeking employment for
the unemployed members of the
unions, but as time passed, wisdom
and experience showed that there
were other advantages to be derived
by the union. and it has come in
these later days that unions demand
of their employers that they shall
not work employees who are MOI
members of the union. All men arr
human, and we are prone to era !,
cut for all advantage Obtainable.
do not deny any mans right to quit
work at any time when he has com
pleted his contract of labor which
embodies moral obligation for him
to perform, but do question his
right to lay down his duties of serv-