Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-07-13
CHICAGO.
EightHOur B0Odlers A BOodlers
Senate BOOdlers on the Lake Front.

The Southwest Side Branch of the S. L.
?. held its regular meeting on Tuesday,
July2. The subject for discussion was
The Eight-Hour Demonstration on the
Fourth of July" 1t was unanimously
decided not to participate in the dem
onstration, las we consider it an outrage
on the whole labor movement, when
workingmen fighting for the eight-hour
work-day invite corrupt politicians of
this city to stand on the labor platform
and speak on the eight-hour question;
whereas, every wage worker knows
that the sole object of such men is to
destroy all labor organization" Com
rade Langner expressed the opinion that
the workingmen of Chicago seemed to
be of the same material as the com
miners of Westphaia. While the lat
ter request the Travelling William" to
protect them against their oppressors.
the former request corrupt politicians
(SenatOr Lawler, Mayor Cregier, Det-
weller, Gruenhut, etc, etc. to assist
them in fighting and struggling for the
eight-hOur work-day. Travelling Will
liam" showed his sympathy to the West
phalian coal miners by shooting them
down as he would a foreign enemy
These Chicago politicians may soon have
occasion to do the same. The workmen
of Chicago will have no right to grum-
bic, the speaker continued, if they are
dubbed to death by order of those pro-
fessional politicians, when on May the
attempt will be made to establish the
eight hour workday.
The public agitation meeting Of our
Section was called to order at 80 p. IN.
astsSunday. Comrade Orchardson was
the first speaker. He congratulated
Mayor Cregier for his splendid speech
on the eight hour question, at Chelten-
ham Beach on the Fourth of July.
II never heard better speech in my
life," Comrade Orchardson observed, "it
was full of Fourth of July enthusiasm
and spread-eagle gloritication, but did
not hear him say single word ON the
question he was invited to speak on.
He said he was glad to shake hands with
the representatives of the working peo.
pie. | have no doubt about that, be-
cause as a professional politician Gre
gier knows very well how workmen can
be best deceived"
As our city government will be en-
larged In the near future to sixty eight
aldermen, our capitalist class in Chicago
are anxious to maintain a cheap control
of it by means of little Senate. Their
opinion that it is much easier to buy
three Senators than to buy sixty-eight
Aldermen may be altogether correct
therefore, the following resolutions
were adopted:
WHEREAS, 1t is the policy of the
wealthy to concentrate power into a
few hands, because it costs less money
to purchase a majority of three than it
does to purchase a majority of sixty
eight; and,
WHEREAS, Mr.. Bisbee's suggestion to
establish numerically small Senate
over the sixty eight Aldermen of this
city is with a view to make legislation
IN the interest of the many impossible;
and
WHEREAS, The greater the number to
be corrupted with money, the less likely
it is that an attempt will be made;
Resolved, That the workers must en-
deavor to protect themselves from the
schemes Of the drones, by demanding
that all important measures shall not
become law until adopted by the peo-
pie, to whom they shall be referred
back for confirmation.
With regard to the intention of our
municipal government to sell piece of
ground known as Lake Front, the fol-
lowing open letter was adopted for pub
licatiOn:
AN OPEN LETTER.
To the Honorable, the Mayor and
Council of the City of Chicago.
GENTLEMEN-As citizens of this mu-
nicipality, in mass.meeting assembled,
interested in all that concerns the pub
lie welfare, we respectfully ask your
favorable consideration of the following
in reference to the Lake Front question:
1t is the deliberate opinion of this
meeting that the commercial develop
ment of this city must inevitably
absorb the Lake Front Park for business
purposes. That the sanitary value of
the park, which we fully understand and
do not wish to overrate, should not be
permitted to check or interfere with the
natural commercial development which,
if properly used, will result in much
greater benefit to the community at
large.
The truth of this must be more appar-
ent when we realize that the opening of
the streets through the park and the
traffic consequent upon the commercial
use of the outer harbor will greatly
impair the present sanitary value of the
park.
We emphatically protest against all
schemes which have for their object the
sale of the Lake Front as being contrary
to the best interests Of the city, not
necessary to its commercial develop
ment, and as a stupendous piece Of
folly that would only find its logic
sequel in the sale of all our municipal