Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1888-04-07


Party and its representative, this
question of reducing hours and in
creasng wages is a farce.
Alderman Campbell, real estate
speculator, shouted that he was a
horny son Of toll and had more right
to speak for the toiling masses than
the lone man from the Radical Labor
Party and wanted to knock out these
socialistic amendments, he declared
the street car men were contentcd,
they were satisfied with their hours
of labor and with their pay, and Al
derman Connor had no right to come
into the City Council and attempt to
create discomfort among the we'll
satisfied employees Of the street car
companies.
Alderman lIamline, lawyer, de-
nounced Alderman Connor for pre-
senting these commnnistic amend
ments. he said:
"This Council has no right, and if it
had, it should not interfere between EN-
lloyers and their men in the settlement
of wages, hours of labor, and condition
OF employment, for things are just as
they ought to be; all of these things are
Socialism, and am down on that. The
idea that the Common Council should
attempt to force the West Side Street
hallway Company to provide places in
which the conductors and drivers could
eat and wash is simply ridiculous; let
them continue to eat as they do now, and
If they want to wash they can use a basin
or their dinner pail.
Alderman Hildreth, from the old
Seventh Ward, who, during Presi-
dent Grants second term was in ac-
tive member of the Infamous whis-
key ring, and who upon the exposure
of tuat band of criminals fled to Can
ada to escape the penitentiary and
was afterwards pardoned by the
United States government on the
payment of 81 900 fine, and who,
since his return from Canada has
found profitable employment as a
professional alderman, this upright
representative of capitalism and the
democratic" party, said:
Before this amendment goes to a vote,
want to place myself on record | want
to assure the republican majority of this
Council, that in this and all other matters
h,.s
crats will stand solidly with them. This
body has other business than to listen to
the cIap-trap Of paid Labor Agitators; Il
stop must he put this, they must he
made TO understand the contempt we
feel for them, their 50 called reforners
and for those they represent, and as IA
representative of the people, as an hon
est and law abiding citizen, / denounce
the speech, which has been inflicted on
the Council tonight, as incendiary and
revolutionary. and deserving of ourmost
emphatic condemnation, and | move
now, Mr. President that the propositions
of the Trades Assembly be laid ON the
table"
Twenty six voted to lay the matter
on the table, while nine Joined with
the Socialist Alderman in their vote.
The boodlers had it their own way,
but they will learn in time that So
cialistic IDEAS will not down. and at
the next election the Labor Party of
Chicago will have one more argu-
ment to lay before the workingmen
in consequence Of the action of the
Council.
Here is an example of what may
be done if workingmcn unite on Il
radical, comprehensive platform and
vote for their principles and honest
and fearless candidates. The resi-
dents Of the Fifth Ward of Chicago
deserve all honor. and such can be
awarded by following their example.
If one Ward in Chicago can do it
other Wards can also elect honest
men to represent them, and fifteen
or twenty such men can do much for
the laboring people in that city.
Throughout the United States, in
the industrial centers there are OPP
portunitieS for II radical labor move
ment, and it requires thorough agi-
tation to awake the people to do their
duty by themselves and their fam
lies.
One of the first steps is to circulate
the socialist press and spread its lit
erature among the people. The
consideration of the event described,
the picture Of the one honest man
contending against the combined
servants Of capitalism should encour-
age us to 90 forward, not contending