The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-07-26
CALL TO THE FEDERATION.
Questions to Come Up at the Great
Labor Meeting.

The official call of the eleventh annual
Labor Congress of the State Federation of
Trades and Labor Unions has been issued,
and is as follows:-
To the Trades and Labor Untons of the
State of NeJU JcrseH-
The Legislative Committee of the State
Federation of Trades and Labor Unions
of New Jersey, in conjunction with the
Local Labor Committee OF the city of
jersey City, has great pleasure in extend
ing TO the organized trades of New Jersey
cordial invitation to be represented at
the eleventh annual Labor Congress,
which will be held in the Aldermanic
Chamber, City Hall, Jersey City, Monday
August 10, 1889, and which will open
promptly at half-past ten a. N. Trades and
labor unions can be represented in the
Congress of the Federation on presenta-
ton of properly sealed credentials and on
payment of ten cents annual capitation
tax, i'll advance, for each member repre-
sented in their respective organizations.
Organizations which owe capitation tax
for the past year must pay the same, in
addition to the coming years tax, in ad-
vance, to be entitled to representation in
the Congress. Every bona fide union is
entitled to three delegates for one hun
dred members or less and one additional
delegate for every additional one hundred
members or majority fraction thereof.
Business of vital Importance to the labor
movement in this State will be submitted
to the Congress, and an elaborate
report will be presented of the work at
tempted and accomplished by the Legis-
lative Committee during the past year.
Trades and labor unions are fraternally
urged to send their experienced members
as delegates and to exercise their inf1u-
ence in this direction with other unions in
their respective localities, so that the
nln nj Nrr,r Ir kn
most successful ever held in this State.
The work of the Congress may be greatly
facilitated if the unions will at once
elect delegates and forward the names
and addresses of the same to the chair
man of the Legislative Committee and
also notify him of the nature of any i'm
portant measure they may wish to have
considered.
The objects of the Federation are the
encouragement and formation of trades
and labor unions and trades assemblies,
the promotion of State, national and in
ternational trades and labor union alli-
ances and to secure State and national
legislation favorable to the interests of
the wageworking class Questions affect
ing the State and national interests of
every trade and occupation are discussed
at the annual congresses of the Fedora
ton, and steps are taken to do away with
unjust conditions and establish better
ones. Already the statute books of New
Jersey bear upon their pages numerous
the result of the Federation's efforts
The annual Congress being sim
ply and purely a convention
of wageworkerS. convened for
their mutual interest and benefit, and in
no sense for partisan purposes, no resolu-
ton of a partisan character tending to en-
dorse any of the political parties or their
Il lot lo ,fo,-t tn.x
acted upon by the Congress during its de-
hberations. 1t is the earnest desire of
many trades organizations that the sub
jects to be discussed by the Congress be
confined to few all-important ones. BY
undertaking to handle too many questions
valuable time will be lost and strength
will be divided that should be united 1t
is earnestly desired that the Congress will
give first consideration to the following
issues:-
First-The reduction of the hours of
labor.
Second-Ballot reform
Third The legal prohibition of Pinker-
tonism in New Jersey.
Fourth-An amendment to the Factory
law, making ten or less hours a legal
days work for women and minors.
Fifth-Adequate school accommodation
in all parts of this State at State ex-
pense.
The foregoing subjects are regarded
with great interest by the masses of wage
earners. Other matters, such as boiler
inspection. an increase in the capitation
tax of the Federation, prison reform and
so forth, may of course, at the discretion
of the Congress, be considered, but the
necessity of combining on few vital is
sues is urged
The Legislative Committee regrets that
it cannot congratulate the wage workers
of New Jersey as it has been able to do
on previous occasions. Many of the most
| important labor measures were, we re-
gret to say, strangled at the last session
| of the Legislature. But in this regard
our workingmen are themselves not en-
tirely free from blame. In conclusion,
we urge the trades and labor unions to
elect their best men as delegates-men
who are above intrigue, and whose hearts
are entirely with the aims and aspirations
of the great labor movement of the world.
The State will have its eyes upon our
| Congress, and it is, therefore, necessary
that it shall be composed of men who are
above self, who have no selfish, personal
aims, and whose wisdom and intelligence
will create harmony and lead to success.
j. p. MCDONNELL, Chairman, Labor
| Standard office, Paterson, N. j.
SAMUEL MELLoR, President of last Con.
gress, Trenton, N. j.
o. B. WHITE, Secretary, Paterson, N. j.