Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-09-10
The wort. ms mems Assembly.

AAo ms mems Assembly,.
TIE PAIENT OFFICE WORK NOT TO GO ON
NAifLNAL DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE
FINE AT THE LABOR EXCHANGE, ETC.
The Workingmen's Assembly met last night.
j. II. Ralston in the chair, and E. L. Barker
secretary. Mr.. Armstrong, from the commit
Tee tee to walt upon the Secretary Of the Interior,
roof on the Patent Office building done by
Gays Work, instead OF by contract made long
wlltten report.
WHAT SECRETARY SEIZURE SAID ABorJT TIE
PATENT OFFICE WORK
ame Iesolutlon Tor the appointment of this
t tteahulltee was adopted at prior meeting of
ins assembly the members being under the
ialy now the work should be done. From the
discussion with the Secretary, the committee
learned that Congress passed bill appropriat-
Ton OF the Patent Office building, and directed
that plans be solicited from architects and sub
united TO board Of architects to make a Sc:
provides for an additional story to the build
ing which will give ample room for the work.
ipgs OF the department, the present structure
that the 100000 shall be used in eroQfng the
building, and another clause leaves the plans
egad % to make TAX
story on the building involving large ex-
penditnre, far in excess Of the amount appro.-
feel at liberty to undertake the work under
the PROVISIONS of the bill without having first
submitted the specifications adopted by the
board Of architects to Congress for sanction
by that body.
CONTRACT VS.. DAYS WORK.
In relation to the resolution stating that 'it
is optional with the Secretary to have the
work done by contract or days work." the
Secretary stated that he had not closely ex-
amined the law on that point. but is of the
f opinion that there were certain provisions
tain work performed under contract. but
when the work Is not emphatic, he would, as
lar as his time would admit, have the work
done directly by the government, but that
nothing would be done until the reassembling
OF congress. In connection with these facts
Inc commlttee, In their report, criticise the
contract system and denOunce it, claiming
that the labOrer through it is being degraded
day by day, being given away to the lowest
nldder and compelled to work at price that
Will scarcely keep body and soul together
While the contractor revels in luxury They
also allude briefly to the
EVILS OF THE CONVICT LABOR CONTRACT
which is even more detrimental TO the inter.
ests OF the honest mechanic, whose labor is
brought into competition with the condemned
lelOn IMAM that OF an unscrupulous contractor
In conclusion. the committee recommend the
necessity OF such action being taken by the
assembly as would cause the workingmen of
candidates Who are now before them asking
their suffrage for a seat in Congress, TO look
into the conStitutiOnality of this evil, and if
found not to be in direct conficS with the Con
stitution of the United States, that they pledge
themselves to support such measures as will
eradicate this evil OF convict labor aud the
est labor, believing it to be in direct violation
OF the fundamental principles upon which this
republic was formed; and also believing that
the prosperity and perpetuity OF this republic
demands that no state, corporation or mono
poly OF any character should be allowed in any
manner whatever to enact and enforce such
laws as Will tend to degrade any mechanical
strong, NJ. B. Goodwin.
The report was adopted unanimously.
Messrs. G. w. Spier, Otto Heidemann and G..
r. lleTney were accepted as delegates from
the German WOrkingmen'S Association.
TIE WoRKINGMEN AND THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY.
Mi. ramsey submitted resolutions, which
were Unanimously adopted, cordially en-
dorsing resolutions recently passed BY the
LABOR Assembly OF Cincinnati, Ohio, as to the
action OF the National Democratic Campaign
establis hment which pays less than the scale
OF prices esta blished by Columbia Typograph- |
lea, Union, No. 10l. The resolutions refer to |
committee, ignored the right of labor Organi- |
cations to any voice in matters of such vital |
Importance to all craftsmen, laborers aud the |
NATION major az large; and they denOunce the action |
WI ! use Its influence to defeat the democratic |
party II such action is not reversed, etc.
- COnMlTTEE ON CO OPERATION.
MI. RalstOn tMr. Plass in the chair moved !
That committee of five be appointed on CO. |
operation, and explained the advantage of |
having such committee tOinvite the mechan-
les OF the country to cooperate with the AS |
sembly in their efforts for the good of labor.
The motion was adopted and the chair ap-
pointed MesSrS. RalstOn, EmmOns, Salan, Hal. |
deman and Rosenberg on said committee.
HIT AT THE LABOR EXCHANGE
Mr. Spler called the attention of the Assem-
Diy TO recent publi,hCd report of the doings |
that the expense side of their sheet shows mat |
sixty per cent. had been paid in clerical hire |
and only forty per cent. 10 the benefit of the |
executive sc. sion.