Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-02-05
TIE CAUSE OF LAROR.
A Largely Attended Vase Meeting At
Lincoln Hall.

SPEECHES BY MESSRS FOSTER MCGUIRE THOMAS.
WRIGHT AND GASrT-BoYCOTTING pECLAEED TIE
WEAPON TO BE- USED IN FUTURE CONTESTS WITH
CfITtL-CoSyICT AND CONTRACT LABoR-GovER-
NOR LANES COURSE APPROVED
Lincoln hall was crowded last night on the occa-
sion CT mass meeting OF working men. called by
the "JCtnt Boycott committee The front rows
We're Reserved for ladies. and were we'll filled. Co
luInbia Typographical Union. No 1o1, met at Odeon
han, and marched 10 the place of meeting headed
by band. During the evening the Arion Quar-
tette, composed OF Messrs- James Smith, Harry
Pearson, III. a. FOreSman and Hamilton Adams
sang number ~ selections
Mr. I. r. Hurdle, who called the meeting to order,
referred TO tine contest of the Typographical Union
With i newspaper Of this city, and declared that
the working men proposed to carry on the fight
until the proprietor OF that newspaper Succumbed
or The working men had 70 succ,lmb
Mr f. ". oyster, president or the Federation OF
Labor, was chosen To preside. and Mr.. Paul T. Bonn
was elected secretary. A committee on resolutions
composed of Mcssrs. T. +. Can't. Frank Fraser
appointed.
Mr.. FRANK x. FOSTER,
Of Poston, was introduced as the first speaker He
remarked that the year since last he addressed the
people Of Washington had oeen one memorable In
the cause OF labor. He referred to the fact that
during the year they had gained the Of the law
making bodies OF The nation Last year they had
presented In the Speaker OF the House list OF Com
gr'sSIren endorsed by labor bodies Of the country
and asked To have them placed on a labor COM
mlttee. Their wishes were entirely ignored. This
the labor question. They We're told that they
needed no labor organizations In this broad free
COUNTRY. They should need no such organizations
They were supposed To be free and equal before the
law But the worklngInen had seen year after
year their rights and liberties taken,from them.
They found that the lives the working class was
twenty-five per cent shorter than that OF the indie
pendent class They found that the liberty OF the
sewing girl, who WAS forced TO work IL hours
Gay, was
NOT LIBERTY, But SLAVERY.
He described the condition of the operatives OF
New England whose lives. he said were lives of
slavery; none the less slavery because wage
slavery and not chat,el slavery. After touching
upon the manner OF life of Pennsylvania miners
he declared that the condition OF the work
ING people was worse to-day than at any time since
Tn" Declaration OF Independence of 1716. They
were looking for a remedy Thev were told that
The law OF demand and supply would regulate the
labor question. He referred to the operations OF
said That what III" workngman should do was to
read the copy set by the capitalists and organize TO
of the last census showing that $50 OGoO0O more
was paid 10 the men who owned the tools and fac
tories than to the men VINO furnished the labor He
paid an eloquent tribute to Wendell Phillips. The
worktnglnen proposed now to better themselves
by using cooperation In the labor organizations
corporations in the purchasing departments and
at the polls They were told by scientists that
FOUR HOURS LABOR
every day by each adult male was enough to keep
the world in comfort. Yet W1rkingmen were COM
PEELED 10 labor ten, twelve and fourteen hours a
day. one OF the things they demanded was a
shortening Of the hours OF labor. The work1ngmen
paid al the taxes. All OF the wealth of the COun-
Try vas created by the workingman. There was no
eXtiayagant expenditure no purchasing OF thirty
six pairs vi white Kid gloves Tor eight to
attend one funeral. no purchasing Of eight and Il
hall gallons OF AponariS water L day for the Sen
ate but came out OF the products of Labor They
were working. lie said for something Bore than
local organization. They looked to International
organization. TO the grand republic Of labor There
We're problems growing fiercer and mercer every
hrt. tgy
ton OF Congress. He described The American work.
in,lnan a man lued into the sleep of false Sc
cIritv. Will" the octopus OF monopoly cooled It's
arms about him. lie IS awake and demanding
knife 10 cut his way 10 freedom.
TEE RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED.
