The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1876-03-25
Meeting of Labor Representatives.

On Tuesday evening, March Is, meet
ing ~ the delegates from the various Trades
Unions, was held M PElu,ers Hail, Dear
BON sire T. to protest against The cuutIuu-
ance Of tine contract system, cal a mass meet
ing, amt take steps to orga' ize the various
trades into a Trades Assembly. Mr.. McGil-
verav, Of the stouecuttcrs, was called t. the
chair ana Mr. Mcdowell, III the Printers
Union, acted as secretary. Representatives
were present from the Stone ,utters Print
ers', English and trermanl, Molders Brick
layers English and GERMANY, Tailors Mar
tie Workers aud Cabinet Makers Unions
COMMITS, ees were appointed to draft a series
uf resolutions and secure hall and report on
Tuesday evening, March 20
On Tuesday evening, March 20 the Com
mittee met pursuant 70 adjournment, Mr..
Mcthiyeray in the chair. Delegates we're
present from every labor organization III the
city.
Mr. Brown, on behalf Of the committee ia
resolutions, submitted the following
WHEREAS, The representatives Of tile peo-
PIE, unmlndful Of the public good which
they were elected to conserve, have from
time t. time syst crn1.ically misrepresented
their constituents. especially those ot the
working class, and have been guilty OF class
legislation whereby the taxation of the PEG
PIE Is uuequally distributed, and,
HfsDtced, That the contract system in our
penltenuary at present practised whereby
honest mechanics, who pay their proportion
Of public taxes and are compelled to support
their families from the proceeds OF their labor,
are forced to compete with felOns at trades
winch they had spent years to perfect them
selves IN, is al outrage upon large and de-
serving portion of our skilled artizans and
should be abolished.
6esOtUsd, That the wOrkugmen OF Chicago
DO protest against the contract system Of prs
on labor to be used at the discretion 81 the
contractors and to the detriment Of honest la
Dor, and against the use Of machinery belong
ing to the state to be used IN this nefarious
practice
ResOlred, That the purpose Of combining per
sons Is for their punishment and reformation,
aud the said purpose is defeated by employing
these cOnvIcts m squads and in come ton
with honest labor, which the contractors are
at liberty to do.
ResOired, That the State can prottably and
satisfactorily employ all the convicts in
much needed works Of public improvement,
such as roads, canals, ETC., thus benetttIng
all and injurug none.
Res0Lred, That we protest against forcing
all the criminals in the State in.o a few trades
aud against forcing Il AIDES on those who, of
their own accord and previous to conviction,
failed to learn the same.
ReSOired, That we look upon it as contrary
to th5 spirit OF the constitution of this State
and nation, which guarantees all its citizens
equality, that few trades should support its
psnal institutions, which the other multmorm
in erests thereof not only 60 free but derive
= revenue from this nieuitous practice
Resolced, That it is bad policy IN the state
to offer premium to crime byconverting the
prison into a mere workshop I; convicts under
ITS protection being better cared for than it is
possible for a large number of It's honest and
law abiding mechanics 70 provide for them
selves.
Resoiced, That We The workingmen Of this
city, irrespective ot what party we belong to,
do support 20 person for any office who will
not pledge himself to support an equitable
measure whereby this evil may be remedied
/ ( not eradicated
Resoiced, That it Is the duty Of those re-
ceIvIng the patronage and support OF the
wOrkIngmen to ehdeayOr to aid them in cor
rectlng the grievances under which they are
now labonng
a.
tions acted upon seriatim
The following form Of interrogatories fol-
candidates was proposed and adopted
Mr. --, candidate for the office of -
will you support and use your influence in
favor OF a measure to prevent the leasing of
convicts in the penItentIary To private firms
or corporations, and bringing the labor Of Grim
inals IN competition with honest mechanics
and laborers
Are you IN favor Of. and will you use your
influence to prevent the enactment. and en-
deavor to effect the repeal OF any law dlscriln-
mating against trades unions or laborers
Also, an equitable apprenticeship law, an
act to reader less expensive aud without un.
necessary delay in the collection, and also a
mechanics hen law!
Mr., McLogan reported, on behalf OF the
Committee on Halls that they had found
two halls for the holding Of a mass meeting
-Arbeiter Hall for for SOS and Maskel Hall
for SIS. and 1t had been decided to leave the
selection to the delegates The report was
accepted, and Arbeiter Hall was chosen.
Mr.. O'Neill moved that the mass meeting
be held on Saturday evening April |, so as
to influence, if possible, the nominations to
be made by the various city conventions.
Carried.
On motion, the Committee on Meeting were
instructed to write and request the Hon.