Workmen's advocate., January 31, 1891, Image 1

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

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Prof Wcbard T Ely
fli
WOfflCMEN'S
ADVOCATE.
Jfcucnth ileat, IXo. 5
gTlctu $Jothf jJatxxrday, gamuu'y 3t, 1891
U 3 tuts
ORGANIZED LABOR.
WEEKLY MEETING OF THE
CENTRAL LABOR FEDERA
TION. Itoiitine Business by Hie Buiihel
Child Labor Supplied by the He
brew Charitable Organizations
Scab 1'lat form of K. or L. Engi
neer Butchers Organizing Pro
posed Combination of Central
Bodies Remember the Miners.
Tlie meeting of the C. L F. last Sun
day afternoon at !585 Boery was not as
veil attended as it should have been.
A delegate of the Hoot and Shoe-work-ers'
Union held the gavel and a delegate
of the Bookbinders' Association seconded
him as vice-chairman.
Credentials were received from the
United Packing-box makers, Button
hole-makers, United Machinists, Advance
Association, United Piano makers and a
new Union, the Sandpapered and Por
ters' Union.
The report of the Building Trades
Council was nceived. The unions re
presented in this body are urged to send
their delegates regularly to the Council s
nieetingeveiy Friday, at 385 Bowery.
Mr. Fred, lleiter of 231 E. 33d street
notified the body that his hall was free
on Saturday night, because the Custom
Tailors who held shop meetings of
Everall Bros, at his place left, saying,
that they preferred Kuppert's scant) tuff
to Bechtel's union beer. The Correspond
ing Secretary will notify the Custom
Tailors Union of this unbrotherly action
of its members.
Amalgamated Brass-workers' Union
No. 1 requested moral support in or
ganizing Conover's shop, (grates and
fenders) into their union. The head
foreman of the place was deadly opposed
to Organized Labor. Bequest granted.
A delegate of the Upholsterers' Union
claimed that Article 2 of the Solidarity
Fund should be changed, as it permit ted
unrepresented unions to draw an imme
diate benefit and forced represented
unions to wait 21 days. The article was
referred back to the committee to report
next Sunday.
The Arbitration Committee reported
having investigated the trouble of the
Customers Dress and Suit Union against
Boss Shirada, and having sustained the
men and advised them to stand together.
The delegate of that union was given
permission to visit the represented
unions with a credential and request
financial assistance.
The Bakers' Unions requested all Or
ganizations to instruct their members to
ask for union bread and see that the
label is on it.
Barbers' Union reported having taken
the card away from boss Krause, 9th
Ave., bet. 34th and 35th street, for
breaking his contract. Next Sunday
afternoon a mass-meeting to organize
the Italian barbers will be arranged and
the C. L. F. elected two Italian and F.ng
lish speakers.
The Buttonhole-makers reported that
boss Klein, 155 Suffolk street, treated his
employ 6s most shamefully. Small chil
dren were at work in violation of the
factory law and the Hebrew charity
organizations were aiding him by fur
nishing cheap labor and even applying
to Castle Garden for the same. The
corresponding secretary was instructed
to notify the factory Inspector ana the
Emigrant Commissioners and also write
an open letter to the Hebrew Charity
Organizations denunciatory or their ac
tion.
Cigar-makers Union No. 90 reported
adversely to the !oIidaritv fund, claim
ing that their members were paying high
dues and could not afTord to pay two
cents per month. In the same breath
the delegate stated that they had do
nated $250 to the locked-out cigarmakers
of Hamburg, Germany. Some delegates
remarked "Where does home rule come
in?" Concerning the strike at New's
shop on 14th street, thedelegate reported
favorable progress, the monotony of
picket duty having tieen diMurbed last
week by the arrest of a picket and his
railroading to j til for six months This
was tiie tine work of Captain AlcCullagu
of the 5i h Precinct, who once swore
that he would drive every Socialist out
of his precinct. (But lie did not sue
ceed.) After some hard work this picket
was finally released under f 1,000 bail.
