St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-05-03
The Opportunity st. Paul Working Men
Have to Become a Political
Factor.
Their Votes Next Tuesday Will Deter
mine, Their Political Influence
For Years to Come.
Minneapolis Trades and Labor As
sembly--A Cooperative Land
Agency--Compari
of Wages.
labor Notes From Both Cities--Re-
view OF the Condition of In
dustry Abroad.
LABOR AND POLITICS.
The Relation of the LabOring Ele-
ment TO the Municipal Cam


paign.
1t is not proposed nor is it desirable to al
low the worllingmen's department of the
SUNDAY GLOBE to become political or
gan, nor will it so become. The present
political situation, however, is one OF mo-
ment to workingmen of st. Paul and one IN
which they take deep intereSt-ln fact 1t
is the one absorbing subject which occupies
their minds-is our apology for allowing
a discussion of political matters IN this de-
parment at the present time.
Long before candidates for the coming
municipal election were brought to the front
the wOrkingmen of the city began to con-
slider whether it would not be well for them
TO take some united action and so assume a
recognized position as factor in the poll
ties of the city. Attempts at this had been
made before, but had been abOrtive on ac-
count of procraStination and more or less of
internal diScord. At this time, however, it
was resolved with unanimity by the Trades
and Labor assembly to endeavor to induce
the laboring element to go to the polls and
vote in body for one ticket. Nothing has
been vet said about candidates nor parties,
the only question being which one would
give
THE FULLEST RECOGNITION
to the movement The Republican party
made the first play by hosting the Murphy
flag and proposing to nominate A. L. Rob-
inson, member of the assembly. for con-
stable in the Lower town. They disap-
pointed the expectations Of the workingmen
in the first proposition, however, aud NOM
mated a candidate for mayor who had no
particular claims upon the wOrkingmen'S
support. The Democratic party, on the
other hand, conceded the Importance OF the
workingmen'S support. and III their nOmin-
alton for mayor named a man whom every
artisan could ind0rSe from his record, both
as citizen and as a former mayor, and
whom great many poor men had reason
to love by reason of his munificent benefac-
lions to them. The Democratic party also
nominated for alderman in an important
district. the Second in the Fifth ward, as a
representative of the labor unions, Mr.. NJ.
F. Kahn. the president of the typOgraph-
ical union. the most numerous
body0that sends representatives to the
Trades assembly. WOrkingmen cheerfully
Endorsed both the nominations and will I'M
dOubtedly vote with practical unanimity
for the ticket of the party which accorded
them recognition. The next event III the
history Of the movement was the effort of
the Republicans to break the force of this
popular uprising for their opponent by
spreading dissension in the ranks of the
IniOnS. Their plan. was to endeavOr to
bribe some of the leaders aud thus to make
1t appear that the sentiments above indi-
Gated were far from being unanimously
leld by the workingmen. This scheme,
however, was discovered and published
both privately and in the columns of the
GLOBE on the morning after it was in
vented. The plan was not only to render
the union movement harmless to the Re-
publican party at the present crisis, but to
30
REND THE WORKING ELEMENT AsUNDER
as to prevent it from becoming a political
factor in times to come.
Next came the discharge of Robinson. the
Republican candidate for constable, from
his employment. 1t was found out that he
was an avOwed Rice man, and instead of
dropping him from the ticket he was sum-
marily' fred from his situation as moulder
in the Harvester works, mainly owned by
Mr.. Merriam.
The other event in the history of the
campaign which is of interest to working
men is the scrap of cloud which appeared
in the Fifth ward, where few Democrats
were dissatisfied with Mr.. Kain's nominal
ton as alderman in the Second district
This discomfort was so magnifed and
fomented as to make it seem dangerous for
q day OF so. But a meeting was called on
Friday night which fully Endorsed Mr..
Kain's candidacy.
SUCH Is THE HISTORY
of the local political situation as it affects
the interests of the workingmen. An alli-
ance was made with them by great politi-
cal party, both sides making concessions.
The party has faithfully adhered to its
pledges. The workingmen have now an
opportunity to make for themselves a posi-
ton of Importance as political factor in
the city and lay the foundation for an edi-
fee of influence from which they can hold
the balance of power in state politics. viii
they do it,
ST. PAUL LABOR NOTES.
The Knights of Labor assemblies of st.
Paul are receiving a large number of re-
fruits weekly.
Typographical Union No. 80 installs its
officers for the ensuing term at its regular
monthly meeting to-day.
The strike now in progress at Harris
cigar factory is occaSioned by the wish of
the proprietOrS to reduce the wages. The
men have already been working 81 below
schedule prices.
The regular monthly meeting of the
TailOrs' union will be held in the hall at the
corner of Ninth and Exchange streets on
Monday evening.