National Republican., 1883-08-22
THE LABOR QUESTION.
Some More Theorists Before the Senate lnveS-
tigating Committee,
Meeting or the Federation OF Organized
Trade and Labor Unions,

New YORK, Aug. 81 Before the senate
subcommittee OH labor and education there
appeared this morning Richard Powers, of
Chicago president of the Scamcn's union Of
the lakes. This union no said, had improved
the moral condition of its members, had Sc
cured them higher wages, and IL now striv-
ing 10 procure the passage OF laws tending to
diminish the risk to life incurred by the lake
sailors by prohibiting overlooking of vessels,
and making it compulsory to man them with
suitable crews. A great number of tho lake
vessels, he said, are unseawOrtby. law
should be passed. he urged, providing that at
least two-thirds of the sailors employed on
American vessels should be native born
Americans.
George G. Block, as representative of the
iourneymon bakers of this city, testified.
Tho condition of tho bakors, he said, is u
very degraded one on account of the long
hours they are compelled to LABOR. They be-
gin work at p. IN. and continue until 4, ., 6,
and sometimes u. IN. The greater number are
unmarried. The average wages is $500 q
week. Tho bakers struck some time ago for
u reduction to H. hours of their days labor
The bosses agreed to this, but when tho men
returned to work the pledges given wcro
broken. Mr.. Block stated that of the walters
employed in lager beer saloons many arc
Pru5siau army officers, German nOblcmen,
try expecting to mako fortunes, but who
found this their only means of gaining
livelihood. Speaking of tho browors Mr..
Block said that there are in this city 81
brewers, employing about 2,3D) men. A
trades union was organized in 1881 shortly
after there was u strike for u decrease of
working hours 70 II hours per day and oxtra
compensation for Sunday work. The strike
was won by the men. Their wages range
from $50 to 800 per month.
A. II. Seymour was recalled and gave
further testimony concerning the consolida-
ton of rival telegraph companies with the
Western Union.
The afternoon session was occupied
with the examination of Adolph Stras-
scr, tho president of the Cigar Makers
international union. MIR. Strassor began
by reading largo quantity of stats-
tics showing the average rate of wages In his
trade in this country, and the average cost of
living. The figures showed that where there
was an existing organization Il much higher
rate of wages prevailed than whore the in
dnstry was unorganiZed. The highest rate
paid was $l6 per week, and the lowest IS.
The higher rates prevailed whore the unions
had been longest established. The tendency
was to equaile wages all over the country,
and this was being assisted by means Of
sys tenn of spreading information in regard
to the state of the trade in various parts of
the country. Since 1864 there had been 3j2
strikes in the cigar business 2O4 of which had
been won, 1877 lost, IL compromised, and
10 are still in progress. Ono strike lasted
ten months, and was finally compro-
missed. These strikes actually cost $685.,
4il.6h and there was an actual
gain in wages to the workmen Of Sl,S00,0C0 per
annum. There were 1S5 branches of the In
tcrnational union in this country and Can
ada, and membership of $4,000.
Mr. Strasscr suggested four legislative
M n aiir -, mil In bn
evils which threatened labor in general in
this country. Tho first was the enforcement
of tho national eight hour law in the case
of all government Offices, and apply
tho same rule to all patents granted by the
government, that in every industry cstab-
lshed by the patent holder the hours of labor
should be limited IA eight; second, to author
izo the incorporation OF labUr organizations
and place them oh the same basis as other
corporations; third, to establish national
bureau of labor statistics; and lastly, to
amend the revenue law by providing that
after May, 1884, no license should be granted
to cigar manufacturers employing prison or
penientiary labor Tho tendency of trades
unions was to decrease tho number of strikes.
Tho telegraphers' strike, Mr. Strasser thought,
failed from want of proper information,
owing to incomplete organization. The hear
ing will go on tomorrow, when Henry George
will be the principal witness.
NEW YORK, Aug. 2l.-The third annual
meeting of the Federation of Organized
Trades and Labor Unions of the United
states and Canada began at noon to-day in
Turn hall, $. Gorupars, chairman of tho OK
ccutive committee, called the meeting to or
der, Tho following delegates presented Gre
dentials: Kenneth Mckenzie, Amalgamated
Trades and Labor unions, New York Will
lam McClelland, Amalgdmatod Society of
Engineers, Now York; H. S. Linkcr, Book
binders union, Washington, ID. c.; p, IL. Nc
Logan, Chicago Trades aud Labor assembly
Il. NJ. Slack, Columbus, Ohio; l.. 7. MCCor-
mick, indianapolis, Ind, Albert II. Jones,
Washington, d, G., and Jean We'll
man American Typographical union
of the United States; Richard Powers,
Scameus' Benevolent union, Chicago; j. IL,
Fraser, Cigarnakers' union, No. 144, Now
York; Gabriel Edmonston, Carpenters and
Joiners' union of the United States; M. ID.
Connolly, trades and labor associations of Gin
cinnati; w. G. Polmer Cigarmakers' union,
No. II, Cleveland, Ohio; Fred Blend Evans
VILE, Ind; Herman Phillips, Cincinnati
Samuel Gorupcrs, of this ty, from the Cigar
ma kers' international union of America
John III. O'Brien Columbia Typographical
union, Washington, d. c.; and George Blair,
Workmen's association Of the state of New
York.
At the afternoon session the credentials of
the following additional delegates were pre-
sented Robert Howard, National Mule
Spinners' association Fall River; Frank III.
Foster Boston Central Trades aud Labor
union; Joseph Ward, Bookbinders Pro-
tectlve association, New York; A. ID. Brock,
and d. j. Mumm, National Federation
of Labor, District of Columbia, and G. II.
jrady, Typographical union, No. o. Cam
bridge, Mass, Samuel Gompers addressed the
delegates on the existing differences between
workmen and employers. The time is fast
approaching, he said when every energy of the
workingmen Will be required If they wish to
maintain thoir rights aS citizens. Tho fol-
lowing officers We're elected for the session:
Chairman, Samuel Gompers; vice chairman,
Richard Powers secretary, w. c. Palmer
clerk, w. ii. Foster sergeant-at-arms, John
II. O'Bren. Mrs. Charlotte Smith, the only
lady present was given the floor. She re-
ferrcd to the telegraphers strike and to
the position of the female operators who
are refused re-employment. She in
tends, she said, to organize a woman's
protective society. Mr.. Powers severely
criticised the statements made by Mr.
Mitchell as to the lack of support given by
the Knights of Labor to the Brotherhood of
Ielegraphers,
1t was resolved that Chairman Gcmpers
should he instructed to 80 before the senate
subcommittee ON labor and education to in
form them of the oath the Western Union
Telegraph company is compelling its en-
ployes to iate and 10 urge the adoption Of
law Furnishing such attempts TO reduce work
ingmen to slavery.
The congress will continue its session to.
morrow.