New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-20
JOHN BTRNSS NOTES on AMERICA
NE ADMITS CALLING CHICAGO "A POCKET
EDITION OF HEI.L"-SOME OTHER VIEWS
OF THE LABOR LEADER.
OF THE LABOR l.

Chicago Dec 1s-John Burns the London labor
agitator arrived Chicago at 10 o'clock this morn
irg There was demonstration at the depot ana
no delegation Of labor representatives, was there 10
rect him. With him were delegates 10 the Denver
convention who were returning home They accom-
NAMED him to the Briggs House and left him there
"a face the batteries Of half dozen reporters eager
for his scalp because Of his uncompiinentary reer
ence TO Chicago "a pocket edition OF hell. ne
bravely admitted having said 1t. but declared ne
qualified the statement with complimentary refer
ence to the Art Institute and the police and fire
departments.
"Mv remark about Chicago" he said, was based
on what saw in different parts OF the city ana me
information given by prominent labor agltatofs
In regard TO his criticism in Denver Of the Amer-
car Constitution. Mr. Burns said the reports sent
out by certain papers on that subject were gross
eyapeeratons OF one of the most pleasant evenings
he had ever spent In his life He said he declared
that considering all the changes that had been naae
In America since the preindustrial period wheh te
Constitution was framed he thought there might ad-
vantageousy be made some changes IN IL IN ACCORD
ance with the Increased love Of liberty OF the Amer
can people As It stood now. It was the best con-
sttuon ever written but that did not mean II could
not be improved upon Mr.. Burns stated his opinion
OF this country, far he has seen 1t. epigram-
matically follows:
Schools splendid. libraries excellent jails too
good roads bad streets worse. drainage the same
art museums good for the Of the country. cor
porations exacting tyrannical and cxtrayagant;
railway travelling palatial for the rich, and better
than any ] have seen for the poor: cut of the
headlines OF your newspapers and you have a good
carcass left but still much of a journalistic
saught err house: municipal life considerably below
that OF any in Europe. | like America, and shall
come here again day. | think one OF these
days It's municipal institutions. like most Of It's
others, will he the greatest In the world l have
been treated kindly by the mayors and principal OFF,
GERS in all the cities | have visited"
He continued: NO. / won't write IA book will
tell the people In my speeches when am face TO
face with them what think OF them. and not.
skunk-llkc, hide myself In cloud or hostile dust.
That's me. That's John Burns"
Mr. Burns pleased with the methods Of the
American Federation OF Labor. He approves the
counting OF votes according reprcsen aton. which,
he says, he has Lately. taking the American pan as
a model. introduced into the English Trades I'm
ions Congress. which Will hold liz next meeting at
Cardiff. Gompers and McBr.de, OF Philadelphia,
Will return 10 Europe with Mr. Burns and be pres
ent at that meeting. which is set for next September
He expressed IL as MS opinion that these TWO men
were 10 American labor what he and his colleague
David Holmes. Of whom he spoke In the hlghes,
Judge Woods's finding In the Debs case as Improper.
and thought 1t was bound to bring about revui-
sion of feeling both among the middle classes and
AT th!rty-sIx years of age look like an cd
man of fifty. account OF Harvesting all OF my
energies to the chariot OF civic reform. | am on
nineteen committees In London alone, and have
Mr.. Burns will stay IN Chicago until Friday.
when he leaves here for St. Louis This afternoon
he has planned to look over the city and tomorrow
ne Will probably visit the town OF Pullman. To-
night ne spoke on The Labor Union from the Po-
iit!cal and Social Point OF View" Tomorrow night
he will probably speak before the Civic Federation.