The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-08-06
I IB hUSITIdU CULl ID dIIUk
iered to resort to the
GERMANY.
congregsional Labor Convention

New York, Aug 5.-In the labor con-
gress this afternoon, Hastings had a tilt
with Hewitt He would not make his
statements. and was told to stand aside
He then charged Hewitt with being hos
tile to him, and said his treatment was
not just Mr. Hewitt took occasion to
say, in view of an allegation Df Hastings,
that he lewitt) was not shareholder 10
any bau& and did not import any foreign
goods.
Robb read long statement. setting
forth the Importance of the question under
consideration. He said God would hold
the committee responsible for every hun
cry stomach and naied back 10 the land.
Goo says ~ c sha! not sell the land for
ever" No man has right to give a
title for land. " Z have violated the laws
of God. and fraud and perjury prevail
everywhere.
Reduce the tariff and stop sectional
legislation, stop railroad Jobs and give the
country the b"ne6t. Our shipping has
been driven of the seas by foreign steam
ers. l would tax steamers in favor of
| freight
| There was a great deal more of this
kind of talk, interspersed with questions
| by the committee, and the auditors were
amused.
| j. Z. O'Grady, who represented the dry
goods statesmen aud shoe trade, wanted to
read a statement but the committee de-
clined to hear him, as it would take too
long, and O'Grady declined to submit his
briet statement, which would take two
hours to read.
Morris Cohen, formerly manufacturer
of silk cloaks, said the large h.anufac-
turers had crowded him out and were
crowding out all small dealers, and he re.
Quested the committee to attend to those
matters.
/ Mr.. Graham, secretary of the working
mems unioP, held that We do not desire
the outIa VS. of the old world to come here
and upset our government He did no
intend to denounce capital when honestly
accumulated, but he denounced railroad
|, monopolies and the raising of prices of pro
| visions, etc, by stock jobbiDg and specula
: tions.
Here he asked Mr. Marshall, larg,
ship-owner, to give his views. He die
not want any protection against steamers
He thought the removal of taxes, as mucl
as possible consistent with revenue neces
sites, would revive trade, and the aboli
L
, Americans from buying their vessel
, abroad would revive the shipping trade.
!, Graham then continued. He believed
the large unemployed population IN thf
cities ought to be sent to the prairie land
: and settled thereon by private enterprise
: Horatio ID. Shepherd, of the Nationa
Reform Association. attributed the pres
ent depression to mistakes in the currenc
question-too much imitation and no
| enough taxation.
9 The President of the Cigar Makers
f Union said that while the number of cigar
E manufactured steadily increased, the con
g dltlon OF cigar makers got worse. In on
> month there were four suicides 10 Me-
2 I ork of cigar makers for want of employ
| ment. The trouble has been caused b
the general government by the system {
taxation which throws business into th
hands OF large manufacturers. The frs
r cause is the introduction of three thousan
ii coolies into the trade 10 San Francisco
:, and in New York The tenement hous
!, system caused ruin. The system is
q shame and disgrace The whole family
man. women and children-work day an
night from fourteen to eighteen hours
day, and still only make enough to live, o
IS rather starve on, and when cigar maker
: struck for wages the landlords. who wer
/. the manufacturers. turned 900 wretehe
e families into the street. In tenement hot
d ses people get say tobacco for 1000 cigar
and make LOO of it. and they trade o
the extra hundred to the butchers groce
and baker, and pay revenue on them. H
b asked that the tenement house system |
d abolished and that cigars be allowed to
y made only in factories. he was not o.