Confectioners' No. 7 reported that boss
Edelstein had been badly discomfited
at the trial of the three hakers whom
lie had caused to be indicted on a charge
of conspiracy. The men were discharged.
That union also decided to attend the
benelit performance for the Alabama
miners on Feb. 8 at the Thalia Theatre
in a body. Other unions should fo low
this example
A delegate of the Carl Sahtn Club re
ported that he was being boycotted by
the Progressive Musical Union No. 1.
No evidence was produced to substan
tiate the delegates claim, ami amid the
goo I humored laughter of the delegates
he sat down.
A committee from Carpenters' 513
requested a committee to investigate
charges against the Volkszsittunj, claim
ing that the said paper did not publish
the report of their secretary as written.
delegate remarked that in a late issue
of the Bakers' Journal the report as ac
tually written by I tie secretary of a local
union had lieen published and it that
secretary did not feel flat, he must have
an elephant's skin. The matter was
dropped by a vote of 19 affirmative to 21
negative.
Eccentric Engineers No. 3 reported
that the two engineers at the Knicker
bocker Brewing Co. had refused to leave
Eccentric Engineers No. 1 (Knights of
Labor) and No. 3 therefore ref used to
admit him. The Const itution of No. 1
states in article XX, that "we do not
countenance strikes and denounce them
in toto. We believe that labor is but a
commodity controlled by supply and
demand, and hence allow our members
to work at any price they can receive."
After a short debate it was unanimously
decided that the two engineers must
sever their connection with the K. of L.
Engineers No. 1 and join Eccentric En
gineers No. 3.
The Operators and Cloak makers re
ported arranging a mass-meeting on
Friday at Cooper Institute. A delegate
of Cigar-makers' Union No. 9 w ill pre
side and a delegate of Confectioners'
No. 7 will deliver a German address.
Unions are requested to attend with
their flags.
The Carriage and Wagon makers have
gained one shop last week.
The Mosaic and Encaustic Tile Layers'
Helpers reported that the Knights of
Labor had conspired to ruin their union.
Pork Butchers No. 1 held a mass-meeting
at which 50 men were initiated. A
branch of the Beef Butchers was in for
mation. Butcher Cohen, corner of
Houston street and Ave. A, told a com
mittee to go to 11 arlem, and used
profane language against Organized La
bor. Union men should agitate to de
crease bis sales.
Coopers' Union No. 1 demanded again
that the Brewers' Union constitute them
selves into an Organizatit n Committee
and organize the coopers. They were
advised to appear before the Local Exe
cutive Board of the Bi ewers on Wednes
day night at No. 7 First Ave.
Permission was granted the Socialist
Labor party to hold its Commune cele
bration at Webster Hall, the contract
for it having been made while the
hall was strictly union, but under the
proviso that union beer, cigars, bread
and waiters be there that night.
The corresponding secretary was in
structed to write to the United German
Trades of Brooklyn, the Central Labor
Union of Hudson Co., the Central La
bor Union of Paterson, the Central La
bor Union of Newark, and the Central
Labor Union of Yonkers (Westchester
Co.) to change their names to Central
Labor Federation and elect three dele
gates each to a General Executive Board
and so combine into one great body the
central labor organizations of all those
cities.
The Organization Committee this week
will sit to settle the cane of the Engi
neers' Union of Brooklyn who let the
National Union of Brewery Workmen,
and induce them to re enter it.
Organizations and members are urged
to get ihe tickets for the Miners' benefit
performance in time, as they are selling
like hot cakes. The meeting adjourned
at (i 30.
NOTICE.
A Special Meeting of the Amalgamated
Section New York, S. L. P., will lie
held at 25 E. 4th street, on Thursday,
February 5, at 8 p. in. Important busi
ness w ill be transacted. The members
are urged to attend promptly.
The Agent.
CHICAGO.
The first meeting of the Campaign
Committee of the United Socialist Labor
Party of Chicago was held at Waverly
Hall, on Wednesday evening, January
21st, all Sections of this city lieing re
piesented. After the transaction of
some important business concerning the
coming spring election it wan un
animously decided to hold the regular
meeting every Monday evening at 54
West Lake Street. The next meeting
will take place Monday evening,
January 2.
lieinenit'erthe lm-h't performance for
the miners at the Tlialii Theatre next
Thursday evening, Feb. 3.
