National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-02-10
THE RIGHTS OF LABoRERs.
A Radical Talk by +. II. Bowen Before
the Federation of Labor Unions.


the Federation of Labor Unions.
An open meeting Of the Federation of
Labor Unions was held last evening at
Odeon Hall, corner Of Pennsylvania avenue
and Fourand.a-half street, L. w. Oyster
In the chair.
The meeting was for the purpose OF lis
tening TO addresses by prominent advocates
Of the rights Of worbingmen. p. T. Bowen
delivered stirring address, which was evil
IDENTIFY intended to arouse worldngmen
from optimistic ideas and TO urge them to
further efforts to secure equal privileges
for all men in the enjoyment Of life. In
speaking Of Congress considering the APP
preparation OF great sums Of money for
coast defenses, he condemned such action
and believed there is no external danger to
our seaboard cities, but danger within
both them and inland cities, The danger
is in the institutions Of the country, which
| do not tend to equal justice and compare
| unfavorably In general with those
| Of England and other Euro
| pean countries. Speaking OF mobs,
he considered them the natural re-
suit Of certain causes II the mobs are not
desired the causes should be removed.
State militia he condemned severely. The
recent mob In London was cited. II was
an uprising of $4,000 men who went through
the streets carrying everything with them,
but no military was called out and when
the mob had spent its force IL dispersed Of
its own accord and no one was injured.
In this country the militia would have been
called out and the result would have been
bloodshed. In every case for the last
twenty years the bloodshed resulting from
mob was incident to the militia being
called out. When there is no opposition
there is no contact and peaceable end
ing. lie said II had become customary
for labor unions to frequently as
sert that they commit no violence aud
are law-abiding citizens; that they prefer
| arbitration to strikes and the boycott, and
that they do not assail existing institutions.
The first statement Is unnecessary, as II Is
presupposed they are law-abiding. The
last Is silly, because IL labor organizations
are satisfied with existing organizations
their work is ended. The course which
labor unions pursue tends TO give the idea
that they have abandoned their aims. The
boycott Is still an instrument for them to
WELD toward the end Of accomplishing a
good end, and only so far as arbitration does
the work better will II be substituted.
Speaking upon the rights OF property
he said: "You must remember that prop
erty has no right at all in itself simply as
property. Property is simply what the law
says is property" The past generations
have defined property and put upon the
statute books what they considered right
and reasonable In this respect. But past
generations have no right to bind the pres.
ent. The present generation has right to
put new definition to property, aud to
modify the old definition to the end OF
making It best suit the interest OF society
1t is not right to assume that possession is a
clear title to property. III policeman
finds suspicious character In the streets
with bundle he arrests him and inquiries
how he came into possession of what he
has. He does not accept the fact that the
man has the bundle rs evidence of owner.
ship. He would make him prove that he
got It honestly. When we see man
men without property, we have the same
right. The natural conclusion Is that he
has stolen his money. The principle II ap.
piled under one circumstance must be APP
pliedin the other. The millionaire should DC
challenged to show his right TO his
property, and II he fails 1t should be taken
away from him and restored to those who
are robbed. Then 1t should be the duty Of
the nottingham to find the method by
which fortunes are accumulated dlshon
estly and check 1t.
Regarding existing institutions he re
minded the audience that men make Lhe
own institutions, and the present generation
has the same'right to make institutions thai
past generations had. He charged upor
cAlsllng INSTITUTIONS every SOCIAL eYll Una
men suffer, though willing to concede wha
credit they are entitled to. Men to-day
. have the right to change these institution
so that they will not enrich cunning AM
unscrupulous men and impoverlsh the In
dustrious, and these institutions are re
sponsible for the idleness Of the working
men.
! Theprosperltyof American over European
! country Is caused by natural physical ad
vantages OF this country, and not becaus
Of existing laws. When America is a
crowded as Europe the condition will b
| | worse.
Several other speeches followed bearln
2 | On the labor question