National Republican., 1878-08-13
the W0RKINGMEN.
Mass-MeetIng at the City Hall
Last Evening.
Complete Organization and Peaceful Meas
ures Advocated-Thc Address to La
boring Men-street Corner Disor-
ganizers Not Encouraged-hn
Incendiary'speakcrH Hus-
tied OF by Police.


for the purpose of organizing laborers in
unions, was held at the City Hall last evening
Owing to lack of proper advertising but
small number of laborers were in attendance.
1t Is thought, however, that when the news Is
spread abroad of what Is intended by the As.
scmbly a large number of recruits will aocl.
to their standard.
Mr.. J. =. Hamilton was chosen chairman OF
the meeting, aud said that this meeting had
been called for the purpose Of awakening an
interest AMI inducing the workmen to or.
ganizc. The WOrkingmen's Assembly was
| recognized as the exponent of tho true princl.
pies of the workmen. lie appealed to his
hearers to abandon irresponsible leaders and
come in under the banner of the true work.
iugmen. 1t was proposed to hold ings in
every ward in the city, aud this was the
| first one.
The speaker then introduced Mr. Alfred
| Thomas Mr. Thomas said It was necessary
| for the workingmen to enter into a systematic,
well-devised plan for their own protection. :.
Many attempts had been made to indoctrinat
ideas into the heads of the true mechanics by
strollcrs which, If carried out, would be very
| well, but were impracticablc at present. Many
persons were travelling throughout the country
| attempting to organize workmeu under their
4 banners, which would do no good. These men
were Judas lscariots. lie cOunselcd his audi.
oncs to listen to the teachings of true work
men aud let the others alone. lie did not pro.
| pose to array one class of laborcrs against an.
other, nor TO array labor against capital. In.
ccndiary speeches would not benefit the work.
| ingnen. There must he Il combination between
| all the trades Of the country and a unity Of nc.
ton il they wished to force all disposed to
paupcrizo lal or 10 acCcde - their m Is.
| Statistics show that since the Orglmizl.
ton Of trade unions ia England
! France, and Germany the advantages accrung
| to the aborcr have been increased 30 per cent.
| lie was in favor Of the eight.hOur law being
enforced, not only by the Government, but by
every private establishment in this country.
II has been said that the shOrt.hour system
would lead to dissipation by the mechanics.
lie denied that such was the intention Of this
| workers for this measure. Eight hours was a
| sufficient length of time for men 10 work.
Time was needed by the laborcr for mental re.
creation. Tho principles OF the Constitution
| allowed citizens to organize into bodies for the
| advancement of their interests. WOrkingmcu
had us much right to form labor organizations
for mutual protection as the factory lords and
| railroad kings had to form themselves into
mpuUpOics. The latter had formed cpmbina.
! tiOns, not for mutual protection, but 20 Uppress
! labor. WOrkincmen must usc all their force TO
!
! on their own battle-ground and demand what
! was RI ght. The men who made the laws and
! held the rrus of power had come to under.
| stand that they must lcgislatc for the lablrcr
as well Us the employer. The newspapers of
the day show that Ovcrturus are being made
by the leading parties OF the country to the
| labor element for support. Every platform
to-day has q clause IN which the politicians
acknow led ge the power which the labor element
| wiclls WOrl;mcu must demand n fair equiv.
alent for services rendered. by u united ef-
fort capital should be made to feel the power
of the wOrkingman. The recent appropriations
made for the District were given for the pur
pose not OF boautifying tho city, but for Civ.
lug the unemployed work. While contractors
were getting good jobs aud paying small
| wages 1t was time for labor to be up and doing.
No violence should be used, but moral suasion
should prevail. Each ward organization
should see that the lea ling citizens subscribed
to a docdment by which all sholld be bcne
ftod. Support all the merchants that help the
workmen. Anarchy aud bloodShed were not
desired by the honest mechanic. 1t was time
enough when an overt act was committed by
the Government for labor TO find Cromwell
who would dissolve the Congress. Men who
counseed violence were not the ones to follow
No good would be obtained by following wild
promulgators of fanatical doctrines, who would
not be on hand to assist the victims of their
treason. Throughout the country grand idea
was coming into life, which would cause hide.
bound politicians to tremble in their boots.
In the District Of Columbia the ballot-boI was
not In use, and consequently II was not neces-
sary to cater to the Republican or Democratic
parties Go to work and form unions Do not
follow men who harangue on street corners
Contractors would be made to feel
the effects Of o combined effort. By
sending delegates to the Workingmens
Assembly 1t would not be long before
| hn nricpi m In in
Every mau who takes a contract expects to
| reap some benefit from 1t. That was proper !;
but the toiling man should bo also thought of.
1t would not be the right thing to bcautify
this city at the price of labor. The labOring
man who worked from seven In tho morning
until six in the evening was worth at least 81 80.
Anything less than that would subject him to
many hardships. Give man a fair rcmunera.
tiUn and you make respectable citizen OF
him. But, on the other hand by not paying
proper rates the labOrer was made tramp and
the jals were filled. Government should tx
the rate and hours for the abOrcras it does ior
the mechanics. The speaker advocated the
plan Of the Government making no contracts,
but giving work out by the day aud paying its
own labOrers. The motto Of every working
, man should be " No such word rs fail" In
, speaking of the Wurkingmen's Assembly the
, speaker said ut was sentinel Oh guard 10 Jk-
ing out for the true interests OF wOrkingmen.'
Speeches were also made by Mr.. Il. q. Nc.
Donald, who aimed his remarks at Cohon, the
, agitator, styling him Mock Noses
Mr.. l.. l.. Barker and Mr.. Richard EmmouG
spoke upon the necessity OF organization. Mr.
. T.. l.. Barker read the following cuI issued by
\ the committee on organization OF the National
WOrkmgncn's Assembly:
u@G IMITATION or LABOR.
"Cursel b. the law ihm makes bread dear aud .1oI
| chcAl.
Thr Standard Uf wages pG!d, taking every c.ass o
T O.
doubt insufficient 10 satisfy tho legtmu'e wunts uI
reform In the condition II pauprriEcl lubpr UDd
secure for the iubJrcr fair compensation for hls
services is the question Of tho hour, The Trmedy
for the evil Ui which labor complains is In i
thorough organization Of the forces of labor under
the guidance aud management ul men of CharaC
ter and influence, IN full sympathy with the work.
ing Cusses. To bring about successful COmbina
don Of the laborcrs Vi this District there must IL
unity of action aud an abandonment of the az
ycuturers who are roaming through the country
protesting 10 he the friends Of oppressed working
, InGa,' swindling them out of their hard eernng'
to support themselves In idlencss The CmAnCipa
ton Of labor Gan only be achieved BY the OrsaIliza
! tOn Of the labOrers into labor unions for ,heil
mutual protection, basel upon the principles O
doing unto Others as they would others should dc
unto them Until there Is Il successful combination
Of the wurklngnen OF the District formed and
well defined plan OF organization maturcd contest
for increase VI wages Of peaceful or violent char
acter must inevitably fail, Labor unions should be