The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-06-16
THE LABOR MEETING.
A Fair Audience Gathers Last Night
to Hear 0'Brien.
He Addresses the Assembly on the
Great Importance of Thorough
Organization.

OF Federated Trades, at which Captain
John O'Brien. Grand Lecturer of the
American Federation of Labor, was the
principal speaker.
The Hussar Band volunteered to fur
nish the music, and played number OF
selections during the evening. Several
hundred persons composed the audience
and listened attentively to the addresses,
often applauding the speakers.
J. II. Cooley made few remarks, in
PRODUCING w. F. Gormley, President Of
the Federated Trades, who made the fol-
lowing remarks:
MR.. GoRSILEY's SPEECH.
1t is necessary that the workingman
should be educated in the economic ques-
lions of the day in order that he may
understand the relations existing be-
tween capital and labor. Labor should
have its just reward. To accomplish this
end we have formed our organization.
1t is probably true that labor has not re-
ceived its proper share Of produced
wealth. High statistical authorities differ
somewhat as to the percentage which
labor in this country contributes 10
wealth production, the lowest estimates
being II per cent. and the highest so.
Upon either estimate it is certain that
labor has not had fair share.
"a JlLStA has IldlldEbu 70 JOSSb5S ll6 pro-
portion nature has created, which is esti
mated from 10 to % per cent. Capital is
moro organiZabl5 than labor and, in fact,
1t Is said to be always organized, and it
1t is more eXacting than labor has been,
the modern practice being for capital to
organize through corporations, compan-
les or associations; and the tendency has
been and is strongly to combination in
many branches of business. This is true
in transportation, manufacturing, bank
ing and in all lines of production and dis
tribution of commodities. 1t is a recog-
nlzed fact that competition has been very
largely displaced by combination. Com
pretending this and seeing that there is
vast disparity in the possession of wealth,
the working people of the country have
adopted a plan of meeting com bination
with com bination and have formed labor
organizations. The objects of these organ
izations are to compel capital to concede
to labor what it deserves.
Such an organization is proper and
praiseworthy ii the measures resorted to
are delensible. The Sacramento FEEDER
ated Trades Is an organization of such
character, having for its declaration of
purposes the following: For the purpose
OF extending, Strengthening, and perpet-
uating the organization of labor in the
city of Sacramento and adjacent territory;
to improve its present social condition; TO
resist the imposition of additional bur-
dens; to mitigate the evils of unjust and
unnecessary legislation; 10 enforce exist
ing laws in favor OF labor. and especially
those in favor of an eight-hour day; and
to disseminate knowledge and in every
practical way advance the material well
fare of the workers, individually and
collectively, the various trades and labor
organizations of the city of Sacramento
and adjacent territory do constitute and
ADOPT the following rules for their future
government and federative association:
10 use the utmost endeavorS to impress
upon the various branches of labor the
necessity for the organization and main
tenance OF protective unions; to use every
honorable means in our power to adjust
difficulties that may arise between work
men and their employers, and to labor
aSSIduouSly Tor the development of a
plan Of action that may be beneficial to
both parties.
CAPTAIN o'BRIEN's ADDRESS.
After enunciating the declaration Of
purposes, Mr.. Gormley introduced the
speaker OF the evening, Captain O'Brien
who said that the first step toward pro-
lection is organization. 1t requires a
high degree OF intelligence in nation OF
60,UO0,OUO to effect a thorough organiza-
ton. The labor movement means a
nobler manhood, sweeter womanhood,
a happier childhood. 1t means that we
shall secure an equitable distribution of
its benefits and products. Every reform
which has aimed at the amelioration of the
condition of labor has sprung from the
midst of the ranks of labor. The labor
movement is in the direction of equality,
in the same direction as the commence
ment of the revolution. Equality was
the first condition aimed at then and
now.
\ nation and people cannot be gov
erned, in an industrial sense, unless they
"a nf No =
themselves. At the battle OF Cressv the
disintegration of teudalism began. The
first conflict between capital and labor
in England began shortly after the
plague, because OF the defamation Of the
labor ranks. The first tidal wave OF agi-
tation swept over England in 1860, when
John Ball arose and spoke TO the people.
The speaker quoted from some OF Balls
appeals to the people.
When Adam wove and Eve span
Who was then the gentleman?
Said he. AT that time, he said, the strong
est combination was that OF the masons,
who came from all parts OF the kingdom.
held secret meetings and organized.
He spoke of the death of Wat TYLER
and the duplicity OF the King, and the
battles OF labor against the arIstocracy.
In England, in time, the villains be-
came freemen and the slaves became viii
lains.
lie gave AL aCCOuuE OF the rise and
progress of the trades unions in that
country and the difficulties under which
they labored, and the laws which We're
passed designating them as q conspiracy.
In 1871 a law was passed NJ last removing
from trades unions the stigma OF con-
spiracy.
By reason of the strong unions, he said,
labor had become able in late years to
have something to say as to who should
be our rulers. Trades unions now have
wider purposes. They now propose to
educate the laborlng man. They have
extended the unions to the ranks OF
unskilled labor. They have found that
there Is need of those ranks, in order to
support the leaders.
In the different organizations in this
country there is only mem bership of
1000, 600; in England there is a member
ship of 800, 900, and i'll Germany 1905
This country. then, is not so well organ
lied in the ranks of labor as the others.
Hedenounced the trusts as dangerous to
society and an oppression to the people,
charging to the consumer what they
please. He instanced the meat trust at
Chicago, the Carnegie trust, the coal trust
and others.
our grandfathers, he said, worked four
teen hours day at half the wages that
are paid in these days of unions. A man
outside of the union is a helpless being
With strong unions there is very seldom
a strike or the need OF one.
He spoke OF arbitration as the best So
luton of all disputes between capital and
labor, and the most just 10 both.
Mr.. OBrien is pleasing speaker, very
rapid in his speech and plain IN his ar
ticuIation, and made very favorable i'm
preston on those VINO listened to him.
FLOODGATB'S CHANCES