The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-08
Men Who Labor Only with Their
Tongues, Like Burns, Hardie and
BrOOdhurst, Barred Out.
MANY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
TO DE DISCUSSED AND DISPOSED OF
BY THE DELEGATES.
Sentiment of the Unions Shown by
the Resolutions Presented
for Consideration.
Copyright 1896 by the Associated Press,

ninth annual Trades Union Congress of
| Great Britain opened its sessions at the
| Assembly Rooms, George street, this city,
at noon to-day. About $50 delegates were
in attendance. The congress will close Sat
urday, Sept. H. The vehement arguments
and bitter personalities OF the twenty
eighth congress- held at Cardiff last year,
will not be repeated this year, as the new
constitution, adopted them directed the i'm
proved formation of the congress of 1896.
Men like John Burns, Kerr Hardie and
Henry Broadhurst are not present. In their
| place real workingmen, such the
| Northumberland and Durham miners
| union and the boiler makers union, which
| latterly have taken no part in the annual
congress.
| ? Samuel Wood secretary of the parlia-
| mentary committee, in interview pre-
| vious to the meeting to-day, said: I'VE
| have not more than $50 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
only bona fide workers at their trades
| and legal members of trade societies No
| person can be a delegat tie unless he is ac
! tually 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.
I'VE are likely, however, to have little
| rub or two over attempt to revert 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 for every thousand workmen whom
| ne represents. This is direct representa-
| ton, and 1 do not think it will be over
| thrown. We have about thirty more trades
unions
| about twenty which have never been repre-
! sented before. There are two American
| delegates, Messrs. Strasser and Sullivan
The work of the present congress is ex-
! ceedingly ambitious when the time availa-
| BILE is considered. The parliamentary COM
mittee, of which Edward Convey, of the
| Yorkshire miners is chairman and also
| president of the congress, has prepared
| programme in which is embodied eleven
| resolutions for discussion. To these notice
! of over twenty amendments have been
| given. The two sets of resolutions cover
| the widest field for discussion and effort
| practicable and otherwise. The temper of
| the congress towards the impracticable can
| perhaps be gagged by a resolution of the
paper mill workers, that representative
| of the press shall be allowed to report the
| proceedings unless he can prove that the
! journal he represents is printed by trades
union labor and on paper manufactured in
| the United Kingdom"
A NOTABLE RESOLUTION
| A further intimate of the trend of this
| congress is contained in resolution pro-
| posed by the power loom overlookers to
rescind the famous collectivist resolution
| adopted at the Norwich congress of 1894
on the initiative of Kerr Hardie, and in it's
place to substitute the following: THAT in
the opinion of this congress. it is essential
| to the maintenance of British industries to
nationalize the land, mines minerals, roy
atty. rents and railways and municipalities
] all water, artificial light and tramways
undertakings within their several author
tiles: and that the parliamentary commit
| tee be instructed to promote and support
| legislation with the above object
| Councillor W. Thorn, of the gas workers,
| will ask the congress to declare that the
| time has arrived when the hours of labor
should be limited to eight hours a day
in all trades and occupations in the United
| Kingdom
E. Hartford, of the railway men, will
| bring up the question of employees liability
| by resolution calling upon the government
to SO amend the existing act that among
other tn things the respohsiblityo nay rest
| plOyes or of those of any subcontractor
and that, irrespective of the acqusence in
or knowledge of any defect or danger
| the part of the person killed or injured:
| that its provisions may apply to the work
| ers in all industries, on land or sea- in pri-
Vate, state or municipal employment and
| that contracting out be made Illegal"
| Factory legislation, payments of members
of Parliament, taxation of land values and
|
mace "a test question at the next general
| election; employment of children in fac
tories and their consequent exploitation by
the capitalist. which is injurious to the
| children. unjust to their parents and a
crime against the human race" municipal
| iZation of docks. wharves and warehouses;.
| the release Of all political prisoners; griev-
| ances OF civilian musicians; hours of do
| nestle servants and which are not to he
| more than seventy per week including
one and half hours for meals per daV:3
TAR wages, compensa ton for injuries: the
! col tnrnf-
tracts, old-age pensions, education and pub
lie money, and many other matters all have
| places on the programme.
THE CONSPIRACY ACT.
The plate-glass jewellers will offer this
important resolution: That the recent de-
cisions of the judges of the hight courts of
| justice, in cases arising out of trade dis
| putes, have made it abundantIy clear that
! the 'trade-union acts of 1871 and 1876 afford
| no effectual protection against civil actions
| brought against officials of trade unions
| and others who are merely exercising the
| rights of combinations supposed to be Sc
cured by those acts, and it is therefore
most essential to the continued and effectual
| existence of trade unions that the parlia-
| mentary committee of the Trades Union
Congress should endeaVor to Obtain s,1ch
an amendment of the conspiracy and pro
| lection of property act of 1875 as will pro-
! tect those who legitimately exercise the
| right of combination for trade purposes
against civil as well criminal proceed
| ings.''
| The taf1ors' society will attempt sweep
| ing reform in the alteration of the law of
| libel, so that it may become lawful for
any person or persons acting in the inter-
ests of the community, who are doing so
without malice, to expose in public meet
/ lngs or in the public press any firm or
| firms who are known to be working con-
trary to the interests. in any way in
| furious, to the workers or the public -
| The Miners National Union represent
| ing 5000 miners in the northern countries
| sent thirteen delegates, including Messrs
John Wilson. NJ. P. This body was not
| represented at Cardiff last year Among
| the other societies represented are the boil
/ er makers, 80, 300 members; boot and shoe
| operators. n000; Amalgamated Society of
| Carpenters and Joiners A 900: card and
blowing-room hands, 24,50o; alliance cab
! met makers. 1000; coach makers $780,
| London Society OF Compositors 10500:
] lockers union 100, 900: Amalgamated Soci-
| ETY. of Engineers. $3.50; gas workers union
| "A 600; Miners Federation of Great Brit
| ain, $4,000; Amalgamated Society of Rail-
| way Servants. los. and Northern Coun-
| ties Weavers Association. So 225.
Great Organization of Dockers
| LONDON, Sept. IA meeting of 1000
| dcckers was held al Canningtown to-day in
connection with the threatened strike in
| that trade 1t was announced at this meet
! fzxa an