Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-06-01
LABo RS Cay FOR LAND.
Prohibition of Holdings by Aliens
Advocated.

Of the knights Of Labor were resumed 10
/. day. After the General Assembly was
= called to order letter addressed TO me
r annual convention of the Amalgamated
Association of Iron and Steel Workers
e was read, adopted and ordered to be for
warded to the Secretary Of that order,
3 The letter was one of fraternal greeting,
showing and asking cooperation in the
, cause OF labor.
A resolution was offered and adopted
, asking Congress to pass bill making
election day a national holiday.
Chairman Shay, of the Committee on
Legislation, presented a partial report,
the following clauses of which were
UNANIMOUSLY adopted:
Your Committee on Legislation beg the lib
erty OF saying that the doctrine that free and
inalienable right 10 life and liberty and
happiness includes equal and inai iena Die
right - use of the elements from which life
must he supported, and that a -y-tem which
c0mpeis some CITIZENS to buy from other CHI
Zens the right TO i'll the unOccuplrd soil OF a
common country, and tina permits indjvidu-
ais and corporations to appropriate as their
own exclusive property stores OF on, gas ana
minerals which the Creator has stored be-
meath 10 for common use, and the value which
growth or population gives to land occupied
by cities If Il violation OF natural justice. the
inevitable result of which is TO enable those
VINO ito no work to reach the earnings of those
who do, TO impoverlsh The farmer, mechanic
and lab0rer. while enriching the forestaler
and mnnopClist; and, by deprlviug those who
nos'ess onlv the power of labor of an oppor-
tunlty to make a living for themselves, TO
force them into deadly competition with each
] other f. r wages which the same employer IS
A. Preparing the way for the adoption Of
better system, we demand measures which
| sh9 II restore TO the people certain rights and
I privileges hereinafter named:
| /. We demand the creation of system that
| shall make future generations more than mere
| tenants at win, 50 long as there is land idle
that q needed by American citizens to live
] and work upon.
,. We demand reservation of the public
lands for actual settlers only, and thai all
| lands Owned by individuals ana corporatlonsin
excess Of 100 acres not under cultivation, shall
be iANed t. the full value of cultivated Ian Is
| Of like character.
3. W. demand immediate forfeiture of all
lands now under grant to corporations or in
divlduals, the conditions of which have not
been complied with.
4. We drmand that all lands now held by
individuals or corporations upon which
patents have not been issued and which are
not forfetable shall he patented without de-
lay and taxed TO the full value of lands of like
character under cultivation.
5. We demand the immediate removal Of all
fences upon the public domain without au-
| thOrity of the law, aud that equal protection
be secured to all citizens of the United States
in the use of public lands for free cOmmOnage.
6. We demand that on and after A. ID. 1890
| me government SNAIL ODIdin possession DN
| pure base at an appraisal valuation of all
| lands legally held by On-resident aliens. and
1 from and after A. ID. 1856 aliens shall be pro
| hbted from acquiring title to or owning
| lands within the United States of America,
and that all deeds bv citizens of the United
| ST tie 10 aliens after sad last mentioned date
| shall he null and void and the land so decided
| shall revert to the government.
| I. We demand the abolition of all property
| qualifications for voting similar 10 tho e now
! existing in the State Of Rhode Island, and the
| fol. 4 gftr fpfn a tod fnN
2. We believe that the Labor Bureau is one
OF the most valuable means for the dissem ma
nation Of needed Information and we iemand
for il the full approp "iation asked for that
its efficiency be not impaired.
9. Werecammend the passage of several
bills endO' sed by this body and approved by
| the Commit tee on Labor of the House of Rep
rescn attves.
II. We recommend that his boiy appoint a
committee OF three 10 visit Congre during
| its present session to MAKE known 10 the mem
be - of that honorable body the wishes of the
kD ghts Of Labor respecting the matters
nam d by this committee and Endorsed by
hi body.
The Committee on Boycotts and Strikes
presented their reports, discussion upon
which was pending when the noon recess
was taken.
LABOR's NATIONAL HOLIDAY.
The resolution in regard to election
holidays is as follows:
Pesolred. That it is the sense OF this General
Assembly that the occupation Of bride q yer
| aud bribe- takers should be destroyed. To do
( this. il will be necessary to educa e those who
suffer most through bribery and corruption
! that il is hurtful to the welfare of the nation
I to receive a bride or give one. In order 70
deal with this question more effectively an |
! ntellieently, we should use every me tns
! within our power to secure for the
tniier the right to protect himself upon
that day, which OF all da} is imporI ant % an
American citizen-electiOn day. That he IN ay
have an opportunity to protect his in crest on
that occasion. we should ask that election day
be made national holiday..On which no en-
pl0yer shall have the right To demand service
at the hands of his emplOye. We fur her
more recOmmei that the worklngmen Of
the nation declare their intention t. name
election day "labOrs national holiday"
and that they devote their entire
time on that day to looking after their own
interests; that they shall on that day keep
watch ana ward over the destinIes of the ma
ton by guarding the polls from the influence
of the bribe takcr ana bride giver; and while
we recognize the right 81 every man to in
dulgc in the use OF liquor to such an extent
as he may deem necessary for his health and
com tort, yet we do recommend that on that
day each worsman refrain from the use OF
liquor Of all kinds so that he may exercise
with a clear head his prerogatlve as a citizen
in selecting proper men to represent the
people.
HOURS OF MINERS.
During the afternoon session the Legis.
latlye Committee reported demand that
miners De pfODlDlLcu from WoThluR over
eight hours per day in mines, manufacto
res, etc. The following IN the same report
was also adopted:
Res iOed, That we hold respons BILE at the
ballot box all members of Congress who
neglect or refuse TO vote in compliance with
these demands.
The rest of the afternoon was devoted
, to the discussion of the report OF the Com.
mittee on Strikes and BOycotts, recon-
mendng that the Executive Board should
have absolute control OF all such business.
The convention took recess until to.
morrow morning with a motion to adopt
the report still pending.
THE HOME CLUB.
The committee recently appointed t.
investigate the charges against the
Home Club of District Assembly No.
-, held a meeting in the Prospect House
Sunday evening and examined a number
OF witnesses. ~ is thought that the CON-
mittee will ask 10 have until October 10
report, and upon the adjournment they
will 90 to New ORR and make a thorough
p investigation Of she charges preferred
! against the members OF the order who are
on the circular lists.
Mr.. POwderly, in speaking OF the home
club business 10 a reporter today, said!
? There arc some things in the charge that
are true and many that are false. The
I affair is old now. aud TO bring it up is like
! waving the bloody shirt. Ii is "A thing
( ] al "a ftrh has hav IA