The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-08-02
THE STATE FEDERATION.
Delegates to the Central Trades
Assembly Say 1t Is Con-
trolled by Politicians.

"Why Labor Bills Were Strangled by
the Last Legislature?' would have been
an appropriate title for the discussion en-
gagged in by the delegates to the Central
Trades and Labor Assembly meeting in
Coopers' Hall last evening. This is how
it came about
Under the head of communications, the
secretary read the call of the Legislative
Committee of the State Federation of
Labor for a convention to be held in this
city. August 10. The call requests all la
Dor unions to elect delegates; what for,
no one seems to know, as in the call the
State chairman, Joseph P. Mcdonnell, of
Paterson, maps out the whole line of ac-
ton which the convention shall take, and
determines which questions shall be con-
sidered.
This is regarded by the majority of
labor men in this city as an u~nwarranted
assumption of authority on his part, and
they sageiy ask, who made the creature
greater than the creator?7 They cannot
understand by what authority a commit
tee appointed by a superior body attempts
to dictate how the proceedings of the SUI
perior body shall be managed.
This subject was thoroughly discussed
last night, when the motion to elect three
StAAA1 W 1A OAO 49,
sembly. 1t was charged IN the floor that
the State Federation was O machine, not
for consideration of labor questions, but
rather to "boost" into office the control
ling spirits. Another peculiar feature,
which attracted attention, was the fact
that credentials had been mailed to sew
eral unions, whose membership is largely
ION paper" while bona fide organizations,
like the painters, carpenters, Jersey Asso-
citation and, in fact, every organization
which was supposed to be against the
Mcdonnell clique" were overlooked.
The secretary, however, was directed to
send notice of the meeting to all bodies
entitled to receive it, whether they have
been given the courtesy of credentials or
not.
1t was charged during the discussion
that had Mcdonnell devoted more time
to furthering labor matters instead of
working for a place in the Labor Bureau
the Federation would not be compelled
to make announcement in its call that
''many of the most important labor meas
ures Were, we regret to say, strangled at
the last session of the Legislature
After this discussion John 7. Burke,
james A. Stuart and Joseph Fullem
were elected delegates to represent the
Assembly at the F~ederation's meeting,
with instruction to attempt to place the
organization in the hands of men, who,
according to the official call, ''are above
intrigue, and whose hearts are entirely
with the aims and aspirations of the
great labor movement of the world. u
The delegates were also instructed to
have the Federation forward the intro
duction of a bill in the next LEGISLATURE
establishing a ten hour work day for sur
face railroad men.
The delegates from the Jersey Associa-
ton reported that IN amicable under
standing had been reached between I'm
dertaker Moran and his employees. The
Assembly, on motion, reiterated it's deter
mination to support the Coach Drivers
Association in securing the establishment
of a regular pay day and a bi-monthly
holiday.
The Painters Union reported that it
had instructed its members to patronize
only those newsdealers who displayed the
unions card.
On motion it was resolved that when
the Assembly adjourn it adjourn to meet
Thursday week, as the use of the hall was
given to the Joint Committee of the
Trades and Labor Unions of Hudson
County on next Thursday night.
The secretary was directed to issue an
official call for q meeting OF. three dele
| gates from every labor union in the
county on next Thursday evening, when
the appointment of aides to the grand
marshal and the final business of the
Labor Day parade will be considered.
The call will be published in THE JER-
sEY CITY NEWS tomorrow.