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ADDRESS ON LABOR HON. C. A. TO WW E SIMOAIvS IIICFOKE 'I'll TJ{ A DISS ASSKIIHLV. f_'ni»i|»lii»init.«» Di'lcitnle* on Their iMnrlnlRC of the Law of Dclilier iitivc Hoilic.N—Labor is Entitled (o (lie Hi«lio*t Rc»|»c«?t and Honor— Ifllior and Capita I Should Co-op orate Harmonlonnly Toward, a Common Object. In last weeks' issue of the Labor World we intended to publish a full re port of Mr. Towne's address before the Trades assembly, but the copy was in some manner mislaid. Mr. Towne's speeches are, however, always new, so it is with pleasure that we report it in this issue. Mr. Towne said that he felt greatly honored by the invitation of the Feder ated Trades assembly to be present but that, while he had expeqted to acknow ledge the courtesy with a few words, he was quite unprepared to make a speech, which was evidently the ex pectation of his au'ditors. He stated that he had listened with great interest to the proceedings and the discussions of the meeting which admirably illus trated the American proclivity for par liamentary government. He compli men ted the speakers on their know ledge of the law of deliberative bod ies and on their capacity for directiand forcible speech on matters under de bate. He referred to a statement by a.| celebrated author, illustrative of this American habit, to the effect that if a vessel loaded with American passen gers were to run ashore upon a desert island, it would not be half an hour before a meeting would be called and somebody elected chairman and some sort of local government be in complete and regular operation. Mr. Towne thought he discovered in tHis proced ure of the Federated TTraSes assembly and other similar organizations a great school of citizenship. Just so soon as regular procedure is inaugurated, and matters are dispensed of by argument, that moment the rule of passion and prejudice begins to weaken and the authority of reason begins to grow. There can be no better discipline for .the American citizen than the habit ual procedure and discussions of such organizations. Coming to some general observations on the subject of labor, Mr. Towne said that, whilp there is a great deal of cant indulged in on the dignity of labor yet in any true'view of the relation of jabor to the, progress of society and the welfare of the individual, labor •must be accorded the highest respect and honor. In the old biblical view God labored six da^s in creating the world, and surely Here, was a recogni tion of the dignity crf-itoir. But ill the modern scientific reading of the prfl^ cess of creation, even, greater dignity belongs to it, for it shows the Infinite purposes of the Almighty slowly work ing themselves out through innumer able successions of ages, from the time when space was filled with diffused /gases, out of which all materfal things were to be formed, until the planets had been evolved and the slow ascent of life upon them had 'been perfected in the existence of man himself. In ,this view, all the- infinite powers and mysteries of the universe were har moniously working together to produce conditions favorable to the develop ment of an ultimate happy social con dition and a free and noble individual life. 1' Mr. Towne said it was interesting to observe that when the point In this long process of evolution had been reached at which the gray matter in a man's, brain began to develop in size and capacity, his physicaTorgans ceas ed to undergo there after any appre ciable change. Thence afterward it was a question of brain evolution and the growth of the power oTThought, whereby man became in," very large measure the creator of his own condi tions and the conscious maker of his own destiny. The hand no longer need ed to develop, because "TioWlfhe brain could teach the hand to supplement its own power and dexterity with the lev er. the wheel, the screw and all the mechanical processes. The eye no longer needed to develop', because the brain discovered how to make the croscope and the telescope and thus to anticipate, in a few generations, results that the process of physical evolution could only have achieved, if ever, by endless ages of specialization. Man's destiny, therefore, in the opinion of Mr. Towne, is to be what he shall make^ it, and all the methods he employs in realizing- it are necessarily dependent upon some form of labor, Avhich he de sired as any proceeds or occupation which a man performs that is con cerned in carrying out any of the nec essary functions of human life. Thus labor comprises not only manual work, but mental activity, not only the hew ing of wood and drawing of water, but also employments in the arts of sciences and professions Avhich are just as necessarily involved in the com plicated advance of civilization. Even capital, he claimed, when properly em ployed. when engaged, in other words, in toil for the purpose of reproduc tion and of increasing the welfare of society, is a form of labor. Properly considered, the antagonism which soci ety now so frequently experiences be tween capital and labor is foolish and destructive. There can be no doubt that the present tendency in the con trolling opinion of the world, is to