St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-02-11
THE CAUSE OF LABOR.
Four Meetings last Evening--Or-
gamiZatiOn and Law.

About one hundred carpenters met last
evening at Plummer hall, Nicollet avenue,
with closed doors, to discuss the eght-hour
question. In the half a dozen addresses
made during the evening not one word was
said against the proposed reduction of the
hours of labor, the only question being as
to how the object can be accomplished. In
order that the masses may fully understand
the situation, it was decided to hold an
open meeting next Wednesday evening at
Muldoon hall in South Minneapolis.
THE PAINTERS
held an adjourned meeting at the Perma-
nent Exhibit and Builders exchange for
the purpose of discussing the manner in
which the members of their craft shall be
organized into union, whether as a
Knights of Labor assembly or as a separ-
ate and distinct association. NJ. w. Moyan
explained the principles and objects of the
knights of Labor. and after some discus
sion vote was taken to decide the matter,
which was carried in favor of organizing as
an assembly of the Knights of Labor by a
ballot of 6 to 1. 1t was announced that
the organization would be perfected at A.
o. FL. hall Friday night, and all who de-
sire to join the assembly are requested to be
present.
A joint meeting of bricklayers and brick
contractors was also held at the same place
for the purpose of adopting some plan of
concerted action to secure the letting of
contracts direct from architects to the ma
sons The custom generally followed by
architects is to let their contracts to build
erS, who i'll turn Sublet the brick work to
masons. AS the builder is carpenter this
portion of the work is performed under his
own supervision and receives the profit him
self. The brick work he lets to the best
bidder, and the mason is by this COMPETE
ton often forced to take work at prices that
will not warrant his paying fair wages
to the bricklayers. Several of
of the contractors who were present eX-
pressed doubts as to whether any organiZa-
ton OF contractors could be perfected, as
the competition is so strong. A number
of the members of the Bricklayers' union
stated that they were willing to stand at
the back of contractors who would demand
their contracts direct from the architects.
but said the contractors must first make some
movement toward asserting their rights.
A committee of five, with f. A. Quinby.
the president of the meeting, as chairman.
was finally appointed to draw up resolu-
tions to be presented to the State Archi-
tects' association demanding that contracts
for brick work shall be let directly TO the
masoDs.
JUDGE WEIGHS ADDRESS
before the organized workingmen of the
city at A. o. II. hall was largely attended.
The Judge spoke upon some of the rene
dies that are needed in national and state
laws for the better protection of the work
ing classes. He submitted a life and limb
law, which he said should be passed by the
state legislature for the better protec
ton of mechanics and skilled labor
whose work requires them to daily work
IN proximity to dangerous machinery, etc
de also dwelt at considerable length upoI
the great folly of allowing franchises to be
granted by municipalities to private cor
poratlons, and as an example instanced the
iranchlse granted by the city council tt
SHOW the street railway company to ust
come.
Dr. Ames responded to call, but sale
ne would rather play the part of an auditor
as certain papers had accused him of pl a,
ing the part of demagogue whenever ht
attended meeting of laboring men. n,
thought that the majority present knew
him well enough by his public record anG
private life to understand that his sym