Workmen's advocate., September 27, 1890, Image 1

About Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891

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WOBKMEN'8
ADVOCATE.
Sixth t&v, 39
cto Sof JiatutflaB, September 27, 1890
SU 3 tttti
ORGANIZED LABOR.
WEEKLY MEETING OF THE
CENTRAL LABOR FEDERA
TION. Unanimous in Favor of the American
Sectiou-The Issue M ill be Met
by Applying for a Charter It
will, if Necessary, be Carried into
the Annual Convention of the A.
P. of L. Further Increase of Mem.
bership The "Commit tee ofTwen
ty ilve Referred to the S. L. P.
A large number of delegates attended
last Sundays session and the interest
manifested in the proceedings was con
siderable. Delegate Miles Dougherty of Iron
Moulders' Union No. 25 was elected
Chairman, and G. II. McVey of the
Pianomakers Vice chairman.
Credentials were received from the
Ale & Porter Union No. 1, Architectural
Iron Workers, Carl Sahm Club, and two
neiv unions, Iirass Workers No. 2 and
Robert Fulton Association (Iron Foun
ders.) They were admitted with the
exception of the Carl Sahm Club, which
was laid over one week.
THE SOCIALIST ISSUE.
It was four o'clock when the special
order, "Mr. Gompers' excommunication
of the Socialists", was taken up.
Delegate Rosenfelder, Eccentric Engi
neers No. 3, argued that it was useless to
discuss the matter at any length. The,
Socialists should remain in the C. L. F.
and the C. L. F. should waive the char
ter. Delegate Dougherty stated that he
had no instruction from his union and
could not speak on the matter.
Delegate Adolph Jablinowski, Cigar
makers' Union No. 90, said that the re
'iTueBTV oV -charter should be pushed, so
that Mr. Gompers' position and that of
his fellow members of the Executive
Committee of the A. F. of L., concern
ing the Socialists bj well defined and re
main a matter of record.
Delegate Blumenberg, Carpenters No.
513, claimed that the charter would be
of.no use to the C. L. t. The American
Section should remain represented.
Delegate Hecker of the Custom Varn-i-hers
and Fohshers was opposed to a
charter because tlieC. L. F. as a local
central body could do better without it.
Delegate Fncber of the Cloakmakers
was in favor of forcing the question to
an issue by demanding a charter. The
Socialists performed more labor for the
workingnien than did the officers of
the A. F. of L. They fought for all the
toilers against the capitalists. We could
better dispense with the charter than
with the Socialists.
Delegate Simon Gompers, of the Shoe
Workers, said that Mr, Gompers was
not hostile to the Socialists but on the
contrary had always leaned in his views
to the doctrine which they professed. As
President of the American Federation of
Labor, he was compelled to take into
account the-objections of many to their
official representation in the bodies
affiiated with the Federation. A char
ter was not necessary, it could be of no
practical benefit, and he, therefore, was
in favor of settling the question by not
applying for a charter.
The delegate of the Clothing Cutters'
Progressive Union said that the Social
ists should not only be represtnted in
the C. L. F. but alao in the American
Federation of Labor. Applause. I am
not a member of the S. L. P., observed
the speaker, but I recognize with other
toilers their necessity in the Labor
movement. We should not bend our
knee to any man. My union believes
that the Socialists are just as good as we
are and they should remain.
Delegate Sanial, of the American Sec
tion, said he had little to add to his
statement of last Sunday. The Section
had endorsed the utterances of its dele
gales at the previous meeting of the
C. L. F., as published in the Workmen's
Advocate for the information of all,
and it as now confidently waiting for
the action of this body. Be would be
sorry to see the discussion of such an
important matter drift on the inferior
plane of personalities; for it was a na
tional issue, involving the tendencies
' future progress of the labor move
ait and it should be considered on the
big1 -st ground of principle. Let us cast
a rapid glance at the economic conditions
of the movement. Since the railroad
power had reached a high degree of
concentration every railroad strike had
been a failure. The telegraph operators
some years ago were well organized.
