Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, July 2, 1914, Page 8

LABOR UNIONS DEFENDED (Continued rrom Page 1.1 tionn under, the anti-trust law was being debated, Finley Gray sat list- ening to the arguments being ad- vanced by various members as to why thd measure should be enacted into law. Finally he turned to a member at his side, and said: “Labor unions should be excluded. But the real justification for the proposition has not been stated. In justice to myself, I must state the reasons why I intend to support the measure.” Gray has not intended to speak when he entered the chamber, but Gray had sat quietly listening, he had been deeply moved. He arose, and his language and philosophy held the close attention of everyone with- in the hearing of his voice. “Mr. Chairman,” sail Gray, “there are certain rights which men take along with the right to inhabit the earth. .Among those rights is the right to labor. This is more than a so-called vested right in property; it is a natural, inherent right of man. It is as sacred to him as the right of habitation itself. It is as vital to his existence as the breath of life. He must have the right to labor in order to live. *And there are certain rights n which man is upheld in a supreme |§ and absolute defense, and in _the defense of which he is sustained even to the taking of life—the defense of self, the defense of his person, the defense of his life, the defense of those who by nature are entitled to look to him for protection, and I in- clude the defense of the right to labor in order to live and to support those who are dependent upon him. “Mr. Chairman, there was the time when the laboring man was more dependent in the exercise of this right to labor to live than he is today. There was a time when every man could say to his employer, “If you don’t wish my service, I will go back to the cross-roads, to the villiage . workshop, and I will make a plow, a wagon, or a carriage. 1]g wi]l employ myself and T will sell my product for my wages.”” But this condition of the laboring man has passed and gone. A great industri- al revolution has brought a change and a new order of things. The 'aboring man as an individual has lost his opportunity to employ him- self, his power to claim his right to labor to live. He can only work when others choose to employ him. And when he asks for employment the answer comes beck and tells him whether or not he can live. The laboring man today finds himself confronted with an organization of employers; he finds himself confront- | ed with a combination of capital; he finds himself confronted with a con- centration of industry and control of | employment—all standing between ! him and the right to labor to live! and to support those dependent upon ! him. “This is the plight of the individu- ! al laboring man of today. This is ‘his utter helplessness as a single in«! dividual. ! “Under these new and strange in- | dustrial conditions union is his only ! remedy, his only relief, his only de- fense, his only hope. he must have' the right to meet organization with . organization. He must have the’ right to meet combination with com- bination. He must have the right to meet concentration with contration. . “There is a difference between 2 labor organization and’ a trust. There is a difference between a labor ; organization and a combination in restraint of trade. There is a differ- ence between a labor ‘organization and a monopoly of the resources of human life. There is a difference be- tween an organization for a lawful, - natural purpose, and an organization for an unlawful and a criminal pur- pose. There is a difference between an organization to preserve and safe- guavd natural inherent rights and an organization to monopolize and Pprey upon the vital necessities that sustain human life. There is a dif- ference between men organizing for the lawful purpose of securing em- ployment, and to claim the right of | . all men to labor, to live, and to enjoy the fruits of that labor, and men or ganizing as a trust, a combination in restraint of trade, a monopoly to! control the vital resources of human life, the very inception of which is unlawful, the very existence of whicn | is unlawful, the very continuance and duration of which are unlawfnl, and the very object and purpose of : which is contrary to law and in vio- lation of the natural inherent right of man to live.” Cleve King, the efficient head nf] the Roe & Markusen delivery service, has started a skunk farm, and al- ready has several fine specimens. Mr. B King has watched the progress made by other skunk dealers and believes that he will be successful in his new enterprise. Four animals: were ad- ded to his collection yesterday, be: ing ‘captured by ~'Mr.” King ~mear Grand Forks Bay. ~ - FRIDAY, JULY 3 Satisfaction ) . Guaranteed i : Q AN Or Money 3 1 = f With New Cheerfully Merchandise Refunded And New Prices. Carnations Will Be Given To All Visitors at Opening Friday Morning Our Policy: \ Is to sell up to the minute high priced garments at low prices, and satisfaction is guar- ranteed or you get your money back. Our buyer, who is in New York all the time, is buying merchandise up to the minute. at low prices, which enables us to sell them at such low prices. COME EARLY FRIDAY and see our opening prices. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUY, JUST GET ACQUAINTED. OUR PRICES in Ladies’ and Misses’ Suits, Coats Dresses, Skirts, Waists, Petticoats, House Dresses Aprons and Children’s- Dresses, will break the record of all sales ever held in Bemidji or the Twin Specials, Till 12 M. - Silk Petticoats Values up to $2.50, Friday Morning only 98C Wool Skirts In newest styles, values up to $5, Friday morning, only s l -95 s 0 Y A SO et Friday Morning o 3 - =7 WoolSpringCoats