Word: speaker
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Dates: during 1900-1909
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Rebutting the points of Burton, the first affirmative speaker, Rabenold said that the discussion must concern not special but general tendencies. The affirmative has shown simply that the working man has tried to assert himself; this self-assertion is a defense against encroaching capitalism, and is in the best interests of the whole community...
...speaker continued his argument by stating that this dictatorial stand of the unions means an attempt to build up a state within a state: to establish an irresponsible government in the avowed interest of a small percentage of a single class (for organized labor constituents but fifteen per cent, of all the labor of our country). This general tendency, therefore, is detrimental to the best interests of labor and of the whole country...
Weldy, the second speaker on the negative, denied that trade-unionism has shown the general tendency alleged by the previous speaker. The non-union man is the small minority in the unionized trades, and has been injured in times of strike only. This injury to the minority has been necessary for the welfare of the greater majority, but even such injury has been transient and intermittent. Trade unionism strives to secure for the working man his natural rights; to deny these by peaceable evolution--the method employed by unionism--would mean their attainment by violent revolution. The working man loves...
...closing the speaker said: "We remind you that we make no attack upon the principle of labor organization, we grant its possibility for good, but we say that to attain this good, unions must not assume to manage the employers' business; they must forego coercion, and in building themselves up, must not forget that those who differ with them have rights guaranteed them under our free government. But the fact that this is a nation bent on the betterment of the laboring class, that trade-unionism has been agitated and reagitated, and yet has failed to receive the support...
Morton, in concluding the debate, said that the preceding speaker had not spoken as to what trade-unionism has actually done. He has not considered actions, but only avowals; and has not attempted to show that trade-unionism, as it has existed, has been unnecessary. The negative maintains that in spite of mistakes there has been a general beneficial tendency. The very strikes have resulted in growth of the joint-agreement...