em phasise and amplify the authority und rights of capital, ^lr. To win- declared his belief to be that of Abraham Lin coln. namely, that capital is not above labor, but that, if a contest arises be tween them, labor, which existed be fore capital and inheres in manhood itself, must be considered as having superior rights to capital. At the b.'one time, in his judgment, it is entirely possible that capital and labor should co-operate harmoniously in their CiJ-' respective spheres and toward a com mon object. Mr. Towne declared that one reason why so many difficulties occur between what are called capital and labor, is that men will not be frank and honest in their criticism and advice. The de sire to flatter frequently leads to such indiscriminate praise of labor and the endorsement of whatever claims are made in its behalf, that those who for the time being have charge of the con cerns of labor are encouraged to take a position in which they can not sus tain- themselves by the power of public opinion. Public opinion, he said, will in the long run control. He quoted Ducrot who said that the man who can: direct public opinion is the real ruler, for in the last analysis public opinion controls everything. Many a labor contest, said he, founded upon justice is lost because it is advocated by men who do not sufficiently consider this point. The American people be lieve in law and order and rationally so, because all progress is according to some law, whether it be in the material moral, or social world. By long ages of adjustment to this principle, the hu man mind is so constituted that it re coils from violence. Therefore, the sur est reliance of any just cause, though it may seem a long time in being reached is on the approval and support of the intellect and conscience of av erage men. Mr. Towne referred to the St. Louis street car strike, and, while he disclaimed any accurate knowledge of the causes that led to it, he said he was perfectly clear on one^oint and that is that the violence, the destruc tion of property and the loss of life that are marking its progress are fat ally prejudicial to a consideration of the contention of the strikers on its merits, :No doubt, he said, a large part of these unfortunate incidents are due not to the men engaged in the strike but to thosie lawless elements of so ciety that lurk about great cities and embrace any opportunity of disturb ance and destruction. This view re ceives force, he declared, from the fact that the same thing is witnessed in the street car disorders in Berlin, Germany, going on at the same time. But this very fact that ruffians and law break ers will make labor disturbances the occasion of their own trade, and the knowledge that labor will be charged with the greater part of the responsi bility for it, should dispose men in charge of labor organizations to exer cise the most exceeding vigilance and self control in order that conflicts with employers shall be as infrequent as possible and, when inevitable, ground ed on such demands of obvious justice and fairness as to receive the support of public opinion. Irfi this way, un questionably,- we mayllook to the fu ture for the gradual formulation, of rules and customs in accordance with which public .sentiment- will demand that' disputes between labor jdnd cap ital shall be settled 1 1 ItfcidentHy to his discussion, which Mr Towne^, declared must be, from the fact that he had not expected to make a speech, somewhat at random, he re ferred to the subject of socialism, and depreciated the: misunderstanding quite commonly prevalent as to the real meaning of the term. He said he would confess to be himself quite a consid erable ultimate socialist, except for the misconception which the term seemed to convey to many people who did not take the time to understand it. For instance, he declared that he could see no justice in the private appropriation of values due to social creation. He illustrated by supposing the case of a man who buys a small tract of land where gradually a town grows up that expands into a large city. The price of the ground may have been origin ally a very few dollars, but in the life time of a single man it may grow to millions solely because other men- set tle in the vicinity and through the complex demands of society, as applied to the limited area and capacity of the ground, add a value by their mere presence. Under existing conditions all this enhanced value goes to the lucky owner of the land. He has not created it. I believe in.'all justice some means must and will be ascertained whereby those who create this wealth shall enjoy it. Similarly, Mr.. Towne took up the cases of the street railway and other franchises granted by soci ety to individuals, and by them cap italized and made the basis of vast earnings falling into private pockets whereas the function performed is pub lic in its nature and necessarily monop olistic. This led him into some consid eration of the subject of monopolies, in the course of which he declared that monopolies in private hands are wholly inconsistent with social justice and that one of the reforms of the immediate fu ture will be the settlement of this ques tion in accordance with