The committee resolutions reported a series OF
resolutions. which were adopted These resolu
tons declared that the efforts OF the worng men
and women should be first devoted TO the compact
thorough organization OF all trades or callincs:
that labor shall demand all that equtebly belongs
il regardless of the present wage system: that
the emancipation OF labor inrIeS the system OF
cooperation and the complete federation OF EN-
poyer and employee: that the system OF DoyCotting
Is one or The legitimate forces at the command OF
discretion when IL becomes necessary for the good
or labor that one Of its practical and bitter enc
nes should suffer from boycott. It's Use should |
BE- persistent and relentless until t'le cause OF
labor trumphs that :, is the duty OF labor organ
Z1tions To keep under immediate and continued |
consideration the cases Of The emp.u ing class who
have proven their hostility, and That those con- |
Sidered worthy II the boycott shall be nerslstently
held Up IS entitled 10 the contumely AMI scoTn OF
all working men and women and their friends !
until avaricouS 5elshneSS shall have given way to
just recognition OF the rights OF the wage worker
OF this city against employers Who opposed the
unl0s arr Just, and that these men have the right
measures Of retaliation within legal restrictions:
that eight hours or less should constitute legal
days work; that the most dangerous menace TO
The free and intelligent labor Cf America to-day
consists In the Importation by manufacturers OF |
white coolies under the contract system from the
ignoranI pauper classes OF Europe: that ali |
measures introduced Ia Congress tending toward |
the system IF having government work done =
contract Is a direct blow at lapor and a thin : |
yelled attempt on the part OF Congress to render
Intellectual al eight hour legislation tEat his been
Or Hay be enacted and that The ctiGn of Governor
IeLane OF the state Of Maryland i, t.e greatest,
gran est, and hea.thiest surprise labor has had
since he commencement Of the agi ton against
the wrongs Suffered from inpn0pl.Zel capital ant.
That IN hn we recognize most powerful coadutor !
the OF labor entitled 10 the Ilost profonnd
consideration of ali those engaged in the cause OF
labor
THOS. c. VI CUR.
OF New Gori made fOrcble speech illustrated
with many amusing anecdotes. II. contrasted
with strong effeco the home surroundings OF the
Teii capitalist and Of the Door WorkIngman and
l-ged Tue ylta-e and inportar of O-ganiza-
TON lie sad ID" politician told them about free
trade OF ga tariff. but forgot to It'll them :hat no
matter whether they had free trade or high farm
the boss got his profit of tn workiuglnan As To
rre' trade ana tariff, they rs Two mi LIST mes
between WHICH The VOL lngincI WeIe ground He
alluded 10 session OF Congress which lie attended
Nhtrt tAt servants OF th1 people getting 5000 4
Ee3E adIGurricd IN ten minutes lie said he Wo-lld
Ike 10 put tneLn piece H. s,,Ine yyorkincIneu
uau u wear badges Adams Express company did
nov Know It's driver except as No. l1. or Whateye
his number Light he Eow, he would like to see
The Congressman numbered.
ALFRED THONAS
no was ext Introduced said ne as moi there for
the purpose OF making al upon capital or for the
purpose or tear.De GOWN any man to build w him
self, b'J ne WIS there 20 advocate the doctrine OF
equal rights To all ncn. provided every man e.
Vot MS time and attention TO honest la or for the
AohtSf support of h.Ins"!f and ,aInily He held
tiilt tc han who 1t pra. With his brain WAS "a
l-1cn tnr-C 10 = idlr refnunera; iol ior his ser
vices IS ire mai Who la0cred With his hands In the
calling 70 which he had been trained Referring 10
organic. 1OGs for the purpose OF IMPORTING labor
he said such Measures, II cont n,ii would lead 70
revolution which would snake the ,.Dlblic worse
than the war twenty years ago. The working
men OF the rnultry demanded that Congress should
enact such i.WS wOulL prob Bit the Introduction
OIL fOrt Paper la eOr. which vas SaOI,np ths lir.
OF the t'nericar mechanic II they did not cnoOs,
20 cOrni, with TIE demands Of the people fine fya
millions Of thc Knights OF labor and the other
Organization, associated with them Ill leave mem
alone and send other men In stheir places they
knew that both parties would insert in their plat
form, resolution looking TO the e, -atiOn OF labor
v nat they asked them to DO was to shuy before
nation that they .eant what they said. They de-
handed the enforceme 1t OF
III YyGHT-HOCR LAW