Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-12-12
KNIGHTS OF LABOR.
ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING IN TUR.
NER HALL LAST NIGaT.
The Business Mems Movement In
dorsed - Adoption of Reso-
Organization.

utiu uuuer lle auspices OI tue hlllSllS OF
Labor organizations of this city. The
meeting in point of numbers was not so
large as that of the previous evening, but
all the seats were occupied, and many
meeting was more representative of the
labor element than that of Thursday
evening, and was quiet, orderly
and attentive. J. d. Jost, Pres
ident of the Knights of Labor
organizations, called the meet
ing to order. and said that
its object was to organize for action, and to
indorse the proceedings of the meeting
held by the business men Thursday even
ing. He contended that organized labor
was the only effective way to cope with
the Chinese and other evils from which
white labor was suffering. The business
men seemed to be in earnest, and he
thought unity of action would result in
much good. He said that Burnette G..
Haskell, of San Francisco, was present.
He was a representative Knight of Labor,
and would inform those present of what
was accomplished at the recent Convention
of labor unions in San Francisco.
Upon motion, Mr.. Jost was elected Chair
man and Noble Fisher Secretary of the
meeting.
Mr. Haskell was introduced, and spoke
for nearly one hour. He is q young man,
OF good presence, fluent speaker, and kept
the audiences undivided attention through
out He said if the laborers of this or
any other community were to be
benefited, it had TO be through
united labor. He had listened to
the speakers the preceding evening-''they
lauded US to the skies and YOU cheered
them to the echo" They who fawn upon
us and profess love for the laborers. does it
because they want something from us. If
you believe you are the freemen, the no.
bility and cream of the earth, and all that
kind Of tatfy that they sling at you, you
are too ignorant for me to talk to | am
here, not to sling taffy, but to talk plain
business sense to business sense men. The
labor unions of San Francisco had their
Kearney. and now they decry another
equally demagogical individual upon their
horizon in the form of DR.. ODonnell. He
is endeavoring to get us to follow hi N, like
pack of fools, and boost him into an
office where he would be able not to serve
us, but to sell us out for coin You must
awaken to the fact that you can do moth
ing without organization, and with or
ganization you can accomplish any de-
oiiOu Gnu VIC Viii HOl DC leo again
by any one man; no individual shall have
control of our destinies" The speaker
then gave graphic review of the entire
proceedings of the San Francisco Conyen-
ton, which has heretofore appeared in full
in the Bay papers. and synopsized in the
Geographic columns of the RECORD UNION.
He held that the people of San Francisco
could be relieved from the curse of Chinese
labor if the Mayor, the Board of Health, or
the Supervisors of that city, would enforce
the laws and ordinances. They have
power, he said, to dump Chinatown into
the bay if they wish, or expel every Mon
gol from within the city limits. He said
the State officials had power, also, to re-
lieve the people of this curse, but they took
no steps in that direction. The officers thus
derelict in the official discharge of their
duties We're created by the laboring men, are
paid with the money collected by tax from
the laboring class, and if thew continue
to violate their oaths and the obligations of
their office, they will be visited with dire
and severe punishment, and even init
mated that some would have 10 commence
climbing the golden stairs with their boots
on. He enumerated the towns in the State
that had organized labor Unions. He said.
drive the Chinese out of every town in the
State, and let them come to San Francisco
If they choose. We will not kick We
propose to take care of the 10000 already
there, and few more thousand won't add
much to the labor we propose to accom-
plish. He described the condition of the
poor III San Francisco and told some
OF the bitter experiences of women
and girls, that seems incredible III this age
of civilization. He defended the hoodlum,
who he said, was the direct result of
Chinese competition in the labor market.
and they were often forced to steal for no
other reason than to be able to gain the
protection and food obtainable behind the
prison bars that was denied them in the
cold, unfeeling outside world. The labor
question of the entire world he discussed
at length, quoting from the most eminent
authorities upon political economy showing
himself to be well verSed upon the subject
He asked that an organization be formed
in this city, and read the following, which
was unanimously indorsed:
Declaration adopted by a mass meeting of me-
chanics, laborers and other workingmen held
at the city of Sacramento, December ii, 1885, |
said meeting having been called by the
Knights of Labor:
We, the wage-wOrkers of Sacramento in mass
meeting assembled, after hearing full report
of the recent Labor Convention held in san
Francisco where sixty organizations and $1,000
wage-wOrkers of the coast were represented do
hereby agree as follows:
First-rhat we ratify, indorse and approve
the action of said Convention upon the ones
tions of Chinese, hard times and labor organi
cation.
Second-That we will assist the other wage
workers of the coast in carrying out the policy
of said Convention.
Thlrd-That in accordance with the recon-
mendation OF the Convention we will here to-
night organize a general Mechanics and La
borers Union, whose objects shall be as fol-
lows:
l. To mutually protect and benefit each other
?. To lend helping hand to all other organ
lied labor
3. To act as a permanent standing organiza-
ton to see that the Chinese agitation is kept up
and proper laws made and enforced to secure
relief for labor.
Fourth--That we will affiliate the said Union
with the Federated Trades of San Francisco and
the coast, and will elect delegates to the Central
Trades Council.
CONSTITUTION OF THE MECHANICS AND LABoRERs
UNION OF SACRAMENTO, CAL
Preamble: Whereas. as workingmen we find
that the rich are ever growing richer and the |
poor, poorer; that ii becomes harder every day
for those willing to work to procure work that |
the places we ought TO fill are taken by aliens
MongoliauS and machinery, and that being dis
united, We work against each others interests
We therefore for these reasons agree to organize
ourselves together for mutual benefit and protec-
ton, to study the labor question, find 4 reason
for these wrongs, and when found to remedy the
evils complained of.
Article l. The name of this organization shall
be the Mechanics and Laborers' Union of
Sacramento CAL
Article H. All citizens of the United States. or
those entitled to become citizens. who work for |
wages, women included, and pCr ons who are
members Of the Knights of Labor and the In
ternational Workmen's Association, when regu-
larry elected may become members hereof
Article III. -Four adverse votes shall be sufi-
Gent to postpone action upon election of any
member for three months, and ten votes shall |
re Get for one year.
Article " Partisan, political and religious
discussions shall not be permitted at any meet
ing, and professional politicians shall never be-
come members hereof
Article V. Regular meetings shall be held once !
each week.
Article VI. 7 he officers of the Union shall be |
q President, President, Secretary, Treasurer
and Sergeant at-Arms, who shall hold Office six
months.
Article VII. This Union declares its adher- |
ence to the Pacific coast federation of labor
unions and shall elect delegates thereto.
Article NIII.-There shall be no initiation for |