The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-08-19
TRADES FEDERATION.
Central Labor Assembly
Delegates Not Admitted.
DEBATING THE CREDENTIALS
Mayer Cleveland Makes an Address
to the Convention.

The eleventh annual Congress- of the
Federated Trades and Labor Unions of
this State opened at the Aldermanic
Chamber this morning. 1t was called to
order by Samuel Mellon, the president.
Messrs Clark, OaConnor and Trapper
were appointed the committee to escort
Mayor Cleveland to the Congress. The
Mayor, in his address of welcome, APP
plauded the wage workers for organizing
and for having secured by proper means
the enactment of laws to improve their
condition. He observed that they had
number of important questions to con-
slider at this session, among them ballot
reform.
He believed this question to be one that
every workingman should seriously con-
slider He was in favor of ballot reform,
which would enable the workingman to
cast his vote without dictation from en-
ployers.
Another grave question is compulsory
education to better fit children for the
struggle in life and prevent them, at
tender age, from working in shops and
factories During his term of office, he
said. he had done his utmost to have the
schools made attractive.
He had appealed to the Board Of Edu-
cation to provide more facilities, and he
h. lCpetl ULAC SOOu D0e I1Oaru WOulQ De dule
to accommodate all the applicants. The
eight hour law is another important
question they are to consider.
OF this, he said, that when young
man in Massachusetts he had raised his
voice against the long hours of service
exacted from the employees by the mill
owners.
He had addressed letter to one of the
departments where many hands are en-
ployed urging that the hours of labor be
fixed at eight in winter and nine in sum-
mer as a days work.
Another subject was the growth of
Pinkertonism. He compared the Pink
erton aids to the Hessians, who were i'm
ported to fight here during the Revolu-
tionary War. The Pinkertons were en-
ployed by railroad corporations and
platocraUs todepriye workingmen of their
In conclusion, wished the delegates God
speed, and hoped that the dissensions that
might arise would be forgotten and at the
end the delegates would be in harmony.
W CREDENTIALS.
Committee on Credentials, consisting
of j. J. O'Connor, of Newark; j. Purcell,
of this city; J. w. Cook, of Trenton; o.
Rudolph, OF Paterson, and III. Sipple, of
Washington, was appointed
When they retired the Congress took q
recess 1t was long one, as there was a
hitch over the admission of delegates
from local organizations who are allied to
the knights of Labor, and it is claimed
that the Knights do not represent trades
organizations and are not eligible as dele
gates to the Congress.
The delegates who knocked for admit
tance were Henry Knust, of the Liberty
Association, a bakers union; John T.
Burke, a printer; William Fullam, q
car driver, and James Stuart, a
painter, all representing the. Cen
trail Labor and Trades Associa-
Turner and Martin McCarty who repre-
sent the Keystone Association, one of the
local assemblies of the Knights
Of Labor Adam zeller, John
Wood and Jacob Knerr, of the
Pocahontas Association which is the
Knight of Labor Assembly of Cigarmak-
ers, and Richard J. Allen. Henry q.
Gruber and Charles Chabin, sent by the
Jersey Association, a Knight of Labor
district organization.
DISCUSSING MR.. MDoNNELL
While the committee was having its
discussing the prospect of John Nc
Donnell, Of Paterson, editor of the Labor
Standard who is ambitious TO be elected
president.
There is bitter opposition to him and
his friends were at work endeavoring to
bring about harmony.
The Committee on Credentials reported
that it had not been deemed advisable
to throw out any delegates who asked ad-
nlittance, but to let those against whom
there was no protest vote on the others.
The Pocahontas Association was adj
B mitted after short debate. Henry
Kunst was rejected on the ground that he
was not member of bona fide union.
The Jersey Association got in by, % to 26.
The delegates from the Central Trades
and Labor Assembly were rejected; the
keystone men were admitted. 1t was
voted that committee of three be ap-
pointed to take testimony from the dele
gates that had been rejected, and submit
3 It to the congress- Messrs. Cook, Sealy
and Spencer were appointed the COM
mittee.
J. J. O'Connor, L. T. Reed, Thomas J..
McGovern, J. E. Mers and John Moore
were appointed as committee on resolu-
tions, and j. p. Mcdonnell, H. F. Trap
per, Gustave Herrick, Samuel Syel and
Samuel Pope q committee on constitu-
ton.
A set of complimentary resolutions
was presented to Mr.. Mcdonnell from
friends in this State.