3 1924 091 719 678 THE TRADES' UNION CONGRESS. MEETINGS m DUNDEE, [Reprinted from the " Dundee Courier."] ILR HD 6664 .T73x 1889 DUNDEE: W A D. C. THOMSON, "DUNDEE COURIEE " OFFICE. Cornell ilr LIBRARY Martin P. Catherwood Library School of Industrial and Labor Relations m Cornell University Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924091719678 THE TRADES' UNION CONGRESS. MEETINGS IN DUNDEE. [Beprinted from the "Dundee Courier."] DUNDEE: W & D C THOMSON, "DUNDEE COURIER" OFFICE. ■prbperty of '■" URTIN P. CATHERWOOD LIBKARY te YORK STATE SCHOOL OF JUSTRIAL AND LABOR RELATIONS Cornell University CONTENTS. Introduction. History and Achievements, ... FaTliamentary Labour Kepresentati^s, The Dundee Trades' Council, Local Unions, List of Delegates, Mr Shipton's Address, Parliamentary Committee's Report, The President's Address, Attack on Mr Broadhurst, The Corporation Dinner, Employers' Liability Bill, Coroners' Inquiries for Scotland, Labour Bepresentation in Parliament, Certificates for Seagoing Ships, ... The Charge of Steam Engines and Boilers, Factory and Workshop Inspectors, Co-Operation and Trade Unionism, Maritime Officers, Labour Representation, Tlie Cumulative Vote, Nominatious for Parliamentary Comniittoe, immigration of Foreign Labour, Hours of Work on Railways, Conversazione by Dundee Trades' Council, . Visit to Cowrier and Weekly News Offices, The Eight Hours' Day Question The Next Meeting Place, Eight Hours' Bill for Miners, Great Trade Union Demonstration, Votes of Thanks, &c.. 1 4 7 8 19 21 23 25 28 40 43 45 46 51 52 53 55 57 60 62 62 63 63 64 66 70 73 73 76 80 THE PRESIDENT. Mr Ritchie, who was unanimously elected President o{ the Congress, has made a name for himself as a Trades' Unionist in Dundee, of which he is a native, having been born on 14th December, 1853, in a small one storey house at the west end of Hawkhill. Equipped with an ordinary elementary education, which he received at St Peter's Sessional School under Mr, now Bailie, Macdonald, he commenced life for himself at the age of 13 years. On start- ing he was apprenticed as a printer with Messrs John Durham & Son, where he is still employed. Since the formation of the Council he has acted with much acceptance as Secretary, and a few years ago, in recognition of his faithful services in that capacity, was presented with a gold albert and appendage. All along Mr Ritchie has taken a deep and intelligent interest in matters educational. As an evidence of this it is only necessary to mention that he was the Council's representative both in Dundee and Edinburgh before the Education Endowments Commission, being successful in secur- ing artisan representation on the Directorate of the Local Endowments and the Committee of the Tech- nical Institute. He is also a member of the Free Library Committee, having been unanimously appointed a ratepayers' representative on the re- moval of Professor Dunlop, and on him it will be remembered developed the brunt of the work in connection with thelndustrialExhibition. Atthelaet election, when there was acryagainst so much "black cloth" at the School Board he was returned as a member. His services there have been much ap- preciated, and while he has taken an independent stand in all matters relating to the ratepaying com- munity his manner has been such as to cause no offence to those differing from him in opinion. NOTICE. The extraordinary demand manifested for the Dundee Courier's reports of the Trades' Union Congress in Dundee, as well as the disappointment caused to numerous delegates unable to secure copies of the Courier for reference, has led to the publication of this volume. In it will be found those full and accurate reports of the proceedings which have elicited such widespread approval. Not only will the volume serve as a souvenir of the Congress, but its detailed reports will prove useful as a record of the opinions of the accredited Senators of Labour on several of the leading social and economic questions of the age. TRADES' UNION CONGRESS IN DUNDEE. ITS HISTORY AND ACHIEVEMENTS. The record and results of the business transacted at the previous meetings of the Trades' Congress, are to be found in the annals of the country's legislation. Yet little is generally known of them, and the present is a fitting opportunity for taking a retrospective glance at what the Con- gress has done. Manchester was its birthplace — the first meeting, which was attended by 34 delegates, having been held there on Whitsuu week of 1868— June 3d to 7th. The number of people represented at it is doubtful, no record having been kept of the Societies sending delegates, but it was estimated that the 34 unionists present reflected the opinions of no less than 118,367. At the time when the Congress came into existence the various Trades' Unions in the country were at a certain disadvantage on account of the fact that a Boyal Commission appointed in the previous year to inquire into their organisation and rules had not issued their final report, although several re- ports had been published dealing more particu- larly with the outrages at Sheffield and some other large centres of population. Considerable excitement and sensation was caused by the revelations at Sheffield, and from many influential quarters came the- advice that all such combina- tions should be put down — in other words, sup- pressed or, better still, exterminated if possible. The attempt to do this was, however, prevented by the general election of 1868; Unionists throughout the whole length and breadth of the land put their shoulder to the wheel on the occasion of that contest. The part played by them then no doubt assisted in cheeking and diverting the adverse tide of public sentiment that had set in against trade organisations, although much also was due to the moderate character of the Royal Commissions' last report, which, with the other fifteen pre- viously issued, lifted the screen covering the out- rages at Sheffield and other places, and proved that these associations could be dealt with in a better and wiser way than by force. The Combination Laws in 1824 and 1825 did not give Trade Unions a legal status, and when the first Congress met they were only tolerated by law. Should the objects be lawful the means employed by the Union to give effect to them were regarded as unlawful, and officers were often persecuted for conspiracy. The most serious matter, however, was the fact that the funds of all Trade Associations were insecure, and several cases tried proved the fact that a Trade Union could then be robbed with impunity. In cases where an office- bearer embezzled the funds of the Union to which he belonged there was no law to punish him, or even to make him pay up his defalcations. The first measure passed by Parliament to remedy these grievances was a temporary one, rendering safe, at least until such time as the matter could receive Parliamentary consideration, the funds and pro- perty of Unions. This was attended to by the Trades' Union Bill of 1871, which gave Trade Soci- ties legal status and provided for the safety of their funds and property, more especially by registration, thesameas Friendly Societies. This Act was amended in 1876, and now Unions of all sorts are amply pro- tected by the Legislature. The old law as regards picketing was in a great measure re-enacted by the Criminal Law Amendment Act passed in 1871, and during the time it was in existence numerous con- victions took place under it. In 1875, however, this Act received its death blow, for after a careful inquiry by the Royal Commission appointed in a previous year, it and numerous other Acts relating to master and servant and other matters relative to workmen in combination were repealed. The Law of Conspiracy in so far as labour disputes are concerned was similarly treated. With the Trade Union Acts, 1871 and 1876, the Conspiracy and Protection of Property Act, 1875, and the Employers' and Workmen's Act of the same year at once then became the Charter and ■Bill of Eights of the British working man. The first Congress, in addition to taking up such subjects as the regulation of the hours of labour, the Factory Acts' Extension Act, 1867, the neces- sity for compulsory inspection, the application of the law relating to factories and workshops in cases where these engaged women and children, discussed "The Royal Commission on Trade Unions — how far worthy the confidence of Trade Unionists." The fact that the Unions were not directly represented upon that Commission, though Mr Frederick Harrison was available, formed the aggravating tliorn, but nothing ex- tremely severe was said about the Commissioners. The first, gathering, however, proved that it was not without life, for besides these subjects the meeting dealt with such knotty subjects as political economy, the inequalities of the law as regards conspiracy, coercion, picketing, and intimidation, and arbitration for the settlement of trade dis- putes. At the close it was decided to hold a meet- ing of the Congress annually, and Birmingham was selected as the next meeting place. The second Congress, held at Birmingham' on August 23, 1869, afforded evidence that the new idea was gaining ground amongst the working men of the country, 48 delegates, or an increase of 14 as compared with the first year, being present. These represented 40 separate associations, with a total membership of about 250,000, as against 118,367. Among the chief points discussed were — strikes and locks out, national education, limitation of ap- prentices, the protection of miners' lives, piece- work, overtime, and labour representation in Parliament. The principal subject considered, however, was the report of the Royal Commission on Trades' Unions, and the unprotected state of their funds in consequence of the decision of the Lord Chief Justice in the case entitled Hornby v. Close. It was characterised by political feeling far more intense than existed in its predecessor, and delegates were permitted to represent associations purely political, a state of matters which was only allowed on two occasions afterwards. Two years elapsed before another Congress was held, the third meeting taking place in London on 6th March, 1871. The delegates who attended it, and who represented 49 societies with a total of 289,430 members, numbered half a hundred. The urgent business at it was the Trades' Union Bill Trades' Union Congress. introduced by the Home Secretary on February 14th of that year and the Mines Begulation Bill b ought in on the previous day. As a result of the action of the Congress in this year the 3d section of the Trades' Union Bill was deleted, the subject matter being afterwards reintroduced in the Criminal Law Amendment Bill. The dele- gates, in addition to dealing with the preceding subjects and those considered at former Congresses passed resolutions on the em- ployment of women and children in agriculture ; the truck system, the weekly payment of wages, cultivation of waste lands, international fraternisa- tion of labour, taxation, and convict labour. The question of "our seamen" was considered at an extra sitting, and in this matter a resolution to support Mr Plimaoll was passed. At this gather- ing it became apparent that the Congress was showing signs that it came to stay, or, in other words, that it would require to be a standing institution, and, whereas formerly the contribu- tions to cover the expenses only were voluntary, the delegates now agreed to levy a contribution from each member towards defraying the cost. Nottingham was appointed as the next place to be visited, and a Parliamentary Committee was elected to carry on the work and prepare for The fourth Congress, which was held on 8th January, 1872, in Nottingham. At this one un- mistakable proof was aSorded that the annual gfathering was making headway amongst the masses, for 77 delegates, representing 63Societiea, attended, as compared with 50 delegates representing 49 Societies, the number present in the Metropolis. The membership represented, however, was 255,710. Political Associations sent 12 delegates, but this was forcibly condemned as an innovation, and the practice has not again been sanctioned. This year marked the commencement of a new era for the congress in the places which they visited, the Mayor and Town Council having entertained the delegates to dinner, while the general public gave entertainments of various sorts. "With a view of establishing the Congress as an annual institu- tion, the Parliamentary Committee was deputed to prepare rules as to representation and so forth, and also a code of standing orders for the more eficient management of the meetings. The next visit was made to Yorkshire, the assembly taking place in Leeds on 13th January, 1873. The labour report dealing with all questions which had come before Parliament during the previous session, in so far as they related to subjects of special interest to the various organisations, was presented by the Parliamentary Committee. It was full of interesting matter to the worker, and the debate on it alone lasted nearly three days. This time it was found that the Congress had nearly trebled its power, 132 delegates, representing 140 Societies and 730,074 members, being present. At this gathering another new and necessary departure was made, it being agreed for the first time to for- mulate a distinctive programme of subjects for the ensuing year's work. The sixth Congress was held on 12th January, 1874, at Sheffield, and was attended by 169 dele- gates, representing 153 societies and a total mem- bership of 1,191,922. Some of these were dupli- cated by delegates from branches, a custom con- demned by this and subsequent meetings. Several important new items were on the programme of business, among the subjects discussed being the Jury Laws, Summary Jurisdiction, the grievances of postal employes, the compensation from masters for injuries, and the hours of assistants in shops. At the seventh Congress, which met on 18th January, 1875, in Liverpool, the report of the Royal Commission appointed in 1874 to inquire into the Labour Laws formed the chief theme of discussion. With this exception, the subjects con- sidered had occupied the attention of previous gatherings. In all 151 delegates from 107 societies took part in the proceedings, the membership re- presented being 818,032. It was then decided to visit the chief centre of population in the West, and the eighth meeting, held on 11th October, 1875, met in Glasgow, and was attended by 139 delegates from 109 Unions, representing 539,823 members. The most important matters then discussed were the j Mines Regulation Acts and the Trade Union Acts. | The report of the Parliamentary Committee dealt ' with a score of subjects, but what was called the " Workmen's Victory" — the passing of the Labour Laws in 1875 — formed the chief point of in- terest, and the Congress at once celebrated their great triumph, and formed the starting point of a new scheme destined to embrace a wider area of usefulness. This year Mr George Howell, the Secretary of the Parliamentary Committee, re- signed on account of illhealth, and Mr Henry Eroadhurst was appointed to fill the vacancy, and since 1874 he has discharged the important duties of Secretary. The next gathering took place at Newcastle on 18th September, 1876, and among other important matters — all mostly threshed out at previous meet- ings — the delegates discussed the codification of the law. It was attended by 140 delegates from 113 Societies, and representing 557,488 members. After having been more than ten years in exist- ence, the Congress held its tenth meeting on 17th September, 1877, in Leicester. Such debatable questions as thrift, the Justice Clerks' Act, 1877, and imprisonment for debt were then discussed by the 141 delegates. At it 112 Societies were repre- sented, and 691,089 members. The eleventh Congress was held on 9th Septem- ber, 1878, and here Mr John Morley, M.P., con- tributed a paper on over ijroduction, which formed the principal matter of consideration. Attending this meeting were 136 delegates from 114 Societies, with 623,957 members. "Auld Reekie" formed the habitation of the gathering on 15th September, 1879. At this Con- gress three distinctly political subjects were dealt with, viz. — the land laws, the question of the franchise, and the hours of polling. Among the other new questions which occupied the attention of the delegates were — the Employers' Liability Bill, the Summary Jurisdiction Act, and the Criminal Code Bill. There were 115 delegates present from 92 Societies, representing 541,892 members. . On the succeeding year the scene of discussion was transferred to Ireland, the thirteenth meeting having assembled in Dublin on 13lh September, 1880. Appropriately enough the 120 delegates pre- sent discussed the Irish Land Laws, which was the chief new topic before them, being addressed on this and other subjects by Professor Ingram and Dr Hancock, The Societies represented numbered 105, the membership being 494,222. The fourteenth meeting forms a memorable one. It was held on the 12th September, 1881, in Lon- don, this being the second time which the