Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1897-04-29
LABoR'S PLEA.
Federation Presents Memorial to
{. President Cabinet and Cnn1Hess

st8 81 =
Federation Presents . Memorial to
President. Cabinet and Congress.
Washingto A pril 23.-The following
memorial has been presented to the
president and members of the cabinet
by the executive council of the Fedora
ton of Labor. It bears the signatures
of the following members of the ex-
ecutive council: Samuel Gompers, P. j.
Mcclure, James Duncan, James O'Con-
nell, N. M. Garland, John B. Lennon
aud Frank Morrison:
ITO the President, Cabinet and Congress
Of the United States of America Gentle
men: Multitudes of our working people
American citizens-at this hour are suf
fering humiliating poverty and countless
privations, and look to you fof speedy re-
lief. Last fall they were promised help
ful legislation. and they expect it from you
without unnecessary delay. In no party
spirit we appeal to you to heed their wants
and to promptly meet this unparalleled
situation In the true spirit Of American
patriotism.
with industry paralyzed, trade stag
nant, values depressed and shrunken, with
enterprise stifled and the productive power
Of labor palsied. with our commerce list
less or the seas and our immense resources
blighted. we bid you haste the return Of
better times, to inspire confidence and
bring cheer and comfort to the homes of
the millions of citizens who now seek work
and wages in vain.
z'In the name Of the PRODUCERS in shop
and factory, in mill and mine, in the fields
and on our lakes and seas, in behalf of the
toilers out of work and Of those under
paid, we urge on you the necessity of legis-
lative relief. The restitution among the
honest, proud and Industrious people Of
our land, though half hidden, is ever in
creasing and becoming more and more ap-
palling. The hopes they had are fast turn
ing to gloomy despair.
Invention, machinery, the subdivision Of
labor and the countless labor dispensing
appliances to cheaper production, even in
the best of times, disturb the permanency
Of employment, tend to reduce wages and
intensity competition in nearly every field
of labor Added to this the unrestricted
flow Of immigration FROM abroad. the or
gan1zation OF trusts, the centraliZa ton and
concentration of capital in the manifold
industries-au make the existence Of the
Workingman more hard and precarious.
These changing conditions, unknown in
our forefathers' times. must be met not
by promises, broken to the hopes, but by
substantial and remedial legislation at the
hands of congress. .s4e.z-.
I'VE therefore most respectfully memo
rialize the president, cabinet and congress
of the United States for the enactment Of
these measures:
Il. Amendment to the federal eight-hour
law to secure it's practical enforce
ment on all public works by or for the
United States government, whether done
by contract, subcontract or days work.
1--WE are sternly opposed to the evasions
and violations OF the present eight-hour
law by the heads of the depa rtments and Of
fcials in the federal service.
So remOdeling of our immigration
laws so as to secure an enlarged protection
to American citizens and their families.
%. Reform in the national banking sys-
the United States so as to secure the peo-
pie from the possibilities and disasters of
financial crisis.
~. Liberal appropriations for govern
ment public works and for the improve
ment of rivers and harbors. -..-.s .-....
BY prompt adoption Of these relief
measures at the hands Of congress we firm
~ believe some degree of prosperity may
be restored and the conditions of the peo-
pie bettered. We assure you the millions
are now in no disposition to be trifled
with. They are fast becoming desperate
and deep are their mutterings of discon-
tent. They desire to realize some of the
prosperity so freely promised on the stump
six months ago.
lover 100000 willing workers are idle;
shall they appeal to you in vain? Shall
the interests of trusts, syndicates, monop-
olies, corporations and moneyed men re-
main OF more importance than the well
fare Of the toilers? We trust not We still
believe the peoples representatives are not
dead to the public welfare. We ask that
they rise to the patriotism of this great
occasion and hasten to bring relief to the
masses of their fellow citizens