New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-19
LABOR MEN FROM PUERTO Rico
DELEGATES ADDRESS THE CENTRAL. -,
GRATED UNIoN-AN ATTACK on
TAMMANY HALL

Tammany Hall officials. and especially contr,r..
Coler. came IN for severe attack at the ps.-.,-.
of the Central Federated Union tn the Univar,,.
Settlement Hall yesterday. The present civ a.
ministration charged with seeking 70 eva.
the law which provides that all mechanics ans
Iaborers employed by the city shall receive IN.
rate Of wages prevailing in their trades and ear
ingg.
The attack started by a resolution iutr,-
ducsd by the Eccentric Firemen's Union that
committee be appointed to call on the Mayor ana
insist that the prevailing rate Of wages law h
observed In all departments OF the city govern
ment. Delegate McNulty who first got the hoor
declared that organized labor had been criticised
for simply fighting for ITS rights His men 6nean-
ing the employees of the Street Cleaning Depart
menD would have 70 bring suits against the cir,
to recover money due them for overwork in clear
ing away the snow.
"They have recovered $4,000 FOR work done +,
1925" he continued. They are not hooters %
the public treasury. but only want what they are
entitled to. No should interfere with the law
granting them the prevailing rate OF wages and
they stand ready spend their last cent 10 obtain
their rights"
Delegate Timothy HeaIey. Of the Eccentric Fire.
mems Union. declared that his organization had
got $4,000 In judgments against the departments OF
Bridges. Correction and Brooklyn Charities.
Now. this man." he resumed. has raised cry
that the city is being robbed Coler is only playing
90 the galleries. He wants 10 be Mayor or soma
than the other Tammany officials. They have only
raised this against the prevailing rate Of wages
law to pull the wool the peoples eyes 50 that
they steal somewhere else"
Controller CoIer." declared Delegate Kelly "a
radically opposed 10 the prevailing rate OF wages
law He has no sympathy for working people and
so he is against US"
The resolution TO appoint committee was then
passed. and Delegates Johnson Archibald. Kelly
McNulty and Hanna will call on Mayor Van wyek
at 1 p. m. to-day
Santiago Iglesias and Eduardo Conde delegates
of the Puerto Rico Central Labor Union. were then
escorted to the platform. and. through an inter-
prefer, told a story of the alleged i'll treatment o.
workingmen in their island They said that the
workingmen were treated worse than when
Puerto Rico was governed by Spain. and that thsrs
was great need for more public schools.
Mr.. Iglesias then made speech. through the In.
terpreter, follows:
The working people of Puerto Rico want at least
a territorial government Under the present mill.
merce agriculture and ali the capitalists had sent
delegates to Washington to look after their inter-
people 70 open up relations with the workers Of tina
We had no trades unions in Puerto Rico when
We were under SPANS dominion. but when we BE-
came annexed to the United States We thought that
had the right to form them. We have only been
able 70 exercise that right so far in TWO large cities
we tried 10 make the minimum rate OF wages FOR
i IgFegfurai is6Srers 81 day. but the CAPITALISTS
tnuucSq ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS laws 20 issue an edice
the legal rate There have been several strikes
issued edict declaring all strikers rioters. TAs
is worse than Spain ever did. All the workers OF
Puerto Rico taxed 81 year TO help defFay ths
expenses of the Government, although they are HOs
entitled 20 representation in the Government.
Delegate Archibald got the floor and brought forth
much applause from the gallery BY insisting thss
our brethren in Puerto Rico get fair treatment
Delegate COoney introduced resolution that tbs
head officers of the American Federation OF Labo>
and of the knights Of Labor in Washington %
asked 10 call President Mckinley and insist that
''all Americans be treated equally whether thsr
lived in Puerto Rico elsewhere.
Delegate Barondess then pitched into everything 4
exponent.
tone of voice, against making President McKinleH
member of the Chicago BTickayers' Union and
brother of ours"
AS of the other delegates appeared TO Or
ject to the President being brother of theirs thu
subject dropped
II was then announced that the National Asso,
citation of Bricklayers and MasOns would send a
delegate to Puerto Rico organize the brickIayers
there and the meeting resolved TO give SO to thu
mttee Of eleven agitate for better treatment OF
organized labor in ''our new possessions was then
carried. On motion Of Delegate Johnson IL was
also resolved to ask the Peoples Institute TO take
up the matter. 1t announced that the Socialist
Mayors-Chase of Haverhin, Mass. and Coulter OF
BrOcktOn MaSs.-would address the meeting next
Sunday. A reception viii be given for them IN
Manhattan Lyeeum. No IS East Fourth-st. fox
lowed by ball