The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-04-02

PRESIDENT James OCUnncll of the
International association of Machinjsts
iitSt night delivered Il stirring address
regarding the nine hour movement at
an open meeting Of Electric city lodge,
NO 23D. held at st. Thomas hall An
interesting speech by President John
Mitchell Of the United Mine Workers,
was another of the sessions features.
President OConnell Is touring tho
country in behalf Of the niun-hour
movement. The local lodge met at
Hubert hall at $50 O'Clock and. form-
ing into Iinc led by Lawrence's band.
puradcd the streets before going to the
hail
When President Humphrey Campbell
called til" meeting TO order the room
was well filed with local machinists
and visitors from Carbondale and 9TH
cr neighborinS places. On the stage
sat President O'Connell. President
Mitchell, of the Mine Workers: Martin
-. flaherty, George Goti1icr, u number
of officers of the Machinists union and
members of the Central Labor union.
William Gorks, of the Paterson local,
and others.
PRESIDENT OCONNELLS AD-
DRESS
President Campbell made IL brief in
troductOry address after an overture
by the orchestra, explaining the pur-
pose of the meeting, aud after two
warmly applaudcd selections by the
William Connell Glce club President
O'Conncll WAS introduced to his audi
ence. He strongly impressed upon all
his hearers the value of unonism in
every walk of life and declared that
the days of individualsm have long
been passed. AS II result of this. he
argued, strikes, luckouts and blackists
are dying out and Il more civilized
mode Of settling difficulties has been
arrived at between employers and en-
ployes.
THE miners here in your own home
said the speaker, have proved that
with association comes law and order,
power and a!iluence and increased re-
spect for the working man. These
same miners have had the courage.
moreover, to demand and obtain an
eight-hour day, while YOU machinists
toll along ten hours daily. But we are
going TO get one hour for you at least
as Il starter. and on May 20 we will
receive our answer from the employers
all over the country before whom we
have laid our demands for this ar
rangement.'
l:y a series of statistical reasoning,
Pre- sider, O'Connell then proved that
shorter hours meant more Workmen,
and more worimen higher wages 1--WE
believe we will secure the nine hour
day for you he hopefully remarked.
'and obtain it without any trouble, as
we already have the assurances or
many Of the largest manufacturers
that they will grant it, and only today
two of the largest concerns in New
York started 1t in
He concluded his address with an ap-
peal for Il perfect organization and
harmony. and prayed that the machin-
lists demands be granted without their
being need to resort to n strike to OBJ
tain the concession.
MITCHELL'S TALK.
President Mitchell, of thr Mine
Workers, was greeted with a volley of
applause. which shook the rafters, and
in the course of a short address. said
Fellow workers, today marks an
epoch in the industrial history of this
country. Just three years ago the
eight hour day was granted the union
winch ! represent, allu SlIce tllit time
wages have steadily increased and our
trade has been raised from the lowest
depths of dependency to a fair foot
ing with the others.
Il know little of machinists, but
am anxious for more than one reason
for you TO reduce your hours. For
one reason, that you would then per-
haps quit making mining machines.
and one bane of the miners life be
removed"
Then turning from the jocular vein
of his last remark, he resumed:
"'rhc eyes of the entire trades unions
will be upon you, as it is the policy Of
the American Federation of Labor to
once IA year single out Il union to try
for shorter hours, and your success
or failure means like results to the
EeXt movement of the same nature.
"You can depend upon the support
of all the other trades. and for my