The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-12-03

Federation of Labor at Denver and Mr..
John Williams Benn, member of the Lon
don county council and member of parlia-
ment for st. Georges, east. Mr. Bonn is
deeply interested in temperance affairs.
Mr., Burns, after he had greeted the COM
mittee, talked with a representative of the
Associated Press.
II cannot talk fairly of American af-
fairs said he, for it would take years
for me to become familiar with them in a
way that would be satisfactory to me. As
for the socialist movement in England, it
has come to stay. 1t will grow as it adapts
itself to circumstances.
Il have been watching the labor move
mcnt in America as closely as could from
a distance, and l have concluded that
there must be little more of the milk of
human kindness injected into labor af-
fairs If they are to progress as l would like
to see them progress.
Then Mr.. Burns and the members of the
committee discussed the proposed arrange
ments for the coming week, after which
they adjourned to the upper deck for o
glimpse Of the metropolis through tho fog
of the lower bay. On the dock were gath
cred about two hundred members of the
local labor unions, who cheered loudly for
"John Burns" as he walked down the
gangplank.
Then an informal reception was ten
dered him, and Mr.. Dumar, of Typo
graphical Union No. 6, made brief
speech of welcome. In responding Mr..
Burns said it was an agreeable coninci-
dence that he, who had been SO strongly
identified with the docks in England,
should make his first speech in America
on dock,
JIn1, fn1l
remarks, and then the party proceeded on
foot along West street to the Colonnade
hotel On many of the corners were gath
cred groups of dock laborers and cattle
men, who choered for Burns as he ap-
preached, and many Of them who had
come from London greeted him with the
old cry of the London dock strike, How
are you, john" to which inquiry Mr..
Burns responded by stopping and shaking
hands with them.
Later in the dry Mr., Burns received a
number of newspaper men and talked for
an hour. OF his own visit here he said
he came first to observe the condition of
the labor movement in America and in
what respects it differs from that in Eng
land, and second as member of parlia-
ment to visit congress and get a grasp of
American political affairs.
The workings of the labor department
under Carroll ID. Wright were of great in
terest to him, and rs u county councillor
he hoped to have the opportunity of in
spectng the various municipal depart
ments of the great cities of America.
MIR. Burns is inclined to believe that
among the cosmopolitan American people
1t is possible TO bring about concerted ac-
ton Tor holding the wealthy in check, to
tr,nr inn hat hn1l
ing as rapidly AS heretofore, and he will
devote particular attention to the study of
that problem.
The Pullman strike and the report of
the commissioner of labor Mr.. Burns de-
clined to pass an opinion on until he had
visited Pullman, which he meant to do.
In England the strike had been watched
closely, and the general sentiment as de-
clared wus that it had been successful.
at is surprise to me" he continued in
reply to query relating to the payment
of salaries to members of parliament,
that there is not n single direct repre-.
sentative of labor in congress. In parlia-
ment we have fourteen or fifteen members
who are representatives of the Labor party.
If we can have 200 workmen rs repre-
sentatives in our various county councils,
boards of magistrates and governors of
polytechnics without pay what can we
show when they are paid the small salary
proposals"
The eight hour law in the British gov
eminent shops, employing 10000 men,
Mr. Burns said, had become n fixture and
was regarded as IA great concession. 1t is
an actual eight hour law and is rigidly en-
forced, thus helping unskilled labor
greatly. Many individual manufacturers
/ had nj 3o auoDtpl the SYSTEM
Mr. Burns attention was called TO re-
Gently published statement that he had
said Anne riCan workmen We're no better
than African slaves" He explained that
his remarks had concerned the condition
of the Hungarians and Italians of the
coke region, as depicted in our blue books,
and whirh, if true, he added, is n disgrace
to any civilized country on the face of the
| globe
Mr. Burns will leave New York on We'd
nesday. and will spend six weeks tEsyelins
through the states.