The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-23
THE LABOR MOVEMENT.
The Organization Of the "Eight-Hcnr En-
fOrccment League"
Meeting Of Workingmen Last Evening Several
Measures Proposed for Testing the
Law-Eight Hours Demanded
as Days Work.

The workingmen OF New York are now organic
ing united and desperate effort for the redressing
OF the wrongs from which they suffer and for the
assertion of the supremacy OF labor. The meeting
last evening at the Germana Assembly Rooms was
not all that had been hoped for 1t by the friends OF
the movement, yet it may serve as the basis upon
which most systematic campaign may be carried
on. The men certainly arrived at
MORE PERFECT UNDERSTANDING
OF the prospects Of defeat and victory and will on
the occasion of the next meeting, called for next
Tuesday evening, be able to thoroughly organize
1t was indeed, encouraging to hear the unbiased
and candid statements which were made by many
OF the speakers. The old system, by which in
different workmen were enabled to live of the
hard earnings OF the Industrious was candidly
referred to and deprecated. When the workmen
or the country become their own thinkers and
cease to be
THE TOOLS OF POLITICAL TRICKsTERs
the cause OF labor will become much more re-
spected aud Its advocates more influential.
THE ORGANIZATION.
The meeting was called to order by Osborne
Ward and Mr.. Maddox was chosen chairman. Mr..
George Blair, the Secretary OF the Federal Council
OF the International Society, was appointed
The call, published In the HERALD OF Friday, was
then read. A committee on credentials consist
ing OF MesSrs Keys, Banks and Carson, was APP
pointed.
The CHAIRMAN then stated that the object OF the
meeting was to perfect an organization which
should be powerful enough to demand and receive
respect from every employer in the great cities of
General was supposed to be the advocate OF the
people, and to him the worklngmen should APP
peal or the enforcement or the Eight-Hour statute.
PUBLIC OPINION SIDING WITH LABOR
Mr.. OSBORNE WARD said that such movement
as was now possible could not have been instituted
last year. Public opinion was daily becoming
stronger in favor OF the laborIng classes. A
strike had the effect of educating the people to
better knowledge of the lives of their fellow men
Very few in this city knew the severity of the gas
mems labor. Now, it was found by consulting
statistics that their average life was not more
the severity ofthe work trial of twelve hours be-
fore the blazing retorts The speaker supported the
question He said that he knew one man who if
the trades were powerful enough to humiliate
could be attacked and beaten in every Court in the
land. This man was the bitter antagonist of the
iron and metal workers, and had already fastened
himself upon the very government Work was
taken to his shops while the government machn-
cry stood idle 1t would be great triumph Tor
labor could such a man only be Inundated.
NATIONAL COUNCIL WANTED.
Mr.. MCGUIRE of the Pianomakers' Union said -
The workingmen want national conference, at
which Delegates can appear representing every
Revolution Is what Is wanted. With the men OF
Boston, Chicago and New York once united they
The effect OF disunion has been seen in the
strike OF the gas men. II the gasmakers OF
the six establishments had sent two men
to central council, pledged to support
each other to the uttermost, the monopolies
would have trembled, and, with the desperate al.
tentative OIL losing their charters accedng to
the wishes OF the men, the companies would have
surrendered and the strike would have ceased be-
fore twenty-four hours. As it is the men are
alone. They have no assistance from their brother
tradesmen, and will as surely fail without union as
they would have succeeded with it, The speaker
then proposed as name for the organization the
Eight Hour Enforcement Leaguen This name
was unanimously adopted,
A GREAT MASS MEETING.
Mr. BANKS said that he believed in arousing the
people by calling mass meeting to be held in one
o. the large nails OF the he city Today terrible
to work from sixteen to nineteen hours per day,
while the companies horses were only worked four
hours. The speaker then suggested that measures
be at once taken for bringing or more OF the
street railroad corporations to recognition of the
Eight Hour statute. This system OF calling upon or
once discountenanced. The workmen OF New York
are 100000 strong. They have voice ii they would
only exert It, They are deceived as body, at
every election. More can be gained by opposing
than by begging favors from politicians.
COMMON SENSE VIEW.
Mr.. CARSON said he was not in sympathy with
the small and individual organizations known as
trades unions but believed in union OF all trades
In one common body for the defence of a common
cause. The trades unions having for their purpose
the cause OF one particular branch OF industry and
that only were calculated to make the members
narrow-minded. There were last Winter more
than NIFTY thousand men on the streets out of en-
ployment. Very much or this. the speaker re-
GREETED to say was attributable to the unions,
which by their narrow ideas forbade the employ
ment OF any more than an established number OF
men.
THE UNIONS DEFENDED.
member OF the Order Of Amagamated En-
gineers defended the trades unions, asserting that
In the ''Old Country they did they pleased with
capital. There, he asserted. the workmen knew
how to bring monopoes TO their senses The
workshops may be blown up or burned down, but
have their way the men would London trembled
when the trades threatened to use their power.
Several other speakers addressed the meeting.
permanent organization having been arrived
at, the Committee on Credentials instructed TO
receive all such as were offered and TO report the
representation at the next meeting. The presiding
officer then adjourned the meeting to next Tuesday
evening, at the same place.