Evening star., 1899-06-13
Organization Protests Against Action Of
Commissioners Respecting Cab Stands.
Alleged Discrimination in Favor OF
Railroad COmpany-Papers Read
and Discussed-LabOr Day.


I'm behalf of the Hackmen and Cab
mems Protective Union, No. 7,1S6, the
Central Labor Union of the District of Co
lumbia respectfully protests against what
we believe to be a discrimination of your
honorable board against the public hack
men in the plying of their calling, and by
which the Pennsylvania Railroad Company
is given special privileges as cab COM
pany. Because of this Illegal grant OF spe-
cial privileges a regulation promulgated
by your honorable board was declared null
by the District Court of Appeals. AS you
are aware. the court in its wisdom, upheld
the principle, unquestioned wherever JUS
tice reigns. that no measure should pe
tolerated as just and equitable which con-
fers upon one citizsn exclusive privileges
in the prosecution of his business which
will injure another engaged In legttl-
mate vocation In obedience to the ruling
of the court, and prompted by your we'll
known sense Of Justice, you ceased to re-
quire the enforcement of that regulation
under which the public hackmen had been
arrested prosecuted and fined. 1t was then
hoped that the owners of public vehicles,
who pay an annual aggregate license of
s., 800. would in the future be granted the
same privileges in plying their calling as
were granted the specially favored under
the former regulation.
Protest Against Order.
I'VE believe that your honorable board,
in the exercise of legislative judicial and
executive functions. have no desire to for
mulate and maintain regulations which will
restrict the business privileges of one class
of individuals in the interest of others. We
therefore respectfully protest against the
recent order relative to the hack and cab
privileges al the Baltimore and Potomac
depot. inadvertently, perhaps, this regua-
ton grossly dscriminates against the pub
lie hackmen in favor of the railroad cab
company
1T is needless to remind you that the as
signments at this depot are unfair. This
is obvious when hackmen. other than those
or the hotels and railroad company, are as
signed positions so remote from the depot
that their accidental discovery is barely
possible by the travelling public. Under
strict police surveillance these hackmen
are denied the privilege of soliciting Gus
tom, while those employed by the railroad
company are permitted to do so, under
police protection. 1t is evident therefore,
that the recent regulation grants the Penn
sylvania Railroad Company monopoly of
cab service at this locality, and that the
police power of the District protects this
monopoly of cab service to the business in
jury of other cabmen.
1T is not necessary TO detail the frenuent
instances of police interference apparently
with the intention to annoy and intimidate
the pubic hackmen presumably in the in
terest OF the corporation which is given spe-
cial and exclusive privileges upon the pub
lie thoroughfares of our city. They have
been frequently observed by the general
punilc and are a matter of Police Court
record We do not presume that those in
authority are responsible for these annoy-
ances and petty prosecutions. and. there
lore, give no credence to a statement re-
Gently made by memeber of the police
1orce that they (the policemeD were in
structed to drive the public cabmen out of
business.
Alleged Discrimination
While it is evident and must be admitted
that the public hackmen are denied busi-
ness privileges which are permitted to 9TH
ers, we believe your honorable board is not
inclined to sustain any regulation which
will infringe upon the rights of the citizen
or which will restrict him in the orderly
persuit of a legitimate business. We there
fore, respectfully ask that the recent order
regulating the cab stands at the Baltimore
and Potomac depot be rescinded and that
fair assignment be made at that stand.
We also request that all laws and resula-
tions which apply to the duties, require
ments and privileges Of public hackmen be
impartially enforced and that the owners
of all public vehicles be alike subjected to
the same regulations
That such is not the fact, at present Is
not only evidenced by the recent promulga-
tion of the order referred to, but by the
long standing regulation which permits
the owners of livery vehicles to occupy the
street opposite hotels and solicit custom,
and who make arbitrary charges for SER
NASc III eASesS VI lile rate SpeclQed tOr pub
lie vehicles. The license paying public
hackmen are denied the privilege of occu-
py1ng space in these localities and this in
Vldlous discrimination is maintained by
special officers at an annual expense of
80 per cent of the sum derived as license
from public hackmen. In other words the
hackmen are taxed to support officials
whose specific duty 1t is to prohibit them
from exercising the privileges granted 9TH
ers who pay no tax for the privileges they
enjoy. '
In conclusion we respectfully ask that
your honorable board will give this matter
consideration, believing that in your wis
dom you will redress the grievances stated
and grant the hackmen equal privileges in
their calling which is the unquestioned
right of every citizen
Strike Announced.
A communication was read from Edwin
c. Baldwin, general vice president of the
Pattern Makers League of North America,
with headquarters in Boston, informing the
Central Labor Union that there is a strike
of the members of the craft In that CITY In
progress because of demand for an eight
hour day. Mr.. Baldwin requested that
committee be appointed to notify the local
trades organizations of the status of GER
tain companies and particularly he wants
informed the brewery workers., stationary
engineers, electrical workers and printers,
asking them not to handle the product of
the alleged unfair firms. The request was
granted.
There was also read a communication
from John T. Kelly, business agent of Ma
chinists' Lodge, 264. of Boston, conveying
the information that the employees of the
kfdder Press Company of that city are on
strike to secure half holiday Saturdays
ana to get recognition of the machinists'
card: also to have a nine-hour work day
Tor nine hours pay. 1t was stated the
demands when made were refused, and the
men requested to leave the establishment
which they did 1t was further stated that
the demands of the machinsts have the
support of the Allied Printing Trades of
Boston, and 1t was requested that the mat
ter be brought to the attention of the AL
lied Printing Trades of this city The Gem
tral Labor Union decided to grant the re-
quest, and the secretary will take the
proper steps in the matter
The delegate from Bricklayers' Union No
l, reported that at the last meeting of that
body 1t was decided by a referendum vote
of that organization to favor the affiIiation
OF the Bricklayers' and Masons' Interna-
tional Union with the American Federation
of Labor.
Meeting of COmmittees
1t was announced that the excursion COM
mittee which will arrange for the Labor
day exercises at River View, will meet a