The Washington critic., 1889-01-24
BUTTERwORTHs BOLD WORDS.

He Dares to Speak his Mind on tho Press
Question.
Mr.. Butterworth, during the debate on
the steam presses yesterday, said the Or
ganization of the hand plate printers
had declared war upon those machines
and had determined that they should go.
If they ought to go on their merits, let
them so, but if they ought not to 60 on
their merits, the fact that these gentle.
men desired them to go was not the
slightest reason for putting them out.
He had been told that the men who
worked on the steam presses were hissed
and annoyed while going to and from
work by the hand printers.
If this were true the Secretary of the
Treasury and the superintendent of the
bureau ought to be impeached for not
vindicating the right of a man in this
country to earn his bread. Applause. |
If it were true, and he had been superin.
tendent, the man who had hissed would
not have come into the bureau, if he
could preventN. This was still America,
and his boy had right to work without
asking the permission of any organiza.
ton of men. If he could not he Butter
worthy was in favor of revolution.
lApplause.J
He had been informed that, as the
steam press men went to work. the dead
march was whistled. If that were true,
it was an unspeakable outrage, committed
within the shadow of the Capitol.
Continuing, Mr.. Butterworth said: "I
recommend to the Knights of Labor to
establish whipping-post in front of the
Capitol and lick about twenty-five mem
bers of the House on the last Saturday in
each month. Laughter. l hope that
in Gods providence that the time will
come when our manhood will assert itself
and we will not sneak like poltroons Gas
] have seen the House do over and over
again) at the dictates of some gentlemen
in the galleries. [Applause.
81 have compromised my manhood
once or twice. l hope that the next time
l do 1t | shall be paralyzed where ]
stand. Applause. We have witnessed
enough of the vassalage of the Senate
and House and members of the Govern
ment in various places.
The papers. he said, teemed with sug-
gestions that men were to be shot for
making contracts for their labor They
were to be hunted. He objected to that
and the reason he spoke of it now was
that it was well known that whenever a
thing was requested by certain organ,
ization the House did it and hunted fol
reasons to do it.
Among other things Mr.. Butterworth
made the following remarks
"But, Mr.. Chairman, while recognizing Oh,
importance OF labor organizations II Is need
less for members of this House to shut theil
eyes TO the fact that one Of fthese organizations
in New York insisted upon starving a widow
and her children into compliance with theil
behests We are perfectly familiar with the
facts, and while do not IN any wise object tC
the organization OF labor In the interests OF
men, however or wherever. they may be EN-
| ployed, do protest against the utilization OF
| these organizations for tho purpose of com.
pelling obedience to their high behests except
| by argument, by reason, to influence tho un.
derstanding OF men, or by moral Suasion.
% s.
Now, touching the Knights OF Labor, another
word. II is well known that petitions have
| been prepared here and circulated broadcast
! throughout the country aud again presented
| here in volumes when important matters were
under consideration.
II Is well known to this House ana 10 this
| committee that all insist upon In this matter
Is that we should stand by our deliberate iudg
/ ilcul, ibIUlcu anu lOuulcu upon lut lueLS III
troduced here, and not yield TO a sggestiof
that viii leopardize our political lives II W,
do II. | called attention once before In thi:
House 10 the fact that circular was sent
from this Hall to tho country singing ou
! those who were the friends OF tho people, ant
singing out those who were not; and the all
thor Of that circular proposed that he should
Tx for the votors the standard of American
! manhood, and decide what the duty of q citi
zen OF the United States was, and that any maj
who dared question the honesty or soundnes
of his judgment was to be kicked out OF tn
public service.
Many men who were classed as enemies o
the people were the worthy descendants O
the men who fought the battles OF the RevC
luton, who gave us a country and free gov
ernment and our grand Constitution, an
whose children have kept aud maintaine
them all until this hour, and are still th
faithful and constant Watchers on the walls {
the temple of our freedom, and yet they wei
denounced as enemies OF the people. And th
man who thus denounced us has hereto
fore exercised a mightier influence In th
body than the prayers of all the patriots thi
ever marched under our flag In defense OF tn
Republic.
II the House will indulge me, will answC
by giving u little experience, which is only OIL
OF many. One Of my colleagues, who 81
tight by me, was approached by carpenter
tlils city. llo said; ~ wish YOU would IN
employment for my two boys; they can N
gul anything w do, aud have nothing I,