The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1874-03-07
Meeting Of The Labor Council.
Remarks by Z. N. ChambeFIiR, Ira Stewart,
VIM. Y. GrifiithS and others.


The Labor Council met ut the Sherman
House, last evening Rev. Jesse HI. Jones
opened the meeting with prayer.
Correspondence Of apolitical Latnre was
read by the Secretary.
THE TEN-HoUR LAW
coming up for discussion, K. NJ. Chamber
lin sald: The Labor Council discusses
labor questions from the laborers' stand
point. At the State House these questions
are discussed from rich mens stand points
1t Is patural that "A mans opinions should
be colored to match his position in life
Here Is Henry l.. Bancroft Of Millbury, a
merchant 1t Is not reasonable to suppose
that he would favor a worklngman's meas
ure. He is not Of that class. 1t requires
sslf-denial for man to 20 for a measure
destined TO assist another class, even if
that class does consist Of women and chill
dren. And then, again, some OF the
\ OPERATIVES OF AILLBURY
tried to defeat him When running for the
Senate they know him, and he does not
forget them. Some Of them ought to have
been iii the Senate chamber this afternoon
and heard him describe the pleasures Of
factory hfe-hOw well ventilated and how
healthtul the mills were. The school
rooms Of Boston, he said, were not fit to
be occupied SIX hours at time but eleven
or twelve hours Of work on a stretch was
not too much IN a Massachusetts mill.
Healthy Does he presume on the igno-
rance OF the Senators Let them 20 into
the library and examine the reports of the
various boards and census-takers of the
State, and they will learn how healthy the
factory towns Of Massachusetts are. He
seemed to think the mill Of Mr. Stickney
of Fall River was
A LABoRER's ELNsIUM.
Let him examine the census. and he will
see that while there may be one death in
every thlrty-twO Of the population of Fail
River, there may be in farming town
near by, as in MestporJ, OIIlv one death in
eighty-four, in gwen year. Take the
factory towns through, and there are more
than twice the deaths to the same popula-
ton than there are III the rural towns. In
England they are beginning to feel that
TEN HOURS DAY Is TOO MUCH
for women and children, and Mr.. Mum
della has bill before Parliament limiting
the hours Of labor Of such to nine hours q
Z AAAN AhspNIAOAS VI ulillS III EIklADU
have in their last report recommended that
such reduction be made. And there the
mills are confessedly now far ahead of
ours IN the care they are compelled to take
by law OF their operatives. Here the
operatives are the merest sport Of corpora
tIUns and individuals that are struggling to
get rich out Of their labors. The Berk-
shine Senator, pompous and swelling with
Importance, says that III
THE FREE AIR OF THE BERKSHIRE HILLS
the women and children may work any
number Of hours without detriment to
their health or constitutions. A careful
examination Of the census takers returns
Is commended to tins gentleman also. He
says he has obtained some operatives who
have signed paper against being pro-
hIbited from working as long as they like
There is no doubt but that he has. For
all Berkshire has hills and fresh air, she
has, as any one knows who has read the
State reports and travelled in that region,
some of the most
AFFECT AND OVER WORKED FACTORY SLAVES
that there are Ill the world. The Senator
presumed on the ignorance Of his fellows
when he denied or seemed to deny it, Mr.
Gatchell-Mhat can be said Of him De-
clarlng that he would stand by the com
mittee if they would include his mill and
now that they have done so, speaking in
favor Of applying the p' DIVISIONS Of the act
to all manutactoTles-an amendment that
would kill the bill. Mr.. Very Of Wor-
cester-Did ever man speak more like an
attorney pleading for clients than he did
With a carefully arranged brief and refer
ence to testimony Of mill owners against
ten-hour law, he yet in his hesitating and
stsmmerlng advocacy displayed how little
a man can really learn Of subject by
crammlng Just before he Is going to recite.
Mn. IRA STEWART
said for more than two weeks the Massa-
chusetts Senate has debated the ten-hOur
factory bill, and 1t is still a very grave
question whether this measure will sue
ceed. 1t has become clear enough that =
majority Of our Senators hate it but We
are hoping that there are enough who fear
70 vote mo, with those who believe in it,
to finally pass the law. Never during the
twenty four years this measure has been
before our Legislature, has it received 90
many opposition speeches from Senators
as during the halt dozen sessions it has
been debated this winter They under
stand that If the measure is allowed to 20
to the House III fair shape that it is sure
to become law and the
FRANTIC AND VIGOROUS EXPORTS
made by Bancroft, Carpenter, Hawes,
Lane, Learned, Norcross, Salmon and
Very to prevent tins, and to fasten upon
the bull Objectionable measures, is especial
ly significant.
THE FREQUENT ABSENCE OF BANKS
upon his lecture engagements Is a fact gen
orally lamented while the call upon Lor-
ing ~ make some sIgn 10 show his friend
ship tor this leglsIatatIon Is growing loud
er. His name has never yet been cnlledsin
the eight or ten yea aud nay votes that
have occurred The debate on this oues-
tlOn u 20 he continued Thursday, and
every friend ought g. be present.
Mr.. wM. D. GRIFFIrHs
thought the blame Of the opposition Of
many Senators ought to be placed on
workIngmen themselves. who did NOT.
while their election was pending, pledge
the Senators 10 support the ten-hour law
he thought the Importance Of the ques-
-tion ought keep Gen. Banks mora in his
seat in the Senate chamber. He said that
workIngmen in Gen. Banks district had
told HIM that If ever Cen. Banks was up
for office again they would g. against him.
MIR. SHAW OF ABINGDON
said he had talk with Senator Reed on
the subject VI the ten-hour law, and that
Senator Reed gave him the impression
that he was against the bill.