The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-08-20

llCtu W DGbby QlllCICuCcS.
The work of the Legislative Commit
tee of the Federation at Trenton last Win
ter, and the action of the Legislature in
regard to the Engineers bill, the supple
ment to the Factory law, the Pinker-
ton bill, Mechanics Lien and other labor
measures was set forth at length. The
action of the Legislature in killing these
bills was denounced in unsparing terms.
Mr.. FEENEY's SISTER MARY"
In speaking of his efforts to have the
engineers bill passed, Mr. Mcdonnell
said that he saw telegram sent to
warned him to look out for McDonnells
Engineers BILL and was signed "Sister
Mary A general enquiry arose concern
ing the identity Of Mr.. Feeney's "Sister
Mary" but no satisfactory answer was
forthcoming. The report reviewed the
action OF the last session OF the LegisiiaI,
ture, and said that it was not a beneaclai
one for labor. 1--WE asked for bread and
received stone" The report endorsed
AssemblyInan Kane, of Middlesex.
In closing, Mr.. Mcdonnell recommended
that the Congress take action upon and
present to the next Legislature, bliis N
favor of the reduction of the hours OF
labor in all public offices; eight hours
legal days work for women and minors;
against the employment of Pinkerton
agents in this State; strict enforcement
of Labor Day in cities over ten thousand;
against ScaD lADOr ana IOr uLllOu lttDSlo,
and ballot reform bill.
He also recommended that the Con-
gress agree not to support any candidates
for office who will not pledge themselves
to support labor bills; that a new const1-
tuition be adopted; that a committee OF
five be appointed to report to the Leglsla-
tive Committee prison labor bill; that
the income of the association be increased;
that monthly meetings of all labor organ
| izatious be held during the session of the
legislature, and that the members of the
Congress hold political parties responsible
for the defeaB of labor bills.
The treasurer's report showed that
there is deficiency of $226S7 during the
past year in the Federation's finances
NOW THE CYCLONE BURSTS.
A motion to receive the report was
made and then Delegate j. Z. Burke, in
by far the best speech of the evening,
proceeded to handle Mr.. Mcdonnell with
out gloves. He said that If the chairman
of the Legislative Committee had not per-
mitted his name to be presented as
candidate for the secretaryship OF the
Labor Bureau thus permitting the i'm
preston to get abroad that he was look
ing for office, the Congress would not
then be in the condition OF mournerS over
the death of labor bills.
This brought Hugh Clark to his feet.
He declared that Mr. Burke was insulting
in his remarks and said that Mr.. Nc
Donnell refused to take office when the
Legislative Committee had unanimously
recommended him.
Mr.. Burke attempted to reply, and then
the storm which had been gathering
during his and Mr.. Clark's remarks burst
in all its fury. Half of the Congress was
on it's feet claiming the recognition of the
chair, while the other half gave vent to its
feelings by applauding, misses and shouts
of Throw him out of the window" Put
ot7f fbof ~ oT6 tho Iikn
Finally Mr.. Burke made himself heard
above the din and claimed the floor.
The president held short consultation
with the vice president and then declared
that Mr.. Burke was out OF order.
Mr.. Burke sat down with the remark
that Gin a multitude of counsellors there
is wisdom"
The president then took the floor in de-
fence of Mr.. Mcdonnell and told how
| that gentleman'S name came to be assoc1-
ated with the secretaryship of the Labor
| Bureau. He said that when it was feared
that the Legislature would abolish the
| bureau ON account of the dissenslons
| over the secretaryship, the Governor sug-
rested that some man be named who was
| Independent in politics and beloved by
every wage worker in the country. In
accordance with that suggestion j. P.
Mcdonnell was suggested as the only
man competent to fill the bill.
Secretary White advised the Congress
to have nothing to do with either of the
Labor Bureaus, one of which he said is a
hotbed of vice, and the other a pool of
iniquity, and it would be better for New
Jersey if both were abolished.
HOWL OVER MR.. O'CONNoR.
Mr., T. j. O'Connor, of Newark, agreed
with Mr.. White, and prefacing his re-
marks with the assertion that he would
acknowledge that he was crooked, pro-
ceeded to eulogize Mcdonnell. Then he
attacked Judge Dixon for sending Nc
Donnell to prison after he had been con-
victed. Then he took mental journey
to Ireland, and was telling what his
ancestors had done for Irish liberty when
the storm broke out again.
Several members rose to points of order,
questions of privilege and resorted to
every other parliamentary tactic extant.
| making the chairman hear his motion for
the previous question. The chairman
grasped 1t as a drowning man does a
STRAW, put it and declared it carried be-
fore anyone could interfere. O'Connor
nrotested in vain that the previous
question could not De put Whlle member
was on the floor.
The Congress laughed at his remon-
strances and the business proceeded.
Then O'Connor ''got mad" He handed
the chairman the resolutions which he
was to read as chairman of the Committee
on h6SOIuulOuS, ttuu, Clllluks dC1CSSdtCo
about him, declared that he would leave
the Congress. He, however, changed his
mind and came back.
AN ATTEMPT TO CLEAR THE HALL.
John McCann. who, though having a
voice had no vote in the proceedings, OBJ
tanned the floor. This raised another
storm. The anti i-McDonnellites wanted
him to speak.
So great did the disturbance become
that the chairman ordered the sergeant
alarms to clear the hall. This he pro-
ceeded to do, but soon struck u snag in
b. l.. Friedberg, who declared that as a
citizen of Jersey City he had right to
visit the City Hall at all times, and no
labor or any other convention had a right
to put him out. This put stop to the
clearing out process and the clamor over
McCann went on.
A semblance of order was finally
restored, and Mccain proceeded to at
tack Mcdonnell. Once more the turmoil
broke out and proceeded to such length
that the chairman said that If the con-
yention had no more respect for the peo-
ple of Jersey City, who had so kindly
rendered them the use OF their Council
Chamber, than to behave as they were,
the Congress had better dissolve.
This had the desired effect and then
the storm subsided for the evening.
GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS.
Resolutions were adopted recommend
ing that the Congress use its influence to
have all State, county and city printing
done at Union offices; that all appoint
ments under the labor bureau be made
fno,., trada unions and distributed among