THE SENATE.
STRANGE VOICES WAKE UP
ITS ECHOES.
"This Is a Czar (Jovernment" "Pluto
crats Suborn the Press, Corrupt
the Bench, Dictate Legislation,
Hob Lnbor and Kule the Peo
ple" "The Nation's Conscience
Aroused" "There Is Power in
Kevolutlou."
During the recent debate upon the
silver bill strange voices were heard in
the halls of the U. S. Senate, voices
never heard there before in such volume
and clearness. Never from the stump or
in the columns of their papers have Soci
alists expressed themselves more forcibly
upon the inequality of wealth, the rob
bery perpetrated upon the producers, or
the impossibility of the Republic con
tinuing long upon the present lines.
Here are a few of those remarkable
titterings :
Senator Stewart :
"If there is no reason or humanity in
the possessors of accumulated capital,
there is power in revolution."
Senator Vest :
" I have seen these corridors filled
with national bankers protesting against
an act of Congress when we desired
them to assist us in funding the public
debt of the United States .... .Senators
were personally threatened if they dared
to vote for that bill with defeat. We
were told that our official tenure was
ended the moment we gave our vote for
any such measures."
Senator Call :
" It is well for the people to form some
idea of the extent to which the powers
of the Government are becoming subject
to the control of a very small number of
people, and the extent to which these
powers are becoming absolute, despotic,
monarchical, almost as much so as the
power of the Czar of Russia,"
' The present system places the con
trol of the wealth of this country in the
hands of a very small number of persons,
an almost infinitesimal portion of the
people; gives them money to buy those
who represent the people. ; money to fill
the seats of this Chamber, and of the
other House, and to corrupt those who
exercise the judicial hineuolis of the
country; money to manipulate railroad
charters ; money to control corporations
of every kind, and to place bankers and
money-lenders in places of official power;
money to suUirn the press; money to
monopolize and concentrate in Iheirowu
ership all the transportation and other
means of exchange, and to extort from
the people the fruits of their labor, until
there is want and suffering and debt in
the households of the great majority of
the people."
"This Government is rapidly losing
its character as a republic and becoming
an aristocracy of the most despotic
sort."
" There is an aristocracy and oligarchy
destroying the very life of the people of
the Northern States."
" With the present corporate power
we have created a condition of things in
which it is not possible to perpetuate
Republican Government."
" The transportation corporations of
this country have been allowed to create
a public debt which is quite as binding as
the national debt would be; 1 1,000,000,
000 and probably three times that
amount, as a gratuity to the monopol
istic and aris ocralic class, and levy it
annually upon the labor of every mau,
woman and child in the laud."
Senator Berry :
"So much injustice has been done to
the people, so many wrongs have been
perpetrated in the interest of wealth and
capital by the pasage of unjust la s,
that the people are in open revolt to day,
and they have a right to be ; they have
determined to have relief, and they are
entitled to it."
Senator Ingalls :
" The millionaires of this country are
not the producers and the laUircrs. They
are arrayed like Solomon in all his glory,
but 'they toil not, neither do they
spin."
"The conscience of the nation is
shocked at the injustice of modern so
ciety. The moral sentiment of mankind
has l en around at the unequal distri
bution of wealth, at the unequal diffu
sion of the burdens, the benefits, and the
privileges of society.
"1 should hesitate U-fore admitting
that, in the s iir-e of giving jut com
pensation and equivalent, any man in
this country or any other country ever
absolutely earned a million dollars.
"Our soci.ty is becoming rapidly
stratified, almost hopelessly stra'ified
into a condition of superfluously rich
and helplessly poor."
"We have lecn accustomed hi speak
of this as the lilid of t he free iiliil t he
home of the brave. It will soon he the
home of the rich and the land of the
slave."
All this is nothing new to the Social
ists, and they have Itecn preaching
these very things. But what in the mat
ter with the Senate of Hie United
Slates '
SOCIALIST LABOR PARTY.