Congress had visited the Metropolis. There were present 157 delegates from 122 Societies, representing 463,899 members. On this occasion the Congress men had the fact impressed upon them that it was neces- sary in their deliberations to have a true idea of the composition of the meeting, and six delegates were expelled on the ground that their expenses were found by private individuals or by bodies other than trade organisations. This time, too, the ques- tion of Fair Trade was considered, some noisy de- bates taking place on the subject. In the succeeding year the Congress visited the place of its birth, the assembly taking place on 18th September, 1882, at Manchester. Land Law Re- form, the Franchise, the Hours of Polling, and the Poor Laws were the principal questions considered. There were present 157 delegates from 122 Societies, comprising 463,899 members. Meetings in Dundee. vi *l^« Congress again Wn lis ii"'^\^"l*'^« sixteenth meeting having been held there that year. There were present 163 dele^tes, representing a membership in 163 Societies of 471,651. Besides those considered at Manchester on the previous year, the question of a projected Labour Congress in Paris was dealt with. irora Nottingham, the meeting was transferred to the Granite City, the proceedings being com- menced there on 8th September, 1884. Lord Rose- bery and Lord Aberdeen attended it, and tlie latter delivered an address. The new items on the programme of business were— The hours of Labour, International Trade Unionism, and Savings Banks. In all 129 Societies, with a membership of 598,033 members, were represented at this meeting, 142 delegates being present. The eighteenth Congress assembled at Southport on 7th September, 1885. There were present 161 delegates from 136 Societies representing 580,976 members. In view of the approaching general election in the following month an address to the tiad^ was adopted. The nineteenth Congress met in Hull on 6th September, 1886. There were present 143 dele- gates from 121 Societies representing 633,008 members. This meeting adopted the principle of Free Education, and a Labour Electoral Committee was appointed with the view of securing increased labour representation In Parliament. The twentieth Congress assembled at Swansea on 5th September, 1887. The new subjects discussed included sanitary inspection, the revised edition of the statutes, the question of trade marks, and the right of public meeting in Ireland. There were present 156 delegates from 131 Societies, represent- ing 674,034 members. Last year's meeting was held at Bradford on Monday, 3d September. It was equally as success- ful as any which had preceded it, and the principal business discussed was the vote of the trades on the Eight Hours' question, a subject which will again occupy an important place on the programme of this meeting. An International Trades' Union Congress was opened in Paris on 23d August, 1886. It continued for six days, and in the main discussed the same subjects as those deliberated upon by the Trades' Unionists of the United Kingdom. In what has preceded this we have supplied a re- cord of the work performed by the Congress daring the twenty-one years that it has been in existence. Let us now look at the results achieved, and the pecuniary outlay connected with it. Many of the most important Acts passed by the Legislature during the past twenty years, and a number of the most favourable ever passed in the way of defending the rights of the worker have been helped forward by the Congress. Among these may be mentioned the Factory Acts, which in 1874 were amended in some very important respects by the Health of "Women Act, and four years later by the CoDsolidation Act. Not long ago, in fact just some six years since, this measure was still further altered in its relation to white lead works, bake- houses, &c. Two years previous to this departure receiving legislative sanction, a salutary innovation was introduced in 1881 by the appointment of workmen as inspectors under this Aot-a system often subsequently recognised. In f^ «=^me Jeai as the Factory Acts were amended by the Health of Women Act the Hosiery Manufacture Act— a mersur" for the payment of -L^Se^^^.^'^n^^l^S occurred -was sanctioned. In 1879 Parliament pas^eTthe Summary Jurisdiction Act, which has since been extended to the Green Isle, and in this connection it may be mentioned that under it several working men have been made Justices of the Peace. The Congress may also lay claim to having in a certain measure promoted the Justices' Clerks Act of 1876. The influence of the annual meetings may also be traced to the Merchant Shipping Act of the same year, and the Merchant Seamen (Payment of Wages) Act in 1880, as well as the amendment of the Merchant Shipping Act in the same year. It was altogether at their instance that the Arbitra- tion Act of 1872 for the settlement of trade dis- putes was passed, and they lent an important hand in the moulding of the Friendly Societies Consolida- tion Act of 1875, and also of the Bankruptcy Act of 1883, the Canal Boats Act of the following year, the Companies Act, and the Patents Act. In 1883 a measure prohibiting the payment of wages in pub- liohouses was passed, and in 1887 the Truck Act was further altered so as to remedy grievances com- plained of by the Congress. Government sanctioned the Coal Mines Regulation Act in 1872, and it was followed in the same year by a Metalliferous Mines Act. Further measures relating to mines were passed in the years from 1881 to 1886, and during the session of 1887 the Mines Acts were consoli- dated and amended. In 1S80 the Employers' Liability Act was passed. So much, then, for the influence of the Congress an the country's laws. The important question of Parliamentary labour representation has now occupied tlie attention of the masses of the nation for a considerable period, but to the Congress is the credit due for first doing anything practical in this respect. When the Congress first met many there were who considered that this was a change which it would take a long time to effect. Yet curiously enough six years afterwards signs were afforded of tlie dream being realised by the return to Parliament in 1874 of Mr Burt and Mr Macdonald. Mr Macdonald represented Stafford until his death eight years ago, and the former has uninterruptedly repre- sented Morpeth ever since he was first elected. In 1880 another victory was achieved by the return to Parliament of Mr H. Broadhurst, the Secretary of the Parliamentary Committee, who has now been in the House for five years. Mr George Howell, the former Secretary, was elected for North-East Bethnal Green. Mr W. B. Cremer, also one of the founders of the Congress, was elected for Hagger- ston. In 1885 Messrs Joseph Leicester, John Wil- son, William Crawford, B. Pickard, and C. Fen- wick were sent to Parliament. One other proof of the power of the Congress. From first to last the meetings of the Congress have been self-supporting. A fee to the extent of 10s is received yearly for each delegate, while the expenses of the Parliamentary Committee are de- frayed by the voluntary contributions of the Trades' Unionists of Great Britain, and the balance remain- ing of the income of each year's Congress. Follow- ing the example of Nottingham in 1872, nearly every town which the Congress visited has enter- tained the delegates in an appropriate manner. These entertainments have been attended and ad- dressed by such noblemen and gentlemen as Lord Brassey, Lord Rosebery, Lord Aberdeen, Mr Samuel PlimsoU, Mr Frederic Harrison, Mr John Morley, M.P., and others. Many of the gentlemen who were prominent figures in the earlier stages of the movement have been taken away by death, but there are a few still surviving, and they will attend this gathering. One or two well known faces present at Bradford will, however, be missed. Trades' Union Congress. PARLIAMENTARY LABOUR REPRESENTATIVES. MR HENRY BROADHURST, M.P. "There seemed little chance of Henry Broad- hurst, when he was a youth, being sent to repre- sent an English constituency in Parliament, " was remarked in an article in Truth a few years ago. He was a high-spirited, adventurous lad, not par- ticularly fond of his book, but a fancier of bull- dogs, and addicted to boxing. A younger brother, who displayed considerable proficiency at school, was held up to him as an example by their father, a stonemason, often employed at Oxford. The paternal home was at Lettlemore, two miles from the seat of learning. He was apprenticed young to his father's trade. It was hard for a stone- mason of more than ordinary intellect to have worked in Oxford without becoming, un- known to himself,, an artist in feeling. The towers of Magdalen and the cloisters of the old colleges must have said a great deal that was ele- vating to a man of Broadhurst's technical know- ledge and superior mind. He worked as a iourney- man mason up to 1872. He showed the strength of his character in the great strike in his trade with tremendous force against the housebuilders, who had organised resistance. He was for standing out to the last extremity, for borrowing money when funds had run out, for selling household furniture, gold and silver' watches, and wives' nuptial rings when! credit was used up, and for all the masons standing shoulder to shoulder until they got the better of their adversaries. At different times of his life he worked at his trade in those parts of Northern England and Scotland where granite and limestone are chiefly employed in the construction of houses. Through this circumstance he came to pick up a touch of the north country accent, and sometimes his intonations of voice remind one of Yorkshire. MrBroadhurst is said to hold Scotland in positive affection. "If he is a terriblefoe," pro- ceeds the writer of the sketch, from which these particulars are gleaned, ' ' so long as his adversary does not give in, he harbours no malice against the one who has thrown up the sponge, is a warm and de- voted friend, and has a marked capacity for ' cotton- ing' "to good people who are not goody-goody. Though keen and shrewd, and one of those who are well-nigh able to see through millstones, there is not a grain of scepticism in the!. M.P. for Stoke. He enjoys contemplating any kind of moral supe- riority, and standing by it as a supporter and ad- mirer. It is all the same to him whether the object of his admiration is a broken-down or struggling mechanic, a trades' unionist, who may be stepping on his heels, a millionaire, a Methodist class-leader, or an Anglican bishop. Jealousy has no place of refuge in his healthy heart. He takes a nobleman or a millowner upon his merits, just as he would a fellow mason." Whatever differences of opinion may have arisen among trade unionists as to some of his recent actions," Mr Broadhurst has done nothing to forfeit the high eulogium which six years ago was passed on the worth of his personal character. Mr Broadhurst was always one of the most advanced members of the Liberal party, a Home Ruler, and a strong advocate of the reform of the present Land Laws, thinking they "operate against the free distribution of land. " He was member for Stoke-on-Trent from 1880 till 1885, when he was returned as representative for the Bordesley Division of Birmingham, and sat for that constituency till June, 1886. In January of that year he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Home Office, under Mr Gladstone's Adminis- tration. In July of the same year he was elected for the Western Division of Nottingham, for which constituency he still sits. MR THOMAS BURT, M.P. Laboured in the pits for eighteen years. His first appearance before the public was at a temperance demonstration, where he delivered a speech, and since he became a member of the House of Com- mons he has been regarded as one of th« ablest ad- vocates of temperance in that Assembly. On his election, in 1865, as Secretary of the Durham Miners' Association he abandoned the pit, and has since done much effective work in the way of organising and strengthening the position of the Association. He was elected as Member of Parliament for Morpeth in 1874, having defeated Major Duncan, R.A., by the substantial majority of 3332 votes to 585. He has been returned at every recurring general election since, and still sits as member for that constituency. As showing the high esteem in which Mr Burt is held by "the inin- ing classes, they have since his election • to- the House of Commons voluntarily raised £500 per annum to support him, and he is looked upon in an especial manner as the representative of miners. He has the honour of having been the first repre- sentative working man who was elected to Parlia- ment. He has acted as a member of several Meetings- in Dv/ndee. Royal Commissions, including those on loss of life at sea and accidents in mines. He is president of the "Workmen's Peace Association, and has also acted in a similar capacity for the National Miners' Union since 1881. He has con- tributed articles on labour and industrial questions to the Fortnightly Review, the JVineteenth Century, and other magazines and periodicals. Mr Burt is eminently a practical politician, and his moderate views have given offence to the more extreme section of his constituents, and recently a threat was made to withdraw his salary, in which case the hon. gentleman's valuable services would have been lost to the country. Fortunately for the credit of all ^ncerned this extreme step was not taken, and Mr Burt stiU remains an ornament of the House of Commons, a credit to himself, his constituency, and the miners generally. MR -W. CRAWFORD, M.P. This gentleman, who is Member of Parliament for Mid-Durham, is also a miner, as was his father before him, and he was born, about fifty years ago, at Whitley, in Northumberland. When a mere boy he was sent to work in the pit, and for a time was employed at Hartley Colliery, in his native county, which some years afterwards was the scene of a terrible accident, by which upwards of 200 lives were lost. His education, which was of the scantiest description, was obtained in a school in one of the Northumberian villages, and the part which he played in the attempt to enforce the yearly "bond" first brought him into promi- nence. He has always worked hard for his fellow- miners, and taken a leading part in conciliation and arbitration proposals in disputes between colliery proprietors and miners. He is held in the highest esteem by all classes in the North of Eng- land. For nearly a quarter of a century he has occupied the post of secretary of the Durham Miner's Associations, whioli is one of the most ex- tensive trade organisations in existence, and he is also secretary of tlie Miners' National Association. Under his supervision a monthly circular on labour and other poUtical questions is published, and it is widely read by miners and other working men. In 1885 Mr Crawford was returned as member of Par- liament for Mid-Durham by 5799 votes to 3425 oast . for Mr Tempest, his Conservative opponent. At the general election in the succeeding year he was returned without opposition. MR W. R. CREMER, M.P., has had a somewhat chequered but throughout a very honourable career. At an early age he was apprenticed to the carpenter trade, and it w as the strike and lock-out in the building trades some twenty-eight or twenty-nine years ago that brought him to the front as an advocate and representative of the claims of labour. Mr Cremer took a forward part in the organisation and development of the trade union movement. He has been appointed to some of the most important offices in connection with the great labour associations, and is at pre- sent secretary of the International Arbitration League, of which Mr Burt is president, and which has amongst cs supporters about 100 members of Parliament. He also edits the Arbitrator. MR JOHN WILSON, ex-M.P. for the Houghton-le-Spring Division of Durham, was born at Greatham, near Hartlepool, in 1837. He worked in the mine until he was nineteen years of age, and then went to sea. He, however, again returned to the mine, but subsequently emi- grated to America, and worked as a collier at Pitts- burg. He returned to this country in 1867. Since that time he has spoken fearlessly and forcibly on behalf of the miners and otlier classes of workmen. In 1884 he was among the speakers at a meeting of delegates at the Foreign Office, who urged Mr Gladstone to introduce a Parliamentary Reform Bill. In 1885 he was sent to Parliament by a majo- rity of 1744, as compared with the vote of his opponent, Col. Wood, but in the election which took place in the following year Mr Wilson was in a minority of 812. Trades^ Union Congress. MR JOSEPH ARCH was born at Bradford, ■Warwickshire, where his grandfather was an agricultural labourer. Joseph was put to work in the fields when quite a boy, but continued to educate himself through the medium of night schools. At twenty he was a married man and a popular local preacher. A reduction of his wages from lis to 9s per week aroused his manly spirit, and he became the recognised leader of the agricultural labourers' movement, which