The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1890-09-21
LAB0R'S POSITION.
No Hand in National Politics, but
Eager to Crush the
Ring.

The attempts Of several papers In this
city and New York to beiittIe the
power and influence of the labor vote and
the interests directly connected there
with has caused no little Indignation
among the toilers, aud Il looks as If they
viii make themselves felt at the coming
election. In conversation q prominent
labor man discussed with me today the
reasons why labor men should take an
active interest in the campaign lie
said:--
There are no citizens in the county
whose interests are more at stake just
now than the iaborers and mechanics
who live and work here. Many of them
are members of building and loan assoei4
ations and taxation is a matter Of the
most vital Importance to them. But il
does not stop here. The tenant who pays
rent IS just as deeply interested in the
question as the property owner, for when
taxes go UP rent follows suit, and
the price OF commodities is also
the same reason. Yet people say that tise
labor man is not ia politics But be is,
for on this very question does he feel that
he has apositIye right 10 interfere when
extravaganza city and county govern
fnents grind him down to cover up their
Knowing this, the workingnaeu have
Tor years looked with increasing alarm
upon the conduct OF those who have been
placed In offices Of trust and have at
length determined that they will try 10
interest their fellow citizens In an en-
deavog to GUST those who have betrayed
the trust rep0sed in them and who have
betrayed the wage workers in particular.
SEEKING FUSION.
The continual talk among the labor
people over these scandals at length re-
suited in conference Of labor men, at
which it was determined to invite the CO.
operation of all classes Of citizens ire
spective Of party, who could for once lay
aside party feelings and unite upon some
citizen who. IL elected. would purify the
Sherif's Office ut least, through the
manipulation of which most OF the scoun-
drels with whom our city is infested are
protected"
The Conference Committee Of labor
men. the speaker said, was appointed
under the following resolution
Resolved, That we confer with every organi-
cation of taxpayers and political parties or
organizations in the city that viii agree TO meet
and nominate county ticket opposed to the
Ring.
.srhis resolution he went on, twas
unanimously carried, and 8 committee
appointed. consisting of one from each
district in the county. That committee
subdivided their labor. OWING TO the long
distance that members would have To
travel after their work IN order TO assist
at conferences that have to be frequently
held before d conclusion could be arrived
at.
This committee were informed that
the Jeffersonians had also appointed 8
conference committee for the same pur-
pose, and meeting Of these two bodies
WAS held Monday evening, and it was
ar bas~ fsnr 4
endeavor to have conference with the
Republican Executive Committee. which
body was 10 meet Thursday evening at
the Union League Club House
no POLITICS IN IT.
ION Tuesday or Wednesday member
OF the labor mems committees met accl-
dentally at the pOs5Office a member of the
Republican Executive Committee, who
said to him:-'Come down Thursday
evening to the club house and we will
talk this matter over In exact justice
to every person present at that meeting it
must be said that there was no poll
tics in it, the Jeffersonians distinctly
saying that they were not author
lied TO present any body's name in par
ticular; the labor men announcing the
same position to be theirs. 1t WAS claimed
that the county being without doubt on
an absolutely fair vote Democratic. it
would be best TO nominate Democrat.
his WAS aeulQfEeQ 10 DY Tue ItepuDtl-
cans, who said that as a majority OF the
votes would come from Republicans they
claimed the right to name the candidate
An objection was raised to this on the
ground that If strict party man got
the nomination he would not get
the popular vote that was alb
soluteiy necessary to success. The labor
men during the conference offered to ac-
cept the name of any independent citizen
for the Office Of Sheriff. provided that he
was not antagonistic to the cause OF
labor. In fact, the real point at Issue
was how to smash the Ring, thereby re-
lieving the county from the grip of the
octopus that is q present crushing its
very life out.
ION the national question we have
nothing whatever to say. We feel that
whatever we can and will do locally, re-
gardless of party, every man should be
free to vote for whom he pleases TO repre-
sent him in Congress. We are in the fight
to stay. and the hateful influence of the
Ring that now rules us must be removed
sooner or later. The labor men who support
Ring candidate at the coming election
are assisting at their own obsequies, and
the sooner they become aware Of the fact
the better for themselves and their de-
pendents.
"We meet again tomorrow. and we viii
once more canvass the possibilities OF
carrying out our object There is way
for us, but / am not at liberty to say just
what it is at present. One thing is Ger
tain. we viii leave no stone unturned "a
Down the Ring