Meeting of tlia Nntloniil frCeeiitl N" w
Section Formed lit Kant llulVxlo,
Tooiiu nmU, l.Uhoii FtklU, Hint WmkIi
iiigtmi l.wlior l iiloiin ('nleuiiliit lu(
to Join 111 I'Hi-ty.
At the session of the Xatinnnl Execu
tive Committee on January 211, Comrade
Flecshig in the chair, diinrude (iott
schalk appeared as a Committee from
the Board of Dire Horn of the New
Yoiker Volkxzdtiuuj with a weighty
piopositiou, winch, if it mat urt-s, will
in due time ho submitted to the Sec
tions. Comrade Kuhn made a report of the
New Jersey State Convention recently
1 eld at Newark. The same was adopted.
A section was established at East Buf
falo and one at Tonawanda. Chartera
were granted to both. Section Buffalo,
to whose activity the founding of thone
Sections is due, has undertaken the
organization of others, and lienee it has
been decided to re-iiubur.se it itn out
lays. The Labor Union of Portland, Or.,
has decided to join the party on April
1. A new Section has lie ing established
at Lisbon Falls, Mass, The Lubir Union
of Sheboygan, Wis., lias aked for infor
mation as to tho conditions for joining
the party. Section Washington, 1). C,
requests copy of the constitution of
Section New York in order to organize
theirs upon the same basis. Section To
ledo reported that in the Mccniint of the
Detroit Convention given hy the Saziul
pf. it was erroneously stated that the
delegate of the Whalcn Willow Ware iV
Pattern Makers of Beaver Falls, Pa.,
had voted forSanial's admission, It was
the delegate of the Wlialcn Willow Heed
and Rattan Workers Union, Toledo, O.,
who thus voted.
Upon 'he reconimendat ion of Section
New York, it was ronolved to get
new stamps without the duet) being;
printed on them.
Correspondence was real from Boston.
Paterson, Derkith, O., New Bedford,
Connelsville, Pa., Sandusky," ()., E.
Buffalo, Scottdale, Chicago, Washing
ton, D. C, St. Louis, Nlo., Btilfalo,
Tonawanda, Dayton, Evaiisville, Port
cheater. Portland, Or., Wilmington,
Del., Toledo, O., Lisbon Falls, .Mass.,
Sheboygan, Wis,, Adaiu-s, Miin,and
Philadelphia.
The receipts amounted ti) ifK, 10; the
expenses, $13,00 for salary; running
expenses, $1.2U. The sum of if II) was
alloted to the two party organs,
K. Ibsen, Kec, Sec'y.
WASHINGTON, D. C.
Socialism IlliioiiiH into an A iimrlciin Sec
tion in tlm Kliuite of tlio Wlille Hchikh.
A meeting consisting of iiiembers of
the S. L. P. of this city, was held T'jurH
day evening the 22nd innt. and hy a
unanimous vote decided to form a
section of the S. L. P. under the title
"Section of the S. L. P. of Washington,
D C."
After the necessary preliminary work
the undersigned was elected organiiier
and other officers for the management
of the section were appointed.
The constitution of the party was
read and a committee was appointed to
draw up the by-laws to be mibmitteil at
the next meeting of the section, After
a full discussion as to the points to he
embodied in the bylaws Mini a general
review of the prospective work of the
section a motion for ad jouinmt was
carried.
It is probable that all the present
members of the party will be drawn
into the section as well a- others who
have ripened into Socialists in the
Nationalist propaganda which lias been
carried on here for two yea.ru with con
siderable success.
The success which has attended the
lecturing activity of the Nationalist
Chili and the ready acceptance which the
doctrines of the uncompromising So
cialists have found at its gatherings, en
courage us in the belief that ours will
lie a fruitful agitation ami that Wash
ington will furnish its quota to the amy
di'stmed to overthrow the infamous
system of wage slavery.
Max (ivoKou. Organizer.
We rdiail public in our next a list of
the c ontributions received fur the relie''
of the miners.
MASSACHUSETTS.
