Morning journal and courier., 1883-02-08
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.

|
 Labor's TrfaIs-The HardshIps of a Coal
 Miners Life-Everything Night with
 the miner-The Interesting Story Told | by a Knight of Labor-The News of a Day From the Nations Capital. | WASHINGTON, Feb. 7.-Robert D. Layton, grand secretary of the Knights of Labor,
 continued his testimony before the Senate Committee on Education and Labor this
 morning. He contended that the organiza- ton of laborers was the only means working men had of maintaining themselves, and ex- plained the manner in which his organization
 carried it's members through diversity. A
 nickel from each member would carry any
 branch of industry represented over the
 longest strike they had ever known. The
 iron workers are in better condition than the
 coal miners. He entered strong complaint
 against the system of s'pluck me" stores op-
 erated by proprietors of coal mines, who
 compel under penalty of discharge their em-
 ployes to purchase of them at heavy prices.
 The law passed by the Legislature of Penn
 sylvania prohibiting the operation of these
 s'pluck me- stores was by technicality in-
 operative. The coal miners are about the only workingmen who are compelled to fur nish their own tools, and their annual wages do not average over $350. The reason the coal miners pursue their avocations under these hardships is because they have never had an opportunity to get employment in other pursuits. They seem to grow up in coal mines. All is night with them. They go down in mines before daylight and it is dark when they emerge, so that they have no opportunity to better their condition. The cooperative system of the Knights of Labor is the same as the English (Rochdale) plan. They set aside certain percentage of the profits each quarter to be divided among the patrons of their stores and not to the stock holders. The Knights of Labor favor national law prohibiting speculation in wheat corn, flour and all necsssaries of life and the appli- cation of the eight hour law to all classes of workingmen. The examination of MT. Layton will be continued at some future day at re- 1 quest of Senator George. MT. Foster of Cam bridge, secretary of the federation of trade and labor unions of the United States, will be examined tomorrow.
 About forty prominent Greenbackers from l different parts of the country met in confer 1 ence here this afternoon for the purpose of effecting permanent organization with the | object of influencing legislation looking to | currency reform. T. P. Rynder, of Pennsyl vania, acted as temporary chairman. Rep resentative Ladd of Maine addressed the l conference A permanent organization was | effected by electing E. M. Davis, of Philadel- | phia chairman H. G. Tradler, of Washing ton, and B. w. Terlide, of New Jersey, sec retaries Another conference will be held | to morrow. |
 The twenty-five Boston firms recently de- ! clared fraudulent by the Postofice depart | ment have all appeared before the Postmaster | General and indicated desire to amend | their circulars and omit the objectionable l and to have the orders placing them | on the department black list revoked The l Postmaster General is considering the mat ter and to-d day revoked the order so far as 1t | affected the great English Cutlery company | of Boston.
 It was stated at the Indian office to-day | that it had already cost the government | S200, 900 to repel the attempted Indian Ter ritory invasions of Captain Payne. An I amendment to the legislative bill will be | proposed in Congress making such offences | punishable by fine and imprisonment.
 The compendium of the census, volume | of about eighteen hundred pages, has just been issued from the government printing | office. It contains an abstract of the entire work of the census including the special re- ports.
 Director of the Mint Burchard was before ,he House Committee on Coinage, Weights and Measures this morning and gave statistics on the subject of the bullion certificates. He will continue his talk to the committee on Saturday.
 Treasurer Gilfllan received to day con- science contribution of $50 from Philadel- ohia on account of custom duties not | charged.
 The contract for supplying hardware for he new public building at St. Louis has been awarded by the Treasury department to P. S F. Corbin, of New Britain, Ct., for S4, ,641.6
 4 dangerous gang of thieves and robbers known as the ''Molly Macks'' has been cap iured by Detective Edelin, of this city. The officer connected the band with twelve burg aries and recovered much stolen property