They thought they had a monopoly of
the skill required in their industry and
they 6truck to better their condition.
What was the result? A stupendous
failure. And why 't Because the tele
graph industry had reached the highest
possible degree of concentration. Again,
this year had been one of extraordinary
activity in the iron trade throughout
the world; to the extent that far from
having to fear the competition of Eng
lish iron in our markets we had for the
first time in the history of the United
States been able to ship American iron
to England. And yet the great Associa
tion of Iron-workers, which is affiliated
with the American Federation of Labor,
had not dared to demand from the "mas
ters" any concession. Why ? Because
the iron industry, though not yet con
centrated in the same degree as the rail
roads and the telegraphs, is sufficiently
so to make the advantages that might be
gained by a strike of little permanent
value as compared with the enormous
sacrifices which it would entail.
I might consider every industry and
show you, by actual figures, that the
helplessness of Labor, so long as it is
organized on a purely economic basis,
must grow in proportion to the growth
of capitalistic concentration, temporary
success being still possible in those trades
only which, like the carpenters and other
builders, the bakers, the cigarmakers,
etc., are still to some extent o en to the
competition of second class capitalists.
But, here, as elsewhere, the process of
concentration is rapidly advancing, and
if the lines of the labor movement are
not so advanced that Labor may concen
trate its political as well as its economic
forces, 1 make bold to predict that the
trades unions will be utterly powerless
within a few years, owing chiefly, of
course, to the amount of unemployed
labor of "surplus labor" which inevit
ably follows capitalistic concentration.
Now, we Socialists represent here this
idea, that labor must concentrate all its
power, political and economical, against
ihe common enemy; and with this end
in view we promote by all the means at
our command the organization of trades
unions, as the alpha the first letter in
the alphabet of Labor, It is an idea that
the force of circumstances would of it
self in the natural course of events, force
into the heads of the working people,
whether they liked it or not.
We believe that they are ready to
accept it; that most of them Imv3, in
fact, already accepted it; and that the
only ob-tacle to its being carried out is
the cowardice of so-called conservative
leaders, who while claiming to enter
tain advanced views, are actually doing
their best to keep alive old prejudices
by persisting in a false assimilation of
the Socialist Labor party to the old
poliiical parties. It were hih time this
humbugology were exposed and repu
diated. Let the C. L. F. stamp it out;
let it boldly proclaim that the economic
and the political movements of labor
must be one; and that the Socialist
Labor party, as the only representative
of this idea, is of necessity the party of
Labor and its only party.
Delegate Vogt said that Mr. Gompers
must be judged by the public elfect of
his action; and the public impression as
to his letter was that it was aimed against
Socialism. That public impression was
well voiced to the delegate shortly after
the publication of the letter, when a
prominent politician sneeringly told him
of the blow dealt to the Socialists by
Gompers, who had thereby won for him
self the sympathy of the public. Such
an effect was to be foreseen and it must
be taken as having been intended.
When McMackin in 1887 issued his edict
against the Socialists, he too employed
at first the dodge that he meant the
Socialist Labor party as an organization
and not the individual Socialists. At
Syracuse he, with George and McGlynn,
threw off the mask and openly entered
upon that famous campaign against
Socialism, that resulted so disastrously
to its originators We know that Gom
pers had socialist leanings, in fact lie
was a member of the Socialist party;
but we also know that in his public ac
tion he has ' gone back" upon his for
mer convictions; we remember his anxi
ety io accept an old-party nomination
for Senator, his open attacks upon
Socialism in the convention of the Cigar
ninkers' International Union, and there
by we must measure him. While we
have proof that other central bodies
comprising Socialist Labor party sec
tions have been chartered by the Ameri
can Federation of Labor, we refuse
to predicate our case on precedent.
This movement will not halt in its on
ward march because of any precedent.