led to the formation of the Labourers' Union, of which he be- came President. In 1880 he sought election for Wilton against Mr Sidney Herbert, but was defeated. Later, however, he carried the new division of " SanJringham " (Norfolk, North -West) against Lord Henry Bentinck. He, however, lost his seat in 1886 by a score of votes. Mr Arch has done much to improve the condition of the agriculural labourer in England. MR W. ABRAHAM, M.P., was born at Cwmafon, Glamorgan, in 1842, where his father was employed as a miner, an occupation which he himself followed until a few years ago. He has been the principal agent of the South Wales miners for sixteen years, and in 1885 contested— as the Labour candidate— the Rhondda Valley Division of Glamorganshire, his opponent being Mr Fred Davis, a Liberal. The result was that Mr Abraham was elected by a majority of 867 votes. Besides being an orator of considerable power, he is a fine singer, and is especially famed for his rendering of Welsh songs. MR B. PICKARD, M.P., is a native of Kippax, where he was born 48 years ago, and where he started to work at the pits, an occupation which he followed for about twenty years. He acted as an ofiioebearer of several associations of miners, and was appointed General Secretary of the combined South and West York- shire Associations on their amalgamation in 1881. Two years later he was elected a member of the Wakefield School Board, and for many years has acted with much acceptance as Vice-President of the National Union of Miners. In 1885 he was ap- pointed Parliamentary representative of the Nor- manton Division of Yorkshire. MR CHARLES FENWICK, M.P., was sent to the House of Commons four years ago to represent tiie Wansbeck Division of Northumber- land, and only relinquished life in the pit after he had won his seat. For many years ho was a member of the Executive Committee of the Northumberland Miners' Union, and also a member of the Joint Committee for settling disputes between masters and labourers. By ijroinoting the Univer sity extension movement in his district, and in other ways he has done much to improve the mental condition of his fellows. Meetings in Dundee. THE DUNDEE TRADES' COUNCIL. "While a tradesman may be well trained iu the priu- ciples of Trades' Unionism, it is wonderful how many there are who — it may bo from want of time — know little about any Society but that with which they are directly connected. In view of this, and the meeting of the Congress, we give short sketches of Trade Societies in Dundee. It is appro- priate that we should begin with the Trades' Coun- cil, which is practically the focus of all Trades' Unions in the city. The first Trades' Council, formed about 1870, was in existence for 5 years, hav- ing been broken up about the year 1875 in conse- quence of a municipal election. During that period it did much good, and took part in many questions of importance to the toiler, among others the abolition of the pernicious Criminal Law Act, in connection with which on the 1st January, 1874, a monster demonstration of the masses, addressed by several members of Parliament, was held on the Magdalen Green. It also took a leading part in a great mill and factory strike which occurred in the city in 1875, and by its able counsel was the means of then starting a MiU and Factory Workers' Union, which during its existence was a consider- able benefit to the working classes. The last Trades' Council, which, however, was not a thoroughly representative one, was formed soon afterwards, but it, too, only lasted for a few years, when a split occurred on the matter of the Sugar bounties. For some time after this there was no Trades' Council, a state of matters which continued down till the year 1885. At that time a great many strikes were occurring in the city, and people outside the bonds of Unionism, in the interest of the artizan, stepped to the front, and, acting the part of the good Samaritan, endeavoured by trying to arrange matters to do some good. Their best intentions and efforts, however, only ended in matters becoming more complicated, and it was necessary that some- thing should be done. Mr Thomas M'Burney, a tailor, residing at 23 Millar's Wynd, suggested that in the circumstances a Trades' Council should be established. At the next Committee meeting of the local branch of the Tailors' Amalgamated Society, at which it may be mentioned Mr M'Burney was not present, the matter was taken up and considered, with the result that at the next general meeting of tailors it was resolved to pay the expenses of a preliminary meeting. It was well known that there were many gentlemen in the city whose services and experience might be ob- tained, but, lest the claims of any might be over- looked, it was thought that the best plan would be to call on Mr R. D. B. Ritchie, who was looked upon as a suitable secretary, and endeavour to en- list his help. Mr Ritchie consented to put his shoulder to the wheel with the others, and the first formal meeting was immediately held in the Tailors' Hall. Here it was agreed to establish a Trades' Council, and at another meeting held in the Masons' Hall soon after- wards the scheme was finally launched, and the "Dundee and District United Trades' Council was the outcome. The first Executive Committee was fortunately a strong one, including Mr John Wishart as president, Mr George Scott as vice president, Mr Patrick Brannigan as treasurer, Mr Ritchie as Secretary, and Messrs J. W. Bertie, William Cuthill, David Hume, Thomas M Burney, E M'Govern, A. Macfarlane, D. M. Milne, Wm. Ogilvie, and Peter Robertson. With these, the recognised leaders in many exciting trade move- ments, it was at once evident that the new body was to be a success, a fact which was also borne out by the fact that, although it came into exist- ence at a time when Trade Societies were in a very depressed condition numerically as well as financi- ally, they all rallied round it, and before the close of the first year 38 local combinations sent representa- tives to it. Almost the first really important item of business which it had to consider was the Parlia- mentary representation of Dundee at the Parlia- mentary election in November, 1885. The candi- dates were Mr Jenkins (a former representative of the burgh), ex-Provost Moncur, Mr Edmund Robertson, and Blr C. C. Lacaita. To all these a letter was addressed embodying the programme drawn up by the Trades' Congress Parliamentary Committee. Mr Jenkins, through his agent, inti- mated that he had not time at his disposal to answer the questions put to him ; ex-Provost Moncur replied by letter giving satisfactory answers ; while Messrs Robertson and I^acaita met and addressed the Council, the result being that on further consideration it was resolved to support Messrs Lacaita and Robertson. Among the other matters which the Council made a special point of attending to were— The unemployed grievances, which cropped up soon after its formation ; the necessity of uniformity in removal terms,; the scheme for the administration of the Baxter Bequests ; coroners' inquests for Scotland ; the question of science teaching in Board Schools ; the proper administration of the Workshops' Act, the eight hours movement, &c., &c. In all kindred questions, and in all important political, as well as all prominent local questions, they have taken a very active part. Thomas Condib, President. Mr Condie, the present President of the Trades' Council was born at Leith in October, 1858, and is consequently scarcely thirty-one years of age. In 1885 he was elected to the highest posi- tion the Society could confer by being appointed president, a position which he filled for two suc- cessive periods of six months. When the present Trades' Council was instituted in 1885 Mr Condie was selected as one of the first delegates to repre- sent his trade, and has continued in that capacity up to the present. In the beginning of 1888 he was appointed Vice-President, and in October of the same year he was promoted to the President's chair, which high position he now creditably occupies. When he came to Dundee he was first employed by Mr Lancett, Reform Street, but has been for nearly seven years with Mr Hutchen, High Street, Trades Union Congress. LOCAL UNIONS. BOILERMAKERS AND IRON SHIPBUILDERS. The United Society of Boilermakers and Iron Sliipbuilders lias now its branches in almost every port in the three kingdoms. Compara- tively speaking, and taking the population into oousideration and the number of men engaged in the trade in Dundee, the local branch is a strong one. In all, the Society has 217 branches, with a membership of 28,230, and last year paid bonus claims to the extent of £3200. The benefits paid during the last 22 years are as follows : — Sickness, £216,743; funerals, £47,586; surgeons, £55,319 home donation and travelling, £305,021 ; Super- annuation, £44,240 ; fares to situations, £2855 accident bonuses, £23,505. The money expended in disputes amounts to £65,805. The report for the past quarter, issued only a few days ago, shows that the funds stand at £73,534 153 4^d— a saving of £20,500 9s 9d having been effected since the present year commenced — and that there has been an increase of 1672 in the membership. The Dundee branch, which is ably and energetically managed, has about 325 adherents, and is in a very good position financially, having had a good sum at its credit at the close of last year. Robert Knight, the original of the preceding portrait, and the General Secretary of the Society, was born on Sept. 5, 1833, in the picturesque village of Liftou, in Devonshire, where his father carried on the business of an engineer and general smith. After working for several years under the patriarchal roof, he visited and worked in various parts of the United Kingdom. Amongst other important works, upon which he has been engaged, he assisted, as an angle iron smith, to construct that magnificent triumph of mechanical art, the Royal Albert Bridge, designed by the celebrated engineer J. K. Brunell, and which conveys the Cornwall Railway across the River Tamar. After the completion of this work he entered the Royal Steam Factory at Keyham, Devonport, where he remained for 14 years, leaving only to enter upon the duties of his j>resent office. THE ENGINEERS. There are three localbranches of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers, one in Lochee and two in Dun- dee, with about 600 members in all. The balance in favour of the members for the year 1888 was £249. The expenditure for that period amounted to £1232, including superannuation, sick benefit, &c. Perhaps no trade society oilers so great inducements and benefits to its members as the Engineers', and this is doubtless accounted for by the widespread nature of the organisation and the number in the Society. The Dundee branch has always been in a remarkably flourishing condition, and disputes between masters and men have been comparatively rare. The men in 1871 succeeded, after a brief strike, in getting the weekly hours re- duced by 5 — viz., from 56 to 51. The only other fight is of recent date, having only occurred in February last, when the men were successful in getting an advance of Is per week on their wages after a short but severe straggle. The magnitude of the Society in every respect will be readily understood when it is explained that since its institution the parent Society has.received in weekly contributions about three-and-a-quarter millions sterling, while the expenditure under the different heads has ex- ceeded three millions. £2000 is being paid weekly at present to men who are superanuated, sick, or out of employment. Last year the membership numbered 52,019, and the income for the year was £173,937. ASSOCIATED IRON MOULDERS OF SCOTLAND. - This important Association has been in existence for nearly half a century, and during that lengthy period its progress has been invariably successful all along the line, its membership and finances, as well as usefulness to the members, hav- ing increased by leaps and bounds. It is subdivided into districts, that of Dundee covering a wide area, and embracing Perth, Arbroath, Forfar, Brechin, Blairgowrie, Coupar Angus, Tay- port, and Monifieth. The majority of these out- lying districts have comparatively few members, and Dundee has a large preponderance of the 332 working members which constitute the branch. The present officials are Mr Lawrence Wilson, president ; Kobert Brown, steward ; "\Ym. Curr, treasurer ; and "William "Whyte, secretary. As showing the strength of the Dundee branch, it may be mentioned that there is not a single non- Society moulder in the city, and the whole district can only muster two or three. It is proposed to hold a festival under the auspices of the branch this week, at which a number of the leading officials of the Association will take part. Mr "William Whyte, the Secretary of the Dundee Branch, was born in the village of Monifieth 42 years ago. He served part of his apprenticeship in the foundry there, and completed it in one of the large establishments in Dundee. Since Meetings in Dimdee. then he has been employed iu vai-ioua foundries in the city, as well as in different parts of the country, and he is presently engaged in Blackness Foundry. ASSOCIATED BLACKSMITHS' SOCIETY. This Society was established in 1857 under the title of "The Scottish United Operative Black- smiths' Protective and Friendly Society," which was afterwards changed to the "Associated Blacksmiths' Society." It has now forty -two branches and 1875 members, its highest state of prosperity having been reached in 1883, with a membership of 2757, and an income of £4707. The local branch was opened in May 17th, 1861, with a roll of 36 members, and has since that time loyally shared the successes and reverses of the Association. The highest membership attained by it was at the beginning of 1885 when it had above 270 adherents. During the late severe depression in trade, however, it fell off from various causes till now it numbers 200. in 1851, where he has since resided, with the excep- tion of six years, wlxen he was engaged in the East London district. Mr James Slimmin, the President of the Dundee branch, was born at Thornton, Fifeshire, in 1838. He served his apprenticeship to the trade at the smithy of Dunshalt, and removed to Dundee in 1858, where he has since continued to follow the trade. THE ASSOCIATED SHIPWRIGHTS SOCIETY. Some thirty years ago the Shipbuilders Society existing in Dundee had attained to considerable wealth and inilueuce, . and they used these powers in a somewhat bold, but unfortu- nately futile trial of strength against their masters. The step then taken was certainly premature, but it expressed the independence which the men felt, and if it did not directly benefit them, good results in the future undoubtedly flowed from the venture. At that time a dispute arose between the employers and the employed, and as all hope of an amicable arrangement be- tween the contending parties seemed extremely improbable, the men determined to become their own masters, and accordingly commenced shipbuilding on their own account. It was hardly to be expected that they would be able to battle successfully with the capitalists, and consequently after a short trial the experiment had to be abandoned, and the organisa- tion which was the means of it being attempted died a natural death. A meeting of delegates from the different local societies in various ports was held in Glasgow in 1882, at which Dun- dee was represented by Mr John Wishart and Mr Andrew Powrie, who took an active part in the business and gave valuable assistance in the de- liberations. The branches represented at the Glasgow meeting unanimously agreed to affiliate themselves, under the designation of "The Asso- ciated Shipwrights' Society," with which eight branchesoonneoted themselves. In 1885another dele- gate meeting, at whicli Dundee was represented by the same gentlemen as were present at the Glas- gow conference, was held. At that meet- ing an important alteration of the rules was effected. By it it was made compulsory for members who joined under forty years of age to become connected with the benefit sections, which has two scales of payment by which those members who pay 9d per week participate in the smaller benefits, and those who pay Is per week are entitled to the larger sum. 'The membership of tl^e Associated Society, which numbered about 2000 when it was instituted in 1882, has increased until the num- bers at present are about 5000, with a capital of about £10,000. The strength of the local branch is about 300, and, unlike many other trade societies, it stands , in the enviable position of not having a single member of the trade who is not oonnectedwith the Society. Mr James Mann, the respected secretary, is a ative of Forfarshire, having been born at Monikie 1846. He migrated with his parents to Dundee B Mr John Wishart, the President of the Dundee Branch, is one of our local veteran Trades Unionists. Born in Friockheim over 48 years ago, he served the usual apprenticeship of a shipwright at Montrose. 