Evening journal., 1916-01-27

Of a toast responded TO by Mayor James
r. Price. lie said in part.
"Wilmington's financial and municipal
department is in Al very healthy condi-
tion, and I want TO say without fear Of
truthful contradiction, that | believe
our city is managed in as economical a
way as any other city of its size in the
country, free from the so-called graft
that many people talk about. Our daily
papers are always alert i'm publishing
anything for the benefit of our people,
and they are open for any honest, fair
minded man to express himself on pub
lie matters, without being interfered
with by a censor who either curtails or
changes his message, as is often done
elsewhere.
II want to congratulate you gen.
tlemen upon taking so much inter
est in your organized bodies. in the
general affairs of the city. for you
know we are a city OF homes. where
a large portion Of our mechanics and
laboring men own their homes, and
who are with us to stay, and of whom
we feel justly proud. We are ready
to open our gates to admit any good
citizen with his family. from other
parts OF. our country, to come here and
make his home with us, where I think
he can be supplied with a position and
earn a livelihood in our manufac-
turing and industrial establishments
as mentioned above And we shall 60
on with progress and growth until we
have at least reached the quarter OF a
million mark in our population. OF
people Of good sterling character, such
as make good citizens, as we now
have"
Richard s. Monck. secretary. Plas.
terers' Union. No. 3S, then spoke on;
Labor OF the Present" Fifteen oi
twenty years ago. he said. a gathering
OF the kind held last evening would
have been impossible. Citizens from
all paths OF life. he said. were repre-
sented Labor in this city, he said
had done nothing TO be ashamed OF
and had always endeavored TO contrib
ute 10 the upbuilding Of every class
whether rich or poor. Mr.. Gompers,
he said was the greatest man Of the
present time in this or any other
country.
There was great demonstration
when Judge Gray was introduced and
Il continued for some time. In in
Producing the judge to speak on "Ar-
bitration," Mr.. O'Kane said he claim
ed relationship to him because both
their ancestors came from the same
part OF ireland. County Antrim. The
remark caused much laughter.
Judge Gray Speaks.
Judge Gray spoke as follows.
"Mr loastmaster and my friends o
Wilmington: wish / were worthy o
the reception you have given nae. but
cannot without some emotion reply e
this demonstration. We have lived II
this city. this good old town of ours
some of ms ~ GOOD many years. All %
Ms are its citizens, instinct with devo
tion TO its welfare, its progress and IL
future And feel tonight as / look int,
your faces that IL is great priviog
that we can come together on an occa
sion of this kind ard take counsel wit
each other as 10 the future of this com
.lnonwealih 10 which we belong and o
this city, which is the home OF our af
fections.
"The occasion that has brought II
here is one that is peculiarly interesting
10 me. ! was glad TO come, at any rat,
10 meet my friends and neighbms, bu
especially glad that YOU gave me tn
opportunity of meeting one whom.
hope. may call an old friend, MI
! GOmpers.
81 knew him twenty-five years age
when he was a younger man than I az
now-when labor movements in thi
country were in their infancy; whan the
were looked upon as cant by a larg
portion of our people-naturally, he
cause they were new; naturally. per
haps. because there was great dea
about them that we did not understan
i mean people outside of labor circles
and il remained for this distinguishe
chief of yours to reconcile the though
aud opinion Of this country to thi
movement. as no other man within on
wide borders has done. lie has taugh
the people of our country that labo
movements belong naturally TO the ur
= hit OF the social organism, that tho tim
had come in Gods providence and In IN
progress Of civilization when those VIII
bore the burden of life must be recoa
nized by their fellow-men for all tina
n they were worth. lApplause) And I
/. his wise leadership YOU owe IL nav,
owe IL. and my friends outside Of lab,
organizations owe it-that TODAY the,
is a measurable feeling of mutual r.
N. spect throughout this country amor
10 those who compose and those who a
et outside Of labor organizations.
be 'It was my fortune fourteen yea
d. ago nearly. 10 have been made
Mt member Of commission to arbitra
&c a very serious labor controversy.
ng imagine all OF you recollect the a
o. thracite coal strike. One hundr
!, and forty-seven thousand miners al
laborers in the mines were idle I
six months. Twelve or fifteen m
lions OF people were dependent Z
ct the fuel that kept them warm. viii