The formation of the Central Labor Fe
deration was a departure from prece
dent, a revolutionary step, a declaration
of war upon the old tradition of political
scahbism in the labor movement. The
C. L. F. was founded upon the very
principle of unity between the political
and the economic organization of la1 or,
upon which the American Section
claimed and was lcicu'ly admitted to
representation. What this unity means
was demonstrated by the workingmen
of Germany in February last, when for
a few weeks they laid down their eco
nomic struggles, postponed strikes and
trades-union work and devoted them
selves exclusively to the task of piling
up 1,500,000 labor votes at the polls,
liaa'nt that vote done more to benefit
the cause of labor in all its interests than
1.000 strikes? The 68.000 votes cast in
New York in 1W6 and the large labor
votes polled in Chicago, Milwaukee, Cin
cinnati, made capitalists and capitalistic
politician tremble and platforms began
to overflow with promises of labor laws:
legislators began to be.-iir themselves
and the power of labor was felt in the
land. All that has ceased with the
collapse of the independent political
movement and in this year, when that
movement is considered extinct, the
platforms adopted bv the old party State
conventions do not even refer to the de
mands of labor, politicians do not even
take the trouble of throwing a sop to the
disorganized workers. Men who tell you
in the face of these facts that you have
no business to connect yourselves with
a true labor party, are either monumen
tal fools or serving the enemy. Don't
consult the enemy as to what will best
further your interests, but consul your
friends; and as you know and every
honest worker knows, your best frh nds
are the socialists.
Delegate G. II. McVey said that he at
first had not favored the application for
a charter, but since he had heard the
able arguments made he was in favor
of it. Any other action would be cow
anlly. W7e should carry this fight into
the Convention of the American Federa
tion of Labor, for the issue involved is
of national importance. We must force
the Executive Council of the American
Federation of Lalor to show its hand.
He moved that the President of the Fe
deration lie notified that the C. L. F.
sees no reason to exclude the American
Section.
This motion was adopted, all the dele
gates voting for it, except Simon Gom
pers, who subsequently explained to the
reporter that upon the ground which lie
had taken and which he Mt ill believed to
he right, he could not consistently vote
otherwise.
In compliance with this resolution the
Corresponding Secretary sent the follow
ing letter to Mr, Gompers:
New York, Sept. 22, '90.
Mr, Samuel Gomjierx. President Ameri
can Federation of Labor.
Snt and Brother: Enclosed please
find the "regular" application for affili
ation with the American Federation of
Labor and also the required fee of $5.00
(live dollars.)
At the same time I am instructed to
add that the Central Labor Federation
of N. Y. sees no reason for excluding
the American Section of the Socialist
Labor party from representation.
All organizations reprenseted are plain,
pure And simple trpde unions; hence. the
latter part of your letter of Sept. 11, '00,
needs vo further attention.
Fraternally,
Eknkst Bohm, Corr. Sec'y.
OTHER PROCEEDINGS.
The Corresponding Secretary read a
communication from the "Committe of
Twenty-five," signed by Dr. Edward
McXilynn, Chairman, and Cornelius
Doody, Secretary, inviting the C. L. F.
to send a committee to a conference, to
which it was also proposed to invite the
Central Labor Union, the Anti-Poverty
Society, the K. of L. District Assem
blies and the Socialist Labor party.
The text of this communication will be
found in another column. The Corre
sponding Secretary was instructed to
reply as follows:
New York, Sept. 22, 18'J0.
Mr, C. F. Doody, Sec'y Com, of 25.
Sir: Your communication dated Sept.
17, 1890, requesting co-operation with
the Commonwealth party and others, in
the political field, was duly presented to
this body at its session of Sept. 21.
In reply I am instructed to state that
the Central Labor Federation of New
York has full confidence in the Socialist
Labor party from the fact that it has
continuously demonstrated the necessity
of u.iity among the wage workers and
independent political action by organized
labors
This body believes that yon could aid
the labor movement immensely by sug
gesting to the various interested bodies
the necessity of sending delegates to
the Conference of forty nine Trade and
Ialwr Unions that will meet on Thurs
day, Sept. 25, 1890, at Clarendon Hall,
at 8 p. m. Fraternally,
Ernest Boum, Cor. Sec'y.
