New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-25
HOLMES AND BURNS.
TWO REPRESENTATIVE OF BRITISH
LABOR.
HOW THEY DIFFER ~ CHARACTER AND IN
METHODS. As SHOWN AT THE DENVER

and David Holmes. representatives, or the britlsh
Trades rnon Congress to the American Federation
of Labor. have departed asunGer, one from the
other John Burns has gone off on tour Of pyro-
technic orstory with his friend ]. william Benn.
also NJ. T.. while David Holmes remains here
until the close of the convention. Never were two
mon more unlike sent on a common mission Burns
is by nature agititor-brant, irascible ana SEN
sa tonal but vain, lacking in sound common-sense.
impctuous and fond Of applause. David Holmes Is
just the opposite. He j. an Engiishnan OF the
practical business sort John Rurnss head is in the
clouds. while David Holmes keeps his feet firmly
planted upon the earth. Holmes is modest, while
Burns Is braggart
| noticed an evident expression OF dispeasurc
upon Mr. Holiness countcnancc while John Burns
getting off that remarkable speech at the
Broadway Theatre a week ago in regard to Amer-
can cities. the United States Government and its
administration. This morning saw in one OF the
daily papers an item 20 the effect that Burns ana
Holmes have had q falling out; that Holmes has re-
fused To appear again upon the platform with
Burns and Is Disguised with the manner in which
he has expressed himself In regard - American In
stitutions and American conditions on short ac-
quaintancc Accordingly. on my way - the conven-
ton hail. called Mr.. Holmes a; his hotel and
courteously received He SEE med rather pleased
at the idea OF being placed In the proper light be-
fore the American people in the columns OF The
Tribune. After a few general remarks, ! said to
him. II have been rather surprised and somewhat
offended as an American citizen at the abusive ex
pressions which Mr. Burns has used in regard 10
some Of our chief cities. and his remarks about our
Government. its policy and the action OF the Prcs
dent OF the United States in regard to tho nsurrec
ton Of last July"
Mr. Holmes replied with an expression of deep
greet Yes. ! am sorry FOR that. | do not like IT,
1t not the proper thing - 90 roaming around
your cities and then stand and denounce all sorts
81 things in such way. All that talk about chi
cago being pocket edition Of hell-that was very
bad and All that about your Government-oh!"
Then he added slowly and in regretfu tone: 81
must say think John Burns has been rather in
discreet"
As the matter seemed to be one which Mr. Holmes
regarded with a sense OF notification | said moth
Ing further upon the subject. hut from al | have
seen and heard am satisfied that his sense Of pro-
priev and the dictates OF s,frespec forbid that he
shall longer associate with John Burns I'm this
try. They viii probably not meet again on this side
Of the Atlantic. Mr.. Burns will return t. England
carly in January while Mr. Holmes viii take his
departure somewhat .aicr
Just before tho nnal adjournment Of the conyen
ton this evening. Mr.. Holmes. who WAS present,
was Invited &, address that body. This he IA In
a graceful and forclblc speech. After expressing
hi, deep sense OF gratitude Tor all the courteses
and klnjne.-es extended t. nm by the American
r. leraf.on OF G.ihor and by the peope Of Denver
No. sail In measured tones: Il hope thai since my
arrival upon your shores have said nothing cal
culai.,I o. wound the sersibltes OF the American
people. AMI also hope tAat may not be- held re-
s2oYslhc for anything which may have been sad
outside ~ trades un.oaism." Ills evident reference
t. Che lnlls-r,ei and offensive language OF John
Burns apparent
The day before John Burns left Denver. | met
HIN In The auicroom ~ the convention and put 10
him he question direct. as follows. 'Mr Burns
! -e. tn. morning paper. state that You are So
cfNst L. that cou'rt1'
yes. tina, is 3d. ] am . Socialist. I'm In favor
md 100 fit.. btln llssfl sol
These p.anks. As have already explained cspe-
cally plank -. 100. are rank Socialism. | then
directly to DAVID Holmes who sitting in the
rear ~ the hall. and n,errogated him IA follows
Mr.. Holmes. how many trades-union members OF
Parliament have you 20 Great Britain. and how
many Of them are Socialists"
we have fourteen tradcs-unonist members and
only two of them Social!sts-John Burns and
S-o,chman namel j * Hariie'
Are yoG a Socialist. OF DO you Incline that way"
$50 he answered bunty. and with
preston OF disgust. Il have no patience with such
big nonsense. This same thing that these people are
noa discussing Sc have had In England. but We
keep lt Town Jonn Burns Is Socialist; am
moth ng 60; the sort
ON another occasion propoundeI to Mr.. Holmes
the following inquiry. "Wil you kindly inform
Il sou take The position that the trades-un!on
should connne itself strictly - matters involved In
the business rc.at.onS existing between employers
ami employees and avoid AL political action and
Socialists oUt Idle uf that
"Yes' d. replied cmphatcaily. chat is exactly
my position. am opposed 10 all such political and
s1c!alstic procedure. can have nothing 10 10 with
II. ana tho British trades unions opposed % h."
Tn" conversation thcn turned upon the political
programme which Wa 800 hotly discussed here last
week. ami which was sail 20 be Of British origin
"IN explain that % YOU" replied. we have
heretofore been con Quoting oar Congress upon the
basis 81 delegate representation. but we have
changed that 10 the American plan of constituency
representation. The Cotton Workers Union has a
constituency ~ about 91cO. They all opposed
10 any sort Of political action outside 81 labor guess
tons. But there are 4 lo; u smaller uuvns mum
herring. perhaps. not more than a thousand each
ana these would all have delegate. and 20 1t hap
pened that. In several important Instances. they Out
voted Us But on the American plan OF represen-
talon that VIII bee impossible in the future We are
Overwhelmingly In favor of combining out attention
- matters you say, between the employer AMI
the empoyc. Whatever political action We take
latcs exclusively - trldes-unon matters. and in
such action wc have been remarkably successful In
Parliament"
Mr. Holmes stated. example OF such legsla-
ton. a case involving payment by the piece. where
cloth sald 10 be lcr ards long was sometimes 10 10
rs yards long. That rcmcdicI by law passed
I'm Parliament AT the instance Of the trades-union.
compelling the mill owners to give card showing
quantity II material. number OF persons employed
cc. 50 that the pccrwork rules could be applied
honestly. lie added: Socialism in our ranks is
comparatively recent thing. and 1t Is completely
outside ~ trades unlonsm Wa have arrived at
substantial stage. our people are rule. straight
forward trades unionsts and opposed TO going into
outside social or political questions which do not
concern us as wagc-carners This Is the result Of
thirty or forty years of hard work to establish the
system John Burns Joined movement only
about years ago. He Is naturally an cxcitable
man. and has gone off into all the nonsense of
Socialism"
what do you think OF sympathetic strikcs" ]
asked.
"Sympathctic strikes" said he. With an expression
Of disgust. I'VE have nothing % do with sympa-
thetc strikes; don't into any SUCH thing az
that We settle difficulties locally, lis | Rave
explained