the rights of society. In conclusion, Mr. Towne referred to the fact that all men come into the world subject to the same physical conditions and committed to" the drift of the social current under circumstan ces implying mutual dependence for bearance and assistance. He claimed that conditions of social warfare are anomolous and inexcusable that no man can live to himself alone, but that every man is under the absolute ne cessity of depending upon other men, and in turn of contributing his aid to them. He pleaded, therefore, for the spirit of toleration, and of liberty. Too llrainy to Live. The professor was hurrying with a friend to catch a train, when he stop ped suddenly and exclaimed, "There! I've come away and left my watch." "Let's go back and get it," suggested his friend. "No. I don't believe we shall have time," said the professor, and he drew the lost watch out of his pocket, looked carefully at the dial, counted the min utes and added: "No, there won't be time enough." Then lie pressed on toward the sta tion, saying: "Oh, well. I. suppose-1 can get along for one day without a watch."—Collier's Weekly. MONMY'S MEETING THE LARGEST LABOR G.VTHERINCJ EVER HELD I\ THE STATE. Dilliitli Delegation Leave Toiii&Jit— -\o I'roft-rani of the Convention has Keen. Prepared, hut lluolj Time Will l»e Gi ven to iy.nl ion ami LeftiMlative Work—Politleal Plat form of the S. F. of L. 3 The Duluth delegation of the Red Wing convention of the- Minnesota State Federation of Labor which will convene next Monday, will leave to night. That the convention will be the largest and most interesting gathering of labor ever held in this state is now an assured fact, and that the meeting will be productive of very good results is also assured. The State Federation of Labor is a delegate body composed of delegates from the trades unions and similar -or ganizations of the state. It bears the same relation to state industrial affairs that a trades assembly does Ito a city. iSv) The Federation was orgainized July 7, 1890. Its central idea is to: bring local bod ies into closer affiliation ajnd to initiate and carry on general forms of agita tion that could not be successfully handled by( local bodies, and it pays special attention to legislative matters affecting industrial affairs. It holds annual meetings at places designated by the preceding conventions. Prior to 1894 the session® were held alternately in the, Twin Cities, but that year the experiment of holding the sessions in other cities of the state proved so suc cessful The Federation has already done much to inspire a feeling of unity be tween the various labor organizations of the state, and its legislative work has been productive of much good, to the interests it represents. In time to come there is every reason to expect that it will still more fully justify its existence -, Although it has always been averse to entering party politics it will be seen by the following platform that it is sbmqiwhat of a semi-political or ganization. Its political demands for: Compulsory education a legal eight-hour Avorkday M. E. XEARY. President of the Minnesota State Federation of Labor. Mr.'' Neary -was president of the Federation in 1896 and 97, and was chosen again last year. He is an indefatigable worker in the cause of labor, and is an executive officer of iiq small ability. that the two larger cities of the state have no longer a monopoly of the Federation's conventions. In the inter im between conventions the -general work of the organization is left to an executive council of five members, elected all from the same city annually. sanitary ^jiispec- tion of workshop, mine and home: lia bility of employers for injury to health, body or life, whether caused by the negligence or incompetency of employ es or not the abolition of the contract system on all public work the aboli tion of the sweating system the mu nicipal ownership of street railways and gas and electric plants for public distribution of heat, light and power the nationalization of telegraphs, tele phones, railways and mines: direct leg islation through the initiative and ref erendum. For several years it labored unceas ingly in the state legislature endeavor ing to secure the enactment of meas ures calculated to benefit the working classes, but with poor success. It fin ally discovered that so long as labor was poorly organized so long would they have difficulty in securing desir able legislation. Three years ago it began a campaign of organization and has met with unusual success. It has been instrumental since then in or ganizing fully 100 new unions. The membership of the trade unions in the state has been doubled and this year has been the most successful of all. At the next legislature its influence will be keenly felt, and a goodly amount of labor legislation may be expected. It: is difficult to say what will be ths program for ^Monday's meeing. There will, of course, be the usual amount of superfluous -resolutions and unnecess ary debate, but it is expected that con siderable time will be\spent in devis- '^lisp 1 S VOL. 6, No. 6. DULUTH AND SUPERIOR, SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 1900. FIVK CKNTS. ing ways and means