Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-04-20


the mass 0eettaG NJ the Rides Hall
Lest might.
ADDRESSES By SENATOR VOORHEES,. REPRE-
sKNrATIvEs FARoUHAR, WEAVER, MURPHY,
AND o'HARA, MR. =. n. Foeo AND OTHERS.
It was expected that Mr.. T. v. Powderly.
Grand Master Workman of the Knights of
Labor, would attend the labor mass meeting at
the National Rifles srmory last evening, but
when the evening was we'll advanced II was
announced from the platform that Mr.. Pow
DERBY had not arrived In the city. The meeting
was held under the auspices of the Knights of
Labor, the Columbia typographical Union, the
Bookoinders' and the Pressmen's Unions. The
hall was well filed. Mr.. L. 81. Patterson called
the meeting to order and called upon Repre-
sentative John N. Farquhar, of New York. an
ex.PTesident Of the International Topographic
cal Union, to preside.
Mr.. FAReuHAR's REMARKS.
Mr.. Farquhar upon taking the chair, said that
he felt that the honor paid him was paid to the
great labor organization OF which he had been
member for thirty years. He had little mis-
giving as to the benefits that can accrue from
meetings IKE this. For many years, the skilled
mechanics or this country had been working
out In their own ranks this great problem OF
fair play between labor and capital. They had
broader organization, which took into its ranks
the unskilled laborers-he referred to the
knights OF Labor. He referred to what he called
tenn 70 the wage system, and from the wage sys-
tenn 10 the cooperative system. They had SO
SO Tar advanced on the wage system that
they mad meaSuraby reached the cooperative
system. That was the reason that they found
SO much friction. Most skilled workmen for
"a one ias years have moved towards time
earned the less wages. The eight-hour prob
lem was not matter that could at once be
taken up in Congress and state legislatures
Still there was no doubt that the hours of
labor ought to be and would be reduced. The
would work out OF the condition of slavery into
purer, better, more patriotic plane of living.
Alter referring to the abolition of the slave
system oy great sacrifice of blood and money,
he said no blood would be shed in labor
troubles In America. The posse comitatus may
murder; the workingmen will not. Instead OF
the bullet the workingmen viii settle their
troubles with the ballot
MR.. FoGG's ADDRESS
Mr.. Frank NJ. Fogg, a representative of the
general assembly of the knights of Labor, the
next speaker, said the people were being edu-
Gated from Maine to California; the people met
In their local assemblies and these assemblies
were evening schools. One would be surprised
to sec these people discussing economic Ques-
Ions l IN many instances quite as ably as they
were getting themselves in readiness to cut
away from political parties. He wanted the
lawmakers and the press TO know that they
were the people and intended to run this coun.
try. The consolidated railroads, the banks,
the tarin monopoiies, the Standard Oil com.
pany, the coal monopoly had run it long
enough. They were called communists and
socialists. Jay Gould, VIM. II. Vanderbilt and
Iom Scott bad taught them organization, com.
munism, defense, aud they would profit by those
teachings. When there was a combinat ton
that could control the price Of a mans loaf OF
bread 1t was time that the republic checked such
monopollstlc power or else this republic would
De ruined. This capitalistic commune has been
eieVateo long enough upon the PROSTATE form
The monopolists had been coming there Tor
relief Tor one hundred years. ana they had been
getting It. The government had given away
enough lands to the railroads to build and
equip the roads and own them.
Mi!llonaires, the speaker said, were made by
making the loaves smaller. When you see a
tramps behind him. The present monetary sys-
tenn was producing tramps, suicides, murderers
ana prostitutes. The freehold system was CIV
Ing away to the landlord system. England was
doing with America, by investing her capital,
precisely what she had done in India and Ire
land. he would at once have established a
banking system that would loan money TO the
people at one per cent instead of loauing it to
the banks at one per cent. The money Ioaner
struck America. The banking system he pro-
posed was Tor the purpose of reducing the rate
OF Interest. He would make another reform
be would repeal all the tariff laws and turn the
custom houses into asylums for tramps Still
he claimed TO be the best protectionist in the
country. He would protect American labor by
IN Lewiston, Me-, manufacture cotton with ap-
itai worth eight per cent compete with the Eng
Ilsn manufacturer whose capital was worth
only three per cent? When they reduced the
rate OF interest in America to the level OF interest
In England they could go into the markets
OF the world and compete. They would have
IN the place OF the present system a cheap cap
ltalInot imitation but cheap capital-and that
would protect their industry. They never
S Gou.a elevate ,s Inc aboring people until they
ne said, was the only thing that had paid In
this country for fifty years.
ba men en-; american IL, shipping died they should
high tariff and high rate of interest,"" The
questions presented, he believed, would be an
Labor, which had established these little night
schools through the country to educate the
people, SO that they would know how To vote.
SENATOR VOORHEES,,
Oh Indiana, the next speaker, made brief ad-
dress. He said he had heard, in various
quarters, that meetings Of labor organizations
were not safe for public men to attend When
ne looked upon this audience however he
Thought that there was better place for a
man connected with public affairs TO be; for
mere he could learn something. With ALI
MS heart he was with them in their Just aspira.
lions. Why should they not organize combine
Association was strength; individuality was
weakness. While the wealth and power of the
world associated itself by corporations, the
laborers should associate themselves Together
TO see that they got their share of the World q
wealth. They heard OF the dignity of labor: and
II was indeed dignified calling. Without the
toil OF the laborlng people everything would
shrivel, parch and die. The fountain OF life
wealth, power, was in their hands, The ottener
tney recalled the tact that the people governed
the better it would be for the world. There was
no iawiessness among labOring people; he knew
them and he feared them not. He had no fear
ior MS government in their hands; he had
0reao, however, for the government when its
power was in the hands of corporations The
danger TO free government to liberty was not
from the classes who earned their bread by
honest work; il came from those who toiled moi
All they asked was q lair days wages tor an
honest days work. Whenever the question
resolved Itself into high-priced money and low
priced work The people would groan and suffer
Ihey wanted happy homes happy firesides, He
was not one OF those who believed that the
American laborer could be brought to labor on
the European basis and live as they lived
REPRESENTATIVE wEAvERS REMARKS
The next speaker was Representative Weaver.
of Iowa He said they were now in the midst
OF labor's peaceful revolution, q revolution
which would not stop until justice was possible
worker in it. The vast accumulation of wealth
In this country furnished the very best evil
dence that the people had been industrious
How to dlffuse the wealth among those who
political economy that made 1t practically inn
possible in q country like this for a labOring
man TO procure u home was q mOnstrOSity
What was it that hindered q laboring man
from procuring q home? He asked them to
think OF 1t; to inquire OF their own conscious
ness. If they would do it he was confident they
would reach the right conclusions. Here, in q
country eighteen times as large as France and
only 100 years old, 1t was practically impossible
for q labortng man to obtain home.
THE RESOLUTIONS.
The committee on resolutions, composed of
MeSSrS. r. f. Maher J. T. Dunbar + T. P,rkor