Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-08-07
The Workingmen's Assembly.

SECESSION OF THE BOoKBINDERs' UNIo~-
RESOLUTIONS AGAINST THE CONTRACT sYs-
TEN,
The workingmen's Assembly met II =, night.
DIR. Alfred Thomas in the chair. and Z. L.
Barker, secretary pro tenn Mr.. SINGER. from
the committee OH Organizati ON. submitted
report in relation to the
BETTER ORGANIZATION OF THE wORKINGMEN
of the District. His .,lan proposes to form a
district labor organization in each ward of
Washington and Georgetown, each labOrer or
mechanic to be requested to join his respect
i've ward organization; each to send delegates
to the assembly, under whose auspices grand
mass meeting is to be held every Tuesday
night. in front of the City Hall, to arouse the
labOrlng men to their rights and duties. A
committee on agitation to be formed, consist
lpg OF 10 or ~ reliable speakers, whose duty it
shall be TO educate the labOring classes. The
report was adopted.
The president, DIR. Thomas, called the first
vice president to the chair.
WITHDRAWAL OF THE BOOKBINDERs' UNION
lac secretary read notification from the
Bookbinders' union that that organization
had Withdrawn from the assembly, and that
no one was authorized to represent the Book
binders union.
DIR. Thomas took the floor and said there
should have been good reasons Set forth in
the notice for such action. In ali fairness this
should have been done. He had seen the
action OF this union paraded forth in the
newspapers in the way of an advertisement,
and ii was apparent that the publication in
this way preceding the official notice sent the
WOrkingmen's Assembly was designed as
mark OF great discourtesy to this assem- bly, as
We'll as to stab individuals. There were
SOME DARK AND CLOUDY REASONS
for this, which the assembly should investi-
gate, and he called upon it to do so. What
was their notion? He intended to unveil it.
Of discord he had no doubt. Some expression
should be made by this assembly. Some people
would rather rule in he'll than serve in heaven,
and there were men of this kind in the Book
binders union. He then recited briefly what
the assembly had done in the advancement of
the rights OF WOrklngmen since its organiza-
lon. The record OF the assembly IS we'll
known, and his own personal record in con.
nection with this organization is also pretty
we'll known. Much of this trouble with the,
bookbinders had been
A PERSONAL WAR
on himself In meeting Saturday night last
some dirty work had been done, and this Job
OF generalization instigated and since car
RED out; He hoped, however, that the assem-
these discordant spirits The delegates from
this union had been chronic GROWERS, and had
uniformly opposed any and all measures for
the good Of the whole assembly. They had
not been able to accomplish their purpose. and
the next thing they sought to do was TO com
pei their union to withdraw, and he heartily
OF SO peStiferOuS an element so easily. Now
Let them go, with a good radiance to them.
The vote upon the reception of the cOmmuni-
dered, and it was decided unanimously to ac-
cept the notice of withdrawal.
MI: Spier moved that the first of the series
front Of the City Hail. adopted.
THANKS TO THE SECEDERS.
MIR. Plass, from the Plumbers Union, sub
mitted resolution that the thanks of this
Assembly are due to, and are heartily rend-
cred. the BOOkbinderS' Association for having
removed from among us the only discordant
element that we have been afflicted with since
our organization; and that the thanks of this
Assembly are hereby rendered to DR.. Alfred
Thomas and William &. Evans, of the Book
binders delegation, for their sincere and earn
deprived OF their valuable services as active
members we hope that they will give us as
honorary members OF this Assembly their aid
and council in the future as they have so ably
and hOnOrably done in the past"
MASS MEETING
"A committee to procure the speakers and
make arrangements for the mass meeting
next Monday night was appointed as follows:
Messrs. Hamilton, Clarkson, Stewart. Waters
kOpp, EmmOnS, Boston, FallOn. McCarty, and
Christian.
AGAINST THE CONTRACT SYSTEM.
MIR. Armstrong, from the Typographical
Union, submitted resolution deprecating the
present mode of giving out contracts for the
execution of public work, the tendency of
which enureS solely to the benefit of con-
tractors, and directly in opposition to the
interests of workingmen; that they protest
against the letting OF contracts by government
officials who have an option and are not bound
by direct provisions OF law, and that the
WOrkingmen's Assembly being informed that
the honorable Secretary Of the Interior has the
tract, or days work. committee of five
members be appointed TO wait On Secretary
SchurZ, lay the views of this assembly before
him, and urge the honorable Secretary to have
said work performed directly by government,
without the Intervention of middle men or
contractors; adopted, and the chair appointed
as the committee Messrs, Armstrong, Maher,
WalSon, Piass and Jewett.
TIE election of a first vice president, to fill
the vacancy caused by the absence of Mr..
Jack Reynolds, was postponed until the next
meeting.