Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-10-05
Labor Reform.
a Noisy, bat Earnest Hnd, in the Main,
GoOd-NaIured Convention Fine First
Standard Bearer Of the Party ngain
Nominated, etc.

Nominated, ETC.
The labor reform state convention met at
birmingham, yesterday, The forces began to
gather, as usual the preceding evening, at
which time the state central committee held a
session, and Messrs. Wendell Phillips, S. P.
Cummings, J. NJ. Chamberlain S. B. Pratt and
other prominent members of the party were
present. The programme for the convention
was laid out, and resolutions proposed, Apropo-
stion to embody in the resolutions au anti-war
plank called out Mr.. Phillips, who, while advo-
eating peace principles generally, advised from
motives of policy, that the party do not COM
nit themselves.
The proceedings OF the convention were, as
will be seen by the following report, very en-
thusiastc and very noisy; but, at the adjourn
ment, good feeling seemed to prevail on all
hands. 1t was thought by many that, in spite of
his statements, a nomination by the convention
would be very pleasing to Gen. Butler, and
large number of delegates seemed to be in favor
of giving him the nomination and attempting
TO elect him, even though he should not for
mally endorse the platform OF the party. This
the friends of Mr.. Chamberlain, the FIRST stand
ard-bearer of the party, and one gentleman re-
marked, at the close Of the convention, that
'the labor reformers had disposed of Butler as
efTectually, though perhaps not as gracefully, as
had the republicans.
The trains from Worcester and Boston came
in well filled with delegates. The crowd at the de-
pot spent half hour in busiy discussing the prob
abilities of the day. At one point Miss Jennie
Collins, who was a delegate from Boston, was
giving an impromptu address to Il throng of ea-
ger listeners. The appearance Of the female
delegates from Worcester, and several from other
places, caused a ripple Of excitement among the
crowd. Waverly hall was well filled with dele
gates, 425 being reported as present The aq-
pearance of Wendell Phillips was greeted with
prolonged applause, ending with three rousing
cheers. At eleven o'clock, Mr.. S. P. Cummings,
chairman of the state central committee, called
the convention to order, read the call for the con
venton, and made speech of some fifteen min
utes in length. He claimed that, since the form
alton of the present party organization, which
was made in Worcester two years ago, Il spirit
of kindness toward the party had spread all
over the country, and he drew a bright picture
of the future of the party, which, he claimed,
was to be in the future the great and successful
political organization of all countries.
On motion of Mr. Chamberlain, of Boston,
Wendell Phillips was chosen permanent chair
man, with a large number of vice presidents
from different parts of the state, after some in
terruptions, and attempts at amendment. MIR.
Phillips was introduced by Mr. Cummings as ::
"Not the orator but the man" who had been
chosen to preside. Mr., Phillips then proceeded,
in his characteristic, graceful, and elegant man.
ner, to give his opening address, of which the
following is brief outline:
After thanking the convention for the honor, he
said he was profoundly sensible that the movement
with which the convention was connected was the
| grandest and most comprehensive of the age. All
over the world any man can see that the great move
| ment of the masses has begun. Humanity goes by
| logical steps. Once it citizenship. When that
was gained they claimed the ballot, and when that
was opened the field clear, and If there is any
| one feature you can distinguish under all names
and flags, it is one great movement for the people to
| take peaceably their own. He looked upon this
convention the great peace society of the world.
| To-day the people have chosen wiser method than
force. They say we come neither to attack nor lie
jure capital but come by the right of possession to
that which belongs to This is a peaceable mar
shalling OF the forces of peace. This convention he
also looked upon the great insurance company of
| the age. In spite of the column of Vendome shat
tered he honOred Paris as the vanguard of the in
ternationals of the world. When he wanted to find
the vanguard of the people he would 60 and learn
the dreams of the aristOcracy, and learn what
startled them most. Therefore, this movement is
the great insurance company; but with the ballot
in our hands we need not write in fire and blood
but in the majority at the ballot box.
