Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1891-01-30
CONFEDERATION OF INDUSTRIAL
ORGANIZATIONS.

IT'S DEMANDS ON CONGRESS ADOPTED At TIE
CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON
The conference of the different labor organ
izations which was in session in Washington
city for several days last week, adopted the
| following demands on Congress:
'sFirst-We demand the abolition of nation
al banks as banks of issue, and as a substitute
| for national bank notes we demand that legal
| treasury notes be issued in sufficient volume
| to transact the business OF the country with
| out damage or especial advantage to any
! class or calling, such notes to be legal tender
| in payment Of all debts, public and private.
| and such notes when demanded by the people
! hall be loaned to them al not more than two
! per cent. per anTum npon nom perishable pro-
| .ucts as indicated in the snb-trcasury plan
| and also upon real estate With proper limita-
| ton upon the quantity Of land and amount of
| n0aey.
| Second.-We demand a free and unlimited
coinage of silver.
| Thrd.-We demand the passage of laws
| prohibiting alien ownership of land and that
| congress take prompt action to devise some
| plan to obtain all lands now owned by aliens
! md foreign syndicates, and that all lands
| held by railroads and other corporations in
| xcess of such as is actually used and needed
| by them be reclaimed by the government and
| held for actual settlers only
Fourth -Belicving in the doctrine of equal
rights to Ill and special privileges to none, we
| demand that taxation, national, State or mu-
| nicpal, shall not be used to build up one i'll
| terest or class at the expense OF another
| Fifth.-We demand that all revenues, ma
tional, State OF county, shall be limited to the
necessary expenses Of the government, eco
nomically and honestly administered.
| SiXth.-We demand a jnstand equitable sys-
| tenn of graduated tax on incomes.
| Seventh.-We demand the most rigid, hon
est and just national control and supervision
of the means of public communication and
transportation, and if this control and super
vision does not remove the abuses now exist
| ing, we demand the government ownership of
such means of communication and transpor-
| tation
Eighth We demand that the Congress of
the United States submit an amendment to
| the constitution providing for the election of
| United States senators by the direct vote Of
the people of each State; also the President
and Vice President by popular vote.
| Aesotce7, That this confederation of indus
| trial organizations demand thai in each State
a system shall be provided and faithfully ex-
! ecuted that will insure an honest and accurate
registration of all voters, a free. fair, secret.
and official ballot and an honest, public
count; and we demand that each State Iegis-
| tature shall make it felony for any improp-
er interference with the exercise of the regis
tratiOn, ballot OF count"
A permanent organization was then formed
by the election OF Ben. Terrell of Texas, as
as Secretary and Treasurer.
Upon invitation L. l.. Polk, President of
the National Farmers Alliance, addressed the
meeting. MIR. Polk spoke warmly i'll support
OF the views of the confederation as expressed
i'll the above series of demands.
Ben. Terrell A. W. Wright and j. j. Rogers
were appointed a committee on bylaws.
The President was instructed upon the APP
plleation OF other industrial organizations
for membership, to submit the same by letter
to the members of the confederation and pro-
claim the vote on their admission.
The amalgamated organizations will be
known as the Confederation of Industrial Or
CARNATIONS. For the dissemination OF the pfln-
cipleS of the confederation and the instruction
Of the people in the same, a plan OF action
was agreed upon. Each organization in every
State is to have committeeman, who is to
have power to appoint such assistants as he
may need for the counties, townships, &C., in
the territory to be covered
The confederation determined that the Ma
tional Committee is to consist OF the chalrmen
OF the executive committees of the different
organizations OF the confederacy IN each
State. The duty of this committee will be to
determine upon the best methods to perfect
the work of the organization and to carry out
the demands made by the confederation. The
new committee has plenary power during the
adjournment of the delegates composing the
| organization, and each chairman OF an eXecu-
tive committee has the power to appoint assls-
tantS to aid him in any way i'll carrying out
the views and impTessing upon the people OF
HIS oTSdillZaIlSH the principles Oh LIE COnict-
Grafton.
Bylaws were also adopted by the confer
ence for the government Of the confederation,
which also prescribe the duties of the officers
of the different organizations. The President
of the confederation was authorized and en-
powered to invite all Industrial organizations
to send representatives to meet and exchange
views with the confederation at its next meet
ing the delegates to be fully empowered to act
for the organizations they represent.
The conference then adjourned to meet
again February %, 1892, the place to be deci-
ded upon by the chairman OF the Executive
State Committees. The president, however,
has power to call another meeting whenever
he deems it advisable.
P. A. HUMPHREYS was elected Vice Presi-
dent of the confederation. President Ben.
Terrell says that the meeting was harmonious
and that there were no internal discussions.
He also says that the confederation cOntenl-
plates no third party movement, as it has no
authority in such matter. Ii it is contempla-
ted, the people must first make the move. The
organization, though, he said, would always
give its support to persons who supported its
principles and worked for its promotion and
would further pledge itself to support no one
for federal Offices who refused to use his best
endeavors to perfect legislation that would
, accrue to the benefits of the organization.
President Terrell left Washington Sunday
night for Omaha to meet the National Ali
ance OF the Northwest in conference on mat
tiers pertaining to the organization.