The morning call., 1893-05-13
LABOR LONG AGO.
Captain O'Brien Talks to
Trades Unions.
How Workingmen Had to Struggle
for Their RightS-A Reference
to the Geary Act.

A public meeting of the Federated
Trades was held last evening. No bust
ness was transacted, but the meeting was
called to listen to lecture delivered by
Captain John 0'Brien of Portland, Or,
the general organizer aud lecturer of the
American Federation of Labor. His sub
ject was the Labor Movement Of the
Past"
Captain O'Brien spoke of the great bene-
fits that the trade unions had conferred
on labor ever since tneir organization. The
unions were not fighting any government.
but were contendiDg tor government-good
and just government-and were fast APP
proachlng their goal.
Labor has always been its own advo-
cate" said the captain. "All measures
for the amelioration of the ills of the
laboring man have come from the ranks of
labor and not from capital. The unions,
as they now stand, are fighting for refor-
nation, to establish equality between labor
and capital, and to encourage the labOring
man to carry out the motto of the inter
national union. that Labor oveIcomas all
things
ct will perhaps do some of you some
good 10 look back over the rugged road
that labor has trod 10 arrive at the COM
a.
first organized strike that was made
against capital was over 400 years ago, In
England. There had been, for two years,
a plague of the black death that had re-
duced the ranks of the w0rkingmen from
four millions TO less than half that num-
Der. Those that were left decided that.
as the demand was o much greater than
the supply, they were entitled to more
wages than they were GetliBk-a penny
day and their board. they were success
full, but only for time, when laws were
passed that forced ali laborers to work for
less wages and longer hours than had pre-
vailed before.
LATTER this. in 1920. great revolution
was attempted by The laboring classes, led
by priest named John Ball. He was the
first man in England to advance the pIin-
ciDle 10 the woTklngmen that all men were
equal, and for sixty years he waged war
on the capitalists and barons OF England.
''At that time the greatest of all the
labor guilds was the masons'. They were
the first TO insist on an elght-hour labor
law. and they gained their pOin for time.
But the King soon pronounced their laws
and rules void, and the peasants and labor
ers revolted, led by Watt Tyler. They
were unsuccessful ir their action, how
ever, and Tyler was assassinated while
entering London at the head of his men.
After this laws were passed that If any
man entered trades union his ears were
to be cut off.
TN 1924 unions were made legal in Eng
land after a hard fight. They remained
SO until 1867, when they were again de-
clared Illegal and all who joined were con-
sldered conspirators. Against this the
unions rose en- masse and called a meeting
in London. The result was that royal
commission was appointed 10 investigate
the matter, and 1t decided that unions
were of great benefit to the country at
large and the law was changed.
"Iu n few days we may be placed in the
same position as the English workingman
was then. Everything points to the fact
that the Geary law will be declared uncon-
stitutiOnal. and if SO the trades unions all
over the country should call a meeting
and take steps TO compel Congress 10 en-
force the law"
Next Friday evening Captain O'Brien
will deliver another lecture on tie Labor
Movement of the Present. Other speakers
will be present. and large attendance OF
the members is requested.