10 Trades' Union Congress. Possessed of considerable energy, Mr Wishart has had a varied career, having, in addition to being at sea, spent some time in America. His con- nection with Dundee Trades' Councils has been a lengthened one, and on several occasions he has been a trade delegate at conferences held in Glasgow and elsewhere. In 1873 he was President of a Trades' Council in Dundee, and on the formation of the present Council was appointed President, the duties of which office he performed with marked ability and acceptance for some years. THE BAKERS. With the exception of an occasional levy of Is, the Dundee bakers were able to maintain their position till within a couple of years ago, when through variou.s causes the late National Associa- tion lost its hold on the country, the result of which was that the bakers everywhere drifted back and lost nearly everything they had gained by union. A reaction has, however, again set in by the formation of the Bakers' National Federal Union of Scotland, an organisation which has made rapid progress during the last twelve months, having established branches, it may almost be said, from Land's End to John o' Groat's. To this suc- cess they are greatly indebted to the valuable assist- ance rendered by the press, more especially the Weekly News, which has advocated the cause so nobly that the bakers can boast of having more members in the National Federal Union than ever there were in any association of bakers in Scotland, having now a membership of nearly 5000. Mr Patrick Brannigan, the Treasurer of the Trades' Council, is one of the most active members of that body. He served his time with Mr Cooper, Blackscroft, whose employment he entered in 1857, and remained in ever since. He is, and has been for the long period of fourteen years, president of the Dundee Branch of the National Operative Bakers' Society, which body he represents at the Trades Council. Glasgow, and having gained additional experience, returned to Dundee, where he has held the position of foreman in several large establishments. He is one of the delegates of the Branch at the Trades' Council. BOOT AND SHOE RIVETERS AND FINISHERS. In 1874, at a national gathering of repre- sentatives from various towns which was held at Stafford, it was resolved to form the National Union of Operative Boot and Shoe Riveters and Finishers. Dundee was represented at that meeting, and took an active part in the formation of the National Union, the delegates from L'undee being deputed to visit other places in Scotland, and endeavour to further the organisa- tion. Soon after the National Union had been established — in fact, before it had oif its swadiUing clothes — Dundee was once more in the thick of the fight, the employers in the district — which included - Arbroath and Carnoustie — having resolved to enforce a sweeping reduction of the wages, and a return to the ten hour's day. This the men naturally objected to, and a lockout of the entire district followed. It was most disastrous for Dundee, for after a con- tinuance of six months and an expenditure of £1500 the men had to submit. The bianch was nearly ruined ; but. Phoenix-like, a stronger and richer branch sprung up on its ashes. The branch now numbers over 200. The present strength of the Union of which the riveters and finishers of Dundee form a branch, is 18,242, with a cash balance to their credit in the hands of the Executive Council for trade purposes of £7137 15s lid, and for sick and funeral purposes of £3267 9s 6d, while the branches hold for branch purjioses a sum of £7039 13s 5d, making a grand total of £17,444 18s lOd. A fair idea of the amount of good work done by the Union can be formed from the fact that the last yearly balance sheet showed an expenditure of £3968 19s 2d for sick and funeral claims, and £3425 5s 9d for trade purposes. James Samson, 36 North Ellen Street, the Secre- tary, was born at Kirriemuir in the year 1852. After having served his apprenticeship he went to Mr Edward De Courcey, is the President of the local branch, a position which he has held for more than two years. He is also one of the Association's delegates at the Trades' Council, where he has held different positions, including at present that of Vice President. vn^ 11 Mr James Larg, the respected Secretary of the lame Association, is a native of Perth, being born there in 1854. He was apprenticed to Mr David Miller of that city, who was a member of the Boot and Shoemakers' Society. Coming to Dundee in 1872, he immediately saw the advisability of adopting the new system of boot manufacturing, and joined the then local Boot Riveters' and Finidters' Union. He has had the distinction of representing the branch at the National Confer- ences held at London in 1884, Bristol 1886, and Norwich in 1888. THE TAILORS. Always to the front in trade matters, Dun- dee was the first town in Scotland in which a bianch of the Amalgamated Society of Tailors was instituted, the date of its formation being Novem- ber, 1877. At that time it had a membership of 180. The increase in numbers and influence since has been steady, the present strength of the branch being 260 members. In the year 1883 the Society was instrumental in inducing the Police Commis- sioners to frame byelaws for the improvement of workshops, not only for their own trade, but also for others, and this was a most beneficial step, as previously the workshops were in a deplorable condition both as regards light and ventilation. The branch was also successful in securing the co-opera- tion of the Commission in their endeavour to get all the police clothing made on the premises of the contractor, instead of being given out to "sweaters," as had formerly been the universal practice. In the spring of the present year, a matter in which all the tailors of the city were interested cropped up, but It too was satisfac- torily adjusted without the painful necessity of a strike being resorted to. The men were dissatis- fied with the rate of wages paid, and they succeeded, by means of a well timed agitation, in procuring the abolition of the obnoxious " slip," which had the effect of raising the rate of re- muneration by about a farthing per hour. Quite recently, however, the employers made over- tures to the Society, stating that they would prefer to pay the Edinburgh and Glasgow scale. To this arrangement the men at once acquiesced, and all friction and unpleasantness was avoided. The Society has succeeded in securing advantages in wages to the extent of more than £75,000 per annum, and in addition has obtained other privileges to the trade, and successfully resisted attenmted reductions and innovations on the privileges of its members. The finances are conducted on the equalisation principle, which provides that the strong branches assist the weak. At the present date the accumulated funds amount to over £14,000, and the membership num- bers about 15,000. Mr Thomas M'Burney, the Secretary of the local branch, first saw the light in Arbroath in April, 1857. He became a member of the Amalga- mated Society of Tailors at an early age, the active interest which he manifested in its affairs speedily securing for him a place on the Com- mittee. He subsequently held various offices, and in 1884 he was elected President, a position which he occupied for two successive periods of six months. On retiring from the presidential chair he was elected one of the first representatives of the Society totheTrades'Counoil, apositlon which he still retains. He was elected to attend the triennial conference of the Society, which was held at Belfast in 1888, and was then appointed a member of the Executive Council, and has the honour to be the only Scot- tish representative on that body. Mr John Robertson, the Treasurer, may be de- scribed as a veteran. He was born at Logierait, Strathtay, In the year 1829, exactly sixty years ago, and served his time In tlje district of his birth. The thorough confidence which his fellow members repose in him is demonstrated by the fact that he has held the responsible post of Treasurer since 1879. He has been in the same shop since he came to Dundee. SCOTTISH NATIONAL OPERATIVE TAILOUS. We are now to speak of the Scottish Na- tional Operative Tailors' Trade Protection and Benefit Society. The Society is an old established •12 Trades' Union Congress. one, ami although its numerical strength in Dundee is small, in EJinburgh and Glasgow it has strong branches, and as it is managed on the equalisation principle. The Society held aoonference in Edinburgh last February, and appointed a National Executive Council, to which several important matters were remitted. The most imporlant of these was the extending of the operations of the organisa- tion, and it is gratifying to be able to record that during the six months ending in June last no fewer than 13 branches have been formed, bringing up the total number of branches affiliated to 47. Another excellent omen is that, of the 13 branches 5 which were formerly connected with the Society have been resuscitated. During the same period a considerable augmenta- tion was made to the membership, which stood at 2891. Adding to that an estimated increase of 160 from the newly formed branches, 'there is an aggre- gate of 3051, an increase of 557 during the half- ye'ar. The income of the Society for the same period amounted to £5248 19s 6d. After purging the roll and weeding out about a dozen delinquents, it was found that there were 34 members in good standing connected with the local branch. The income was almost double for the last half year what it was for that immediately preceding, and there are only two members who are more than seven weeks in arrear with their contributions. The branch is taking steps to checkmate the development of the factory system, which, it appears, is spreading in Dundee, and by which females are employed to do men's work for much less remuneration. There also seems to be a difference in the rate i^aid per hour in different shops, and the Society is taking steps to have this state of matters remedied. Tlie balance sheet of the branch for the six months ending Juno last shows that the con- tributions, entry money, and fines amounted to £22 18s 4Jd ; while the expenditure was — For sick benefit, 8s 4d ; tramping relief, 8s 4d ; working allowance, £4 18s 3|d ; lock out aliment, 7s ; expenditure of strike, £5 12s — making a total of £11 13s lljd, and leaving a balance of £11 4s 9d at the credit of the branch. ASSOCIATED CARPENTERS AND JOINERS. Tenyears ago there were two branchesof this Society in the city — viz., the Dundee and the Dundee East, the latter being composed chiefly of ship joiners. At that time trade was at its worst, and many of those enrolled on the books either emigrated or were transferred to other towns. This, of course, tended to weaken the Society in Dundee. Never- theless, it has still a firm hold, and within recent years has very considerably extended. Some nine years ago the membership of the Dundee branch was upwards of 200, while that of the Dundee East was upwards of 100. About 1884 both sections agreed to amalgamate, with results by no means unsatisfactory. Strong branches of the Associated Carpenters' and Joiners' Society exist in all important towns in Scotland and England. The twenty-seventh annual report issued on 31st October, 1888, shows the com- bination to be in a promising condition in every respect. That year it was men- tioned that like other places south an ad- vance of a halfpenny per hour had been obtained by tlie ship joiners of Dundee, while the house joiners had succeeded, after a short strike, in estab- lisliing a more uniform rate of wages throughout the house shops. The severe spell of trade de- pression which existed for some time previously tended to weaken the Society, the allowances to sick and suffering brethren being considerable. To show what it is capable of doing, it is only neces- sary to mention the amounts expended on benefits since its formation. They are as follows : — Sick nJiment, £49,555 8s 9d ; funerals, £10,108 3s lljd ; superannuation allowances, £2566 18s 2d; 130 bonuses of £50 each to disabled members, £6700 ; strikes arid lockouts, £13,863 lis 3d ; compensation for loss or damage to tools, &c., £7805 7s 6d victimised allowances, £742 10s 2Jd ; law expenses £1056 2a 2d ; and grants to own and other trades, £1745 8s 4d— total, £94,143 10s 4d. Several very praiseworthy benefits are connected with the Associated Society. Mr George Eraser, tlie President of the local branch, is in every respect a Dundee man, having been born at AVest Port in 1842. He served his apprenticeship as a house joiner with James Knight, ■\Vellgate. Unlike many others, he remained in Dundee straight along, serving as a rule about half his time at houses and the other half at ships. Seeing it affecting a considerable cliange in the j'>iner trade, he has been for some time interesting himself in machinery, with a view of fitting himself to the altered circumstances. He is a member of the Trades' Council. Mr James Campbell, 6 Clegliorn Street, the Secretary, was born in Brechin 35 years ago. He served his apprenticeship as a ship joiner with Messrs Gourlay, shipbuilders, Dundee. Sub- sequently, he worked on the Clyde and in various parts of England, thereby gaining much experience. He is and has been for a considerable time a representative of the branch at the Trades' CounciL AMALGAMATED CARPENTERS. The Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners is one of the great Trades' Union organisa- tions which has united workers of this class, not only in the three countries, but away in distant lands, such as Australia, South Africa, America, and New Zealand. It was established in June, 1860. Last year 16 new branches were opened, Meetings in Dundee. 13 5 in England, 2 In Scotland, 5 in the United States, 1 in Canada, and 3 in Australia. In consequence of members migrating to more prosperous localities, however, 8 were closed during the same period, thus leaving a gain of 8 branches, and a total of 460. They are situated as follows : — In England, 344 ; Ireland, 20 ; Scotland, 19 ; United States, 34 ; Canada, 7 ; New Zealand, 6 ; Australia, 27 ; and South Africa, 3. Whereas, when the Society was formed it had a membership of 618 there were last year on the roll 25,050. The Dundee branch has considerably over 100 mem- bers, and, always managed with care, tact, and prudence, it is in excellent condition. Last year the house joiners here worked 51 hours in summer, and 45 hours in winter, the wages being at the rate of £1 9s 9d and £1 6s 2Jd respectively. The ship carpenters again worked 54 hours both winter and summer, and received weekly £1 8s. The available balance in hand in the funds of the Society at June last was £39,401 Os IJd, exclusive of the other property. The report for August shows that in Dundee and Forfar there were 145 members on the roll. THE PLUMBERS. The United Operative Plumbers' Association of Great Britain and Ireland has recently brought itself forcibly under the notice of the pnblic in connection with the movement for registration, a matter in which no men have taken a deeper interest than the members of the craft in Dundee. The Association was established in December, 1865, and during its existence the Association has paid £33,188 in benefits. Benefits are those mentioned in trade disputes, travelling benefit, and £5 at death. Tradesmen are admitted between the ages of 45 and 50 years, to be entitled to strike and funeral benefit of £5. A strong temptation to join is held out to non Unionists in the shape of an incapacitation allowance of £100. AVhere a party who has been over twelve months is incapacitated by accident from following the occu- pation, he is entitled to this sum, and a like amount can be claimed by men who have been ten consecu- tive years full members, and who are incapacitated through old age or infirmity. The Dundee Branch is in a healthy and promising condition, having a membership of about 80. Dundee to serve his apprenticeship with Mr RoUow, who had then a business in Meadow Entry. He was also a good number of years with Mr D. Brown, Tay Street, but latterly has been in the employ- ment of Mr P. Loriraer, Broughty Ferry. Mr Jas. Campbell, 40 Aunfield Row, the present Secretary, was born in 1862 at Greenfield, parish of Mains. He commenced to servo his apprenticeship in 1875 with Mr James Fyife, plumber, 95 Nethei- gate, in whose service he still remains. Mr Chas. Jackson, 1 Meadow Entry, the President of the local branch, was born at Coupar Angus in 1853. When fourteen years of age he came to Mr Alexander Wilkie occupied with accept- ance the post of Secretary until within a few days ago, when he resigned for the purpose of start- ing in business with Mr J. Gavin, another active member of the Association. He represented the Branch for eighteen months at the Trades' Council, and was one of the first operatives in the city to take steps for the purpose of estab- lishing a District Council 'of the Worshipful Company of Plumbers, London. At the local Board he has represented the Dundee Branch of the Plumbers' Society since the fjrmation of the District Council, and is at present a member of the Registration