New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-09
rpY CABLE TO TIE TRIBryE-l
fcopvrioht: 1891: by The Tribune A"Oc'df'sn)


aiding under the name OF Trade Union Congress
ba. heen in session all the week at NORWICH
During the first three days, as II to lull SUE
nicion this singular body busted Itself htue
with labor questions, and good deal with poI'
tics. On the fourth 1t dropped the ven anu
came out in its true colors.
A resolution was moved to 'nationallze ths
land mines. minerals. and royalty rents.
similar resolution had been carried last year anu
nothing came OF IT, except that Sir William Har'
courts Budget enacted fraction OF 1t into law
Rut Socialism now scars higher than that. An
amendment was voted. and with the ameho'
mont the resolution reads thus: That IN 'he
oninion OF this Congress. 1t Is essential 10 tns
maintenance OF British industries to natiohahzs
the land and the whole OF the means OF p'ouu0'
tion distribution and exchange; ana 'ha' '"e
Parliamentary Committee be instructed 10 pro-
mote and support legislation with the ABOVE oo-
iects" That resolution was adopted py vow
| ., 90 n g., II IT means anything, 1t means that
tho snt,ra wealth OF this country, all land, all
o,n,,., all nronerty OF every kind, real. personal
| and mixed. ought to be nationalized' Ihere is'
! Of course no kind Of capital or properly WHICH
Is no, directly or indirectly concerned In proouc-
ton distribution or exchange.
| "Nationalized' may mean anything. II must
| however as used by this Congress, Hedh az
ouisition by purchase or acquisition oy cohnsca-
| ton II It means the latter. 1t means 'ha' '"e
property owning classes are to be plunoereo IL.
| the benefit OF the classes not owning property
II it means acquisition by purchase, where Is 'he
State to get the money to buy out all us prope'-
t&owners'
| But the advocates OF such schemes as this 90
| NOT trouble themselves about morality or prao-
| of thor, cfa
| uardie member Of Parliament for the South
west Division OF West Ham, He is the man
who So, out for the House OF Commons In
| wagonet with a brass band. but was stopped
at the gates Of the Palace yard by the police
| The House received him at first with civil curl
| os,,v. Judged him. as It does everybody, on MS
| ,er,,s. nerceiyed that he had little ability or
| knowlelge: thought him wanting alike In gooo
| fea,,ne and In sincerity and left him TO himseiL
| He has been a failure In the House OF Commons
| but ~ his success in Norwich there can be no
| question He has captured the Congress- IL
was he who proposed and carried this amend
ment. He and Mr.. Tom Mann are the two new
leaders Of labor. They have captured Mr.. Jonn
Burns-'honest" John Burns. the anti-Sociahst
who not long since urged his fellow-artsans 70
have nothing TO do with Industrial will-o Inc
wIsps put forward by cranks and men on tne
make"
There was no doubt as to what he meant oy
will-o' -the-wisps, nor whom he meant py cranks
and men on the make. but as soon as Honest
John Burns saw that a majority OF the Congress
were with the cranks he Joined them ana sur.
passed them in violence OF speech Thritt no
said was invented by capitalist rogues 10 oe-
prive honest fools of their diet; commercial en-
| ,o-nr,se was the last resource Of scoundres like
,1uia. md
Perhaps It is Just as we'll that the country should
see what Mr.. Burns is really made or lie ranks
henceforth as a Socialist pure and simple and
Trade Unionsm in England is now but syn
onyme for socialism and for collectivism IN ats
crudest FORM
This however. is not the only new departure.
Trade Iynlonism has taken the final plunge. not
only into socialism, but into politics Let us see
what II is doing there. The Congress. some
times called by enthusiastic Trade Unionists the
Parliament Of Labor. began its sessions Mon
dav Once IT was the rule OF the English trade
unions to keep clear OF politics Wise or not.
that policy has been abandoned. There Is now
almost as much politics as labor There may %
more One OF their oracles says that the future
efforts OF Trade Unonism will be chiefly directed
10 capturing the legislative machine Inc New
Trade Unionism which drove the Old Unionlsm
out OF the field Is. In its turn to give way 70
the Newest Unionism OF ALL which Is TO be po-
u,ical in so far as It is not Socialistc. The In.
dependent Labor party has come to the front.
Rut n this Congress sitting in France It
would be denounced at once, or would nave
heen before Thursday. congress OF the bour-
eeoisIe: not the working class but the middie
class. Mr. Burns announced not without price,
that 100 OF It's members were town councillars'
members OF the school boards county council-
lors. Members Of Parliament. and justices OF tho
neace That however only shows that the
working democracy is beginning TO vote some ot
ITS own men into office. and that the Lord Cnan-
cellor is recognizing their claims 70 snare "
the magistracy.
The report of the Parliamentary Comm''ee
struck the political keynote for the congress-
They begin by denouncing obstruction III tne
House Of Commons and "the policy OF mutiia''on
"a obstruction pursued by the House OF Lords"
They use much vehement language anu oeeiai'
,,o, unnatriotic practices have been carried to
shameless limits. Their wrath against e"e
tIorsa ~ Lords boils over when they discuss the
Employers Liability bill. The amehdmeh' VI
th,t hill, in the opinion OF this committee. CON
.titutes the strongest case on record against
the arbitrariness and tyranny Of the House OF
| -. 70 that no go the House OF Lords Is like.
| " TO last some time.
The presidential address next day was scarcely
less POLITICAL though In 1t. OF course. as IN tns
committees report, labor topics had large
place. But Mr. Deves. the young Amalsamated
Engineer who directed the deliberations OF the
Congress- declared explicitly for independent po-
litical action as a means Of redress for the
wrongs OF labor and said: I'VE are too strong 70
be afraid OF Parliament; we have grown strong
enough to use it." That is. indeed. but repet-
ton of the declaration which Mr. Burns and
other Trade Union leaders have made often BE-
fore, that the legislation Of the future 10 to -
framed In the interest OF class and not OF the
community All throughout the proceedings q