The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-10-04
THE LABORING MEN.

There Is in this state an organization
known as the State Labor Association. II
is made up of local associations spread all
over the state, and claims membership of
10000 workingmen. The organization held
"A convention in Chicago in March last
made up of delegates from all the labor
unions, Knights of Labor and kindred soci,
cites throughout the state. At that meet
ing platform was adopted which on be
half of the workingmen of this state de.
manded
The total abolition of convict labor; the
establishment of boards of arbitration to
settle between employers and employees /;
the enactment of an eight hour law an eff
ficient apprentice law, and a child labor
law the enforcement of the laws relating
to mine ventilation; the abolition of the
La Sale "black laws" and a change in the
assessment OF mortgaged real estate; ;
weekly payments of wages and the total
abolition of the truck" system; the abo
lition of land monopoly; the enactment of
a law against grain or provision corners"
and OF one Incorporating labor organiZa-
tlons. Lastly, a more complete control of
railroads in the interest of the public and
the appointment of inspectors of work
shops and habtations, food, drink and
drugs.
BY the same convention a committee of
five was appointed to present this platform
to the Republican and to the Democratic
state convention then called to meet at
Peoria, and in subsequent report to the
State Association the committee relate how
and with what success they performed
their duty.
AT the Republican convention, they say,
they were denied the privilege of present
ing their claims in open convention, but
were sent to the committee on resolutions.
In this committee the plank presented by
the Laboring Men was rejected, but anoth-
er was presented which did not contain the
convict labor plank and was wanting in
other important particulars. This the la
Dor committee rejected, and then a sort of
compromise resolution was drawn up, to
which all assented. But" say the CON-
mittcc III luci lcPoIl, Nldt was ouI dStOh-
ishment on going into the Republican con-
vention the next day, to hear the report of
the committee, to find that the resolutions
we had agreed upon We're not offered, but
those we had declared entirely unsatisfac-
tory and incomplete adopted in their
stead"
On the other hand, on attending the
Democratic convention, the committee
were invited into the meeting of the CON-
mittee on resolutions while their planks
were under discussion, and were allowed
to take part in the debate, instead of being
excluded from the committee ROOM as in
the Republican convention. That the vari.
Gus planks of the platform that they de-
sired were gone over, and, when not ac-
copied entirely, satisfactory substitutes
were put in their place, and when finally
the platform was completed, it contained
all that the labor convention required |
The next day also, when the committee on
resolutions made its report, a report which
contained all that the labor organizations
demanded, the rules were suspended, and
the Democratic convention added to their |
platform the entire platform which was
adopted at the labor convention in Chicago,
March 26, without changing word.
After reciting these facts the report goes
on to make few remarks about the Re
publican party, saying that the high Off
cials in it could not consistently declare
against convict labor, because too many of |
them were getting rich by it, and closes
with the advice to all members of trades
unions, Knights of Labor and other organi.
cations in the state to support the Demo
cratic state ticket, calling their attention
to their pledge to do so expressed in the
resolution adopted at the March conven-
ton.
And al a subsequent meeting of the eX-
ecutive committee of the State Association
in Chicago the action and report of the
committee to attend the Peoria conventions
were fully endorsed, so that the working
men of this state, as far as they are COW
cred by the organizations represented in
the convention of March last at Chicago,
stand solemnly pledged to support and
vote for the Illinois Democratic State
Ticket.
The Globe of Saturday says; "Beecher de-