The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-09-07
Exclude John Burns and Those
Who Are Not
WORKING AT TRADES.
Action of the Convention En-
tirely SOciaIistic.
All British Organized Labor
Moving Toward Socialism.

PreSS-)
Edinburgh, Sept. THE twenty
ninth annual trades union congress of
Great Britain opened its sessions at the
assembly rooms, George street, this
city. at noon today. About 800 dele
qgates were in attendance.
The congress will close Saturday,
September II.
The vehement arguments and bitter
personalities of the twenty eighth con-
gress, held at Cardiff last year. will not
be repeated this year, as the new con-
stitutiOn adopted then adopted the i'm
proved formation of the congress Of
1896. Men like John Burns, Kerr Har-
die and Henry BrOadhurSt are not pres
ent. In their places are real working
men, such as the Northumberland and
Durham miners union and the boiler
makers union, who iatterly have taken
no part in the annual congress.
Samuel Woods, secretary of the par
uamentary committee, in an interview
with a representative of the Associated
Press previous to the meeting today
said: I'VE have not more than 800
delegates this year, owing to the new
standing orders, and our congress is
much more workable. Under the old
constitution there would have been over
700 delegates. The delegates this year
are only bona fide workers at their
trades and legal members of trade So
cieties. No person can be a delegate
unless he is actually working at his
trade at the time of his appointment
or is a permanent paid working official
of his trade union. This was definitely
settled at Cardiff last year.
We are likely, however, to have
little rub or two over an attempt to re-
vert to the old way of voting, where
each union or body represented had one
vote. Under the new standing orders
each delegate has one vote Tor every
thousand workers whom he represents.
This is direct representation and do
not think it will be overthrown.
I'VE have about thirty more trades
unions represented this year than last,
and about twenty who have never been
represented before. There are two
American delegates, Messrs. Strasser
and Sullivan"
The work of the present congress is
exceedingly ambitious, when the time
available is considered The parlia-
mentary committee, of which Edward
Convey of the Yorkshire miners is chair
man and also president OF the congress-
has prepared a programme embodied in
eleven resolutions and the trades unions
have sent up no fewer than eighty-One
resolutions for discussion To these,
notice of over twenty amendments has
been given. The two sets of resolu-
tions cover the widest field for discus
sion and effort, practicable and other
wise.
The temper of the congress toward
the impracticabIe can perhaps be
gagged by a resolution of the paper
mill workers that no representative OF
the press shall be allowed to report the
proceedings unless he can prove that
the journal he represents is printed by
trade union labor and on paper manu-
featured in the United Kingdom"
A further intimatiOn of the trend of
this congress is contained in resolu-
ton proposed by the power loom over
lockers to rescind the famous collect
twist resolution adopted at the Nor
wich congress of 1894, on the initiative
of Keir Hardie, and in its place to sub
stitute the following:
That in the opinion of this congress
it is essential to the maintenance of
british industries to natiOnalize the
and railways and municipalities all
water artificial light, and tramways
within their several au-
thorities and that the parliamentary
committee be instructed to promote
and support legislation with the above
Councillor w. Thorne of the gas
workers will ask the congress to de-
clare that the time has arrived when
the hours of labor should be limited to
eight hours per day in all trades and
occupations in the United Kingdom
e Hartford of the railway men Will
bring up the question of employers la
bility by a resolution calling upon the
government to so amend the existing
act that among other Things the re-
sDOnsibility may rest upon the employ
er for the acts of his employees or Of
those of any ub-contractor, and that
irrespective of the acGuiescence in or
knowledge of any defect or danger on
the part of the person killed or injur
ed that it's provisions may apply to the
workers in all industries on land or
sea, in private, state or municipal en-
pIOyment, and that contracting out De
made Illegal"
Factory legislation, payment of mem
bers of parliament, taxation Of land
values and ground rents, which it is de-
Ia fcGT at f1ea
next general election" employment of
children in factories and their con
seduent exploitation by the capitalist,
which is injurious to the children, I'M
lust to their parents, and a crime
against the human race" Municipal
ization of docks, wharves and ware
houses; the release of all political
prisoners; grievances of civilian must
clans; hours of domestic servants, |
which are not to be more than 20 per
week including one and a half hours
pensation for injuries; the hours of
shop assistants; government contracts;
old age pensions; education and pub
lie money, and many other matters all
have places on the programme.
That the recent decision of the
judges of the high court of jus
tice, in cases arising out of trade |
disputes have made it abundantIv
clear that the Trade union acts of 1871
and 1876 afford no effectuaI protection |
against civil actions brought against |
officials of trade unions and others |
who are merely exercising the rights |
Of combination supposed to be secured |
by those acts, and it is. therefore |
most essential to the continued and eff |
fective existence of trade unions that |
the parliamentary committee of the |
trades union congress should endeavOr |
20 obtain such an amendment of the |
conspiracy and protection of property /
act 1875, as will protect those who Ie- |
exercise the right of com |
OinatiOn for trade purposes against |
civil as well as criminal proceedings |