The Worcester spy., 1899-10-23
PIERCE ENDORSED,
Only Straight Labor
Unionists Favored
For Office.
WORKINGMEN'S CLUB FORMED
Endorsement Of Many Can
didateS Postponed
For a Week.

No more representative gathering Of
trades unionists was ever assembled
than that which was mustered IN Labor
headquarters yesterday afternoon
Seventy prominent members OF local
labor unions and scores of interested
but unattached workingmen became
members of the Workingmen's CLUB,
that title being adopted yesterday.
The meeting was filled with incidents
which tended to show that organized la
Dor has taken firm local stand in the
municipal campaign. There were es-
pousers of the principles of the demo-
cratic, socialist and republican political
parties, but when measures affecting
the wage-earner were introduced, every
voice and vote was lifted in organized
labor's cause Reporters were admitted
to the nall, and membership Was al
forded them in the club, which wiped
out all chances for complaint because
Of secret methods of transacting 5usl-
ness.
The following officers were elected:
President, Jefferson D. Pierce; vice
presidents, William Dunn John II JEFF
y.
liam A. Rossley; assistant secretary,
William H. Chase. President Pierce
will appoint an executive board, and re-
port at the next meeting. 1t was voted
to meet every Monday evening, begin
ming next week.
When Chairman M. F. Garrett OF the
committee on candidates read his re-
port, the debating begun The commit
tees report recommended the endorse
ment of jefferson d. Pierce for alder-
manic candida te- at-large, Thomas F.
Harney for candidate for the common
council from ward 5, ]. B. Lamothe
school committee candidate from ward
8.
When Mr.. Garrett had finished there
was scramble OF speakers to the 1oor.
There was a division of opinion regard
ing the adoption of Endorsements for
men other than straight labor unionistS.
A. A. Reed said: II believe it the duty
of this club to insist upon candidates
being believers in the principles of or
ganized labor There is no doubt in
my mind as to the adVisability of haV-
ing woriSingmen in office, but is it pos
sible at this time to elect candidates
who run on straight labor ticket?
Il do not believe this club will b
worth five cents unless we accept for
our candidates whatever Endorsements
they can receive. If man is a trades
unlOnlSI, InbEe Is no IdTIl III HdNlilSs
him receive the Endorsement of every
political party, if possible, because in
dorsements generally mean votes
j. B. Lamothe said that he would not
seek any nomination unless 'r club
supported fully his action lraghrdinS
Endorsement of other parties. s.nn II.
Jefferson shut off further debate, by
moving that j. D. Pierce be indcrsed
for independent candidate at large TO.
the board of aldermen. The motion was
carried The Endorsement of other can
didates was laid over until the next
meeting.
A lively discussion as to whether IL
was possible and beneficial for the CLUB
to indorse two candidates for one office
was introduced in a speech by A. A
Reed. which favored the selection. of a
candidate for the board of aldermen
from each ward Charles o. Blake,
candidate for alderman on the ,nde-
pendent republican ticket in ward ), pc
lieved that it is possible for organized
labor to elect more than one a'def
man. He considered it unfair to throw
any man down because of democratic
or republican principles, if that man
favored organized labor. d. j. Sui
livan and A A. Reed gave short speech
es after Mr.. Blake had declared that
II he was to be placed in an unfavorable
position, he would retire from the cluo.
A. A. Reed then made his banner
speech of the day: THE principles OF
organized labor are as dear to me as
ANYTHING else in my daily life, but
cannot understand why there is such
opposition to the Endorsement of alder
manic candidates. Have the work
ingmen no friends in city hall? Are
there no aldermen who champion the
cause of organized labor?
ITO me this effort to Danish every
candidate but those running as labor
candidates, seems fallacy, The men
who have upheld our rights in the
board of aldermen should get our in
dorsement, no matter to what pol1tl-
cal party they belong. 1t matters not
what party indorses a labor unionst
40 long as we have the satisfaction of
e~eJne him elected. When he sits in
the common council or board of alder |
men. we and the public at large VIII
know by his votes that because the NIL
dorsement Of one. of the pohtlcal par
ties is received, that man does not tie
himself down, but labors for trade
unionists.'
Daniei ]. Sullivan said that Mrs Reed |
should know that republicans in city
hall do not favor local labor unions.
Mr.. Sullivan referred to the stand
taken by the board OF aldermen on the
eight hour question
Deruiy / Dovle. sOcialistic candidate |
for the legislature in ward 3, said: Il
ID not understand what grounds there
has been for the statement that Peter
n sullivan would be indorsed by this
club Neither do I believe it fair to re-
for to the socialist labor party as an
faponistic to organized labor. | am
. Socialist, and / do not believe it pos
sihIe FOR any one to say that because
am a member of that party, and a
candidate for office, l have neglected |
to uphold the doctrines of trade
unions.
Mr. DOYLE was loudly applauded, and |
although no Endorsement was rendered |
him he will probably receive a big |
slice of labor union votes, as he is an |
earnest worker in Bottlers' and Driv-
ers union. of which he is president |
There was no personal objection to the
candidacy of Mr.. Doyle; in fact, the
wish was universally expressed that he
might be elected but attachment to
the socialist labor party was response
HE for the fact that he WIS not fa-
vored by vote of the club
President Pierce then aroused enthu
siasm to it's highest pitch by denounc-
ing socialism. and arraigning saloon |
keepers because of vote buying pro-
cliyities. He said: ''Since Mr.. Doyle |
has asked why man cannot be a |
trade unionist and a socialist. l willl
say that / do not believe that any man |