St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-09-22
THE LABOR PLATFORM.

1t has been a common subject of COM
plant among the leaders of the labor
movement that the lack of unity of
action and purpose among the various
labor organizations was bar to the
progress of the movement and had
more than once threatened its final
overthrow. 1t was probably this
trouble which suggested the holding of
an international congress of working
men as an annex to the Paris expo
sition, in order that the representatives
of all the labor organizations of the
world might get together and agree
upon common platform of principles
as the foundation for universal labor
movement. Delegates representing all
the various labor unions of this country
were in attendance, and they were met
by delegates representing pretty much
every labor interest in Europe. After
long consultation aud much discussion,
a platform was finally adopted,
which met the appreciation of
all the delegates except a few
extremists who belonged to the
anarchists. The two resolutions pre-
scented by the American delegates were
adopted as planks in the platform-the
first condemning emigration and ap-
proving the United States law against
labor contract, and the second declaring
that regulations on the subject of the
labor of women and children were only
to be regarded as palliative measures,
1Of az hn itOl I'M mo
of reforms desired by the congress.
Among the fourteen plankS that were
adopted as the international labor plat
form we imagine the following PROPOSE
tons will be particularly acceptable to
American workingmen: A declaration
in favor of eight hours a day for the
maximum to be fixed by international
law; at least one holiday in each week
and no work on fete days; abolition of
night work, as far as practicable,
for men and women. and entirely
for children; suppression of chill
dren's labor below the age of fourteen;
complete general. technical and pro-
fessional education; prison labor to be
under the same conditions as free labor;
a minimum wage to be fixed in every
country in accordance with a reasonable
standard OF life; no foreign laborers to
be allowed to accept employment, ana
no employers to employ such labor. at
wages below the trades union rates for
their trade, and equal pay and oppor-
tunity for men and women for equal
work. Other provisions of minor i'm
portanee were inserted, but the ones
we have specified contain the salient
points upon which all the labor asSOcia-
tons of the world are agreed, and will
in the future be the basis of all labor
organization. DR.. MERLINo, the noted
Italian anarchist, attacked the platform
most vigorously, declaring it to be set
of snares and decisions whereby the
workingmen were to be Seduced from
the only true methods of liberty, which,
according to his idea, were embodied in
the doctrine of anarchism. His fiery as
sault on the platform had no effect eX-
cept to call forth a dignified but we'll
directed rebuke from JOHN BURNS, the
English labor leader, Nh) observed that
wOrkingmen would prefer an eight
hour day procured by parliamentary
legislation to all the blessings Of an
archy. Mr.. BURNS occupies to the En-
glish labor cause about the same rela-
ton that Master Workman POwDERLY
does TO American labor, and the value
of his conservative influence was forci-
bly, demonstrated in the late strike of
the London dOckmen, which proved
to be the most successful strike ever in
augurated. When the working classes
succeed in getting together on such a
platform as was adopted by the work
ingman's international congress at
Paris the cause of labor will be invinci-
bic, and there need be no future appre-
hension as to the durability of the labor
organizations. When the labor agitatOrs
who urge resistance to law, and are all
the time induStriously sowing the seeds
of anarchism, are relegated to the rear,
the cause of labor will be relieved of its
most imminent danger.