to further the work of organization. Some sort of political action may be discussed, but few can tell how far the convention will go in the matter. A great many new unions have affiliated with the Federation during the past year, and each week adds several to the already large list. This week the two largest that affiliated'are the Min neapolis Flour Mill employees, with over 400 numbers, and the Plumbers' Laborers' union, with a membership of 127. The Labor World will publish next week a full and concise report of the meeting. EIGHT-HOUR DAY. SiniKftlc for ot 1 Day Snorter Work Xcvr Rattle. We clip the following from the Inter national Bookbinder and gladly repro duce it. The desire for an eight-hour workday is not at all of recent birth. As far back as 1844, when some of the ship builders of Bath, Me., had voluntarily reduced the hour^ of labor in their yards to ten, the Workmen in other yards struck for a similar reduction. At a public meeting then held a local judge made a speech in which he sounded this slogan: "Eight hours for work, eight hours for sleep, eight hours for God and brethren." 1 The sentiment was dristantly adopted by advanced labor reformers, and mark the goal to which organized labor has since been straining. Of coirrse Ave read of even earlier ag itations for reduction of working hours. As far back as 1806 the shipbuilders aAul caulkers-of New "Y^prk city asked for a reduction Of working hours from fourteen to ten. The members of the union formula^ ing- the request were \blacklisted, ancl the merchants of the city formally de nounced trades unions (as they are Avont to do at the present day) on the grounds that such demands would fa tally handicap competition with other 'points. l't was riot until 1S25 that an opinion favorable to ten hours as a proper lim it for all trades and occupations began to w,in its way in the public mind. Many factories then ran on fifteen hours time. Thenceforth the agitation are Let us keep our shoulder to the wheel for in "Union there is strength," and maintain Avhat Ave for repose and hated allusions to his rank or to formal recognition. He conversed most affably Avith every one, went to afternoon tea parties, flirted with the prettiest girls, and made him self vastly popular. But there was English woman in Biarritz there is no rank LABOR'S ENEMIES ARE XOT THE EMPLOYING CLASSES BIT ATHER THE AVORKMEX. Organized Lalior lias Fought the Hat ties and Xon-union Men Enjoy the Henetits—What a Mighty Power for Good AVonld Organized l.abor be Could all Workmen he Drought to Realize it. Who are the greatest enemies of or ganized labor? The first impulse Avould be to answer, "the corporations," "the trusts," or/ employing classes gen is so? Is it not rath workmen? Who is it 3 vement of organized erally! B» er the new defeats tx* workmen jj' not the emi Ex. Avas car ried on year after year, with unweary ing l)luck in the face of many formid able obstacles, until today, comparing conditions then and now, we must find that unionized effort staunch and true, is of some avail, and has brought us very near the goal marked out by the aforesaid judge's slogan. all should have, by this time, obtained, or are now enjoy ing', so that eventually Ave may devide our 'days by three and have an equal number of hours for work, sleep and »elf edification^ JOE GUTMANN, Corresponding Secretary Local No. 8'1. Flirted With tlie Girls. The king of Sweden Avent to Biarritz one Avho per sistently mobbed him, always bobbed down in profuse courtesies, and fairly worried the genial potentate. At last she pressed him for his pho tograph, and he gave it to her with the remark: "This is the portrait, remem ber, of a Swede, and all over the Avorld Avith occasions of state"—a neat rebuke, Avhich the lady had not the turned against herself, but which she has related ever since.—Cleveland Leader. "What sort of a. Dutchman is this '£r?sftlent Stevn?" inquired TTapsley. "Seems to be a capital fellow,"' re plied Blooker. Ler conditions? It is l" that the union need fear Avhen entering into a conflict, but those Avho are of the same condition of life, and who would be equally ben efitted by the success of the union as the members thereof. Of the millions of Avorkmen in the land, how small a proportion of them are in the ranks of organized labor? Yet every improvment in present over past conditions of labor are due to the efforts and sacrifices of the brave men and women that compose the trade unions of the land and who are still struggling to further imprbvej the lot of the worker, and are daily ^making progress to a higher and better life for the toiling masses of the earth. Every advance made and every ad vantage gained, through the efforts of organized labor, is shared by the unor ganized, Avho have been the greatest obstacles in the progress of the move ment. Every improvement in the general conditions of labor today, over that of past years, can be directly attributed to the organizations of labor. Behind every legislative enactment in the in terest of labor Avill be found" the influ ence of the "trade union." In every state legislature, in every congress and lawmaking body of the world, meas ures are being proposed to ameliorate