New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-08-20
THE LABOR CONGRESS.


81 no oontounded at the power anu nnp' ~ -
rnovement it really does prehgure anu The
o., vet man inconsequeHtia and lns1'lcieh' . tbe
10 - has watched with close attention ~
49, - the Labor Movement, "a 1t Is teriiou' IA
80 and in Europe. 1t Is almost VIZ =, asserts
80 ,,,tter how rudely and even IsHoi"'~y -, osnoct
nself here or elsewhere, must be les1,u0 sod those
,,s dcmauds be fairly and tempera'eg ,a % others
I've 80, he corupiod with. the failaeies VI o'"o'
ln"' az 80, an t,e aid that reasonable Juugno Oan
- No extended IN rightly aoVanoinS - oor,,
,ho,oh aim and even almost forln'ess -, ON
Iuouhu U,l ade by the masses for the settlemehVon
,nnt,obIe terms Of the relations oe'TeVu pa
Nutapie - osplts thereof-between Labor ana
49,, 10 depunciatiOn the advocates %
a. movement agrarans ana reNOluuo"iS'' W.
Sirv meet the issues raised II must DC reiDcnDooN
tr, - their doctrines are Of that character, me au'"
them do not in general believe such 10 DE
Int s,nortpg under hindrances and evils born OF anu
lingering from feuda days remnants OF seriaso siy
and caste they see the obstacles IN thelr p"tn NJ
MAINLY than the remedies The world IS aglta'eu "
,bese remedies and the agitation TINS ''no Oosu' 80
,hoso who are below. Let them be aldeu' hoV aO',
The way 10 recfy their mistakes is 10 accolu ~ INV
full discussion - ,,..s ~,
,p,nrs UNIONS Is GREAT GRTTAGN-THElR hEiNIloN9 ~
POLITICS
In Great Britain the protective system u iloU,'
,,os has crown INTO movement definite and power
5n that observers come TO regard II de con'"n5
the germs Of the democracy that in time must
,ne coste and class government Of that empire lne
Eritisb Trades Unions represent directly lWOuVV VI ~
the flower Of their cass-and, indirectly inc elo"
ot all other skilled and uuskIllcd labor OF inc CNi'N
Il,a fairly foupd within the terms uaues
ar mechanical pursuits. Ihey nave d"
~ nearly sGOO0OOO annually in these organIA'loNS
and reserve Of about S2OOO0COo more, ana "hen 'n'
finds are recognized under legal protecIon' INC! "
ne unlocked and placed az the hsposa OF 'lo s'oi
co6pcratlye enterprises which are there oheI4uk ST
succcssfDl examples 10 As. TO great eAtenl,'4
q trades unions must there ~ us |
indirect the movement has retained until Iracter'
moro distinctive and restricted selfproec "h'eh mas
In the United states, however, any moY|S ha'ugaIy
emerged from its swaddhngcloth.o as tne one |
and instincuvey to political a'E ltsef. Hence |
,,roner mode OF rightly esser or not, the labor |
N one direction whether wild the point where It's
movement here has travelled ben able or even aimed 70
on World confreres political arena, with dsuhc-
90 II has stepped mtOims. This fact ought to be one
tive platforms aud oppose II should ma cause OF
nm which thoseduse ENSURES the defeat Of any really
CONGRATULATIONS which may be found carried onthe
orarian sob Of the Labor Question free discussion
overladans is the best to break down those that are
of all est and prove those that are right nave sara
vunuch by way Of introduction TO such review OF TINS
DIV, proceedings and analysis Of their character as
may be able to give because there disposition freely
manifested by the press scout at its Importance and
derde the issues it presents
HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN LABOR CONGRESSES.
The first effort for National Congress or Convention
was made directly by and confined TO the trades unions
II resulted principally through efforts Of Robert Gil
christ Of Kentucky the assembling Of some 2j dele
gates az Iousv in the Fall Of 1864 Very little was ac-
eompisned beyond the presentation OF the idea In Au'
gust 1880 chiefly through the efforts Of the late william
H. Sylyis. MI A. c. Cameron, Richard Irevellck MT
DAILY Mr. JesSup. Alex Troup of The Boston LreH"g
Voe and others After consultation and correspondence
with the officers throughout the country
the first really National Labor Congress was held at Bal
tmore There about GO delegates present,
all OF them Deing men distincuvely connected
with the Unions Many things aided to gain
for this assemblage a wide and deep attention
The war had broken down many barriers, and beside,
there can denial that its burdens were beginning
10 De felt and heavily, by the laborng interests In
Massachusetts, and elsewhere there was vigorous agi'
tatou OF the elghhOur question, and Il had already en-
tered Congress. There also, at the time, larger
number Of distinctive tradesorgans published than had
existed before or since. The Baltimore Convention con
fined itself TO demanding eight hours, to recommending
cooperation and 10 similar distinctive efforts No plat
form declaration Of principles adopted but from
its adjournment there began direct efforts 70 mold the
movement into party FORM
An INTERNATIONAL MOVEMENT
In considering the history of the American movement
there should be also borne the fact that marked
efforts in Great Britain and on the continent had pre-
coded IT, the results Of which be in the
calling together in England Of Federatye Trades Coun
ellis and Industrial Congresses at London Preston and
elsewhere, the organization Of still impOr-
tant and audacious cOucepuon-that OF the Interna-
tloual WOrkingmcn's Association, whose executive
councils meet weekly in London, aud which
has already held three imposing international
Congresses, az Geneva, Lausanne and Brussels. It's
fourth will be held at Bale, Switzerland, about
the 10th Of September next It aims al nothing less than
the worldwide Federation of labor. and has already
won for its French branch the honor Of Napoeonc per
secuou and defeated In Great Britain several efforts to
break down struggle by the employers seek
ing 10 introduce cheaper foreign labor To these Con-
crosses American labor organizations have been in
vtcd 10 send delegate, but their poverty has hitherto
kept them from 90 doing
ASSUMES THE POLITICAL ROIE-ITs FINANCIAL PANACEA.
August. 1906 the second Congress met at Chicago
There were less than hundred delegates pres.
ent, several Of whom from Associations
not distmctively Unionists in character, and
seeking ameiorative well protective |
results. Here the National Labor Union formed
The Congress put forth formidable declaration Of prn
eipes, distinctiyely looking to political action the
means by which proposed aims 10 be reached;
among them being the destruction overthrow Of the
National Banking system and the continuance and ex.
tension Of the legatender Treasury notes the per
manant currency. Vigorous denuncatiOn of the Land
Grant system cardinal feature, accompanied with
a demand for permanent setting aside OF all that re-
mains Of public domain for homestead purposes
actual settlers only. Cooperation received more atten
ton at that Congress than in the following at
NewYoTk or than it likely fear to receive in
the one session. II also proposed organize
everywhere state and local Labor Unions and by that
prepare for independent party existence, until
which was done the friends OF the were
advised either OF the old parties that would bid
most for their local aid.
The NewYork Convention, which met year age, went
further in the same direction 1t embraced the broades
and badest doctrines OF the extreme greenback school,
advocated the payment Of the 5s in legal tenders
manded the substitution Of long bonds at low rate Of
interest for those in existence, which also