The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-20
Is a Problem Upon Which
the Club Does Not Agree.

The meeting of the Workingmen' s
Independent Political Club yesterday
afternoon was spent in the adoption of
IL Of the 10 articles of political faith
offered by the committee. Taking into
consideration that the work of prepara-
ton devolved upon one member Of the
committee, there was but little opposi-
ton from the members of the club to
any Of the planks of the rather hete-
rogenous platform, though the one
relative to civil service reform was
referred to a committee consisting Of
Charles E. Kelley, William Dunn and
w. A. Rossley, who will make such
changes as they deem necessary.
The platform as adopted is as fol-
lows:
THE Workingmens Independent
Political Club asserts the rights of all
workingmen to life, liberty and the
pursuit Of happiness and holds that the
purpose of municipal government is to
secure every workingman in the en-
joyment Of these rights; and, further,
that the true theory Of municipal
politics Is that the machinery of gov
eminent must be controlled by the
people and that workingmen, irrespeo-
tive Of party utilization, should be
united to establish a government for
the workingman, of the worlxingmen
and by the workingman
The first object of the Working
mems Club Is to unite the classes en-
ployed, irrespective of party utilization
and then establish a municipal govern
ment which will have the interests of
the workingmen paramount in all con-
siderations making a government Of the
people, for the people and by the peo-
pie.
I'VE hold that it is an obvious fact
that the best results in the construc-
ton of public buildings and in all pub
lie work can be secured by the aboli-
ton of the present system of contract
labor, and the establishment. of the day
labor system under the direct super
vision of a practical workman.
we adhere to the principle that in
all work done by municipalities, none
but citizens shall be employed.
I'VE demand the enactment of laws
that will protect the men working at all
trades, by the reduction of the hours
of labor in proportion to the progress
of production and the establishment of
an eight-hour work day in all depart
ments Of the city, and, as far as prac-
ticable, in all branches of business
carried on in the city.
I'VE believe that human life and
property should be further protected,
by the enactment of more exacting con-
ditions in the construction of build
ings within the city limits.
I'VE consider it an important duty
to see that the public school buildings
are equipped with the best possible
heating and ventilating system, and we
maintain that 1t has been demon
strated by experts that the steam and
hot water systems are preferable and
more healthful than those in vogue in
some Of the school houses in the city,
where furnaces are used.
I'VE endorse the theory Of municipal
ownership and believe that the munich
palities should obtain possession of all
street railways, electric light plants,
gas works and all industries requiring
a municipal franchise.
eve believe that the present system
in vogue in this city of minority rep
resentation is working to the advant-
age of the people.
In order to remove great part of
the suffering of the citizens, we favor
the establishment of system whereby
work will be given to the unemployed
in the betterment Of highways, parks
and municipal institutions.
After several years of experiments,
which have cost millions of dollars, we
believe that the only satisfactory solu-
ton Of the sewage system is the con-
struction Of a metropolitan system con-
Quoting the sewage of the city to the
sea by underground conduits.
The article which met with the most
opposition and which was referred to
the committee, follows: I'VE recommend
more exacting enforcement of the
civil service reform, and that the cleo
tive power at present in the hands of
the city council in regard to the heads
Of departments be removed, and an
offices in the municipal departments be
filled under civil service conditions. To
carry this successfully into effect we
recommend the establishment of a
municipal civil service commission
Several new members were admitted
to the club yesterday, and the next
meeting will be held next Sunday at
2.30 O'Clock.