Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-09-19
ORGANIZED LABOR.
Tho Mass Meeting at Grand Army Hall
Last Night


Every seat and all available standing room
in Grand Army Hall were occupied last night
by ladies and gentlemen, friends and members
of labor organizations. The occasion was a
mass meeting held under the auspices Of Car
penters' Assembly, No. 174s, X. of Z.
Tho members OF the Carpenters Assembly
marched TO the hall from their assembly rooms
in q body, headed by Prof. Caldwelrs band.
Several trsnsparencies were carried which
bore such inscriptions as. Humanity before
trusts, Organization promotes temperance and
industry" ''Wo extend a helping hand to all
honorable toilers," I'VE aim TO better condi-
tons, morally, socially and financially"
The meeting wss called to order by Mr.. p. L.
O'Brien and Secretary Potter Of the Fedora
ton of Labor was secretary.
A COMMITTEE on RESOLUTIONS
was appointed as follows: Charles Cunning
ham, painters; Vim. Stickler, plas.srers; Rich
ard Humphrey, carpenters; J. ". Wild, music;
C. J. Wells, plate printers; Thomas Foley,
bricklsysrs; E. W. Oyster, printers; E. F. Py-
well, carriage makers, and s. III. Bell of No.
1872, l. A.
Secretary O'Brien, in calling the meeting to
order, stated briefly its objects, declaring that
IL was called in the interest of organized labor
and no. il the interest OF strikes.
THE FIRST SPEAKER
introduced was p. b. Kuel a member of the
Carpenters Assembly. After speaking at some
length of the benefits to be derived from or
ganization. the speaker referred to the ques-
ton OF immigration. Tho doors" he said.
have been closed to the heather Chinoe, but
he Is not the worst of them ALL There are the
Hungarians and Austrians, who are even worse
than the Cinnamon. We have nothing to fear
from England. If they attempt to send over
Cla lab xra p0n IOpl rhn uaIvt or
them and throw the key in the ocean" The
only remedy the wOrkingmen have, said the
speaker, is to organize and reduce the hours of
labor. lApplause.l The hours" continued
tho speaker, must and Will be reduced" Re
ncwed applause.
''Wc are not here to agitate strikes" con-
tinued The speaker. I'VE ara opposed to them
and intend to avoid them when We can" lie
then told of n wealthy citizen in the north
western section of the city who, hearing of the
painters strike. remarked: why. those lazy
fellows, will wait until the strike is over be-
fore put any of them To work. ! won't en-
courage them III that way.
That uaa.' added the speaker, sis one who
IL c!assed among the taxpayers. The real
taxpayers, the working people. are never
mentioned as such. They are the real tax
payers and they pay the ta1es through the
sharA known as q real estate agent"
REFERRING TO TIE CENTRAL RAILROAD STRIKE
in New York, Mr. KneIl criticised some news
paper accounts of the affair and said that Vice
President Webb who had accused the knights
of being drunk would ha =, been a pauper now
II II had not been for his wife's money He
told Of u farmer who last week sold ten BUSH
els OF potatoes for $3.50, for which the con-
sumner paid SI2. and asked whether that was a
fair division or not. When a strike is ordered
or u demand is made for higher wages the cry
Is ''Oh. no. the business will have 10 stop" but
they don SAY SO when tho builders exchange
raises the price OF material OF course not
There Is no way of maintaining your rights
and prevent being robbie l." concluded the
speaker. "cxcep. b. joining Labor orsaniza-
tons. They provide Tor the sick, the widow
and the orphan and show the road to prosper
ity." loud applause.l
SOMETHING ABOUT THE FARMERS ALLIANCE.
President Polk of the Farmers Alliance was
detained at home on account o; sickness. and
MIR. n. A. Cumming of the editorial staff OF the
Farmers Alliance spoks in h:I stead.
Il came here he said. Ito say something
about the Farmers Alliance. I.'s a big
brother of yours (the h. of ID 1t is big
rugged. two-fsted and broad shouldered
Lately it has been striking some hard blows
from the shoulder. lApplause.l The Farm
ers' Alliance" he continued. was organized
in Texas about the year 1876 30 guard against
the inroads of cattle and land thieves and it
has been
FIGHTISa THIEVES
ever since. In 1884 the first State Alliance was
formed In 1885 the Cooperative Union was
formed in Louisiana. Each sent delegates to
the Others meetings, and in 1887 the two or
CARNATIONS joined hands the Farmers and
Laborers Cooperative Union. A year later the
State Wheel was organized IN Arkansas, which
also Joined the other body and it was then
called the Farmers Alliance and Industrial
Union of America The organization was then
principally IN the cotton belt When the lutte
bagginS trust was formed and the price was in
creased from three TO four cents per pound to
fifteen to sixteen cents the union made "a sue
cessful fight. and now no farmer is so poor that
be has to deal with the trusts. Applause
MOTTO OF TIE ALLIANCE.
Equal rights to all and special privileges to
nome" the speaker emphasized as TIE motto of
The Farmers Alliance, which, he said, is now
organized in thirty-one states and territories
Where the alliance organizes sectionalism dies
out and fraternalism is built up. There are
he said, fourteen hundred papers advocating its
cause and one thousand others that will print
rs dolngs. The alliance, he continued is not a
political organization, but its members are full
OF politics When a man joins the alliance ne
mus. not leave his Old party, for by staviuQ
there he NAV be able 10 do moro good When
j reached here / learned that all a man had to
lose was his money and character lie has no
vote" Referring to Congress he spoke OF it as
beer garden with an occasional light to en-
terrain the people who come in from the
county,"
PREDICTION.
Ho predicted at the mex: election the alliance
would elect twenty live Representatives, two
United States Senators, four governors and
that nine-tenths of the others would be on the
ragged edge. lie denounced the caucus system
anu advocated the running OF telegraph lines
anu railroads by the government When the
Railroads are run III the interest Of the people"
concluded tie speaker, mo one can say the
people be d because the people might
d him"
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED.
The committee on resolutions then reported
bhe following:
Whereas 1t is apparent that the interests OF
craftsmen are materially advanced by organiZa-
ton OF the respective trades. And whereas,
under existing tendencies of EMPLOYERS and
capital TO form trusts and combines IL il
absolutely necessary that wage-workers should
organize for self protection; and, whereas it is
nlanlfesiiy unjust 10 those who have borne the
weight and brunt OF organization thus far for
others TO remain aloof while ENJOYING the
dement's that are the result of union, therefore,
Resolved by l. 4. No. l7iS, h of L. Gear
bia N mass meeting assembled:
First. That We hereby extend a hearty in
yltation 20 every competent carpenter in the
District OF Columbia 10 join US and assist in
making the union more perfect and influential.
Second. That We declare it to be unmanIy
and dishonest, while holding aloof. to accept
and share in the beuafts ~