the conditions of the toiler—to lighten the burdens of labor—and behind them all will be found the "trade union," and the non-unionists share the ben efits of those whom he has ever antag onized. What a mighty poAver for good would organized labor be could all workmen be brought to realize it, and to join hands in a common cause. There'is nothing that could not be attained by united effort. Legislatures would then boAV in submission to that mighty force, and instead of being the willing ser vants of corporate wealth they would be the servants of the people. The power of the people that made them would be the |)ower that ..could unmakft. crvf affr eas fi manly self-respect, bear to watch the struggles of their union fellow-AVork raen and accept the results and benefits accruing from such struggles without lending a helping hand? EA'ery Avork ingman owes it to his self-respect he owes it to his fellow-Avorkman to eA^ erything he holds near and dear, to join hands Avith the union of his craft and do his share in the movement that means so much to all who toil. With that manly pride the trade unionist meets his fellow-workmen, conscious of duty done of having done his part, and of still doing it he looks everyone straight in the eye, knowing that he is not enjoying benefits that some other gained for him Avith his union card in his pocket—his certificate of honor— he knoAvs he Avill meet with true and loyal friends AA'herever he may go. Should he be in search of employment he finds on every hand those eager to assist him, and, should injustice be done him, just as eager to defend. Come what will, or what may, it is much better to feel that one is doing his part along Avith fellow-workmen to make the world better, than to, cra ven-like, accept the benefits of others' efforts Avithout doing anything to aid. More Clearly Defining It. "Well, anyway, a conference is a conference." "No, not always. Sometimes it's a circus. SADLER'S AVELLS. The Oiliest Theatre in London is About to He Demolished. Old Sadler's Wells, the oldest .theater in London, is now, it seems, \o dis appear, and to be pulled down for res idential flats. Its glories have long since departed. The placejdates back to 1683, when the original John Sadler, surveyor of highways, built a music house, which was more than once "pre sented" as a disorderly house, or place, where unlicensed entertainments carried on. The "Wells," Strictly Union-made, O *0* O* O Sr.. KEJ1EMI1ER 1'IIE Dl,i STAXD..... Try our latest production of Clear Havana Clgfars Avere Asiiich Avere vainly enough reputed to be medicinal, whereas, they were, of course, derived from the New river head adjacent, were supposed to be discovered about this time. The place became fashionable and attracted the attention of the light fingered brigade, so that the advertise ments of the period announced that a horse patrol wotild be stationed along the new road to protect the quality on returning to toAvn the ladies outside Avit from the theater. Later on it got a license and in 1766 the father of Grimaldi, the clown, was chielj actor there. Then it Avas a circus and then the celebrated Mrs. Siddons became proprietor. In second decade of the present century, the water shows, to see Avhich were long a feature, began and the "Bat tle of the Nile," with real Avater, de rived, of course, from the adjacent New riA'er. became a great attraction. The palmy days of Sadler's Wells, Avere, however, in the '40s and '50s, when Messrs. Warner and Phelps made it a home for the* "legitimate" comedy and drama.—Newcastle (England) Chroni cle. Manufactured by Unioh-Made. Tom Reed Cigar Factory, You Looking For the "UNION LABEL"? If so we have a splendid Spring line of Suits, everyone bearing the Union Label, at $8, mo, $12, $13.50. Some handsome patterns at $18, $20 and $25. SPRING OVERCOATS, with Un ion Label, at $8, $10, $12, $15. UNION LABEL HATS, at m,. $1.50, $2,t $2.50, $3. All the latest Spring blocks REMEMBER, we guarantee each and every article bought of us, so you run no risk whatever, CHAS. W. ERICSON, THE CLOTHIER. 219 WEST SUPERIOR ST. 206 WEST MICHIGAN STREET./. ,/r I? WHOLESALE! CIGARS^ We handle over GO different brands of Union Label Cig-an»* y- 0»0*0 *C* 'iitf-s-.-. J.- JSTABLlSlikl '1888. PURE WINES AMD LIQUORS For There is Nothing Purer than 1492 FURNITURE. Now is the time to get the balance of your furniture that you planned oil before you did your house cleaning: We have the stock to pick from and the prices are right. Give us a call and see for yourself. Easy weekly or monthly payments. CLOTHING. We carry the stock and guarantee fit, Mens, Boys' and Children's Suits. Why not dress well when you can buy clothes on such easy erms, Only one dollar a week payments. GATELY SUPPLY 8 L. SUPERIOR ST. Sold at Butcbart & Duff's. i^nart *"0 0 *'0*' r' FAMILY AND MEDICINAL PURPOSES, S. I. LEVIN'S B0URB0N'RYE andJBRANDY, 501 WEST SUPERIOR STREET. Smoke ''Tom Reed" Cigar. ...-BEST TEN-CENT CIGAR MADE. "LA AGILIDAD. Leading Five-cent": Cigars are ft Made in three sizes. .5" V' i. »\i of Lake Avenue. 3a -F-: i?^l ,n ^5'if J, m' "ALASKA NUGGET" "zenith city: aa "M 22 East Superior Street* DULUTH, MINN. I •-ffl #jf 'ji *'r« Am 4 A 3 -Sf% '-M4