The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-08-29
Wanted to Cancel Speaking Because
One Orator Was With Trust"
HOT DEBATE ON BAR QUESTION.
The Committee OH Arrangements for
Labor Day Celebration Not Allow
ed to Sell Liquor, But Direct
ell to Dispose OF Privilege
to the Most Response
bic Bidder.

Discord that for time appeared to
threaten the entire Labor-Day plans here
entered Into the proceedings OF the meet
nisilt of Central Trades and
Labor Council. The session was one of
the stormiest the council has experienced
in its history and before matters assumed
an orderly form many members left the
hall. Two trouble-prodIcing factors were
conspicuous during the meeting, which
was held in Elett's Hall, Corner Fifth and
Marshall Streets, and which lasted from
SIS o'clock until midnight. These were the
selection of a gentleman as one of the
Labor-ray speakers who was alleged to
be connected with a trust and the other
was the action of the Committee on Ar
rangements for the celebration in having
arranged to sell spirituous liquors at the
Auditorium Itself next Monday, instead
of letting the privilege to the highest bid
der.
After three e-and-a-half hours of debate
and wranging the body refused to accede
to a proposition to cancel the plans 20
have speaking at the Auditorium and dl-
rected the committee to sell the bar
THE STORM BREAKS.
The meeting was called to order shortly
after o'clock, by President George
J<rouse. and after the transaction of some
minor routine business, the committee
anpointed to make arrangements for the
celebration of I.abor-DaJ submitted ITS
report through its Chairman. Mr.. j. W.
Camp. Then the storm-clouds besar TO
break. The first thing complained OF was
the selection of one of the speakers. Il be-
ing alleged that he was connected WIN q
gigantic trust
A protest against the selection was read
and filed. demanding that the action by
which it was agreed to have speaking at
the Auditorium IIsbor-Day be resclnded-
Mr.. O'Keefe said he did not think the
lahorsne, people should be addressed by a
said he thought tie speaking part OF 'he
programme should be cut out.
Mr.. Seal was violently opposed to the
council or any other union body having
ANYTHING TO do with anyone connected or
associated with trust
Mr.. Walter Young took different view
of the matter. He thought it perfectly
..ror,er for a man in need of employment
r. work for n trust DO I understand
the gentleman who has just spoken. said
NJ yo,ne "to mean that he would ac-
cent a lob that only paid hlnn y Week
in nreference TO one that would pay hln
$3.50 a year. if the latter place were
offered by trust?
HIS SACRIFICE.
..yas SIR answered Mr.. Seal decisiEely'
II would take The IS place every time De
,,,o,,Id thA lob with the trust 10
49, cr,sh out my feliow-union men. !
,yoi,Id cut off my right arm before would
h.. connected with one OF those soulisSs
corporations i +bir
co,,nciI." declared Mr. Young, VITO would
not takd a Sl,sG0 position, trust OF ~
trust
+ y vas rhen suggested that all this dis
cussion was out of order, as the speakers
for Labor Day had been selected ana ha"
accented the invitations extended them.
.7,he gentlemen chosen said another
,,r,har ..are Messrs. John S. HarWood,
I.rarson Wallace and Attorney-General
Montague wel-known TO all OF US. we
cannot now say to them. Gehlieiie1i' we
DON'T want YOU to address us because one
~ ,,,n is believed to have some sort OF
connection with a trust We should go
ahead with our plans, and am sure we
will be edited by these gentlemen
THE BAR PRIVILEGES.
The further discussion Of the matter OF
abolishing the speaking was deferred and
the. council gave its attention to other
features of the Labor Day ce!ebration
Chairman Camp reported that MS commit
tee had awarded the refreshment priVi-
eges on basis OF 10 per cent OF the gross
receipts and that it had advertised the
bar privileges but could get nothing Tor
them. It was explained that Mr.. Rocci-
cnoI,i hal offered the committee q per cent.
OF the gross receipts from the bar 1or
the bar privileges and that Mr.. Guvernator
had offered y per keS on every keg OF
beer Sold but that the committee dld not
deem these bids adequate and had re-
iected them. Mr.. Crump said that he mad
spent much time endeavoring to ind some
one from whom the committee could buy
bar license in order that thA committee
itself might conduct the bar at the Audi
tori,rn Labor Day, and had finally sue
ceeded in getting such a license. This was
taa signal for another explosion in the
council The committee was jumped on
hard by some of the puritan-membe bers who
did not feel tnat liquor should be sold on
the grounds al all. and by others who be-
lieved that the council should have no part
in the sale of liquCr there.
ct is impossible for me to understand -
exclaimed one member, how this COM
mittee could regard 10 per cent. of the
gross receipts fair -Irice for the refresh
rent privileges and q per cent of the
gross receipts an unfair offer for the bar
privilege. 1t looks to me, Mr.. President.
peculiar. II say let the committee be in
structed to sell the bar privilege to the
highest bidder and, if the privilege cannot
be sold. let it be given away to some
ONE
NOT IN THE BUSINESS
81 am opposed to this Trades and Labor
Council going into the saloon business. =
declared Mr.. Russell Page, .'and think
the committee should be directed to sell
the bar privileges, taking what it can get
for it,
A member on the opposite side of the
hall declared that he had been told by
Mr.. George Guvernator that he (Guver-
nator> had been given the bar privilege
and was to pay g on each keg Of beer