This is the movement of humanity to protect it.
self, the movement of labor against capital or
waste of capital. 1t is the most comprehensive the
I,aA ,E,F4
the convention on the auspices under which it
assembled The labor reform party, he said, ran
very great risk of nominating their candidate a
few weeks ago in proposing to run Butler at the
Worcester convention
He referred to the great CONSERVATION this young
party had carried into the ranks of political OPP
ponents. The four hundred and siXty-four labor
delegates there were men whose legs did not trem-
BILE. When the Rice party took the cars for Wor-
cester every leg SHOOK and there never was great
er surprise than when they found themselves safe.
Had it not been for the labor movement Gen. But
Ter would not have been able to WELD the great in
fuence which he did He accorded to the general
all that was accorded to him in the history of the
late civil war, his ingenuity and curious political
tact that were his prominent points One of the
most successful efforts of Butler was to send the
Natick senator home TO stay, and another was to
look the Springfield Republican in the face and not
allow them delegate to the recent convention. The
victory, however, would not have been complete if
you had put Butler in the chair The capitalists of
Massachusetts are neither fools nor towards. They
would not know they were whipped, even if they
had the weight OF Bunker NH monument lying upon
them. The virus of the millions of dollars repre-
sented by the capitalists of the state cannot be
PEELED in a single year.
Keep the labor party religiousy together 1t was no
matter whether hundred or thousand votes were
thrown this year. The other candidates must un-
derstand that the labor party was standing insti-
tuition he had given his word that a candidate
should be put in the field and if Gen. Butler would
come on the platform he could have the votes, but
he never would on the republican or any other plat
form. He thought that If Butler had said: al bow
with submission to the nomination Of Mr.. WASH
burn" but also, 81 want you to acknowledge the
principles of labor REFORM" then we would have
made him governor of Massachusetts. He wished
as much as any man to hold out to him that high
station. A finished man was the noblest work OF
his Maker. The slightest dust of an eclipse should
not come over him. Who would cast film over
his character? But there is Il more important ques
ton than whether Gen. Butler goes into the state
house or the White house. 1t is that the party pre-
serve its existence intact, and that the country it
self must acknowledge the correctness of our prin
ciples He believed that every ticket would be
thrown that was thrown last year. He did not
know whether Washburn would have 500 or 1000
majority. He would come somewhere near it, and
j. Q. Adams would ILn the dangerous risk of being
elected If this party casts 900 $4,000 votes it
goes in dictator in the next presidential cam
vass. He felt stronger than he did month ago,
and owed deep debt of gratitude to the citizen
who shook the state so sensiby in his own behalf
The references to Gen. Butler were received with
widest enthusiasm and the boast that all the
votes thrown for Butler in the Worcester conven-
ton were cast by labor relormers, was greeted
with triumphant shreks, yells and widest cheers
Mr. Phillips endorsement of the commune Of
Paris, with all their deeds of blood and car
mage, as the grand vanguard Of the sgreat army
of labor reform" was also loudly cheered. The
speech, however, as a whole, failed to make the
impression expected and desired by large
number of those present, and was much criti-
cized by those who expected that Mr.. Phillips
would take decided ground in favor of the nom
ination of Gen. Butler.
At the close of Mr.. Phillipss address, Mr..
Fowler Of Lawrence read list of names which
were proposed as a committee on credentials.
None Of them being from Boston, it was moved
that the name of Mr.. c. G. Crane, of Boston, be
added. 1t was objected to, and the following
list was accepted Messrs. Goodwin of Haver.
bill, Howe of Marlboro. Onion of Milford, John.
son of Worcester, Duckworth of Fall River,
Bates of Arlington, Durfee of Holliston.
committee of finance was then appointed
including the name of Mr. Crane, who rather in
dignantly refused to serve, saying that if the
convention had not confidence enough in him to
give him place on the committee on credentials,
they certainly had not enough to put him ON