Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-29
JOHN BURNS HERE
He Reached the City Early This
Morning From Pittsburg.
TAKES A QUICK VIEW OF THE CITY
What He Says Of Washington and
the Government Printing Office.
COL. REND'S ATTACK

Mr. John Burns the English labor leader.
after . o'clock this morning. but took a
surveying tour around the city before going
70 a hotel. Later in the day he registered
at Wormley's, and will make that hotel
his headquarters while here Upon his ar
rival he was taken in charge by Mr.. Jas.
A. Power, organizer of the International
Typographical Union, and with his COM
panion, j. Williams Been, began an in
spectcn of the government printing office.
Afterward he called upon Commissioner of
Labor Carroll d. Wright and before he had
been in the city three hours had collected
a box full of statistical works to be ship
ped to England.
Concerning his observation Mr.. Burns
said: Il am enamored of the principle of
the government doing its own work. 1
came to Washington with deep interest in
the government printing office for that ga
son, and on my return will do everything
that can TO induce Great Britain to aban-
don the contract system of printing, as
have done in the past. l was particularly
pleased with the character and appear
ance of the employees and was agreeably
surprised to find the women AMI girls Of as
good class, If not better, than those en-
ploytd in the same lire of work in any
country. ,.y
The government printery is the best in
dustrial and social institution that 1 have
seen in the United States, just as the Capt.
tol Is your nneSt building. This
is due. undoubtedly, to the fact that the
operators get higher wages than others en-
ployed in the SAME class oS work. Your
printery is n most remarkable standing
conditions under which it's work is done,
the excellence of ats system and it's admin
istration and the effect that these have
upon the personality of its staff, the CO.
operative spirit which seems to infuse the
whole establishment, is a standing exem-
plar that American industry in all it's de-
partments will have to follow in the near
future; that is, if American industry is to
be nationally and peacefully administered
so as to ward off the industrial revolution
that in the United States even now assumes
the shape of an incipient civil war.
"Ry extension of the sphere of Its business
activity the government can kill the sweat
ing system"
Speaking of Carroll d. Wright, Mr.. Burns
said: "One could not come to America
without seeing the man who faithfully,
ninutely and microscopically diagnosed
the conditions of its labor regardless of our
estimation of his conclusions upon these
matters. We in England consider him one
of your foremost men,"
Hear, hear" interrupted Mr.. Been in his
parliamentary vernacular
The Attack of Col. Rcnd.
When the attack of Col. Rend in Pitts
burg last night was spoken of, Mr.. Burns
said: II came TO America, on the whole, a
sympathetic and, think, an unprejudiced
observer )t It's municipal and Industrial
life.
mo American. / think, will say that
continent so near the old world that il can
easily absorb It's bad as well as its good
Influences will not show black spots. For
turately, l have on my side the best critics
of your municipal conditons-all of the
newspapers and every municipal reform.
All of your municipal officers have received
me as practical critic, being identified
myself with municipal government in my
own country.
'"rhey urge me to continue my observation
on criticisms in the interest of permanent
Improvement. The only critic in Pittsburg
was one who came to curse John Burns
and went away to bless him. He ended his
participation in that meeting by Directing
to sessions in the city hall on account of
the deplorable iSltuences in its precincts,
most striking confirmation OF my criticism.
One swallow doesn't make summer. one
bowling voice in the wilderness does not
discourage me.
You look to Washington for the leStSla-
tive common sense of the nation to display
Itself. In your government printery you
have your industrial guide. Follow ii while
there is yet time. The municipal side OF
Washington we cannot discuss, because, as
Lord Duudreary said, for reasons no fell
low can understand you are governed by
benevolent paternalism, that however util-
itarian it may be in its results, cannot
claim to be either representative, republican
or democratic.
There Will be meeting tonight at Con-
vention Hall, at which Mr.. Burns will