The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-03-04
Reply 10 nr. Julian Bryant.

CHS Legislative Committee held on Sat-
urday night I. as chairman Of said COM
mittce. was instructed to reply to card
written by Hon. Julian Bryant, which
appeared in your issue OF Friday. 1t is
not my desire to attack Mr.. Bryant; on
the contrary, I sympathise with him, as
! would with any one else VINO piaceu
himself in so ridiculous position peiVis
the public as the gentleman mas SUE
I'm doing. With regard to the Iesolu'i OF,
Of censure recently TRANSMITTED 10 ~
Bryant by the Central Trades ana i'a"v,
Council ] want TO say that they pIeseh1
f.cts ana facts only. There Is not a state
ment embodied IN them that cannot ne
s1lbstantlated. and much more might nave
been INCORPORATED that would nave mace
thc gentleman's course appear even more
contemtible ,,..,,.
There are certain points in Mr.. Bryant
card that demand attention, ana 10 tHese
/ shall briefly address myself
MIR. Bryant would have the public ne
leve that II was only after strong arsu-
ments from the Trades Council COMMIT
tee as TO the evils Of convict LABOR anu
the remedial effects Of our pFopose' lebi7
lation that he agreed 10 stand sponsor iol
our two bills. AS IL was ! VINO placed
these bills I'm his hands, IL may be well
for me to give tho substance or the con
versation that ensued between Mr.. Biy-
ant and myself on December leth' ~
this time did not even know the Eeh'ir
ma, when I saw him. so friend miro
Auced mo 10 him. IL was IN the Capi'oi'
ON handing Mr.. Bryant the bills ana eN,
nlanino 10 him that the Trades DouhO"
desired him 10 become patron OF 'len'
he stated that he had read the teAt VI
the bills I'm the daily papers anu ulo'
10th of the measures wiz, the plli pro-
,,iding for the stamping Of convict-made
goods and that Of abolishing corpora
punishment I'm the penitentlary) met VIZ
his unqualified endorsement that ne iuIs
realized the iniouities Of the present sys-
tenn of convicts being allowed % come IN
10 connection with honest labor ana was
bitterly opposed to a.. that our hiils rep
resented HIS personal convictions Or Whal
constituted right with regard 10 the 0nes-
tion of convict labor: that our bills would
not be introduced by request OF a.
some one else's bills. but a. his own nllls'
| that he would 10 everything IN his power
10 secure their enactment Into law, ana
/ that he thanked the Trades Councii iof
| the honor il had conferred upon him IN
! selecting him as patron Of It's measures.
| I was charmed with the frankness OF
| Mr.. BRYANT and when our committee met
again 7 congratulated them upon our
| good fortune in being able 10 place the
| interests OF organized labor I'm charge OF
n man so broad-minded and liberal.
/ o Mr. Bryant goes on TO state in his
| card: after that our city delegation met
| the committee Of the said organization
who had charge OF these bills several
times stated TO the committee on every
| occasion that If we found after the bills
! had been fully discussed before the House
Committee to which they were referred
that they would not pass. We should make
! the best compromise we could" etc.
The Trades Councils Committee has
had up 10 this time two meetings or con-
ferences With the Richmond delegation
! at both Of which I was present. The mrs.
Of these meetings took place on January
4th at the residence OF Mr. Chappeif anf
! the last one was held I'm the parlor OF tho
| Virrinia House on January llth. A
| neither OF these meetings or on no othol
| occasion has our committee ever intimat
ed 10 Mr.. Bryant that a compromise
| should be made. An explicit understand
| ing between our committee and the Rich
| mOnd delegation has existed from the very
! beginning that these two bills should h
| passed 20 n vote In the House. At tn
! suggestion Of Mr.. Bryant at the first con
| ference. Joint resolution providing tina
! 10 new contracts be entered into for con
vict labor, and that existing contracts b
| not renewed upon their expiration, wa
drawn up by him. and after being rati
fed by the Trades Council was intro
| duced by him into the LEGISLATURE. Bu
! Mr. Bryant did not introduce this as z
substitute for either OF orr bills. As h
| expressed himself when he suggested +
10 our committee II our bills should h'
DEBATED, the LEGISLATURE might pass The
Joint resolution. so that we would posi-
bly, gain something after ALL Even thi
| resolution Mr.. Bryant has abandoned
and IL would never have been gotten on
OF the House Committee on Asyiums ars
| Prisons but for the efforts Of Hon. Ad
| Olson Maupin. OF Henrico. who on las
Tuesday az our request took charge Of 81
| got II safely through his committee. anf
| secured its passage by the House tire.
days later. The measure was sent 10 tn,
Senate on Saturday. but has not been act
ed on IS yet II II does not become a law
before the legislature adiourns. tho defca
| OF another labor measure can be laid a
the door OF Hon. Julian Bryant.
3. This $40 Labor Reform Commission
hobby Of Mr.. Bryants has never me
with the approval OF either the Trade
Council Of sts. Legislative COMMITTEE
Our bill providing for the establishment
Of n Bureau Of Labor and Industrial Sta
tistics was introduced a week previous
10 the Bryant bill" Mr.. Bryant ha'
promised us that he woWd vote for an
| support the former measure two week
before he advised the idea Of a labor Pc
form Commission. The very day he or
cred his bill our committee implOred HIN
10 withdraw A.. as il would XIII a fneasur
which was OF Infinitely greater importanc
10 all interests involved. But Mr.. Bryan
doggedly refused 20 do this. even afte
the most earnest solicitations OF his fel
low-members. He has gotten his SO
elephant. but M what n price, Few mel
have had finer opportunities offered then
to makei a bright and lasting record a
n legislator than Mr.. Bryant has ha
during this session Of the General Assem-
bly,. How rniserably has he failed TO NEE
the expectations OF his friendsl
II Is an ill-wind that blows no one good
Let labor take a lesson from its expe
rience with Hon. Julian Bryant and SEN
TO the next Legislature men who ar
competent 10 represent the mass OF tn
people and who will fulhll whatever prom
Uses they make 10 their constituents. "
will then be spared the humilia ton o
Witnessing such mountebank performan
ces in our legislative halls as those al
| ready described
ALEX. p. McCULLOCH,
Chairman OF Legislative Committee or IN
Cenartl Trades and Labor Council.
! Manchester. Va, February 2, 1895.