[Newspaper]
Publication: The Muncie Morning News
Muncie, IN, United States
vol. 22, no. 111, p. 1, col. 1-2
LABOR DAY
Celebrated With Grand
Success at Elwood.
MUNCIE MEN PARADE
By Themselves, Being
Delayed Reaching Town
Lake Erie Road Unable to Accommodate
the Crowds That Wanted to
Go From This City — Congressman
Cromer Makes a Speech.
Monday was a gala day for the union men of Muncie, and they celebrated it in an appropriate manner. The grand parade began to move at 8:300 o'clock, and the thousand men in line made a fine showing. As they marched down Walnut street to the Lake Erie station, the people who crowded the streets gave cheer after cheer for the various unions.
Grand Marshal Orebaugh handled his men in an admirable manner, and the parade came off in fine style. The line of march was north on Walnut to Washington, west on Washington to High, south on High to Main, east on Main to Walnut, and thence south to the Lake Erie & Western station. The parade:
FIRST DIVISION.
Leonard Paris, Commanding.
Platoon of Police, Under Command of Captain Turner.
Indiana Band, Twenty Pieces.
Women's Union Label League, Under Mrs. Minnie McDonald and Mrs. Lew Schwenisen.
Mail Carriers, Branch 98.
Retail Clerks' Union, No. 66.
Street Railway Employes.
American Agents' Association.
Barbers' Union, No. 74.
Restaurant Employes.
Bakers and Confectioners.
SECOND DIVISION.
B. J. Grant, Commanding.
City Band, Sixteen Pieces.
A. F. G. W. U., No. 23.
A. F. G. W. U. No. 3.
A. F. G. W. U., No. 115.
A. F. G. W. U., No. 91.
Mixed Window Glass Workers.
THIRD DIVISION.
J. D. Oaks, Commanding.
Red Men’s Band, Sixteen Pieces.
Carpenters and Joiners, No. 592.
Bricklayers.
Wood Workers.
Building Laborers.
Painters and Decorators, No. G5.
FOURTH DIVISION.
Otto Sellers, Commanding.
Iron Molders' Union, No. 177.
White Star Lodge, A. A. I. & S. W.
Hoosier Lodge, A. A. I. & S. W.
STATE MEETING
The Parade and Doings Generally at
Elwood.
The Muncie delegation carried off all the honors at the State Labor Day celebration at Elwood Monday. It was not only the best uniformed and finest appearing set of men on the streets, but the order was perfect; something that could not be said of the other delegations or of the parade in general.
As far as enthusiasm and attendance were concerend [sic] concerned Labor Day was entirety a success, for a conservative estimate places the number of strangers in Elwood yesterday at 20,000 and there was no lack of wholesome interest. The parade was poorly managed, however, and those in charge started the procession long before the Muncie delegation was in Elwood. The understanding was that the parade should not move until all the specials had arrived. The failure of the Muncie union men to get to Elwood in time was due to the negligence of the Lake Erie officials. The Muncie Trades Council deposited a cash guarantee of $375 with the Lake Erie which sum was to be paid for sixteen cars, whether they were needed or not.
When the Muncie unions did arrive they
MADE THE BEST SHOWING
Of the day. Headed by Grand Marshal Orebaugh and a platoon of police under command of Captain Turner, the Muncie boys marched down the street and were greeted by a marked enthusiasm that was not so noticable [sic] noticeable in the other parade. The line of Muncie's "finest" was one of the features of the day and everywhere were compliments showered upon the police from the Magic city.
It was after two-o'clock the when the parade began to move and before it was finished the men were tired and dusty but nevertheless satisfied since they had accomplished that for which they went to Elwood.
THE GENERAL PARADE
After an hour's tedious wait the parade at Elwood started at 12 o'clock with Indianapolis in the lead. For some reason or other the Elwood men who had charge of the affair did not make the best of arrangements and the various local unions awe not in the exact order that they should have been. There were also unpleasant lapses between the movement of the diffeffrent [sic] different sections and on the whole the parade did not turn out as well as expected, with the exception of Muncie's part on the program which came later in the day. The line of march was north on Anderson street to South A, east on A to Twelfth, north on Twelfth to Main, east on Main to Anderson, south on Anderson to South A, east on South A to Sixteenth, north on Sixteenth to Main, west on Main to Anderson, north on Anderson to fair grounds.