THE SOCIALISTS HOLD A
STATE CONVENTION,
I'liiinlnmus tu Favor of Independent
Political Action A Vigorous
(ainiiilgn Contemplated and a
(mnl Vote Kxpected-Mciisiires
Taken to Extend the Organization
hy Well Conducted and Wide
spread Agitation.
Pursuant to the vote of the various
Socialist Sections in the State of Massa
chusetts, a convention was held in
Boston on Sunday, January IKth, at
Nauer's and Baker's Halln, 1(11)1! and
lOtt,') Tiemont f t. It lasted from a little
before 10 a. in. until 8 p. in. For two
days the weather had U-er. stormy and
dispiriting. It looked as if Nature had
conspired with Capitalism to make tho
occasion a failure. But, ever so in
clement and unpropitiotisi, the elements
did not succeed in dampening the ardor
of theilelegates. Thecoiiveiitionwas fully
attended and animated by the utmost
good-will and harmony f roni beginning
to end. It was formally oened by Karl
Friedo, who in a few appropriate re
marks expressed the hope that every
thing which had to he attended to by
those present would he handled in
a spirit of concord and with an eye
to business rather than to lengthy
speech-making. By unanimous vote
Comrade Friede was ehoen temporary
chairman,
A committee on credent ialn was elected
consisting of E. W. Theinert of Holyoke
und liriino Bergner of Jloaton. This
committee reported the following
properly accredited delegates as present:
S. E. Putney from the American Sec
tion, Win. Iseneckerand Bruno Bergner
from tho German Section, and Benjamin
ClalT from the Jewish Section, all of
Boston; Louis (lens of the Lawrence
Section, Max Kleninerof the Hpringlield
Section; John Palme of t he New Bed
ford Section; 10, W. Theinert of the
Holyoke Section; Henry Tail tier of the
Adams Section, and August Kleiner of
the (ireylock Section. Inasmuch as the
Sections of New Bedford and Holyoke
bad decided to lielotig to tho State
organization it was voted unanimously
to give the delegates of those sections a
voice and vote m the convention, As a
matter of equity it was alwo voted to ex
clude the last named sections from the
operation of the per capita tax which
would shortly he levied on the sections for
the payment of t he travelling expenses
of delegates to the State Convention,
there lieing an understanding that the
two sections mentioned were in this in
stance to defray their own expenses.
Immediately after the settlement of the
question of representation Comrade
F'riede was unanimously madu perina
nent chairman of the convention. It
was also voted that David Taylor, who
had been chosen temporary secretary,
lie the secretary of the convention. The
convention appointed as Oernian and
Jewish secretaries respectively for 7r
Sozialitst anil the Jewish Arlmkr Zvi
tuna, comrades Isenecker and Claff.
The Secretary then read the report of
all the doings of the State Central Com
mittee since the State convention of
last August, which report vrus accepted.
After this came a report from the finance
committee by Comrade Friede which
showed that the State Committee had
received $209.22 and exriendcd f 10.24,
leaving in the treasury a balance on
band of f ISiiJ.OS. Then an auditing
committee composed of comrades
Putney and Isenecker was appointed,
which committee reported that all the
accounts had lieen found to lie correct
and as stated above. Immediately after
the adoption of tins report on motion of
comrade Schleuter and amended by
comrade Theinert the convention voted
to take a leeeas untill l.IJO p. in. No
sooner had such action been taken when
mernliers of the Arheiter Liedertafel
made their appearance and lieing ac
corded the privilege of the floor said
that their organization w i-shed to have
the pleasure of entertaining the as
sembled delegates and therefore invited
all present to repair to Baker's Hall. As
it was then 12.30 p. m. the previous
action relative to a reivm was recon
sidered and a motion to accept the above
initiation itir-tead wasorried.
On arriving at Baker's Hall all the
delegates and comrades from Nauers's
Hall were given the heartiest welcome;
such greeting and welcome indeed, as
few outside the socialist movement can
give. The Arheiter Liedertafel displayed
wonderful musical ability. Of the
different vocal renditions with which
the delegates were treated that of "Die
Freiheit" was particularly grand and
magnificent.
