The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-10-11
FROM The DOMINION.


Proceedings Of the Canadian Labor Congress.
Pursuant to notice published, the Cana
dian Labor Congress commenced its SEES
sions in the Trades Assembly Hall, T ron
to, on Tuesday, Sept. 20. An address Of
welcome was delivered by Mr.. J. W. Car
ter, President Of the Assembly,
The Committee on Credentials reported
in favor Of the admission Of thirty eight
delegates from various portions Of the Do
minion, who were admitted to the deliber-
atoms Of the Congress Messrs j. q.
Carter and J. Hewitt, of Toronto, were
elected its temporary President and Sec
Rotary.
Committees we're appointed on Consti-
tuition, Ways and Means. Prison Labor.
Imported and Cheap Labor, Arbitration,
Hours Of Labor, Printing, Organization
and Legislation and Labor Bureau
The Committee on Constitution reported
the following to be the objects Of the Con
gress
lst Its objects shall be to agitate such
questions as may he for the benefit Of the
working classes in order that we may oh
tain the enactment Of such measures by
the Dominion and Local Legislatures as
viii he beneficial TO US and the repeal Of
all oppressive laws which now exist.
ID To use all means consistent with
hrVJr aid integrity to so correct the abu-
SIS under which the working classes are
lahoring, as to insure them Just rights and
privileges.
3D. To use our utmost endeavors To- i'm
press upon the laboring classes Of this
country the necessity of close and thor
ough organization, and Of forming them
selves into subordinate unions wherever
practicable
An election for permanent officers re-
suited as follows
President >. w. Carter. Toronto
Trades Assembly
LIST Vice President D. J. O'Donoghue.
Typographical Union, Ottawa.
2nd Nice-president- VIM Magness. X
q. ;. G., St Catharines
3rd Vice President-Isa Hodgins, Ma
chinists' and Blacksmiths Union. Hamil
ton
Secretary .Ino Hewitt, Toronto Trades
Assembly.
Treasurer Z. Macmillan. Toronto
Trades Assembly.
The following report Of the Committee
on Arbitration Was submitted and agreed
t.
That as there is so little to advance on
tins question owing to the want of its APP
pliance to disputes in this country, but
considering the favor with which it is re-
ceiyed in other countries, and particularly
III England, Your committee would there
fore urgently recommend the settlement
of all trades disputes by arbitration where
practicable.
The Committee on the Hours Of Labor
reported in favor Of the adoption of the
nine hour system, which gave rise 10 an
animated and interesting discussion, many
of the delegates favoring the substitute OF
the word e,Pht for nine. The amendment
was finally lost by a vote of IL to IL.
Communications were received from Mr..
Robert Schilling, President of the Indus
trial Congress of the United States. ex-
pressing sympathy with the movement and
desire for its success; also from several
sections of the Dominion. expressing sim
liar sentiments
PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATIVES.
Mr. VIM. Joyce, seconded BY J. W. Lev
esley, moved
That it is essential to the recognition
and establishment of the lust and euuita-
bic rights of the workingmen of this coun-
try that they should have their own rep
resentatives in the Dominion Parliament.
and with this idea in view. il is the opinion
of this Congress that Nottingham plat
form should be put before the industrial
classes of the country, and that the Pres
ident do appoint committee To draw up
such platform.
The Committee on Prison Labor advo-
Gated the abrogatiou Of the Contract Sys-
tenn, and protested against the employ
ment Of convicts at mechanical labor
The Committee on Labor Bureau con
cluded their report with the following re-
COMMUNICATION
In conclusion. your committee would
recommend that the Dominion Legisla-
ture be petitioned to create Bureau OF
Labor and Statistics, as your committee
believe it would be Of incalculable value
t. the labor Of the Dominion.
The ontario Workman was recognized
as the official o.gan Of the Union
1t was decided to call a second meeting
Of the Congress at Ottawa, on the second
Tuesday of August next, after which the
Convention adjourned.