Committee. OPERATIVE HOUSE AND SHIP PAINTERS' ASSOCIATION. Although for the past twenty years the Dundee painters have had a union, the present organisa- tion was only formed some nine years ago, when the house and ship painters of Dundee seceded from the Manchester Alliance, which they joined in 1875. At the outset the membership was small, but 14 Trades Union Congress. it gradually and steadily increased until in Dundee the trade as a body considered themselves, as they do at present, in as good a positioh as any painters in Scotland. At present they receive 7d per hour, but whereas in Glasgow the tradesmen have to work 56 hours before receiving any extra pay, in Dundee they get it if they work more than nine hours daily. This very important reform was made in the trade only last year. This year the Dundee men have opened up communications with Glasgow and Edinburgh for the purpose of getting the painters in these towns to co-operate in trying to form an amalgamated Society. The painters belonging to the former important town are quite favourable to the proposal, but "Auld Reekie" is at ijresent unorganised. The Organising Committee of the Edinburgh Trades' Council has, however, taken up the cudgels, and, as many of the tradesmen in the Scottish capital are agreeable to amalgamate, it is likely that as soon as they are thoroughly organised the new idea will be carried out oil a scale which will take in such places as Aberdeen, Arbroath, Perth, Montrose, &c. The men of Dundee, in conjunction with the employers, are at present actively engaged making preparations for getting a class started in the Technical Institute. The contributions at j)rescnt are 3d per week, and the benefits offered in return are 10s to 14s weekly during any strike that may occur, .and a funeral allowance of £5. The organisation is a*>ly represented at the Trades' Council by Messrs Joseph Carr, Alexander Anderson (the Vice President), and William Anderson (the Secretary). AVilliam Anderson belongs to Aberdeenshire. Born in 1864, he came to Dundee when quite a lad, and served his apprenticeship with the firm of Messrs T. Brown & Sou. He was first elected Secretary in 1888. PATTERNMAKERS. The Dundee branch of the United Pattern- makers' Association was established in 1874, the membership then being eight. Now it has a membership of forty-eight, and can boast of embracing almost all the pattern- makers in the city. The parent Society is a strong one in many respects, and its history is easily told. Between 1851 and 1872 the majority of those en- gaged in the trade were members of the Amal- gamated Society of Engineers, but after some twenty-one years' experience the necessity of having a separate and independent organisation became apparent, the members comparatively speaking being disorganised, while many com- plained of the absolute insignificant minoi ity they were in. The present organisation was the out- come, and since its formation it has met with phenomenal success. The total membership is 1800 in 47 branches within the limits of the United Kingdom. The credit balance amounts to about £3 16s per member. Since its formation the Society has spent for trade and benevolent purposes £14,715 7s 5d, for tool insurance £423, and for sick and funeral lienefit £5812 6s 9d. SCOTIISH NATIONAL PLASTERERS. The Dundee Branch of the Scottish National Operative Plasterers' Federal Union, which is represented at the Congress by Mr H. Guthrie, Dundee, has a good future before it. The Dundee plasterers, in conjunction with their fellows in Edin- burgh and Glasgow, took a prominent part in the agitation for the working day being curtailed to nine hours. They were rewarded by being one of the first trades to enjoy this privilege. Until 1878, when a prolonged strike occurred, .the plas- terers of the country occupied a very satis- factory position, but the result of the strike was that the wages were reduced, while many privileges and customs were abolished. In the following year efforts were again made to bring the men engaged in the trade into local societies, but these only received a fair measure of success, and while very prosperous organisations were established in Edinburgh and Glasgow, it was only two years ago that a society of any stability and power was formed in Dundee. Since then the Society has affiliated with the men of Glasgow and Edinburgh forming "The National Operative Plas- terers' Federal Union. " The half-yearly report sub- mitted to a meeting held in Dundee in July showed that 1300, or almost two thirds of the men in the country had become adherents of the organisation, and, chiefly owing t the influence of the Union, wages have been ad vanced not only in these larger centres of popula- tion, but in all towns where there is a branch. The funeral expenses of members have been defrayed since the Union was started, and at the last con- ' ference a scheme for giving benefits to the sick was instiuted. DUNDEE MACHINE AYORKERS' ASSOCIATION. A strike occurred among the machine workers of Dundee in February la,st, and shortly after it was settled an Association for the benefit and protection of the workers was instituted. The Society is so young that it is hardly possible to say much about it, but its progress so far has been satisfactory, and it has at present a membership of about 50. The contribution is 6d per week, for which the members receive the following benefits :— When out of em- ployment, 10s per week for eight weeks, 5s for other eight weeks, and 2s 6d for the third eight weeks ; for sickness, 8s per week for thirteen weeks, 6s per week for the second thirteen weeks, and afterwards 2s 6d as long as the illness continues. Ihe funeral allowance is £5. There is, in addition, an allowance of 10s per week when the members are out on strike. At present the Association is confined to Dundee, but communication has been opened with the machine workers in several other towns with the view of having branches established, ihe membership of the Society is composed princi- pally of planers, shapers, borers, slotters, drillers, milling machine and general machine workers in tlie engmeering trade. It is represented at the Trades Council by two delegates. Medimjx in Dundee 15 THE LITHOGRAPHERS. Mr John Beat has the honour of being the first President of the local branch of the Lithographic Printers' Seciety, which was instituted five years ago through the persuasive arguments of Mr Kelly, the general secretary of the Amalgamated Society of Great Britain and Ireland. The membership, which numbered five at the first meeting, has now increased to fourteen. The past five years have witnessed a remarkable development in the trade in the shape of increased machinery, although it has not got a name for any specialty such as Belfast has for "Transparencies," Leeds and other Midland counties for "Presentation Calendars," or Kirkcaldy for "Linoleum Designs." Its local illustrated papers, business show cards, and general commercial work will, however, com- pare favourably with any branch in the kingdom. The President of the local branch is a native of Dundee, having been born in King Street on 29th April, 1845. He commenced his apprenticeship in the establishment of the late Messrs J. & C. Fenton in 1862. The Fentons, who were engravers and copperplate printers, were the successors to Mr Ivory, an ingenious watchmaker and engraver, who long occupied an old fashioned shop at the top of Criohton Street, where the North of Scotland Bank now stands. It was in these premises that lithography was first attempted in Dundee, and afterwards successfully carried on by the Messrs Fenton. Shortly after finishing his apprenticesliip Mr Beat took a trip to New York, and for nine months worked at the press in some of the best go-a-head shops in that city. Machinery was then beginning to be an important factor in turning out quantity, and, like the old handloom weavers when they were superseded by the powerlooms, the hand-press printers were a glut in the market, at least those who could not adapt themselves to the changed circumstances. That Mr Beat has done so is proved by the fact that he has never been out of work. Returning from America in 1870, he entered the service of the late Mr Smith, Nethergate, who had just introduced lithography into his business, which was afterwards taken over by Mr Kidd, stationer and printer, "Whitehall Street, with whom Mr Beat has continued for the last 13 years as foreman of the lithographic department. COMPOSITORS. For a long time previous to the formation of the Dundee branch of the Scottish Typographical Association in 1858, the compositors of Dundee had a local Society, named the same as the present, the Dundee Typographical Society. In May of 1858 a meeting of the members was called for the purpose of dissolving the Society, but after the usual dis- cussion on such occasions, in which many of the older and most tried members expressed their willingness to stick to the old " ship, " it was re- solved to roconstitufce the Society, and amalgamate with tho Scottish Typographical Association. The new departure has benefited all concerned, and like other associations it allows strike benefit, funeral allowance, and also assists the disconsolate tramp. AVithin the past twelve years other important schemes have been added — viz., an out of work fund, a sick scheme, and superannuation and emigration benefits. The weekly contribution is 5Jd, but in addition to this the members contribute l^d per week towards a branch fund, controlled by themselves. It is from the latter fund that out ot work and sick members are paid. The membership is now 150, embracing the large staff of compositors engaged on the Courier and Weekly News. Mr R. D. B. Ritchie, the Secretary of the Trades Council and the President of the Congress, is the Secretary of the local branch. BOOKBINDERS AND PAPER-RULE KS. Mr D. Sharpe, Branch Secretary for Edinburgh, is the representative of the Bookbinders and Machine Rulers' Consolidated Union, which has 1900 members, and a credit balance of £1970 14s 2Jd. The local branch was established with a membership of 13 on 19th July, 1872, by Mr Sharpe, who is now the Chief Secretary of the organisation. Besides a weekly allowance to members unable to work at the trade through old age and infirmity, there are emigration and funeral schemes connected with the Association, and members of small brs^nches are afforded facilities to go to larger centres ot population where their chances of finding employment are better. THE CALENDER WORKERS The present Dundee and District Calender Workers' Protective Association was formed on 7th May, 1887. It started with 200 members, now increased to about 650. The Association has not had everything its own way, however, as can be understood by considering the following cases : — In September last a demand was made on the employers for an advance of 10 per cent, 'in the rate of wages, and a strike was the result, but fortunately it only lasted a few hours. The employers saw their way to offer 5 per cent., which was accepted. In November of the same year, as trade was still improving, the men once more ap- proached the employers for 5 per cent., but on this occasion they did not succeed without a more serious fight. They again struck work and remained out for a week, by which time the employers agreed to their terms so far, that the increase was granted from the 15th December. So far the Union then has justified its existence, for to it the majoiity of the men will admit is due the credit for the advance now enjoyed. THE BLEACHERS. The Bleachfield Workers' Union, though not a year old, is promising and full ot life. It was formed in November, 1888, and since then it has gone on advancing, until miw it has over 600 adherents. During its career Mr O. Phillip, the Vice President, accompanied by Mr Brannigan, visited Arbroath, and formed a district branch, in which alone there are some 45 members. Since then other places such as Blairgowrie, Forfar, and Brechin have been communicated with, the object being to get them to join the Association. Up to the present the workers at these places remain in the background in this respect, but the men of Dundee hope to have this remedied at an early date. All the members are determined if possilDle to extend the ramifica- tions of the Union all over Scotland. The Society has already been instrumental in advancing the wages on two occasions without resorting to a 16 Trades' Union Congress. strike. In oases where this— tlio last resort — is necessary males receive 10s weekly, and fema'es s. Mr J. D. Mitchell, 37 Catherine Street, the Pre- sijent, is what, in common Forfarshire parlance, is called a " IJed Lichtie," having been born at Arbroath on 13th July, 1855. At the age of eleven, some years after shifting to Carnoustie, ho began to work in a bleachfield, and since then he has been engaged in all the bleachfields in Forfar- shere. Mr George Phillip, the Vice President, was born at Dronley, a village about six miles from Dundee, in February, 1851. About twenty years ago he commenced to work at the bleaching, and for the last sixteen years has been employed at Claverhouse Bleachfield. THE SAILORS. The National Amalgamated Sailors' and Fire- men's Union of Great Britain and Ireland was formed in September, 1887, and soon fifty of the ports, Dundee among the first, had their branches. Here the Society has a membership of 1100, with an income to date of nearly £400. The rashest step the Union has taken was made in the recent strike. From first to last the local Sec- retary was opposed to the men coming out on strike, and to his advice is due the fact that many men in Dundee remained at their work. The experience, however, will stand in good stead to the Union hereafter. Mr H. K. M'Kendriok, the Secretary of the Dundee Branch, which we have already noticed, was born on the Clyde and went to sea at the age of fifteen. In the course of an eventful career, Mr M'Kendrick has been shipwrecked no less than four times, once on the West Coast of Ireland, once in Torres Straits, once on Lake Erie at a place called Dunkirk, and the last time (1882) during the IDassage from the United States of America to Eng- land in a barque loaded with parafiin. While earnest, he is a cautious advocate of the claims of labour. OUR RAILWAY MEN. The Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants for Scotland will be represented at the Congress by Mr Henry Tait, the General Secretary. The organisation has its branches in all the principal railway centres in Scotland. Numerically, there- fore, as well as financially, it occupies a strong posi- tion, having in its 30 branches some 4500 members, and at its credit a sum of £5000. On the roll of the Dundee branch formed seventeen years ago, there are some 130 members. For many years the local organisation did not meet with much success, but lately the railway men have boome alive to their interests, with the result that the Society has been very materially strength- ened. During the half-year ending in June the membership of the Association generally has been increased by about 1200, which speaks volumes for its growing popularity among railway men. A delegate meeting held yearly fixes the policy of the Society, which has connected with it a sick and funeral section. These the members have the option of joining. Since 1872, when the Society was instituted, a sum of £13,000 has been disbursed in tiade, sick, and funeral benefits. Great interest a taken by the Society in the operation of the Employers' Liability Bill, as also matters relative to the question of coroner's inquiries in Scotland and the inspection of railways. SCOTTISH HORSEMEN'S UNION. Like all other workers who have not the advan- tages of being thoroughly organised, the carters of Scotland suffered to a large extent from the effects of isolation. They ultimately became aware of Meetings in Dundee. 