Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-04-27


THE EIGHT HOUR LAW AND THE CHINESE CUES
TioN.
mass meeting OF workingmen was held at Abb
nerS hall last night. under the auspices OF the Fed
GRAFTON OF Labor for the purpose of advancing the
objects OF the federation. which Is TO unite all the
trades In the District In central organization.
Though the weather was very unfavorabIe the
hall was well filled, the audience being drawn
mainly from the seventeen trades unions now rep
resented in the federation. Before the exercises OF
the evening CONN., anced, Weber's band dscoursed
"a number OF musical selections. Mr.. q. Edmon-
ston, president Of the Federation OF Labor, called
the meeting to order, ana nominated the follow
ing
LIST OF OFFICERS
VINO were unanimously elected: Chairman, Thos.
Galloway; secretaries, Mr. Schneider and Mr.. Clar-
idEe; vice presidents, John T. Suter, carpenters
plasters: b. g. Mcdonald, taiors: j. z. Welsh,
clgarmakers; n j. Plass. plumbers; Mr.. Denham,
painters; Geo shobel, timers, II. Campbell, gran
lie cutters; John CGlverwell, paper hangers; VIM.
H. sweeney, typographical union; VIM. Welsh,
PAYERS; Alex. lawson, turner's and scroll Sawyer's
union; john NJ. Woodfieli. galvanized iron cornice
WORKERS.. The gentlemen named, together With
the speakers OF the evening, occupied the plat
form.
CHAIRMAN GAILOwAY'S REMARKS.
Mr.. Galloway, in assuming his Office as chair
main OF the meeting, made an address in which
terest to workingmen. In considering the anti
monopoly question, he quoted recent letters of
Senator Davis. of Illinois; Senator Window, Judge
JeTe Nj. Black ana others He spoke in severe
The President had done the workingmen wrong
they would be slow to forget. In closing his re-
marks MI Galloway presented series OF
RESOLUTIONS,
which were unanimously adopted. declaring that:
list, We assert mans first duty is to his creator,
hiS t{,ffy - fn fpfir
protect them from injustice and 10 add to their
happiness by every proper means at his command.
2d, We acknowledge common brotherhood of
labor from Maine to Texas. rom the Atlantic TO
The Pac lie, and viii defend those of our own
hOuseho I'd against the barbarian hories that seek
to build up the wealth OF Asia at the GNpeIse of
civilized America.
81, The enforcement Of the eight hour
l." Is matter o. interest 30 al working in
or out OF government employ, and Is one OF The
duties OF the Chief Executive laid down in the
constitution he was sworn t. protect and defend.
4.h. Th"t the Indifference o. the working classes
10 the work CI reform amounts TO criminal negli-
gcEce, in view or the steady entertainment OF cen
traliZei capital that aims make the rich richer
and the poor poorer 5th We call or all Who
CHIN the dignity OF manhood 10 organize to up
hold the rights OF man, 30 make honest industry
he road to independence and poverty tho reward
of idieneSS."
ADDRESS OF aK. MCGUIRE.
The chairman then introduced Mr.. r. J. Nc
Cure. the secretary OF the Brotherhood of Car
penterS and J0iners, and one Of the leaders in the
National Federati0 OF Labor. Mr. MCGUIRE who
is very ready and forctble speaker, was fire.
queltly applauled during his remarks. He said
they had come there to discuss questions OF bread
AMI butter-bettar pay FOR work ard better hours.
They desired through this meeting to convert pub
IL opinion. They want no violence, no blood
shed; all they wanted was to explain to the WORK.
ING class their condition, and explain what that
condition would he il they would leave aside their
organization. The workers We're OF two classes
The head workers ant; the hand Worlers-and they
rejected in this movement none, who by the sweat
Oh their brow contributed to the worlds happ!-
ness. They found
EVILS MOST TERRIBLE
depressing beth skilled llbOr and uIskiiled labor
They found in the coal mines OF the country lnen
living under the condition o. the feudalism of the
18th century-aeyer able TO get out of debt or
under the da,nnable ''truck"
system, and when laws were made against this
system they found that they were never enforced
Flity-eight THOUSAND children in the mills in the
state of Massachusetts, under fourteen years OF
age had net the cduca ton the law required-be-
caC'e Their parents were too poor to give them the
lie same s. stem Of child labor existed
i'll other states as well-nOt so much in this Dis
trict because Industries were not developed here
30 much as in other places. Childhood was de-
grated. The flower or the future was plucked
rom the schoolhousc am Imprisoned in the mines
and WorkhOuSo, sacrificed to mammOn because la
UOr hau been cructhed between
MONOPOLY And POLITICAL POWER.
In England the working men had made them
selves felt icy founl there, again and again,
laws had been enacted by parliament through the
coerclye power OF the trades unions. Here they
found when such laws Were enacted they became
d dead letter. In some ST ties too the wOrkinoman
lad 10 come into competition with convict labor.
lie wanted TO know why they should turn out
taiiOfS or cigar makers out OF these prisons any
yerS.
He believed one CT the best men to practice law,
as they saw 1t practiccd now, was one OF these
burglars Lawmakers and law expounders SEEM
eti to be lawbreakers. They demanded also that
there should be a reduction In
THE HOURS OF LABOR
Tor the reason that In the Improvements OF the
age, man to-day produces more in 10 hours labor
than formerly he could in IL hours. But the labor
is more exhauoting; it required more intense ap-
plication. They had the anomaly of over prOduc-
ton, which made oppressed credits and panics
Let us produce less then. 1t could be proved con-
cluSively that long hours gave short pay and
short hours gave long pay. Eight hours was
enough, for, as cities grew. they found man had to
go greater distances to his work. Alter his ten
hours work was done he found himself so ex-
haus.ed That when he came home and sat down to
read his paper he sank to sleep. He had no time
Was not in condition to think. II he did not
sleep he rushed To the nearest rum shop to Stin,l-
late his exhausted energies. In New York it was
found that there was less drunkenness under the
S-hour rule than undr the 10-hour rule. II they
wanted 10 abolish intciGperance then they should
abolish the cause Of it, which was Oycrwork and
fast living.
How WAGES ARE CIT DOWN.
IL Was the idle han Who cut down wages. When
they introduced the eght-hour system it would
give i've men work where four are now employed
Thus they would reduce the competition among
workmen one-fifth, ard IT was the competition that
CUT down pay. Several administrations had al
io"ed lie eight-ho1r law 20 remain a dead-etter
nat idw should be Just aS sacred the law that
7. quTed .tai coupons Ot the GOndholGer be paid
as The law THAT gave the land grants to the Pacific
railroads, Gi that gave Congressman tie Dack-sal-
ais graf Was not III" President OF tie United
states grading the law when he said to deputa-
lions that waited upon lin, 4 the law Is not en-
'arc"d she the agents 0! thcs" departments? For
fourteen years, ne said, the iron InoulGerS had
gone bef9re Congress and asked them to give them
II charter, The same rights were granted TO cap
ltaiiatic Org Mutations, but they Fad been scorned
iney " anted legal status under the law OF the
Ltnd and why should not Congress give them this?
The DILL would come again next session and still
De buried from year TO year till they had less law
years ard bankers in Congress ana more working
men.
CHEAP LABOR
had ruled this country and would be its ruin No
country could live that allows its people to be
poorly paid and Cverworked. Eternal discomfort.
ne said, was the mother OF progress. 1t was dis
conteht That caused the movement in Ireland to-
day, which showed them the power OF Organiza-
tlon The grand principle the Irishmen had shown
10 inc WOTid was, that II a man did not treat Won
right the BEST way was 70 let him severely alone