Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-02
ASKED BY WORKINGMEN.
Suffrage for the District and NJ ore Effective
Eight.Hour Law Wanted.


The Federation of Labor unions at its meet
ing last night adopted resolutions ON a num-
Der of topics. The Federation purposes to make
this winter, through its committees and in CO.
| operation with the Knights Of Labor, an effor,
to secure from the NEW Congress a change in
the form Of government Of the District restor-
ing suffrage. Last night resolutions were
adopted. The preamble. after recitins what was
done eighteen years ago IN taking suffrage from
the people, set forth that ''the insufficient,
cause "a large ignorant colored vote manipu.
lated by INSCRIPTIONS white and colored
bosses) for the preparation of the great wrong
against the fundamental principles Of our own
government and its citizens in the Distric, OF
Columbia in depriving them of the right OF
Suffrage no longer exists, d majority Of the
colored citizens of the District having been
educated in the public schools during the past
twenty years. and new system Of voting lthe
secret BALLOT, which removes most OF the evil
complained Of under the old system, having
been inaugursted in many of the states.''
The resolutions declared that the Fedora
ton OF Labor unions earnestly petition the
Senate and House OF Representatives to re-es-
tablish in the District of Columbia a republi-
can form of government and restore to the
people the right Of suffrage unde, the Austria
Ian system OF voting; that the Legislative COM
mittee OF the federation is hereby directed to
cooperate with District Assembly, No. &c. X.
Of L., in preparing suitable bill to carry ont
the objects OF the above resolution. and also 70
request the support Of organized labor in the
different states in their efforts to secure the
passage OF the bill; and that copy of the above
resolutions be forwarded, under seal, to the
president Of the Senate and Speaker Of the
House Of Representatives.
STANDING BY DIR. M'KIM.
hA al ala g,
resolution setting forth that as "Rev DIR. r. H.
Mckim in his Thanksgiving day sermon made
certain statements for which he has been called
to account by anonymous correspondents in
the public press" az 1.-The truth of the state
ments made by DIR. McKim are fully borne ont
by volumes upon volumes of statistics of the
national and state labor bureaus and also in
the magazines Of the country and the news
papers Of all the large cities, the distribution
OF necessarles OF life to large numbers of
worthy poor in this city while the statements
complained of were being uttered. demonstrate
ing conclus,vely thsir truthfulness and az
the truth should be preached though the
heavens fall. and oppression. robbery and in
justice condemned by all good people. = 1.-THE
thanks Of the Federation OF Labor unions OF
the District Of Columbia are hereby extended
to the Rev. Dr. McKim for his able, clear and
truthful presentation OF the evils complained
OF by the wasc-working people Of the United
Otdtes. anu the uau1eTS threatening Inc cOuu-
try by reason Of said evils
The EIaHT-HouR QUESTION.
The federation also discussed the question Of
further eigh:-hour legislation and adopted
preambles and resolutions which set forth that
the law Of June Is, 1868, had not been enforced
in accordance with its true spirit and intent.
but had been violated almost continuously and
that the CONSTRUCTION placed upon this law by
hostile executive officers and tho refusal Of the
executive departments to enforce the law. al
though several tiines earnestly requested to do
% by this md other labor organizations, makes
It necessary to appeal to Congress for addi-
tionai legislation" and declared that the
Federation of Labor unions of the District OF
Columbia respectfully but earnestly petition
the Senate and House OF Representatives to
pass an eight-hour bill similar TO House bill
No. y791 OF the last Congress with the amend
ments recommended by this body while said
bill was pending in the Senate" and that the
Legislative committee of the federationis hereby
directed to urge upon Congress the necessity
for the passage Of o more effective eight-hou-
law and to request the cooperation and sup
port Of organized labor throughout the
country"