The choruses were made up of some
lifty or sixty voices, all of workingmen
ami blended togefhi r in jierfeet har
mony. This slight diversion was in fact
a most fitting sequel to the morning
proceedings. It made one feel thai in
spite of competition and the plutocrats, '
with thorough union and intelligence on
the part of the workers something of
the grandeur ami lieauty of the universe
may be snatched hy them as they press
forward to the realization of the ideal
of socialism. The whole affair was in
spiriting an I a foretaste of that sublimest
melody which shall yet fill the very
atmosphere when under Sociadsin the
proletariat of all lands shall be freed
from every form of economic servitude
and shall be welded into one common
wealth the coming commonwealth of
man.
On the reassembling of tho delegates
after the noon luncheon in Baker's II dl,
two of our Lynn comrades, Fred. E.
Oelcher and (Jeo. R. Peare, were ob
served. A motion was at once carried
that the newly arrived comrades be
given a voice in the convention and
allowed to consult and advise. Asked
as to the present condition and prospects
of Socialism in Lynn comrade Peare
said that he did not wish to indulge in
any boasting but it was his opinion that
as much work had been and was being
done in Lynn as anywhere in the State.
He meant in the line of agitation and dis
semination of the principles of So
cialism. The Socialist comrades there
had made it their special object to in
oculate the various labor uniotis with
Socialist ideas. Tho consequence was
that to-day in Lynn there were several in
every union who thoroughly believed
that the only way in which the labor
problem could lie solved wa by putting
all the means of production and
distribution in the hands of the wdiole
people. Comrade Oelcher referred to
the fact of the formation of an in
dependent labor party there last year
and to the significant fact that its ticket
was headed by an avowed bocialist as
tho oandidaU for Mayor, Although
neither comrade had been unpowered to
speak for their section they could speak
encouragingly on the matter of belong
ing to the party and to the State
organization as well as on that of giving
help to the political movement, On the
most important question which the
convention had to consider and to de
cide a aort of canvas of the various
sections represented as well as of the
delegates themselves was taken at this
juncture. Comrade Oulelier of Lynn
was in favor of political action as he
thought Socialism could be advanced
much more in that line than in any
other.
Comrade Peare said that he was on
the side of political action but he
thought it would be well to look out
for "lioodlers" ; that it was beginning to
lie very fashionable for people to call
themselves Socialists and that he would
not be surprised if before long a man
like Frank K. Foster should lie knock
ing as the doors of the H. L. P. for ad
mission. Comrade Putney of the Boston
American Section said that he was in
structed to favor going into political
action as a most important means
of organizing and educating the people
on Socialist lines. He referred to a
recent statement of Sir John McDonald,
the Canadian Premier, to the effect that
Canada could look with complacency
on the struggle of the tierce democracy
in the United States, intensified as it
was by additions from the ignorant
anarchists of Europe. He thought it
was high time the struggle of the
democracy was waged in thorough
earnest. Comrade Clalf stated that the
Boston Jewish Section instructed him to
vote lor an indvpentent Socialist po
litical compaign. Such a movement the
Jews would help as they were ever
ready to receive new ideas. Comrades
Isenecker and Bergner of the Boston
German Section said their section was
decidedly in favor of going into
politics and the Germans would help
very materially in this direction as
many outside the section ?ould be relied
on to vote for a straight Socialist ticket.
Comrade Theinert of Holyoke said his
section was in favor of political action
first, last and all time ; that in order to
infuse sufficient life into the arty and
its sections a determined effort must be
put forth to make Socialism a power
and that there was a feeling that this
could only tie effected by doing some
thing politically. They had no sympathy
with either of the old parties. What
they wanted was thorough uncom
promising political action on Socialist
lines. Holyoke and the adjacent tow lis
Biich as Eat Hampton, Northampton
ami Smith Hadley Falls, where many
German comrades reside, w ould vote
fur a Socialist ticket. He believed the
best way of reaching the American
heart w as through political a 'tion. The
section at Adams expressed itself
through its delegate Henry Tauber as
(Continued on fourth pae.)