Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1916-07-21


sition which falls upon any activity
in any municipality. And il a man
now is discharged from his job. he
loses every one OF these property
rights. Sometimes we think they
forget human rights, but | want to
stand here in your presence and saw
that ! am ashamed of the govern
ment that protects great property
and looks perhaps with ill-considera.
tion upon the smaller property of
tie working man, which he loses If
ne is subjected to the within of an
employer, who can discharge him
without Just cause. (Applause.)
So, again say that the question OF
the right of protection against ar
bitrary discharge, the right to use
the only means that God has given
us to live and to work out our own
salvation, comes as part of the in
herent right of life and in any prop
erly organized industrial system,
the right of that protection could
never be denied
The Eight-Hour Day.
AS a result of the study / have
been able to make, il is my belief
that there is one other point which
transcends these original rights of
every man who tolls The Commits
sion OH Industrial Relations declared
concisely what every government
commission has declared, what every
subdivision of government, state,
municipality, etc, has declared, wha:
every board of hygiene appointed b.
the government, what every educa.
tor has declared, for the last twenty
years at least, namely, that the phys
ical well being, the mental develop
ment and recreational needs of me-.
and women demand that they should
not be compelled to work more thar
eight hours day. (Appiause.)
] predict that the march of the
eight-hour day is going to receive
an impetus within the next three
months that will carry it into count
less industries in the United States,
and no man or woman can success.
fully deny the fundamental truth of
what | have uttered upon this sub
ject.
Can any person truthfully assert
that the demands of public or domes-
tic necessity call for a man working
a greater number of hours than are
consistent with his health, and no
man under our system of life has
health and strength in any industry
in which one must work without
that full intelligence that God has
given us and that we hope to CON
stantly extend If there be a truth in
the great declaration that knowledge
is power it would give the lie to ev-
cry school building in the United
States. 1t would be a charge of
fraud against every university in this
republic, if we said that any indus
try demanded that a man should
work so long that he could not have
full play for his mental development
it would be blow at the very foun-
dation of the race (Applause.)
Every constitution of free men
says that we are entitled to pursue
and practice any healthy, clean pleas
ure in life. | do not understand how
any man would be willing on ac-
count of any interest to place a curb
upon the happiness of his brother
man. and il recreational needs de-
mand that the human being shall
work not more than eight hours a
day, then | say that reason arises
Just as high as that of physical we'll
being and mental development un-
ess he is free from care and feels
nodicum of the voice with which s
God has put into the hearts of all
His creatures.
The Eight-Hour Movement.
Now, then, my friends, with this
proven basis, we reach the principles
hat animate us today. We have am
exhibition here of four intelligent
RATS, having first at heart, as they
should have, the well-being
# their own membership, but ami
mated to something higher and no.
Ter than that If | mistake you not
nd that is to aid in the advancement
# the whole race, the building M
4 the family life, the Strengthening
t the state that goes to make so
trong a nation, of Independent and
rec people. /,
Unless | am mistaken these ideals
inmate you. and we will not lose !
light of the fact nor will the public
ose sight of it that what you have
one so far has been done by bitter !
trugg1e.
Since came to this city yesterday
gentleman for whom l have the I
ighest regard, representing in his I
erson and through organizations, a
reat deal of wealth OF this western
1untry, said to me: II am glad
see that YOU are going to speak
efore the organization up in the
auditorium tomorrow morning;
now that your conservative voice
i'll be raised in such a way as to
'event the awful result of a strike
the great transportation industry
this country" | told him: You
e mistaken; l am not going to ad-
'ess convention of the railroad
engagements of this country: | am
ling to address a great body, repre-
nting, as | understand it, some
nety thousand of the workers on
e railroads of the continent, and /
4 going to say upon my coincidence