17 this, and in November of last year Dundee was in- strumental in launching the first branch of the Scottish Horsemen's Union. Prior to its formation a correspondence took place in the Weekli/ News advocating a ten hours' day for carters and lorry- men, and also the establishment of a Union for their protection, and which would also take the form of a benefit Society and give pecuniary assist- ance to its membera in the eventof sickness or death. As a result a meeting with this object in view was convened, when a Society was formed, and upwards of 100 carters and lorrymen enrolled themselves as members. Subsequent to this Mr Farquhar, who was the leading spirit in the movement, paid visits to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Greenock, Leith, Coat- bridge, and other large centres, where branches of the Union were formed, and its aggregate member- ship is now very considerable. For the small con- tribution of 4d per week a member who is dismissed from his employment for advocating the principles of the Union is awarded £1 weekly until he succeeds in obtaining another situation. In the event of sickness overtaking a member he is paid 10s a week for the first ten weeks, 5s for the suc- ceeding ten weeks, and 2s 6d per week afterwards till recovery, while the relatives receive £4 on the death of a member. A FORFAR FACTORY WORKERS' ASSOCIATION. Mr Thomas Roy is Secretary of the Forfar Fac- tory Workers' Union and interim President of the Scottish Mill and Factory "Workers' Federal Union. He was born at Crieff in 1860, and there served his apprenticeship as a compositor, after- wards migrating to London, where however, he re- mained for only a short time. Returning to Scot- land, he was for some time employed in .the office of the West Lothian Courier, and it is fully seven years ago since he came to Forfar to fill a situation on the Forfar Herald, of which paper he has been manager for the last three years. Mr Roy has all along taken an active interest in political matters, especially as affecting the worMng classes. Re- cently he, along with others, was the means of forming in Forfar a branch of the Typographical Association, and he has been elected President of the branch. Iii the autumn of 1885 an independent Union was formed— and Mr Roy, along with several others, was chosen by the workers to inaugurate the Union. A mass meeting was called, and a good start was made, and has been main- tained. In the earlier part of ; the present year there was a strong agitation for an increase in the rate of wages throughout the county, and it was only by careful management that a strike was averted — in some places, the workers being out for a C short time. Advantage was taken of the occasion by Mr Roy, who brought forward a proposal for the formation of Unions of operatives in all the jute and linen manufacturing towns, and the federation of all in a common cause for trade purposes. The proposal was very favourably received. Mr Roy is sanguine that in time the Federal Union will be the power for good that it is intended to be. A WELL-KNOWN FIFE MAN. Mr John Weir, the General Secretary of the Fifeshire Miners' Union, is a well known man in the Kingdom. With Mr James Innes, Cowdenbeath, the President, he has been one of the moving spirits in the Association for well nigh half a score of years. In 1887 the Clackmannan men severed their connection with Fife, and there are now two dis- tinct Associations. Nothwithstanding the seces- sion of the Clackmannan men, however, the Fife Union has steadily increased. It has now a mem- bership of something like 3000, and the substantial progress made in this respect during the last year or two is in a great measure due to the energy of the General Secretary. A fluent speaker, he ably advo- cates the miners' cause, and the way he has con- ducted the business connected with his office has gained for him the confidence of the men. SCOTTISH HORSEMEN'S UNION. A meeting of the Dundee branch of the Scottish Horsemen's Union was held on Monday night in the Granite Hall, Overgate. Mr James Sword, the president, occupied the chair, and there was a large attendance. Addresses were delivered on the prin- ciples of Unionism by several delegates to the Trades Congress. Mr John Eddy, Glasgow, de- livered an eloquent and stirring speech, in which he referred to the benefits which a strong and well- organised Union would confer on working men of all classes, and strongly urged on all who were not members to join the Union at once. He pointed to , what had been done by the dock labourers on Clyde- side, and said now they had a Union nearly 4000 strong, and ho man who did not wear the badge of the Union could get employment. Referring to the hours which carters worked, he said that some of the hours wrought in Dundee were a disgrace to the working people of the country, but the employers did not care a rap for their employes so long as the income came in. Having spoken of the demonstration which is to be held shortly in Glasgow against the Tramway Com- pany to endeavour tp prevent them renewing their lease, he concluded by advising all'present to join the Union, and make it as strong as they possibly could, and then if their demands were reasonable 18 Trades' Union Congress. the employers would have to concede to organiaa- tion that which they would undoubtedly deny to them as Individuals. The Secretary of the Hammermen's Society also addressed the meeting, putting special stress on the importance of having amalgamated Unions, and strongly advocating an eight hours' day by legislative enactment. At the close votes of thanks were awarded to the speakers and the Chairman. At the close of the meeting about fifty members joined the Union. DUNDEE AND DISTRICT MILL AND FACTORY OPERATIVES. Rev. Henry Williamson, hon. president of the Dundee and District Mill and Factory Operatives' Union, is a native of GodaJming, Surrey, where he was born in 1839, His father was engaged in the Catteshall Paper Mill. After passing through all grades in the local British School, he 'applied for work at the paper mill, and was engaged to take paper from the machine when he was eleven years of age. If it had not been for the severe restric- tions of the Papermakera' Trade Union young Henry would have been apprenticed to the trade. Failing this, with difficulty he obtained an oppor- tunity to learn to be a joiner, but at the age of eighteen he had to emigrate to the United States, and after a very varied experience he returned to England. In his boyhood he had belonged to the Unitarian Sunday School. While in America his mind was directed to the ministry. He offered himself as a candidate for the Unitarian College in Manchester, and was accepted. At the close of his course he was requested by the Scottish Uni- tarian Christian Association to settle in Dundee. The late Mr Henry Currer Briggs was at that time a member of a firm of manufacturers in Dundee, and being a devoted Unitarian, was anxious there should be a church formed. There were in 1866 at least four Broad Church ministers in Dundee, whose teaching did not differ in most respects from the doctrines of Dr Channing. Mr Williamson entered upon the heavy task deter- mined to do his best. The only people belonging to the cause, with a few exceptions, were of the work- ing class, many of them strangers in Dundee. He gave his attention to education, and formed even- ing classes for teaching elementary subjects. There was sufficient encouragement to warrant the be- ginning of a scheme for erecting a church. The site in Constitution Road was taken. Mr Alexander Johnston, architect, was requested to prepare plans for church and schools, and the building was erected. It was a serious blow to the young cause when Mr Briggs and his family left the town for England. The late Mr David Jobson was not favourable to the church building, as he saw that the other churches were broadening in the Unitarian direction. However, he always identified himself with the movement, and lost his life in the Tay Bridge calamity when returning from the self-im- posed task of conducting Unitarian worship in Perth. Mr Williamson determined to understand the people. As an Englishman he had much to learn, and at last found out the fundamental dis- tinction there is between the genius of the Scottish people and that of the English. He was always ready to join in any common work, but the taint of heresy stood in the way of any recognition being shown to him by other churches. The Young Men's Christian Association refused him member- ship, so did the Working Men's Club. It was not till 1878 that an opportunity arose for Mr William- son to take up the cause of the people. The late Mr James Scrymgeour succeeded with great difficulty in arousing public attention to the condition of the unemployed, many of whom with their families were starving. Mr Williamson joined him, and often since he has stood forward and spoken for the dis- tressed. He had seen the phenomena of strikes among the female workers with deep concern for years, and saw no way of interfering. On the occasion of the strike of Messrs Gilroy's workers in 1835 he attended a mass meeting in the Barrack Park, and, on being requested to speak, offered a few sympathetic words. He was next called upon to assist the Forfar workers in their struggle, and he soon mixed up with several conflicts in Dundee. In order to help the female workers he commenced the Union, which was formed in the Mission Room, 4 Mid Street, in September, 1885. No Society offered assistance. Everybody knew it would prove a difficult task to keep up the interest of the women. Mr Williamson appears to have a perfect knowledge of the class he has tried to help, and to this must be credited much of his success. While advocating the claims of the workers, he is anxious to keep the trade in the district, and offers many a word of good advice, which must benefit the em- ployers. The history of the Union is well known. It has increased considerably of late in Dundee. Branch members have been enrolled in Montrose, Brechin, Arbroath, Carnoustie, Monifieth, Tayport, Alyth, and Blairgowrie. The membership now numbers over 4000, and many workers are joining. It is interesting to find that the first Unitarian minister in Dundee was distinguished for taking up the cause of the people. The Rev. Thomas Fyshe Palmer was transported through identifying himself with a society of the friends of the people, consist- ing of working men in Dundee. Mr WiUiam Lowson, the treasurer of the Union, has had a somewhat eventful career. He was born in the parish of Carmyllie on 16th April, 1829, and Meetings in Dundee. 19 was first of all a herd boy, and afterwards served his time to the shoemaking trade in Carnoustie. After working in various parts of the country he enlisted in the Medical Staff Corps, and did good service in the Crimea during the time the troops were struck down with cholera. On his return to England he was drafted to Ireland, where he was promoted to the rank of hospital sergeant, a posi- tion which he held till he was discharged in 1865. Simultaneously with his return to Scotland ho be- came a factory worker, and took a prominent ^art in the formation of the Association. At its institu- tion he was appointed treasurer, a position which he has held ever since. For two years he repre- sented the Union at the Trades Council. FIRST DAY'S PROCEEDINGS. On Monday the twenty-second annual meeting of the Trades Union Congress was opened in the Gil- fillan Memorial Hall. The proceedings com- menced at twelve o'clock, but long before that hour the area of the large building presented an animated appearance as the delegates rushed about and secured their seats. The assembly has by all been voted the most successful that has yet been held, the total number of delegates present being from 210 to 230. The arrangements made by the Trades Council were of the most complete character, and when the Congress assembled everything, even to the pen, pencil, and paper, were in order. Mr G. Shipton, of the Trades Council, London, presided, and he was accompanied to the platform by the various members of the Parliamentary Com- mittee and the Rev. H. "Williamson. THE DELEGATKS PRESENT. The following is a list of the Societies repre- sented, with the names of their respective dele- gates : — itakers' National Operative Federal Union of Scotland — A. Catto, Aberdeen. Boiler Makers and Iron Shipbuilders— R. Knight, New- caatle-on-Tyne. Bookbinders, London CoEsolidated — H. R. King, London, Bookbinding, Society of Women Employed in— Miss E. Whyte, London. Bookbinders and Machine Rulers' Consolidated Union — D. Sharpe, Glasgow. Boot and Shoe Rivefcei-s and Finishers, National Union of — W. Inskip, Leicester. Boot and Shoe Kiveters and Finishers, Dundee Branch of the National Union of — A. Brown, Dundee, Boot and Shoe Rivetei-s and Finishers, Leicester Branch of the National Union of — E. Kell, Leicester. Boot and Shoe Riveters and Finishers, London Metropoli- tan Branch of the National Union of— C. Freak, Lon- don. Boot and Shoe Riveters and Finishers, Leeds Branch of the National Union of — J. Judge, Leeds. Boot and Shoe Riveters and Finishers, Bristol Branch of the National Union of —J. Halloran, Bristol. Blacksmiths' Society, Associated — J. Inglis, Glasgow. Blacksmiths' Society, Dundee Branch of the Associated — J. Mann, Dundee. Boot and Shoe Makers, Amalgamated Society of— J. Geddes, Stafford. Brickmakers' Society — T. Corbett, Nottingham. Blast Furnacemen, National Association of— W. Snow, Middlesborough. Brass Turners and Finishers' Society, Newcastle United — J. Wile, Newcastle-on-Tyne. Boot and Shoe Riveters and Finishers, National Union of Operative, Northampton Branch-^P. Inwood, North- ampton. Coachmakers, United Kingdom, Society of— J. Waldron, Liverpool. Carpenters and Joiners, Amalgamated Society of — F. Chandler, Manchester. Carpenters and Joiners, Associated- J. Beveridge, Glas- gow. Cotton Spinners, Amalgamated Association of Operatives — J. T. Fielding, Bolton ; W. Wood, Ashton-under-Lyne ; B. Mellor, Oldham ; and J. Mawdsley, Gt. Ancoats Street, Manchester. Cotton Spinners, Operative Provincial Associsition, Bolton — E. Blackburn, Bolton, and T. Crompton, 77 St George's Road, Bolton. Cotton Spinners, Oldham Operative— T. Ashton, Oldham, Cotton Spinners, Blackburn Operative — G. Ball, Black- burn. Card and Blowing Room OperativBS— J. Edge, Bolton. Compositors, London Society of — E. T. Thomlinson, Lon don, and R. Newstead, London. Card and Blowing Room Operatives, Amalgamated As- sociation of — E. Anderson, Oldham, and William Mullen, Manchester. Cotton Spinners, Preston Operative— J. Billington, Preston, and J. Cotvell, Preston. Cigar Makers, Mutual Association — B. Cooper, London. Cokemen's Association, Durham— B. Foster, Durham. Cabinet Makers' Alliance Association — T. Gardner, GlaS' gow. Coopers, Mutual Association of — H. Sharp, Burton-on Trent. Engineers, Amalgamated Society of — R. Austin, London. S.E., and John Burns, London. Engineers and Firemen, A^ssociated Society of Locomotive — T. G. Sunter, Leeds, and T. Ball, Leeds. Enginemen's Aaeociation, Durham County Colliery— W. H. Lambton, Durham. Enginemen's Associations, National Federation of — W. H, Lambton, Durham. Engineers, Amalgamated Society of, Dundee 2d Branch— J. R. Reid, Dundee. Engineers, Smiths, and Carpenters' Association, Ilkeston — W. Ashley, Notts. Engineers, Amalgamated Society of, Dundee Branch— J. Longlands, Dundee, and W. WUliamson, Dundee. Framework Knitters, Midland Counties Federation of— J. Holmes, Leicester. Farm Servants' Union, Scottish — J, C. Thompson, Aber- deen. File Cutters' Society— S. Uttley, Sheffield. ■ Glass Blowers' Society, London— C. Blackwell, London. Glass Bottle Makers, Yorkshire United Trade Protection Society of— A. Greenwood, Castleford, Yorkshire. Hatters, Amalgamated Society of Journeymen Felt— G. Wilde, Denton, near Manchester. Hollow Ware Pressors and Clay Potters' Society — C. Bloor, Burslem . Hammermen's Trade Association, Amalgamated — R. Waugh', Glasgow. Ironfounders, England, Ireland, and Wales, Friendly Society of — W. H. Hey, London. Iron Moulders, Associated, of Scotland— J. M. Jack, Glasgow. Lace Makers, Amalgamated Society of Operative— H. Brown, Nottingham. Labourers' Union, Kent and Sussex^C. Beale, Maid- stone. Lithographic Printers of Great Britain and Ireland, Ajnalgamated Society of — G. D. Kelley, Manchester. Miners' Federation, Lancashire — T. Aspinwall, Skelmers- dale, Lancashire ; S. Woods, Brynn, near Wigan ; B. Isherwood, Tyldesley, Lancashire; and T. Ashton, Bradford. Machine Workers' Association, United— M. Arrandale, Manchester. Miners' Association, North Yorkshire and Cleveland— J. Toyu, Saltbum-by-the-Sea. Miners' Association, Nottinghamshire- W. Bailey, Not- tingham. Miners' Association, Derbyshire— W. B. Harvey, Motton, near Alfreton, Derbyshire. Metalsmiuhs' Britannia Provident Society — C. Hobson, Sheffield. Miners' Association, Cumberland— A. Sharp, Cumberland. Miners' National Union — C. Fenwick, M.P., Newcastle- on-Tyne ; J. Wilson, Durham ; E. Cowey, Charles- ton, Yorkshire ; and W. Crawford, Durham. ' Miners' Association, Northumberland— H. Boyle, Northumberland, and J. Nixoni Newcastle-on-Tyne. Miners' Association, Forth and Clyde Valleys- B. Chisholm Robertson, 'Glasgow.' 20 Trades^ Union Congress. Mill and Factory Operatives' Union, Dundee and District — W. Lowson, Dundee ; and Miss M. M'Kinlay, Dundee. Millmen, Associated Society of — J. Cronin, Glasgow. Miners' Association , Durham — J. Johnston, Durham ; and S. Gilbraith, Durham. Miners' Association, Fifeshire— J. Weir, Dunfermline. Miners' Association, Forest of Dean — G. H. Rowlinson, Gloucestershire. Miners' Union, Ayrshire— J. Keir Hardie, Cumnock. Miners' Rhondda, Gilfach, Glycowug, and Ystraad Hou&e Coal Association— M. Weeks, Pontyi^ridd. Mechanics' Association, Durham Colliery— L. Trotter, Durham. Printing Machine Managers' Trade Society, London— D. D. Leahy, London. Printers and Transferera' Amalgamated Trade Protec- tion Society — G. Ingleby, Burslera. Plasterers, Scottish National Operative Federal Union — ■ H. Guthrie, Dundee. Plumbei"S* Association of Great Britain and Ireland, United Operative — T. E. Anderson, Dundee. Painters' Society, Dundee Operative House and Ship— A. Anderson, Dundee. Pattern Makers' United Association— "Wm. Mosses, Glasgow. Railway Servants, Amalgamated Society of — E. Harford. London. Railway Servants, Amalgamated Society for Scotland — H. Tait, Glasgow. Railway Servants, Amalgamated Society for Scotland, Dundee Branch— E. M'Govern, Dundee. TJazor Grinders' Society — J. Mallinson, Sheffield, Stonemasons, Operative Society of — H. Broadhurst, M.P., London. Sailors' and Firemen's National Amalgamated Union of Great Britain and Ireland-— J. H. Wilson, Sunder- land. Sailors' and Firemen's National Amalgamated Union of Great Britain and Ireland, Cardiff Branch — J. Gardner, Cardiff. Sailors' and Firemen's National Amalgamated Union of Great Britain and Ireland, South Shields Branch — D. Clement, South Shields. Sailors' and Firemen's National Amalgamated Union of Great Britain and Ireland, Newcastle Branch — J. Maniell, N'ewcastle-on-Tyne, Sailors' and Firemen's National Amalgamated Union of Great Britain and Ireland, Leith Branch- W. Barnett, Leith. Sailors' and Firemen's National Amalgamated Union of Great Britain and Ireland, London District — T. M. Walsh, Essex. Sailors' and Firemen's National Amalgamated Union of Great Britain and Ireland, .