The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-11-02
WORCESTERS
TOWN MEETINGS
Continued from Page ~

At TAO o'clock. City Clerk E. H.
Towne called order and read the call to
less than 200 voters. There was feeling
| suggestive of Brightness in the move
ments of every representative of local
labor unions as they gazed over the
rows of vacant seats, j. d. Pierce moved
that John P. F. Frey be made modera-
tor.
| Cheers figured in town meeting for the
| first time when Mr.. Frey was unani-
mously elected by yea and nay vote to
the office Grasping the sides of the plat
form desk Moderator Frey said: THE
| purpose Of this meeting is to discuss the
| eight-hour law, and the meeting is de-
clared open"
Seated in the front row of the audi
forum were socialstic expounders
galore, and Moderator Frey's eyes
| looked beyond the bunch of nation own
ers when he prepared to recognize the
first speaker. Thomas M. Carpenter, a
| former socialistic orator, was the first
speaker recognized, and as he turned to
the platform, Moderator Frey called
vote as to whether the floor should be
used or the platform A motion that all
speakers remain on the floor was car
ried
| Mr. Carpenter said "The board of al
dermen has no right to deprive voters
of the right to exercise their judgment
through the ballot, on the eight-hour
4 law. The board of aldermen has not
| done its duty. 1t is our duty to impeach
the aldermen. The eight-hour day is es-
/ sential.
Il have been a resident of this city
for As years, and l know there is too
much lobbying in city hall. There is
rascality in cur city government. You,
II ro n nj
when you lave elected these men to
/ Office. l am speaking as citizen, and
an old one Time and again bills to in
! crease the salaries of city officials have
/ been introduced and they never fail to
pass.
| When the workingmen on our city
streets demand an increase in wages
from SLIGO to 81 per day and adoption OF
the eight-hour working day. they are
I Ignored. Who are the men who have
built up the city? Have the men with
the piccadilly collars and big cuffs who
pose as our city officials done this? They
draw salaries. but are SO lazy that they
/ have clerks to do their work. 1t is the
duty of the workingmen to elect alder
men who do not oppose the eight-hour
law and increase wages to the employ
ees of the city departments.
These same officials say that the men
the poor house, and should be grateful.
These men are not paupers; they are
honest and INDUSTRIOUS The conditions
under W hich the men in our city street
department work are different than
any governing the labor of any other
workingmen. There are but six months
in the year when the men can be en-
ployed. Is it not fair TO pay them 81
per day when they do work, that they
in NAsox ha 11d fo1 ina
| lost?
city officials work five or six hours
a day, and think they have more than
earned the fat salary attached to the
office yet these men sneer at the man
who tolls with pick and shovel, and re-
fuse him a shorter workday or more
/ pay. Men draw So per day as jurors
I for doing nothing, but men who toll in
| the street departments are refused 81
! per day.
mot speaking from political purposes, 1
/ wish to call attention to existing condi-
| tions in Haverhill, where a socialist
democrat has been mayor the past year.
! When he entered office workmen in
! the city department worked ten hours,
| or as long as the boss ordered, but I'M
! der his rule they have been given 81 a
! day AMI work eight hours.
THE wall of the city officials that
|
| city laborers two dallors per day is
nonsense. The payment of wages will
not effect taxes. If it is not given the
| employees of the street department, it
! will go INTO the pockets of officials, so
it narrows down to a choice of which
pocket you wish the money to enter.
The eight-hour day must be estab-
lished at home. Elect honorable men to
! thelegislature and the city will be bene-
he xfnT no odn fF
the eight-hour law. We hear the city
officials annual wall for rest They
need vacations. What for? To spend
the salaries they receive. No alderman
dare to deny me the right to vote on
any question, but so long as we con-
tinue to put into office men who OPP
pose the workingmen, we are running
our own chances"
There was a ripple of applause as Mr.,
Carpenter sat down. The ripple was
I broken by A. A. Reed, a white-haired
veteran, who begged leave to speak
He was recognized, and as he cleared
his throat and turned to the body Of
the hall, there was an inspiration in
the crowd, which had grown several
hundred since the meeting was called
to order. Mr.. Reed read chapter 344 of
acts and resolves, which relates to the
eight-hour law, and the vote upon it by
the citizens of any city or town in the
commonwealth.
He said mo man gets the benefit of
modern labor saving machinery unless
he gets reduction of working hours.
VIII Worcester be the tail end of the
nation in granting the eight hour work
ing day to its city employees? l believe
we, as representatives of the heart Of
the commonwealth and one of the best
cities in this country, should be the
leaders in this movement.
Reduction in the hours of labor is
the keynote of progress. Eight hours
is a good mark to strike at Four de-
cades ago the hours of labor were re-
duced to 10 hours per day and in many
cases nine. We have not made another
step in 40 years We have not all had
opportunities to better these conditions
and we are not responsible for those
who have not improved these opportu-
i mites
I'VE have got to come face to face
4 with this great labor question. Give
the city employees the eight hour work.
ing day, and let the increased intelli-
gence they will show in their daily life
be the reward of those who favor this
I movement. 1t is my belief that all re-
duction in the hours of labor should
be done by the national government
and conditions will then be uniform.
\ Mr.. Reed was applauded, but the
! handclapplng ana cheering became
deafening when Jefferson d. Pierce was
given the floor. Mr.. Pierce said: my
i presence here tonight is not simply as
an advocate Of the eight-hour work day
for city employees. ! am here to enter
my emphatic protest against any five
man on Gods footstool who deny me
the right to vote on any question in
volving the public welfare
you have heard your city clerk read
i hn nydar
heard the reading of the constable's at
test attached to the document. That
attest is a lie. (Cheers). That order has
! heen distinctlv Ninlated M nnticoc