Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-04-15
CITY AND DISTRICT.
A WORKINGMEN'S MEETING.
Speeches, Music and . Large Audience
ut the Rifles ArmOry.


RESOLUTIONS REGARDING THE SOUTHWESTERN
RAILROAD TROUBLES AND OTHER MATTERS
SPEECHES BY GEORGE E. MNEILL, SENATOR:
BLAIR AND EUsTIs, REPRESENTATIVES FoRAN
TARsNEY AND oTHERs-THE DEMANDS OF TIL
KNIGHTS OF LABOR.
The National Rifles armory hall was crowded
last night to Its fullest capacity on the occasion
OF the labor massmeeting, held under the joint
auspices of the Columbia Typographical Union
ana the knights of Labor. The audience com
prised many ladies. A we'll organized corps
OF ushers performed most effective service In
preventing confusion in the crowded assembly
band stationed in the gallery punctuated the
speeches. with lively selections of music. The
meeting was called to order by Mr.. Floyd, Of
columbia Typographical Union, who intro
duced Representative John J. O'Neill, of Mis-
souri,, chairman of the House labor committee
as the presiding officer of the meeting.
Msss committee econ On resolutions, composed OF
L. ID. Patterson and VIM. 81. Kelly, was an.
Mr.. o Neill upon taking the chat, .a,d that IN
accepting the Invitation to be present he fell
that committee created in response to the de-
mands OF organized labor should very properly
De represented at such meeting. He was with
them heart and soul, for he realized that the
revolution which to-day was felt in every sec
ton OF the land could only be turned into chan
ganiZatiOn.
Before introducing Mr.. McNeill, Mr.. o'Neill
dery and ' MeH ne In men like Pow
true sentiment of the workingmen of this
country.
ADDRESS OF GEORGE e. M'NEILL.
George E. Mcneil, Of Boston, the represent
alive before Congress of the General Assembly
OF the knights of Labor, was then introduced.
Mr.. McNeill occupied the platform for nearly
hour. MAKING tho I'D bo
evening. He said that as representative OF
tne great army OF peace, he met them that
service of arms. 1t was by such meetings as
these that he hoped to bring about condition
of affairs when they would neither have to
before them for consideration especially the
s sup OF legislation: Heretofore legislation
no criticism Of that legislation except SO far as
1t had become burden. They came now before
for the snag TOR
met at the outset with the statement that
there should be no class legislation. This had
at the doors of legislative halls asking for gov.
ernmental interference against the laws of
competition. He did not want to be under
stood as protesting against charters and grants
put as opposing the constitutional cranks, who
in the light of the history OF legislation in this
there should be no class legislation. All labor
asked was equity and Justice He did not
wish to belittle the functions Of capital. But
capital was the mere
TOOL OF LABOR.
Labor could get along without capital, but
capital could not produce or add to the material
wealth of the country without labor Speaking
OF the causes of the revolution referred to by
the chairman he said that after the introduce
ton OF labor-saving machinery and factory
discipline the first demand of labor was for less
hours OF labor. From that time to this that
agitation has gone on wherever labor is con-
Sought organization They We're told they sI had
no right to organize, but they organized
secretly and they grew. They found the papers
ganizatiOn on account of their system OF boy
colt. They could remember the day when a
workingman who dared to be q member OF a
organization was boycOtted
with a severity not dreamed of now. 1t was
because OF the system of blacklisting-of boy
ootting labOr-that
THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR
were organized II years ago, and for years kept
its existence a secret. 1t was because OF repres-
sive acts that labor organized under the shield
of the knights of Labor. Mr.. Mcneil then
analysed and explained at length the plat
form OF the Knights of Labor. The knights
industrial and moral worth, not wealth, the
true standard OF individual and national great
ness. 1t was cause to blush that there was need
to place as the first plank of their platform such
q statement as that. The capital represented
wealth and not moral worth. Is a man ad-
hHaaa INTO society because Of moral worth or
against q sham society. They sought to secure
to laborers the full enjoyment of the wealth he
he creates, nothing more If there is anything
left let Wall street take it. The gist of all they
asked were In the three propositions OF moral
sion of the profits of labor upon principles of
equity; opportunity Of enjoying the benefits of
advancing ciyiliEation; Who should enjoy
those benefits? The knights of Labor saw
those who have earned them.
THE MEASURES PROPOSED.
The measures by which We propose to bring
these things about were first, the establish
ment Of bureaus to collect labor statistics. They
asked the establishment of these bureaus be-
cause they knew that exposure of the condi-
about the needed revolution. They next de,
manded that the public landslide public heri-
tage should not be voted away to corporations.
his demand came rather late, but they asked
hat lands already voted away to corporations
be taken back into The hands Of the govern
n he L; tThey asked the abrogation OF all laws
That dld not bear equally on capital and labor
1t was shameful that in this nineteenth CEN
Jury that they had to ask tor legislation to pro
'ect the NE and limbs Of operatives In mills.
Dr. tndemnitted tor accidents. They were met
~ the statement that in this they Were placing
,ther means could they make 1t sure that oper-
lttves would be projected against accident.
I n1ns demanded Sn the recognition Of trades
provision for weekly payments. There were men
n this country who, from one end of the year to
he other, never saw the color Of q dollar they
earned; they were paid through company
stores. They asked the abolition of the con
.ract system on public works. The contract sys-
EN- was device OF the devil TO cheat labor
and cheat the government, and 1t had been
pretty successful in accomplishing BOTH They
asked the prohibition by law Of the employment
II children under fifteen years of age. This
was another measure which some one else than
he Worklngmen ought to have come forward
% advocate. II ever there was call for ven
yeance upon the cultured classes OF this conn.
ry 1t was because OF the robbery from the
children OF the privileges Of the school and the
playground. They need not send their mission
,ast, where children are assembled in iactories
[hey are told thatunless these children worked
heir parents would be Impoverished. Better
end every parent TO the poOrhouse than to rob |
nese cnlloren OF education and physical devel- |
)pmenL
They asked the prohibition OF the employ
nent Q! convict labor and that q graduated
income tax be levied. In short they were an |
preaching the danger line. They meant simply |
o TAX 9 man according TO his cost to the gov
~ the hundred he is dangerous and costly
nan; dangerous enough to put into the peni- |
entlary, where some OF them would have been
one ago II Justice had been served out to them. |
THE EIGHT-HoUR RULE
Mr.. McNeill spoke at length upon other prin.
ipies OF the Knights OF Labor. Referring to |
he demand for eight hours labor, he said. q re- |
luction OF the hours OF labor was q necessity of |
heir civilization. Unless the hours OF labor
we're considerably reduced within the next two
y three years there would be panic and stag
lation sucn a9 had never been witnessed In
MS country. When the Grand Army of the
~ oil n