A delegation of Post Office Clerks was
granted the floor, and requested that
this body attend the mass-meeting to le
held at Cooper Institute on Monday
evening, Sept. 29, and support the eight
hour movement of the Post Office Em
ployes. The request was granted and
delegates Sanial, Vogt and Bohin were
appointed a committee to represent the
C. L. F. at the said meeting.
The following letter was then read
and hied:
New York, Sept 19, 1890.
Mr. Ernext Duhm, Secretary Central La
bor Federation.
Dear Sir axp Brother: Your favor
of the 15th Inst., containing a protest
against the attacks made by the Knights
of Labor against unions affiliated to the
American Federation of Labor and
urging that their interests be protected,
came duly to hand. In reply I leg
leave to assure you that the interest of
every organization aad every trade
union will be protected to the uttermost
with all the energy and with whatever
ability the officers of the American
Federation of Labor may possess.
(Continued on fourth iage.)
NO COMPROMISE.
THE BATTLE MUST BE
FOUGHT ON SOCIALIST
LINES.
Dr. McGlynn and Cornelius Doody,
of the Committee of Twenty Five,
Invite the S. L P. to a Confe
renceReply of the Executive
Committee.
At a meeting of the County Executive
Committee of the Socialist Labor party,
held last Sunday, the following com
munication was submitted:
New York, Sept. 17, '90.
To the Socialist Labor Party.
The mass meeting of August 20,
called to sympathize with, and aid by
every legitimate means, the men out on
strike on the N. Y. C. & II. H. It., passed
a series of resolutions which after re
citing various acts of injustice com
mitted by the above corporation, made
the following recommendations:
1st That we recommend to the
people and especially to all members
of labor organizations and their sympa
thizers to use their political franchise in
such manner as to have the ownership
of rail roods placed in the bunds of the
people, instead of corporations or in
dividuals. 2d That we demand the passage of
an act, declaring the hiring anil use of
private armed bands a slate prison of
fense. 3d That the Chairman appointed a
committee of 25 to carry out the objects
of these resolutions.
The Committee of Twenty-five, after
several sessions, passed the following:
Resolved, That a sub committee of 5
lie appointed by the Chair to co operate
with a similar committee from the
Commonwealth party and other organ
izations for the following objects:
1st To secure unity and harmony in
the ranks of the bodies that favor inde
pendent pc.iucal action this fall.
2d To agree upon the issues on which
the coming campaign is to be conducted.
In accordance with the above a com
mittee of five was appointed; they com
municated with the Commonwealth
party and secured the appointment of
a like committee. This joint committee
met and organized and the Sec'y was
requested to extend an invitation to the
following bodies: The Socialist Labor
party, Anti-Poverty Society, Central
Labor Union, the several Districts of
the K. of L., and the Central Labor Fed
eration, requesting them to appoint a
like committee to meet in conference
Monday evening, Sept. 22, at the Cooper
Union, Room 27.
The concensus of opinion was that
some effort should lie made to organize
the various elements, which, if allowed
to act separately, would only result in
defeat, when by leaving aside all feeling
and making a united and harmonious
effort something might be accomplished.
It is therefore hoped that you will use
all honorable means in your power to
have your organization take part and
see if some basis of agreement cannot be
found upon which all can stand and act
in this campaign. The new ballot re
form law gives us an opportunity this
year which we should take advantage of
and in order to make the effort a success
it only requires united, intelligent and
determined action.
Hoping your organization will be
represented, we remain yours respect
fully. On behalf of Joint Committee,
Dr. Edw. McGlynn, Chairman.
Cornelius F. Doody, Sec'y.
After a short discussion the Chairman
was instructed to send the following
reply :
Dr. McGlynn, I'rex.; Cornelius Doody,
Sec'y; and Committee of Twenty five.
Gentlemen: Your communication of
Sept. 17 was duly submitted to the
Executive Committee of the S. L. P.
