New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-30
TRADE-UNIONISTS.

AS SEEN AT THE NORWICH CoNNHC"'
MR.. JOHN BURNS AS CENSOR OF THE
PRESS AND OTHERWISE - MR..
CHARLES FENwICK. NJ. P.-MR.
DELyEs. AMALGAMATED EN-
GINEER AND PRESIDENT OF
THE CONGREss-MR TOM
MANN. NoNDEsCRIPT.
London. September T.
side light is sometimes as good as iuii
light to show you the real character of the man
you are dealing with. If the man turns IL on
himself so much the better. Mr.. John burns
has done us that service in the Trades-Chioh
Congress at Norwich. The Congress itsel mas
shown plainly enough the spirit In winch II
works. and It's own view Of It's relation 10 the
rest OF the community. The rest or the coih-
munity does not exist. or exists only 10 DC rev.
Ned uDon for the benefit of the particular CLASS
or classes represented IN this Congress- Inc
spirit OF intolerance prevails. The Intolerance
r. general enough and perhaps natural enough,
among men who believe that the world was
created for them and that everybody not
workingman who has any share of TINS "orid
goods is q robber and an oppressor. on whom
j
And the Congress, among other enemies on
wbon, war is to be made. has singled out the
Press II passed a resolution last year which
holds good for the present year, excluding re-
ror.ers representing non unionist newspapers.
That u an expression Of enmty and resent
rnent and something more These gentlemen
udsb not only 10 punish those newspapers
guilty OF the crime Of disagreeing with them'
but to take care that no reports or their pro-
ceedngs shall reach the public except 'hoSe
friendly to the Congress and the lr"ues
Unions and drawn up in their interest Inns
puts the unionist newspapers In an equiVooa'
position. 1t discredits the accuracy OF 'heii
reports 1t makes them the mere agents anu
fools of the Trades Unions. If they are coh'eH'
On occunv that position there is more to be
said so far as they are concerned. but great
deal to be said on general principles.
Mr. John Burns did us the service of putting
the question as his habit is. In a concrete
form. He told the Congress that he had pee"
informed that among those present was 'he
representative of the SCOTSMAN - pap.i
which had treated the workmen Of Scotland in
a shabby and scandalous manner ana "hioh
had the pleasure of denouncing in my we'll
known vigorous style during the Scottish rail-
way strike" Then Mr. Burns, who Is mem
added:
II the Congress leave II in the hands OF
the Standing Orders and Parliamentary Oo. i
n,ittee TO see that that gentleman gets OUT
they may dismiss the whole matter
There yor have Mr. John Burns to the iife
autocratic.' domineerng. intolerant' lhcapaoie
of respecting an opinion which differs from ms
own. or to see that anybody has Tish' "
EXPRESS an opinion Of which MT John burnS
disapproves He is the oracle who describes
the workingmen of America as not oiHerihe
much industrially from African slaves Al 'he
same time he wants to make slaves vi inc
newspapers The Scotsman Is the ieaui"s
journal Of Scotland. II has formed an OPINION
about the railway strike. and expressed IT, for
that. and for employing non-unonist PRIMERS "
Is TO be punished. Its reporter Is exciudeu from
the Trades-Union Congress. How chiiolsh IL 10
There is however. this to be sald o. MI 'o''
prrns He turns his back upon himself with
very considerable facility. He makes pfopoe'i
end dro,s Il and expects never TO be reminded OF
II again II II prove unavoidable. Such was HIS
nroposal for general strike in all trades in Lon
don-one OF the wickedest suggestions thar ever
came from a human mouth. 1t is thought cruel
IN refer TO IL now It's author was then learhi'ls
his business We are told,-at the expense OF the
community He has said many wild and fooish
things since and inflamed the minds OF men OF
,ess sense and less prudence than himself. They
ora all 10 be forgotten. They are all processes
g., Mr. John Burns's education. His intentions
are excellent, and there are so many working
mon leaders worse than he. and he does not al
ways behave badly in Parliament, and he was
Lord Rosebery's "honored colleague in the Lon
don County Council. and he has 70 be supported
nv public contributions In order that he may de-
vote his whole time TO agitation and to his In
valuable work in the House of Commons and the
London County Council. His little mistake about
the Press and his queer notions about freedom
OF speech must therefore also be forgotten and
never be brought UP against him.
Mr. Fenwick is an interesting figure in the
Congress He has been during the last four years
Parliamentary Secretary 10 the Council and he
&c now bitterly attacked because he has not been
content 10 be the mere delegate of the Trades
Unions in Parliament. You perceive that wheth-
or in the Press or In the Legislature, ndepend-
ence IS offensive to a great body Of the Trade
Unionists They attack 1t as a form OF lndivid-
,,ai,sm II Collectivism is TO become the con-
trolling influence In this country. the right OF
priyate Judgment is al an end. Because Mr.. Fen
wick holds office under the Council or Congress,
or as member and secretary OF the Parliamentary
Committee he Is therefore-such Is the argu-
ment-bound to be guided and governed by the
wishes Of the majority. not merely as their agent
and secretary. but in the discharge OF his Paria-
mentary duties TO his constituents OF the VANS
beck division OF Northumberland. and TO the
community.
But the Trades Congress do net elect Mr.. Fen
wick to the House of Commons. They are not
his constituents. The electors Of Northumberland
are his constituents. and Mr. Fenwick is their
representative and IN no sense the representative
of the Trades Unions: nor could he be. for they
have no electoral existence But. in their view,
he Is to do their bidding. TO vote and speak in
the House Of Commons for them and for their in
terests. and not for the people who sent him to