Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1886-06-12
THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR.
What the Organization Demands In
the Way Of Legislation.

latiOn presented partial report, the fol-
lowing clauses of which were unanimously
adopted: Your committee on legislation
beg the liberty of saying that the doctrine
that the free and inalienable light to life
and liberty and happiness includes the
equal and inalienable right to the use of The
elements from which life must be supported,
and that system which cOmpelS some citi-
Zens to buy from other citizens the right to
till the unoccupied soil of their common
country, and that permits individuals and
corporations to appropriate as their own
| exclusive property the store of oil. gas and
minerals which the Creator has stored be-
| meath 1t for common use, and the value
| which the growth of population gives to
land occupied by citizens. is violation of
| natural justice, the inevitable result of
| which is to enable those who do not work
TO reach the earnings of those who do, to
| impOverish the farmer, mechanic and Ia
borer, while enriching the forestallre and
monOpOlist, and by depriving those who
possess only the power of labor of an Op-
portunity to make living for themselves,
to force them into deadly competition with
each other for the wages which some en-
ployer is willing to pay. AS preparing the
way for the adoption of better system we
demand measures which shall restore to the
people certain rights and privileges herein
| after named.
First-We demand the creation of a sys-
TEN that shall make future generations
more than mere tenants at will as long as
there is lard idle that is needed by Ameri-
can citizens to live and work.
SecOnd-We demand the reservation of
the public lands for actual settlers only,
and that all land owned by individuals and
corporations i'm excess of 100 acres not under
cultivation shall be taxed to the full value
of cultivated lands Of like character. We
| demand the immediate forfeiture of all
lands now under grant to corporations or
individuals, the conditions of which have
not been complied with.
| Fourth-We demand that all lands now
held by individuals or corporations upon
which patents have not been issued and
which are not fOrfeitible shall be patented
without delay and taxed to the full value of
1
Fifth-We demand the immediate removal
of all fences upon the public domain with.
out authority of law, and that equal DrOtec.
ton be secured to ali citizens of the United
States in the use of public lands for free
conmonage.
Sixth-We demand that on and after A.
ID. 1890 the government shall obtain pos
session by purchase at an appraised valua
ton of all lands legally held by nonresident
aliens, and from and after A. ID. 1886 aliens
shall be prohibited from acquiring title tC
or owning land within the United States OF
America, and that all deeds by citizens OF
the United States to aliens after said last
mentioned date shall be null and void, and
land so decided shall revert to the govern
ment.
Seventh-We demand the abolition of all
property qualifications for voting similar to
those now existing in the state of Rhode
Island and the establishment of graduated
income tax.
Eeighth-We believe that the labor bureau
is one of the most valuable means for the
dissemination OF needed information, ano
we demand for it the full appropriation
asked for, that its efficiency be not impaired
Ninth-We recommend the passage o.
the several bills indorsed by this body ant
approved by the committee OF labor OF the
House of Representatives.
Tenth-We recommend that this body ap
point a committee of three to visit Congress
during the present session to make known
to the members Of that honorable body th'
wishes of the Z nights of Labor respecting
the matters named by the committee ant
indorsed by thi body.
The resolution In regard to election holi
days is as follows:
, Resolved, That 1t is the sense OF this gen
: eral assembly that the occupation OF IN
, bribe-giyer and the bribe-taker should D
DESTROYED. To do this it will be necessar
: to educate those who suffer most throug
| bribery and corruption, that 1t Is hurtIuilt
, | the welfare of the nation to receive 0rio
or give one. In order to deal with thl
5 question more effectually and intelligent
s we should use every means within on
!. means to secure for the tOiler the right 2
! protect himself upon that day, which OF q
days Is important to the American cltize
{ election day. That ne may nave wv an. an ol "
q "
!. casiOn we should ask that election day B
/. made national holiday on which no en-
r plOyer shall have the right to demand Sc Sc
. vice at the hands OF his emplOye., w
n furthermore recommend that the wOrklnt
!. men of the nation declare their intention I
:. have election day "labOr's national hol
day:" aad that they devote their time
that day to looking after their own inte
ests: that they shall on that day kee
watch and ward over the destinies OF u
# nation by guarding the polls from the u
% fnencp Of the bribe-taker and bribe-glvel
and while we recognize the right OF ever
Is man to indulge in the use OF liquor 70 sue
n extent as he may deem necessary 10r n
II health and comfort yet We do recommer
, that on that day each workman refrain fro
: the use of LIQUOR of all kinds so that ne ma
v exercise with a clear head his prerogatl'
y as a citizen i'm selecting proper men 10 re
y resent the people. -
q During the afternoon sessions the leg
!. five committee reported demand that ml
Is ors be prohibited from working over eig
l hours per day in mines, manufactures, e
~ ~ The following in the same report was al
u Resolved, That we hold responsible at I
=; ballot box all members OF Congress W
" " neglect or refuse to vote IN compliance WI
); these demands.
The Fisheries Middle.
The Toronto Globe has the following ca