The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-08-21
LABOR MEN TN SESSION
Annual Congress of the
State Federation of
Trades Convened
Today.
JUSTICE ABBETT THEIR FRIEND.
Mayor Fagans Address of Well
come-Committees Appointed Z
and Reports Received,
JUSTICE ABBETT THEIR FRIEND.

New jersey Federation or Trade ana
Labor Unions is being held at Hostein's
Hall, First and Bloomfield Streets, Ho-
boken, today. Delegau es are present
from all over the State.
Shortly aften ten O'Clock the delegates
began to arrive on trains over the Dell
aware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad
Company. and pretty soon the vicinity of
the hall was crowded. Most
of the delegates were pros
perous looking and middle aged men.
Among he first to arrive was James p
Mcdonnell. the chairman of the Execu-
tive and Legislation Committees, aud
Thomas McGoveru, the president of the
association. Tney had a warm shake of
the hand for eacn of the delegates.
The convention WAS called for half
past ten O'Clock. but i, was elaven O'clock
before President Thomas McGovern let
his gavel fall aud called the convention
TO order. There were about seventy tv8
delegates present and more were arriv-
ing. Mayor Pagan OF Hoboken Was
noticed In the hall.
President McGovern appointed j. p.
Mcdonnell aud Samuel Millet a commit
tee OF two to wait on the Mayor and
escort him to the platform. The Mayor
took seat on the platform and was
CONVENTION OPENED.
The President then briefly stated the
objects of the Convention. He said that
it was the purpose of the Federation TO
secure legislation for the best interests of
the association. "We will try aud make
out the State" said he, land
prove that organized labor is not COM
posed OF anarchists and socialists We
are men VINO make men and make the
nation and we will endeavor today TO do
something for the best interests of tha
trade workers. wish to say to Mayor
Fagan, when he addresses US, that he is
addressing most progressive people,
Mayor Pagan made brief but pointed
address. He said that he was heartily IN
accord and sympathy with the objects of
the convention. as he WAS labor man
himself, having worked at the anvil the
same as many VINO were present.Rnd said
that he liked TO associate with working
meu. He said that he hoped that IN the
face of the present state of affairs
throughout the country, the delibera-
tions of the convention would be such rs
to inspire confidence.
CREDENTIAL COMMITTEE
The President then appointed the fol-
lowing Committee on Credentials:-
David n. Green of Newark, Henry Porth
OF Orange, Ii. Clegg OF. Newark. Frank
Bresqus of Trenton aud John Holt of
Paterson. A recess was then taken to
| give the Credeptial Committee time to
prepare its report.
COMMITTEES APPOINTED.
After reassembltng, the following com
| mittees were announced by President
McGovern:
Finance-Wllliam Horn, Newark. L.
Kuhn, Jersey City: Charles Rex,
Oceanica; William Conklin, Newark,
Resolutious-William Kuetner, Henry
A. Beekmeyer, A. Silverstone, Matthew
Duren. Michael f. Lambert.
One of the delegates then endeavored
to secure an adjournment. but after
much discussion aajournament was post
poned until halt-past twelve O'Clock, and
the roll call Of delegates was proceeded
with. A great deal of discussion was
then occasioned over motion to pur-
chase ribbon by which the delegates
could be distinguished. The Sergsant.aE-
Arms was furnished with list of dele
gates and empowered to purcnass ribbon.
One OF the delegates said that tho
molten and discussion was prompted by
an effort to DELAY the business OF the
Convention until after recess. The Ser
geant-at-Arms hually lett to purchase
the ribbon. Then, to further pass away
the time until recess, the Chairman or
dersd the reading of the minutes of the
last convention. Before the reading Of
the minutes had been ompleted the Cou-
vention adjourned until half past one
o'clock.
AFTER RECESS.
At two O'Clock the convention reas-
sembled and the reading of the minutes
resumed. The report of Chairman of the
Legislative Committee Mcdonnell will
be read this afternoon.
1t states, among other things. tina
when the first labor congress was hold la
New Jersey fifteen years ago. the de-
mands OF LABOR were not deemed
worthy of the governing classes, be-
cause labor at that time was poorly
organized aud comparatively powerless,
aud as consequence since then many
laws which worked hardships to the
trade and laboring classes had been.
placed on the statute book. Since the
first labor congress Of the federation of
labor there has been steady increase in
membership and there has been many
good results.
From 1878 to 1884. during the admlnis-
tration of Governors Mcclellan and
Ludlow, the State Bureau OF LABOR and
Industries was established. and the
% ns hands aw d drsAd1l wsao9s
employees was repealed. One who aided
materially In bringing about this bene-
ficial legislation was Thomas Fenell, ex-
Senator ana ex-Congressman or Glouces-
ter county.
ALBEIT THE FRIEND OF LABOR.
of Governor Robert S, Green ana the two
terms OF Governor AbbstI that organized
labor has received the highest rscogni-
tion, aud no other State In the country
can show greater accomplishments by
legislation curing like period.
Among the legislation passed in the
Interest of labor from 1884 to 1892 were
tn following
The child labor legislation of 1888
which prohibited the employment OF
boys and girls of tender years. and pro-
viding for the appointment of State
Labor Inspector; an act for the preserva-
ton of the health OF female employees; au
act for the better securing OF wages.
to workmeu aud laborers IN ths STATE
New Jersey; an act to abolish and pro-
htbit the employment under CONTRACT of
of convicts and other institutions. ALL OF
these laws were passed at the INSTANCE OF
the federation of labor.
The report shows many other laws
which have been wanted to benefit the
trade and labor unions. Tie report then
goes on with y statement of the object
Of the fifteenth annual congress which
mas already exclusively published III yEE
] ERsEY CITY NEWS