, 1876-04-10
THE LABOR QUESTION.


West S.le Tuner Hall yesterday nftornoon for
Tho purposo Of hearing addresses On tho SUBJ
lecta OF tho eght-hour system. tho labor luoa-
lion eprcra1iy, and for perfocttng thorough or
rup,zatton Of shiB rather numerous class OF
wprkingmen.
Tho meeting was called to order as about 8
o'clock by afr. August Se,ffert, wllo nominated
mir. ]. Qo,lo.s Chairman. Tint Gontlcmnn Was
unanimously chosen, and TOOK tho chair. A1r.
simmcn and Alr. Stoin wuro elected Secretaries.
The Chair thcn stnted that tho meeting had bcon
eallod, amopg otlIor things, for tho purpose OF
discussing the oIebt-hour syateu1. and tho a,l-
dieuco would lstcu to Alr. NJ. 9. GiiyroY, whom
he then introduced.
MI. Gilyroy said tLat, as member Of tho
Btonecuttots' Association, they had some time
Ago agreed to WORK for 90 day Tor elsht hours
i6atesd Of working. tor 81 for tor boufs day:
inside of Two mouths thor wages had increased
nearly onc-hnif. The cry OF ovor-productton
hsd boon ralscd, but there WAS no such thing
Thero was an MISREPRESENTATION, and Tork1nE-
men were not haif Of them getting tho neces-
sarics OF life. Tho speaker thought thas eight
hours should be given to work, cight to sleep,
and eight TO BONO kind Of recreation Tue
cight-bonr system was according to law. It waa
on tho statute at Warrington; and why was It
iuoporative7 Simply because tho worksugmen
had laln idle aud lot tho thing 60 by
dofault- Tie spoho OF the great ucceegity OF
organization nmoug tho WoEklngment well sun-
potted. before anything could be accomplished.
He referred to the splendid organization OF tho
English worAinRmon nB . model for working
mon IN tLis country. ln England, BeycnkY.AYe
years ngo, It wna criminal to abandon 1ob or
to engago In o strike, aud oven Hugh Miller,
one Of Tho groateBt Of English workingmen,
WIS go ioarfut OF personal liberty TINT he wrote
against ttades.unlonB, but afterwards sRw the
benefits OF tho system aud warmly advocated 1t.
There was neveE better t!ne, SAID the speaker.
{or tho workingnon to uplte. Now was tho
time for coalition. Of tho trades. But
politics must bo laid aBilo nod men and princi-
ploe !yokcd utter. lApplanse.l BY what right
had any caucus or clique Of politicians to aietnte
called bolter 4" from other party had operat-
ed to keep would-bo independent voters III tho
party organizations and tho rosut WIS TINT
questions Of interest to tho worklngmeu were
Tnheeded mid tho politicians simply worked for
their own aelilsl. ends. 1t was only through
mnag moyements thut auythlnK could bo eli ccted.
He WAS III fhsos Of tho uuson Of tie working
men contemplated at ths present meeting. and
gave eome wire counsel a. to the preliminary
aot in favor Of strikes, and so-
Ernttcd tho absence Of MY proper tribunal
10 which difficulties among worAlnglnen might
be relorred. Co-opelatipn tn sono kiuds Of
susiuuss waa uthnccesAful, but co-opo1atlon 1t,
tho matter 0! producing aud consuming articles
II food, although considered a rattser Ulopan
dea In this country, was esnlnent!y successful
u tho uorttl ot Euglana. wherc tue poople were
osA migratory than In London, wlero the HYB-
;e Lad fnlIet1. In conclusion. lilo CONVICT labor
,uaet,on Gano iu Tor +ll4To of tho discussion.
lie cuuld not deuouuco thu syBseM too strongly.
He wAb lu favor OF putting these eonyicts on tho
public highways. broak,ng ntoncB. aud mukinK
.tood Eorus. Their labor wonu THU DO fut the
3euolt Of the State. and thu honest worRnEmol,
would not bc subject 10 The present uui iust cou-
petition viii. iu.!.bitds.
Mr. August boificrt then adlreHsl d tho meet
tng ut considerable leugt'l in GernaH liz waf
u favor OF cetnent!nH this HIlon OF the woo,
hortrlA. Tho truubIe W,h the working cissse
Eaa, that tleir oAIy occupations wero worttln,
suu sleeping. Tney wor1 q sort of douaehtl
knitnals, takiug whatever they could. and starS
log "hou they couldn't get 1t. llo was hear
with great attention, aud frequently tpterrupte
by sppiauhe.
Iii. Charles Tllorsmaus WAS tho ne1t spealstl
He elso addressed thu meuiinK III uermAl
Hs said tIs nuyoMsnt waa tho begAnulll
Of general movement to 6eHe![t til
Working class. It void enannco tho duly III
borers aagea. Tho ~orktnxmen should
lshaued 10 have uphold Hes n9 tur tHeuty yoart
man who hAa tutucd out a public Flnndare
md 1T candidate for tho penltent1ury. Il
trusted the W0,kinsn,un, and ESPECIALLY tho Cor
man wplk1ngmtn, bud leHrued ptacIical Lesson
Ho was cmphatlca!!Y in favor Ut thls uuion, an,
would fulu:Hh all tho support in his power.
An o. portuntty WIZ theu ElyeA fur tho audi
1enco TO Join the organization, end many Ryai1e
themselves of tue privilege
Addresses oI q similar character were mado b
John U'Ne4l and otIols, aud tho meeting the
adjourned.