Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-02-26
CENTRAL LABOR UNION.
Speech Making and Singing in Honor
90 of the First Anniversary.

Speech Making and Singing in Honor
90 of the First Anniversary.
F6e Central Labor union celebrated its
first anniversary in Labor hall Saturday
night, songs, speeches and Rotations
being the order of the evening. The
union was organized on February "a, 1898,
and is composed of three members from
each union affiliated with it. Its aim is to
bring together all trade unions and ad just
all differences existing among them.
When the Central Labor union was or
ganized there were but four trade unions
in the city. To-day there are ten with an
aggregate membership of about 1,5OO.
Thomas F. Bulger opened the meeting and
extended a hearty welcome to the audience
and especially to the out of town guests.
James Stout acted as POSTMASTER, posi-
ton which he filled to the entire satisfac-
ton of the meeting. John Zeigler of An
sonia was the first speaker. He congratu-
lated the labor men of Waterbury on the
progress of one short year and hoped to
see the day when the wage earners of An
sonia would emulate the noble example
shown by their brothers of Waterbury,
Charles H. Harding, also of Ansonia,
spoke on the benefits of united labor. Mr.
Harding said the only way the union could
hope to gain anything of a substantial ma
ture was to adopt good policy and pursue
it steadily. Daniel L. Murray followed
with a song, The Maid of Longallin.'
E. j. Lynch of NIeriden was then intro
duced. Mr. Lynch gave one of the best
addresses of the evening. eve are organ
led" he said, ''to build up and better the
condition of the American laborer; to
patch up what we cannot heal; to educate
the masses up to the full knowledge of
their rights and how to obtain them; to
elect men to the legislature by the direct
vote of the people, ana if they did not
work in the interest of the people while in
office to remember them when they came
again for their suffrage. The land of the
country and most of its natural resources
is in the hands of few people, much of it
being held by aliens who have no just
title to it. 1 would tax this land to its full
value and thus compel its speculative
holders to pay something for the main
tainance of the public good. Think of the
thousands of starving people in this
country to-day and the graneries of the
west overcrowded with corn. No monopo-
list should own or control the output of
the country The speaker drew touch
ing picture of the fate of the children of the
workingman of to-day, forced into the fac
tory at tender age, denied the opportuni-
ties ofan education that would fit them for
a better position in life. Lucy, the four
year old daughter of Daniel F. Kelly was
then placed on the platform and sung
Labor Day" The little miss received IL
perfect ovation. D. J. Cooney sung The
Thoughts of a Poor Nottingham for an
encore he gave MY Sister Katie in Chica-
60" Here Toastmaster Stout rose and said
that this was the first meeting to which the
press had been admitted and called for the
DEMOCRAT. The scribe was present and
responded. He was followed by repre-
sentatives of the Globe and Examiner.
James S. Carroll was then called. He was
glad to note the progress of one short year,
and said he was pleased to sec the press
represented at the meeting. They had
nothing to conceal from the public. They
did not advocate strikes, boycotts or lock-
outs and hoped that the press would assist
them in putting their aims and methods
before the people of this community. "The
Picture On the Floor" a recitation, was
given with touching effect and good elocu-
ton, by Thomas f. Bulger. John Fitz-
gerald of New Haven was then
introduced and the meeting was treated
to the best dissertation of the labor
problem that has ever been given in
Waterbury. After reviewing in thorough
and learned manner the chief economic
questions of the day Mr. Fitzgerald told his
hearers not to permit petty iealousies to
obstruct the progress honest wOrkingmen
are now making. He eXhortcd them not
to condemn the rich mamie had been
made so through the condition of things
which the workingman had created for
him, and concluded by advising his
hearers to study the economic questions of
the day and not to condemn the laws and
the systems now in use until they could
tell them of better ones. Then came a
guitar solo by Paul Shultz, which was well
rendered. Mr. Shultz was encOred. Rob
ert Quinn sang a song and was followed by
Daniel F. Kelly with good address on
the work of the labor unions of Waterbury.
Harry Hall sang comic song and by
quest John Maher gave 1.-The Police Pa
troll" William Quinn said that without
individual enthusiasm the work of the
unions would not be of much avail He
thought if the boys would work as indus
triously in putting down monopolists
they had in disposing of the good things
of the evening there could be no doubt of
the success of the Central Labor union.
Councilman John E. Finley made a good
speech. He said the labor movement in
Waterbury was now on a more solid basis
than ever and hoped that those who did
not belong to the labor organization in
Waterbury would soon see the benefit of 1t
and become affiliated with it as soon as
possible. Thomas Luddy was called and
said he had never listened to such political
heresy in his life. He was surprised that
no one objected to the scoring that had
been given to the two great parties under
whose management the country had
reached its present greatness. He saw no
need of a new party. The democratic
party, as at present constituted, with
little change, which could be easily made,
contains all the elements necessary for the
good government of the American people.
No party should be judged by the present
crisis. 1t was only temporary and people
should take it philosophically. William
Mclean and Timothy Garren gave some
excellent selections on the violin and ac-
Gordon. Then song was well rendered
by Harry Dixon. There were addresses
by Robert Mackie, J. G. Polly, F. Clausin
and Matthew Smith, and after a vote of
thanks to the out of town delegates the
meeting was closed.