Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-08-03
SOCIALISTIC SCHEMES
Broached to the Congressional Committee
Property in Common, Lands for ALL Reg
u1ation of Machinery, Government Regu-
latiOn of Health. Etc.

Property in Common, Lands for All, Reg
ulatiOn of Machinery, Government Regu-
1ation of Health. Etc.
New YORK, Aug. 2.-The Congressional
committee on the labor question resumed its
session this morning, Mr.. Hewitt presiding
Bartholomew, chairman of the Social Demo-
cratic party, resumed his testimony. He said:
Times are worse now than in 1870. He was
piano maker, and in inflated times his wages
did not go up but after the panic fell 20 per
cent. He argued for the establishment of a
labor bureau similar to that in Massachusetts,
and that no politician should be allowed to
have anything to do with it, He would have
no accumulation of capital in private hands,
but under control of the government for the
benefit of the people. In this state of society
there would be no desire among work.
men to accumulate, they would be
sure OF constant employment.
Still, he would not pay one man as much as
another, but give each salary or wages equal to
the amount and perfection of his work
The committee questioned Bartholomew on
the practical working of his system of cooper
alive socities, but, being unable to answer, he
was prevailed upon to retire.
The rest of the Socialists had for consider
able time watched Bartholomew hopeless
meanderings with disgust. at last the mutter-
lngs OF what an OK, " what an ass" on the
part of his comrades became SO loud that Bar
tholomew sat down.
Isaac Bennett, cigarmaker, advocated the
regulation of the use OF machinery not its de-
struction. He wanted machinery regulated to
such extent that it would not cause the en-
forced idleness of workmen. Bennett also adj
vocated cooperative societies, but said the
cigar makers could not go into this co-opera-
tive system at present because they did not
have the means.
Hewitt-"Oh; then you do want capital
The answer was, in part, that the reduction
of hours of labor to eight hours per day would
increase wages.
Boyd, of Illinois-'Then would not the re-
duction of days labor to six hours still fur
Their increase wages!"
To this there was no reply.
Adolph Douai, of the Soeialistrc labor party
next appeared and discussed the land laws Of
England of an ancient date. He maintained
that the government, ought to provide land for
every man and woman in the United States
He claimed the government should enact a law
to prevent men from being forced to labor
longer than eight hours a day. and forbidding
their engagement in any occupation that would
be in urious to their health or constitution.
Some amusement was created when, in an
swer to inquiries as to hours and regulations in
Krupps factory, Douai intimated Herr Krupp
was bankrupt and that his money was deposit
ed in English banks in his wife's name.
At the afternoon session, James Connolly,
representing the national Greenback party,
ascribed the depression in labor to the bond
system, saying people take their money out of
manufactures and invest it in bonds, on which
they obtain interest. He denounced the rail
road land grants, and thought the government
should have built its own railroads. great
means, he declared, to relieve the dis
tresses among the laboring classes
was for the government to
assist them to settle on the public lands and
insure them support until they reaped the first
crop. He affirmed that all laws of Congress
were in favor of large manufacturers and
dealers, and tended to crush out the middle and
| small classes.
After hearing a few other witnesses whose
views were similar to those given, the commit
tee invited manufacturers, business men, etc.,
to give their views.
Adjourned until Tomorrow.