^uuderland Branch — J. Henderson, Sunderland. Saltmakers' Association, Winsford— J. Atherton, Cheshire; and W. Gillett, Che hiry. Smiths' Society, Co-Operative — R. White, Gateshead-on- Tyne. Shipwrights' Society, Associated — A. Wilkie, Newcastle- on-Tyne ; and J. Heslop, Walloend-on-Tyne, Steam Engine Makers' Society — J. Swift, Manchester. Steel Workers' National Association and Labour League — G. Beadle, Darlington. Seamen's and Marine Firemen's Amalgamated Association, Hull- J. T. Butcher, Hull. Stuff Pressers, Leeds, Halifax, and Bradford Trades Union Society — R. Bower, Yorkshire. Sailors anvich and District— J. Metcalf, Ipswich. Trades Council, Glasgow- A. J. Hunter, Glasgow. Trades and Labour Council, Hull— W. G, Millington, Hull. Trades Council, Nottingham and Notts Federated— J. Jepson, Nottingham. Trades Council, Newcastle, Gateshead, and District— J. J. Harris, Newcastle-on-Tyne. Trimmers' Association, Basford—G. Robinson, Notting- ham. Tjrpographical Association— H. Slatter, Manchester. Typographical Association, Bradford Branch — O. Coun- allan, Bradford. Typographical Association, Manchester Branch— J. J. Dickson, Manchester. Typographical Society, Edinburgh— A. Ross, Edinburgh. Typographical Society, Glasgow— J. Eddy, Glasgow. Typographical Society, Dundee — G. J. Gilchrist, Broughty Ferry. Ti-ades Council, Sheffield Federated— W. F. Wardley, Sheffield. Trades Council, Swansea — J. Fisk, Swansea. Trades Council, Dundee and District United — R. D. B, Ritchie, Dundee ; R. Bruce, Dundee ; T. Condie, Dundee ; J. Wishart, Dundee ; and P. Brannigan, Dundee. Trades Council, Belfast United — W. J. M'Maunus, Belfast. Trades Association, Organised, of Nottingham and Neighbourhood — W. Hardstaff, Nottingham. Trades Council, Oldham — W. A. Greaves, Oldham. Trades and Labour Council, Bradford and District— S. Shaftoe, Bradford. Trades Council, Aberdeen United — W. Livingston, Aber- deen ; G. Bissett, Aberdeen ; T, Nicol, Aberdeen ; and J. Keir, Aberdeen. Tinplate Workers, National Amalgamated of Great Britain^!. Deans, London. Tinplate Workers, Dundee and District — G. Graham, Dundee. Weavers, Northern Counties Amalgamated Association of — T. Birtwistle, Accrington ; D. Holmes, Burnley ; J. Barrows, Lancashire; and A. Buckley, Oldham. Weavers', Winders', and Warpers' Association, Darwen — J. Asping, Darwen. Weavers', Winders', Warpers', and Twistei-s' Association, Hyde, Hadfield, and District — J. Wigley, Newton, near Hyde. Weavers' Association, Blackburn and District Powerlooni — G. Barker, Blackburn, and R. Johnson, Blackburn. Weavers' Association, Rossendale— J. Wright, Cloughf old, near Manchester. Weavers' Association, Bolton and District Powerloom— W. Melling, Bolton. Weavers' A^ociation, Heywood, Castleton, and District Powerloom— J . Mills, Lancashire. Weavers' Association, West Riding of Yorkshire Power- loom— A. Gee, Huddersfield. Women's Protective and Provident League, Glasgow- Miss K. Taylor, Glasgow. Boot and Shoe Riveters and Finishers, National Union of Operative, Manchester— W. Ward, Manchester. Cabinet Makers, Amalgamated Union of^P. Grant, Edinburgh. Engineering Trades' Sectional Societies, Federal Board of — J. Parkinson, Byker, Newcastle-on-Tyne. Miners' Association, Yorkshire — J. Frith, Miners' Offi.ces, Barnsley, and W. Parrott, Barnsley. Sailors and Firemen's Union, Burntisland Branch— J. Moodie, Burntisland. Trades Federation, MidlandCounties—R. Juggins, Darlas- ton South Staffordshire. Meetvngs in Dmdee. 21 Trades Council, Cardiff— J. Jenkins, Cardiff. Trades Council, Manchester and Salted— J. F. Quinn, Manchester. Typographical Association, Scottish—.!. Robertson, Glas- gow. Weavers', Oldham Powerloom— J. Nield, Eoyston, near Oldham. ADDRESS BY THE RETIRING PBKSIDENT. Tho Chairman, who was very cordially received, said— Ladies and gentlemen, — It is part of my duty to offer to you on behalf of the local trades a sincere and fraternal welcome to the city of "Bonnie Dundee." I may here state that this Congress is the twenty-second held by the trades of the United Kingdom, and it is more largely re- presentative than any one that has ever preceded it during that period. (Applause.) Up to this moment there are 210 delegates duly accredited to the Congress. (Loud applause.) There may be some others, and the returns relating to the societies, their names, and the number represented wiU be presented to you at a later stage by the Standing Orders Committee, which will be elected by the Congi-ess. You will have submitted to you shortly the report of the Parliamentary Committee dealing with the work of the past year. You will have to-morrow the President of the Congress, who will deliver to you an address on the labour condi- tions of the United Kingdom ; and therefore it is not my duty to detain you more than one or two minutes. There is, however, one point to which I would draw the attention of this Congress. Since last year there has been a systematic and malevo- lent attack, not only on individuals, but on this institution, and the particular organisation which many of us for years have had the privilege to represent. (Shame.) What can be the mo- tive of those who have indulged in abuse of no ordinary character will probably sooner or later be made manifest to you, but many of us are perplexed to know why the people professing to serve the cause of labour should go systematically out of their way to attack these organisations, which perhaps up till now have been the only Associations effective to the purpose. ("Hear, hear," and loud applause.) The Trade Unionists have had their social difficulties ; they have had their differencesof opinion, butthey havealwayspresented to the capitalist despot one united front on behalf of labour. ("Hear, hear," and loud ap- plause.) Those who claim to serve in the ranks cannot win their spurs by mere declamation against somebody else. ("Hear, hear," and ap- plause.) It has been one of the fundamental prin- ciples of our creed and practice that the man winning a position must go into the trenches and do some work, and I don't think the trade orga- nisations of the kingdom are likely to depart from that policy. ("Hear, hear, "and loud applause.) Will the Congress indulge me for a moment in put- ting before it a point which, although it strikes at myself, strikes also at other people who have been struck at in a similar manner? ("Hear, hear," and applause.) The week before last, in cdnsequence of an internal dispute which existed in my own Trade Society — a dispute happily arranged now by mutual con- cessions on both sides, which is no new feature in trade societies — we had a meeting of the General Council of our Association in London. It lasted throughout the whole week, and they sat there from ten in the morning till nine o'clock at night, and in addition to that I was engaged too in Com- mittee work later. I was engaged during all that time as closely as man could be as Secretary of the Society. I sat for two days last week with the Chairman of that Council to complete the work connected with the meeting, and left London within the knowledge of everybody who takes an interest in labour matters. I arrived here on Wed- nesday, andj as you know, have been engaged in Committee work since then making the necessary preparations for thisCongress. A newspaper in London which systematically makes attacks upon me has, however, now thoiiglit fit to make a pernicious attack, because not being yet ubiquitous, like Sir Boyle Roche's bird, I could not be in two places at once. They asked what had become of the Secretary of the Trades' Council ? They put in glaring type that the Secretary is not to be found, that he has left London, and has gone on a holiday for ten days. (Shame.) I put it to you, what can be the object of an insinuation of such a character ? — while a great strike is going on in London I am seeking only pleasurable pursuits. (Hear.) No man worked harder than I did before leaving, and up till the time of my leaving London not the slightest intimation came from any person connected with the strike in London, nor did they take the least trouble to seek me, though they knew I could be easily found. You know what value to attach to scurrility of that character. (Applause.) The Trades' Unions have never had an unkind word to say to anybody work- ing in the interests of the elevation of labour. We have always been glad to co-operate with those who have the same objects as ourselves ; but mark and contrast the conduct, the demeanour, and the language of those who are pleased to call them- selves our opponent'. Nobody more than the Trades' Unionists of the United Kingdom will welcome the realisation of a higher social life, but we fail to see how that can be secured by pulling down that which has existed for so long a time. ("Hoar, hear," and applause.) I would only ask, in conclusion, the delegates constituting this assembly to-day, and who are charged with serious, aye, solemn responsibilities, to draw closer together, and show to the world that this being the largest it is the closest, and the sincerest, and the most de- termined assembly that has ever yet met, and to say — be they who they may — they shall not throw division into our ranks, and that, united as we have been, still — on account of the attacks that have been made — more united than ever in the future will we stand. (Loud cheers. ) ELECTION 01'' PEESIDKNT. The Chairman said he had to ask them to nominate a candidate for the presidency of the Congress during the week. It had been their custom to give the preference to the candidate belonging to the locality in which the Congress assembled. Mr John Wishakt, Dundee, said he had much pleasure in proposing a gentleman who had been long a member of the Dundee Trades' Council, and was well qualified to fill the position — Mr Ritchie, the Secretary of the Dundee United Trades' Council. (Applause. ) Mr Thomas Condib, Dundee, seconded. No other candidate having been nominated, the Chairman declared Mr Hitohie unanimously elected. (Applause. ) election of vice president. Mr White, Gateshead, proposed, and Mr Tait, Glasgow, seconded, Mr Tait, Glasgow, who was declared unanimously elected. election of other officials. Mr Bkannigan, Dundee, proposed as Secretary Mr Robert Bruce, who had been recommended by the Dundee Trades' Council for the office. Mr Anderson, Dundee, seconded. Mr Bruce was unanimously elected. Messrs Corbett, Nottingham, and Annandale, Manchester, were elected tellers. Mr H. Slatter, Manchester, was elected Trea- surer. Messrs Lampton, Durham ; Morrison, London ; and G. Robertson, Nottingham, were proposed as auditors. On the vote being taken, the votes were respectively — Mr Lampton, 68 ; Mr Morrison, 50 ; Mr Robertson, 47. Mr Lampton and Mr Morrison, having the largest number of votes, were declared elected. 22 Trades' Union Congress. Messrs Menzies White and W. Sievwright were appointed doorkeepers, and Messrs Brown and Lawrie messengers. STANDING COMMITTEE. The meeting then nominated candidates for the Standing Committee as follows, the figures being the votes given for each : — John Fielding, Bolton, 84 ; John Wilson, Durham, 130 ; George Kelly, Manchester, 64 ; A. AVilkie, Newcastle, 67 ; J. Judge, Leeds, 86 ; J. Hollings, Bradford, 7 ; C. Freak, London, 18 ; S. Uttley, Sheffield, 22 ; T. R. Threlfall, Southport, 81; R. Newstead, London, 15 ; S. Shafto, Bradford, 23 ; J. C. Thom- son, Aberdeen, 42 ; R. T. Cook, London, 18 ; Thos. Condie, Dundee, 38 ; John Adie, Glasgow, 46. Five members were required, and the following being the highest on the list were declared elected : — Messrs John AVilson, Durham ; J. Judge,- Leeds ; J. Fielding, Bolton ; Threlfall, Southport ; and Wilkie, Newcastle. THE LONDON DOCK LABOUEEBS' STRIKE— KESOLtJTION OF SYMPATHY. The Chaiuman at this stage said his duties as Chairman of the Congress had terminated, but as intimated to the Parliamentary Committee and himself that during the very lamentable labour dispute in London it would not be consistent with 4heir position there that day, or to the societies which they had the honour to represent, to pass over any longer in silence, now that they were duly constituted as a Congress — ("Hear, hear," and ap- plause) — the sympathy which they had felt all along with the body of men now struggling for a better life than they had. (Applause. ) He stated that a mover and a seconder were prepared to submit a resolu- tion, and if it was in harmony with their ojiinions that these gentlemen should speak he would ask them to be heard. (Applause. ) Mr GooPEB, London, said Mr Freak and him- self, who came from the East of London, naturally thought it desirous to ask the Congress to exijress their feeling on what was the most im- portant labour movement that had ever taken place in London. The resolution which he had to sub- mit was as follows: — "That this Congress is of opinion that the dock labourers of London are more than justified in the position they have taken up, and considers that their employers are acting in the most tyrannical and arbitrary manner in re- fusing the very moderate demands of the men. We, therefore, recommend the Trades Unions of the United Kingdom to render the labourers their utmost financial support, believing it will be conducive to the national interests that the position of the labourers be improved.' (Loud applause.) Mr Cooper, continuing, said he thought there could be no doubt of the general feeling of the whole of the delegates of the Con- gress upon that important contest which was just taking place between labour and capital in London, and he was of opinion that the earliest opportunity should be taken by them in expressing their oijinion. Their sympathies were undoubtedly with the men who had struck against the Dock Com- panies, as they were the worst paid class of labourers in the United Kingdom. (Applause.) They had been enabled to organise themselves in some manner, and to resent the Dock Companies to elevate their position. That should be an encouragement to them (members of Congress) that that clause which they had almost despaired of had at any rate come to some sort of knowledge of the dignity of manhood, and to assert their rights and demand a fair remuneration for their labour. (Applause.) The terms they put forward could not be considered exorbitant, and he was perfectly astonished that the Dock Companies of London should place themselves in opposition to almost the unanimous public opinion of England in refusing to accept the very moderate demands which the men were asking them to concede. (Applause.) Sup- posing, for instance, 6d an hour were conceded, the hours of the labourers were on average only four per day, and that meant an average wage of only 12s a week. Since the strike had commenced it was an encouragement to men in other branches of labour to attempt to get their wages increased. The result had been that men engaged in a par- ticular trade had, owing to the dock labourers' strike, got an increase of from 5s to 10s a week. (Applause.) Therefore it was their interest for the general elevation of labour to make the dock labourers' strike successful. (Applause.) He con- cluded by condemning the Dock Companies for their obstinacy in refusing to accede to the just demands. (Applause. ) Mr Fkeak, in seconding the resolution, pointed to the inconsistency of many who said that now was the time for them putting their hands in their pockets and to give up the savings of years of organised labour. They might as well ask a Foresters' or an Oddfellows' Society to help a sick person who had never been a member of either Society as to call upon the Trades Unions of this country to give money in case of that disease known among Trades Unions as strikes to men who had never contributed to its funds. He was glad they had a John Burns — (applause) — who was doing splendid work among the dock labourers. He was doing a work that he (Mr Freak) very much appre- ciated, because there were in his own trade strikes, and there were hundreds of men who never contri- buted to the Society. They had, unfortunately, to put their hands into their pockets to support these men because of their negligence and ignorance in not combining. He was glad John Burns had taken up this question— ("Hear, hear," and applause)— because he thoUfehtthat gentleman would try and im- plantin the minds of these men what Trades Unionism had done — there Were so many men in this country who could never see the necessity for com- bination until an appeal was made through their stomachs. (Laughtet.) Mr Freak was sorry for these men on strike; Would to God they had been combined in years gone by, and able to pro- vide for themselves. Strikes had sometimes been the cause of building up some of'i;he most splendid institutions in the Trades Union, and he hoped the result of this strike would have the same effect. Let them remember that the surroundings of these men on strike were very bad, and that to ask them to contribute week by week was asking them for something which was really necessary for the support of their children. He, therefore, asked the Congress to give their sympathy to the dock labourers, and out of their earnings give money whereby they could fight the question with these gigantic capitalists — the Dock Companies — and secure for the most down-trodden people of the country an amount of subsistence sufficient for their wives and families. (Applause. ) He asked them to remember that it was a battle between capital and labour, and he thought as Unionists they should give them their support. (Applause. ) The resolution was then put, and carried unani- mously. It was afterward also unanimously agreed to that the resolution should be sent to Mr Norwood, the Chairman of the Dock Companies, to show him the feeling of the Congress in the matter. It was also unanimously agreed to that Messrs Cooper and Freake should attend at the doors to receive subscriptions in aid of the dock labourers on the delegates retiring. INSTALLATION OF PRESIDENT. Mr Shipton said that he had now the pleasure of introducing to the Congress the President of the week— Mr R. D. B. Ritchie, of Dundee. Mr Ritchie, who took the chair amid loud ap- plause, said — Permit me in a word to offer you my most sincere thanks for the great honour you have conferred upon me in appointing me President of this most important Congress. I shall endeavour to perform tfie duty to the best of my ability, and. Meetings in Dundee. 