Conference of trade and lalior organiza
tions. In reply I am instructed to make the
following statement:
In the early part of June, 1890, the
S. L. P. issued a call to all the btma-fide
labor organizations of this city for a
Conference with a view to independent
political action. Forty-nine organiza
tions answered this call and are now
represented in the said Conference,
which has adopted a platform and will,
next Thursday, Sept 25, place a county
ticket in the field. Active steps have
been taken to organize the various As
sembly Districts, and well attended
meetings have already been held in
many of them with excellent practical
results. In some the enrollment is
already larger than it was at the cor
responding time of the George cam
paign in 1886.
Our Conference is still open to every
bonaftde lubor organization that may
elect to be represented therein; and like
wise, our Assembly District organiza
tions are open to every honest man who
earnestly desires "to use his political
franchise in such manner" as to bring
about the emancipation of labor (intel
lectual as well as manual) from the
dominion of the plutocratic class.
Of course they would not, under any
circumstances, be open to such men, for
instance, as John McMackin of the Anti
Poverty Society, or James P. Archibald
of the Central Labor Union, who are
the notorious agents of plutocratic
parties; or to any organization in which
such men are recognized as leaders or
known to possess a controlling influence.
Nor could the idea be entertained for a
moment, that we might under any cir
cumstances confer with such men and
such organizations.
No one is more aware than we are of
the necessity of uniting the working
class into one compact body as the first
requirement of its emancipation. We
hold, in fact, that union is now th
actual labor problem the problem; for
we have no doubt of what the working
class will do when united. It will, of
necessity, carry out the fundamental
principle of Socialism, which may con
cisely be defined "the substitution of
the collective power of the people for
the collective power of the plutocracy."
Therefore, union is what every Socialist
has preached, above all things, for the
past fifty years or more. But the solu
tion of that probl'in is not so simple as
it seems d priori. It involves the elimina
tion of every element that is, by igno
rance or knavery, attached to the pluto
cratic class and its political parties.
It was not by compromise with Eng
land that the founders of this Republic
established its independence. It was
not by compromise with the slave-holding
power that Wendell Phillips, Win.
Lloyd Garrison and their friends brought
about the abolition of chattel slavery.
It was not by compromise, with heartlesH
plutocrats or i.alf-hearted "liberals" that
the Socialists of Germany consolidated
her proletariat into a solid mass (if 1,500,
000 voters. And it is not by compromise
that we propose to abolish wage-slavery
in this country.
All of you who think as we do are
welcome in our ranks, They will find
us tomorrow where we stand to-day;
where we always stood; ready to endure
any amount of misrepresentation, scorn
and abuse, but strengthened by the ob
vious fact that, in the words of our
platform, "the time is fast coming when,
in the natural course of social evolution,
the wage system, through the destruc
tive action of its failures and crises on
the one hand, and the constructive ten
dencies of its trusts and other capitalis
tic combinations on the other hand,
shall have worked out its own down
fall." I remain, respectfully,
ALEXANDER JONAS.
Chairman Fx. Com. of the S. L. P. Conference.
SOCIALIST LABOR PARTY.
Proceedings of the National Executive
Committee.
The last meeting of the National Ex
ecutive Committee was held Sept. 19.
F. Mohr presided.
All members were present.
The accounts showed: Receipts, $ 28.50;
expenditures, $16.80. A communication
from West Brighton was received, stat
ing that preliminary arrangements were
being made to organize a Section of the
S. L. P. A committee was instructed
to attend the meeting to be held there
on Sept 21.
From Connelsville, Pa., a report came
that a Section is to be organized there.
A charter was granted to the recently
organized Section in Allegheny City.
The committee which conferred with
the New York Section on the National
Fair reported that the Section is willing
to make the necessary arrangements..
The Sections should be called upon to
engage with the utmost vigor in the
work of selling tickets and getting pres
ents for the Fair.
