St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-05-11
Strong Resolutions on the Labor Situa-
tion Laid Before the Chamber
of Commerce.
A Document that Speaks of Sumptuary
Laws, Supply and Demand and
Convict Labor.
secretary Phelps Reports on the In
terest Manifested in Establish
ing a Stock Market.
Many Minor Matters Considered by
the Chamber ut a WeIl-At-
tended Meeting.
Important Documents.

Sotu W 4ulnlSHlllS uldnuIdCluIlliS iIuuSlioo
with cheap power was referred to the COM
mlttee on manufactures. a communication
from Senator Mcmillan in regard to stock
ing Lake Superior with fish was placed on
fiie. Mr.. McClung, chairman of the COM
mittee on state fair, said that the United
States Agricultural congress would meet at
the fair grounds on Aug. %, ana
on motion the board determined
to request the officers of the
agricultural society to open the fair on the
25th of August. Mr.. Drake offered res
olution on the city ordinance on smoke
from chmneys being nuisance, and it was
referred to the committee on manufactures.
A resolution, offered by Mr.. Stevens, that
committee of three be appointed to con-
slider and report upon a scheme for park
commission was referred to the joint COM
mltteeS on streets. roads and parks and Leg
fSlatiOn. Capt. Berkey offered a resolution
calling upon the city authorities to prevent
base ball and Sparring matches in the city
on Sunday, and made short but sprightly
speech, in which he expressed the hope
that the laws would be 50 framed or
changed that smuggling matches and base
ball games on that day could be stopped.
Mr.. Murray explained that there was
no trouble about it, as the ordinances
were sufficient now to accomplish
the desired object Then Capt
Berkey wanted to know why it was that
these smuggling matches were allowed on
Sunday. Mr.. Murray explained that Mayor
Rice was out of the city. and through some
mistake some one of the city officers gave
his consent or permitted the ball game to be
played. He presumed it would not occur
again, as he knew the mayor would not
allow it. The matter was then referred to
the committee on legislation.
THE LABOR TROUBLES.
Gen. Sanborn. president of the board, at
the meeting the previous week, presented
the following preamble and resolutions,
which were laid over for one week without
printing. When they were taken up again
yesterday they were again laid over and
directed to be printed They are as follows:
Whereas, the enterprise and prosperity of
1his city and the country generally has been
IN some degree paralyZed and checked by the
discomfort and dissatisfaction of theorists and
demagogueS, comparatively small in number
acting by and through organizations formed
for the commendable purpose of promoting
The best interests of the laboring classes;
therefore,
Resolved, By the board of directors of
he ST. Paul chamber of commerce, that
we deeply regret and deplore all acts by any
and all organizations, the inevitable tendency
Of which is to paralyze the enterprise and
weaken the confidence of the public in our
continued prosperity, and we see in such acts
results seriously detrimental to ell classes of
Hur people and destructive of the best inter-
ISIS of the laboring classes.
Resolved, That while it is among the high.
est duties Of all governments to secure ade-
quate and ample compensation for labor, that
this cannot be done by any sumptuary or ar
btrary laws liking rates of compensation, or
hours or times OF work, but oaly by such gen
eral public policies as will stimulate enter
prise and capital and thereby make the de-
mand for labor equal to greater than the
supply, and thus enhance its value, and that
any policy and all acts by governments, or
CARNATIONS and individuals which tend to
paralyze enterprise and 'intimidate capital
must vastly diminish the demand for labor
and necessarily largely reduce its compensa-
ton, and hence should be resisted by all
classes and especially by the laboring class.
Resolved, That in the vast increase of the
adjective, dependent and delinquent classes
Of our population. amounting now to SOC, 600
Of insane, idiotic, blind and deaf, $4,000 con-
victs. 100000 paupers and more than 500, 600
disabled i'll the war in the armies of the
United States and Confederate States all of
whom, whether on the pension Tolls or not,
have to be supported by the industry of the
country, together with the necessary support
and maintenance of the army and navy. and
more than 100000 men employed in the vari-
Gus offices of the municipal, stateand national
governments, apd the payment of interest
upon municipal, state and national debts
amounting TO ABOUT SZ,UUU,UUU,OUU, While the
proportion OF our population engaged in pro-
ductive industry is less than 50 per cent. of
the whole number, are to be found the real
burdens of labor, under which it groans and
strives to carry burdens which it is lily able
to bear; and that the policy OF putting the
expense of the support of all the convlcts of
the land upon the honest industry of the
country instead of compelling such convicts
to labor for their own support and to aid in
defraying the expenses of the government
lay fhaxy hoy vic fad I,o,
less than crime against labor, and an i'm
munity to criminals by the state from the
common curse which rests upon all; and that
we are in favor of that class of hard labor for
criminals in which they can be made to earn
most for the state and thereby most relieve
honest labor from its heavy burdens. The
convict should work for the public and not
the public for the convict.
Resolved, That the inevitable effect of all
laws tending to take away from Or interfere
with the private and individual right of every
man to make such contracts in regard to his
personal services OR private property as he
may deem expedient and proper, is to dis
courage all enterprise, curtail prosperity and
reduce the compensation of and degrade la
Dor and laborerS; and we are unalterably op-
posed to all laws limiting hours, or days, or
weeks, or months of labor, otherwise than as
provided by contracts entered into by and be-
tween employers and employees, and are in
favor of every man working where he pleases
for whom he pleases and for such compensa-
ton as he pleases, and declare those to be the
alienable natural rights of all men, to secure
which governments are instituted and in
failing to secure which they forfeit the re-
spect and confidence of mankind
Resolved, That there is not and never can
be any real antagonism between the capital
and labor engaged in the ordinary enterprises
of the country. That one is the constant stay
and support Of the other, and that all appar-
ent conflict is imaginary and quixotic; and
that for this reason when large parties Of la
borers in the employment of corporations per-
forming quasi public services as common car
rierS imagine that they are oppressed nv
their employers, it would ordinarily be expe-
dent and wise to arbitrate such contro YER
sizes, that both parties may have full and
positive knowledge as to the earnings and ey-
penses of the enterprises in which thew are
engaged and the advantages and disadvan-
tages of each.
Resolved, That the disproportionate in
crease of the wage-earning class of orr NOM
lation dnring the last decade over the in
crease of our whole population by more than
1000, 600 persons, and the decrease of the ao-
ricultural or bread-winning class below its
proportion of the population as shown by the
census of 1870 by more than 100000 Gle arlv
indcat the tendency of our people to aban
don their homes and the methods of living Of
their fathers and adopt wage or day labor in
place of labor upon farms and homesteads to
such an extent as may prove detrimental to
the public interest, and hence that this ten
dency should be discouraged in all proper
ways.
Resolved, That the system which has grown
up and long existed in all the states of the
Union and which has been adopted by the
federal government, of creating corporations
for all purposes with the right to issue stock.
whether paid for or not, to the company. and
without liability ON the part of stockholders
except at the suit of a creditor OF the corpor.-
alton after its assets have been exhausted in
connection with the system of winding M
the affairs of insolvent corporations whereby
properties oftentimes of the value of lnaIiy
millions of dollars are obtained by small
combination of capitalists for few thousand
dollars, is little less than legalizine larceny
upon the grandest scale, and has done much
to create widespread discomfort and dstr,lst
in our system of government and laws ara