Indianapolis came first with the following unions in line:
Indianapolis Union Band —14 pieces.
Carpenters and Joiners No. 281— 24.
Carpenters and Joiners No. 60 —10.
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers — 40.
Painters and Decorators — 35.
Horseshoers — 24.
Americans Agents Association —10.
When Military Band — 16 pieces.
Typographical Union No. 1. — 110.
Tailors — 34.
Iron Moulders — 35.
Plumbers — 95.
Machinists — 7.
Pattern Makers — 10.
Marion —
Gas City Band.
Retail Clerks — 50.
Brick Layers — 15.
Federal Labor Union — 50.
Carpenters — 60.
Gas City A. A. I. S. and T. W. — 75.
Anderson —
Doxey's Drum Corps.
Carpenters — 36.
Barbers — 15.
Cooper Lodge A. A. I. S. & T. W. — 60.
Garland Lodge A. A. I. S. & T. W. — 40.
Federal Labor Union — 35.
Frankton —
A. A. I. S. & T. W. — 35.
A. A. I. S. & T. W. — 35.
Elwood —
Tinplate Workers — 250.
Women's Union Label League — 20.
McKinley Lodge A. A. I. S. & T. W. — 100.
A. F. G. G. W. U. No. 30 — 25.
Elwood City Band.
A F. G. W. U. No. 50. — 150.
Birt's Band, Frankton.
Butchers and Meat Cutters league —10.
Logansport —
Bricklayers —15.
Alexandria —
Bricklayers — 25.
Muncie —
Building Laborers — 30.
Elwood —
Building Laborers — 25.
Painters and Decorators — 15.
Blacksmiths — 20.
A MIXED AFFAIR.
The comparative showing of Muncie and the other cities represented would be hard to make any great degree of accuracy as many of the towns had hundreds of union men present that did not parade. This was also true of Muncie. It is safe to say, however, that Muncie stood at the head of the list not only as to unity of parade and good showing but also as to numbers.
THE SPEECH MAKING
Congressman Cromer, John L. Griffith
and Others Were Heard.
The speaking exercises of the day were held at the fair grounds. Mayor Habbitt, of Elwood, acted as master of ceremonies and delivered the address of welcome.
Hon. John R. Griffith, of Indianapolis, delivered an eloquent address upon the labor problems of the day. He said that the highest good will come to this country only when all factors of evil and fraud are eliminated from our politics, both national and state; that the best conditions will prevail only when men are elected to a public office because they are upright and honest and not because they belong to political rings. The salvation of the laboring man, said Mr. Griffith, depends upon his efforts to free himself from political prejudice and slavery, upon his determination to vote for the man that has the workingman's interest at heart.
Mrs. Sarah Crossfield, national organizer of the Women's Union Label League, spoke upon the value and benefits to be derived from the use or the union label. She pointed out the fact that this label is a protection not only to the union man, but to the consumer, as he is assurred [sic] assured of clean, wholesome goods made under good sanitary conditions. "The label," continued Mrs. Crossfield, is one of the surest and quickest ways of spreading the principles of trade unionism, as it brings home to every family the value and worth of union labor."
MR. CROMER TALKS.
In the evening there were several speeches made from a stand erected on the street. Judge Chipman, of Anderson and Senator Johnson of Anderson, spoke on questions of vital interest to the laboring man.
Congressman George W. Cromer was introduced and said in part:
This is the closing year of the 19th century, the most brilliant in achievments [sic] achievements and in inventions of any in the world's history. Many labor saving machines have been invented, which have many times multiplied the power of production. But the benefits of these labor saving machines have inured to the profit of a few. instead of to the benefit of the toilers and the masses. We would not restrain genius, for genius is not at fault, but would change the economic conditions. You my friends are the law makers, you may not sit in legislative halls and draw salaries but you have the ballot, the power to elect honest men to legislate for you. Already in Indiana many wholesome laws have been enacted in the interest of lobar [sic] labor. By law your taxes are made a preferred debt, and are made a lien on the employer's property to secure their payment. They are exempt from garnishment and must be paid in money. By law wages are required to be paid each week. In 1891 the legislature passed a law to this effect. This weekly payment of wages is just and right. The laboring man is compelled to pay his rent in advance, his gas bill in advance, and cash for his groceries. He certainly ought to receive his wages as often as once every week if he demands it."