After a long discussion on the present
situation of the labor movement, it was
resolved to invite Comrades Beliel and
Burns to the United Stales for agitation
purposes under the auspices of the
S. L. P.
Communications were received from
Philadelphia, Dayton, Astoria, Grey lock,
Morrissania, Indianapolis nd Boston.
THE CAMPAIGN.
PROGRESS OF ORGANIZATION
THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
Growing Activity and Enthusiasm
Meetings in various Assembly
Districts-Many Members Enrol-led-A
Vigorous Agitation that
x will Dear tiood Fruits.
Eighth Assembly District.
The best attended and most promising
meeting that has yet been held in any
Assembly District took place in the
Eighth last Saturday, when the spacious
dancing room of Golden Hide Hall on
Rivington street was crowded with an
enthusiastic audience. Here and Ihere
could be seen well known heelers of the
old parties, who watched the proceed
ings in dismay. Daniel Be Leon was the
first speaker and L. Sanial followed him.
Our popular and talented Comrade A,
Cuban, who is one of the editors of Ihe
Jewish Arbcittr-Zeituna, then spoke for
over an hour in Jewish, passing alter
nately from I he pathetic to the ridiculous
in his criticism of the present Bocial or
der, and drawing from his audience
successive roars of applause ami laugh
ter. He took the platform of ihe S. L.
P., explaining every word of it and
commenting at length upon its preamble
and demands. When Hugo Vogt, who
occupied the chair, concluded with
eloquent remarks in English and German,
delivered with profound enMiestness,
the hall whs as full as ever and the
people present appeared reluctant to de
part when they were finally dismissed.
Seventy members were enrolled in this
district.
Twenty-third Assembly District.
This district had a very enthusiastic
agitation meeting last Saturday. Addres
ses were made by J. Bennett, A. Foth,
T. Hard and F Yoerg. Twenty-two
members were enrolled. The organiza
tion of (he election districts was begun.
At the next meeting, to be held on Sa
turday, 27th in it., at 235 East 107th
sti-'et, nominations for Assembly anil
Alderman w ill be made.
Twenty-fourth Assembly District.
A rousing meeting wub held on Thurs
day evening at 107th street and Third
Ave. for the organization of this district.
The hall was full and the audience en
thusiastic. Alexander Jonas, Prof.
DeLeon, Isaac Bennett, Hugo Vogt and
Lucien Sanial were the speakers. Over
thirty members were enrolled; a perma
nent, orgiiiiziition was effected and three
delegates were elected to the Conference.
Agitation meetings will be held at the
same place every Monday evening; it is
also proposed to hold open air meetings
in various parts of this extensive district
later on during the campaign.
Fourth Assembly District.
The Fourth Assembly District had a
very good meeting on Monday, Sept. 22,
at 105 E. Broadway. Ten new members
were admitted. It was decided to hold
a mass-mi eling on Sunday evening, Sep
tember 28, at the above place. Alex.
Jonas and Prof. D. Deleon will be in
vited to speak. F. Friedman is Secretary
and resides at 72 Canal street.
Sixteent:; District.
The Kith Assembly District gained 10
members tit its last meeting Sept. 19.
On Friday, Sept. 2(1, an agitation meet
ing will be held at 409 E. 14th street, to
which all citizens and comrades are in
vited. The ollicers are: Chairman, Ed.
Behnke; Secretary, M. Thein; Treasurer,
Ch. Strempel; Organizer, II. M. Staf
fers. Fifteenth Assembly District.
The 15th Assembly District held a
meeting last week at 350 W. 39th street,
which was well attended. A number of
members were enrolled and a pej manent
organization was effected by the election
of Fred. Wiek as financial secietary, H.
Finkenstedt, F. Doll anu Carl llnssel
nmn as delegates to the Conference.
Another meeting will be held next
Thursday.
Twelfth Assembly District.
A well attended meeting was held last
Saturday at Athletic Hall, 625 East 5th
street. G. Lindner was elected Chair
man and Feldman Vice-Chairman. Alex
ander Jonas first spoke in German. He
explained the principles of socialism and
showed the necessity of independent
(Continued on fourth page.)