23 I hope, to the satisfaction of the delegates. In ac- cordance with precedent, I shall reserve any re- marks I have to make till to-morrow. I have now to call on the Secretary of the Parliamentary Com- mittee to read their report. THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE'S REPORT. Mr Bkoadhurst, M.P., the Secretary of the Par- liamentary Committee, on rising was received with loud and prolonged applause. On quiet being restored, he read the report tor tlie past year as follows : — Ladies and Gentlemen, — The legislative events of the year, so far as they relate to labour, have not been remarkable. Perhaps the chief subject of in- terest is still the Employers' Liability Bill. You will remember that, at the time of last Congress, the Grovernment Bill was before the House of Commons for further consideration at the autumn session. The decision of Congress upon the mea- sure, which was further strengthened by the great deputation of the trades that waited upon the Home Secretary and other members of the Government in November, led to an adverse motion against the Bill being moved by your Sec- retary in the House of Commons. Although this motion was defeated in numbers, yet its moral effect was so strong that the Bill was withdrawn, and has not been re-introduced this year. It was pardonable that some of the friends of labour should doubt the policy thus pursued, but the mind of the Committee was perfectly clear as to its wisdom, and ultimate value to the labouring classes. So far as your Committee have been able to gather, it is the almost unanimous opinion of the great Friendly Societies, that Clause 3 of the Bill was fraught with great danger to their organisa- tions, and at a meeting of these bodies held in London in the early part of the year, representing about two mUlions of members and about fourteen millions sterling in fnnds, the clause was severely condemned. This, of itself, forms a sufficient in- dictment against the injurious proposals. If the Government is now reconsidering the whole subject with a view to meeting the wishes of those chiefly concerned, we shall not bo disposed to be too critical as to the delay in the further considera- tion of the measure. It is, however, for Congress to give expression to its views on the question, and for the Parliamentary Committee to take action accordingly. BAILWAT EEOULATION BILL. We are pleased to be able to announce that a Railway Regulation Bill has been passed during the session. This measure has for its object the greater safety in the working of railways, by giving power to the Board of Trade to make it compulsory on all companies to adopt the block system, the inter- locking of points and signals, and to fit all passenger trains with continuous brakes. Clause 3 imposes upon railway companies the duty of making periodical returns of the number of persons in their employment whose duty involves the safety of passengers or trains who are employed for more than twelve hours at a time. There are also other points of interest to the men engaged in railway service. The Bill, as originally introduced, made provi- sion for tlie compulsory construction of subways, bridges, and other means of communication across railway yards, to obviate 'the danger of walking across the metals, and for some improved system of coupling safer than the present methods. These clauses were, however, withdrawn in order to secure the advantages above mentioned. Your Committee, acting in conjunction with Railway Servants' Societies, facilitated the produc- tion of the measure by their action in pressing upon the Government the necessity for immediate legisla- tion. Both bodies are much indebted to Mr Channing, M. P., for his unceasing labours in the House of Commons on behalf of the , railway servants. COTTON OLOTH FAOTOMES BILL. For some years past the weavers of North- East Lancashire have complained of the pernicious system of adulterating cotton yarns, previous to being woven into cloth, wliicli has necessitated the infusion of a considerable quantity of moisture into the atmosphere of the sheds in which the weavers work, to make the stiff, oversized yarns workable. Tlxis system has been carried on to such an extent that it has brought ou the employed serious bodily ailments, sacrificing in many instances not only the permanent Jiealth but the lives of the operatives. With a view to remedying this state of things, the Congress last year instructed your Committee to bring tlxe matter before Parliament. Your Com- mittee gave the question the fullest considera- tion, and agreed to leave the details of the measure in the hands of the representatives of the cotton operatives, with the understand- ing that when a Bill was produced it should re- ceive their undivided support. The operative repre- sentatives commenced by calling together the members of Parliament representing constituencies which would be affected by such a measure, and, having convinced them it was desirable that the question should be dealt with, it was resolved that a Joint Committee of seven M.P.sand seven opera- tives be appointed to draft a Bill. This was done, and several meetings were held, and subsequentlv at a meeting of members, which the Secretary of the Parliamentary Committee attended, it was agreed that it should be pressed forward in Par- liament. During its progress your Committee exercised all their influence to remove the obstruc- tions which impede all measures in the House of Commons, with the result that it was read a first time on June 27th, and the third time on the 14th August, a rate of progress which is, we be- lieve, withou t a precedent in the history of labour legislation. It was then sent to the Lords, who got through the Bill in quick time, and it re- ceived the Royal assent a few days ago. Altliougli, owing to the opposition of employers, the mea- sure is not quite all we should have liked, it is fairly satisfactory, as, in addition to limiting arti- ficial" moisture, there are clauses making proper ventilation imperative. For the successful passing of this measure so rapidly through Parliament we have many friends to thank, amongst whom we may specially mention Sir W. H. Houldsworth, Sir Henry James, Mr Mundella, and Lord Cranborne. AMENDMENT OF THE MEKCHANDISB MAKKS. ACT. During the year your Secretary has introduced a Bill to amend the Merchandise Marks Act of 1887. The Bill was promoted by the Sheffield Trades Council, and is designed to meet the requirements of the workers in the hardware trades, and to give some protection to hand-made goods in the hosiery industry. No opportunity has, however, been found to make progress with it this session. QUABRIES REGULATION BILL., Your Committee aie unable to report any pro- gress in this measure, and the prospect of getting it passed is very remote, as the Government are strongly opposed to it. AMENDMENT OF THE FACTORIES AND WORKSHOPS ACT. A Bill for the amendment of the above Act has been introduced during the session by Mr Baumann, but has made no progress. It chief object being to give additional powers to inspectors to deal with the sanitary arrangements in and about workshops. Mr Birtwistle, on behalf ot the textile workers, has this year bestowed considerable labour in draw- ing an amended Bill to the original Act, but it has never been sufficiently advanced to be introduced to Parliament. Mr Birtwistle will make a statement to Congress with regard to this measure. THE COMMITTEE ON THE SWEATING SYSTEM. We understand that this Committee has con- cluded its inquiries, and wiU next session present a report to Parliament. Until the report is made 24 United Trades' Congress, there is no doubt the Government will strongly oppose any measure dealing with the amendment of the factory and workshop laws. The Govern- ment will probably deal with tho whole subject itself when the proper time arrives. THE ENGINEMEN'B CKUTIFIOATE BILL. The several Societies interested in this measure have durine; the year held Conferences, and with much labour have prepared a scheme of legislation which is now in the hands of a draughtsman, which it is hoped will be ready for introduction to Parlia- ment early next session. PAYMENT OF MEMBBES OF PAELIAMENT. A motion in favour of the payment of members of Parliament was moved by Mr Feuwiok, and a very good debate followed ; but, by an unfortunate circumstance, no division could be taken. We think it right to say that the suhject is making consider- able progress in public opinion throughout the country, and it will probably have to be dealt with in a Government measure in the not very distant future. MINEEAL EOTALTIES AND WAYLBAVE8. Congress will be glad to know that, on the motion -of Mr Burt, a Eoyal Commission has been appointed to inquire into the question of royalties and wayleaves as affecting the mining and iron- working industries. The Commission has not yet commenced its practical labour, which will, no doubt, occupy them for two or three years. It is hoped that the result will be to considerably relieve these industries from much of the present vexatious and unjust taxation. THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL OONGEESS. Your Committee do not think there is much to state with regard to this gathering after the report submitted to you last year, and the ofScial report of the proceedings prepared by Mr Shipton. These documents have placed the trades in possession of all the information it is possible to give. As to whether the Congress was successful and of value to the labour movement, opinions may differ. Your Committee spared neither efforts nor expense to make it a thoroughly representative meeting. The invitations were issued in English, French, and German, and the Standing Orders were agreed to by our French correspondents, so that everything was done that could be done to harmonise tlie different nationalities consistently with maintaining the Congress as purely representative of hona-fide labour organisations. As all the business at international assemblies has to be transacted through the medium of an interpreter, it is difficult to conduct them without friction and misunderstanding. We can only hope that, although no immediate or demonstrative good has resulted, yet the Congress may not be without great effect in the future, in the direction of broadauing men's minds, and bringing closer to- gether the labour interests of the industrial world. With regard to the recent international meetings at Paris, your Committee have very little to say in addition to what was contained in their recent circular to the trades. We have been subjected to much criticism in refusing to take part in these gatherings, but, as has already been pointed out, we had no power, even if we had the wish, to do so. THE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR CONVENTION. At the invitation of the Swiss Government the British Government has agreed to send a repre- sentative to the above Convention, which was to have been held at Berne in the latter part of the year, but which has now been postponed till the spring of next year. A reservation was made by the Government to the effect that their representa- tive should not enter into a debate on the question of a legislative eight hours' day. This met with much adverse comment both by the advocates and oijponents of such a measure. Your Committee took no part in this phase of the question. LABOUR STATISTICS. The only reports of special interest to Trade Unions issued from the Board of Trade during the year are those of the Labour Correspondent on " Trade Unions " (second report), and that on the "condition of Nail Makers and Small Chain Makers in South Staffordshire and East Worcester- shire." The first-named report contains a state- ment of the objects of nearly ninety Trade Unions, with statistical tables up to the end of 1887, show- ing in detailed and summarised form the work they laave been doing for as many years in each case as particulars could be obtained. Some such record of tlie good accomplished by our organisations has long been required, and it is to be regretted that the whole of the Unions of the kingdom have not yet seen their way to furnish the information re- quired by the Labour Correspondent to make his report absolutely complete. Of the report on the condition of the unfortunate male and female workers of the black country we can only say that this is a subject which has fre- quently engaged the attention of our Congresses and of your Committee. We are glad to find at last that an authoritative Government report has almost entirely confirmed the views we have at different times expressed. Emanating from such a source the report received wide attention, both in Parliament and in the press, and was the means of enabling the operativns concerned to have the whole facts of their condition laid before the country. The President of the Board of Trade recently informed the House of Commons that a third report on Trade Unions, and one on the strikes of 1888, by the Labour Correspondent, are now in the hands of the printer, and are likely to be shortly issued. CO-OPERATION. Your Committee appointed their Chairman and Treasurer to attend the Co-Operative Congress at Ipswich in Whit week. Your representatives were courteously received, and took the opportunity of pointing out the lines upon which co-operative societies must be worked in order to secure Trade Union support; and the observations upon this point were well received by an audience which in- cluded a considerable proportion of Trade Unionists. MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS. Your Committee and your Secretary have during the year taken part in much miscellaneous work, especially in deputations to the Government and conferences on many and varied subjects. The seamen's agitation, for instance, gave rise to con- siderable correspondence with the Government and the putting of questions in the House of Commons in the interest of the men concerned. We hope that the Seamen's Society, started, under such encouraging prospects, will thrive and consolidate as time goes on. There are few classes of workers more in need of mutual protection than those engaged in the mercantile marine service. DEATH OF ME MUECHIE. We regret having to record the death of one of our members. The sad event took place immedi- ately after the Bradford Congress. By the un- timely decease of Mr Murohie the Tra^e Union movement has lost a true and faithful friend. Although quiet in habits, he was an assiduous worker of great ability. Your Committee was re- presented at his funeral by the majority of its members, and passed a resolution of condolence with his widow and relatives, believing that by this action they would meet with your approval. Mr Swift, who was next on the list, was called upon to take the seat on the Committee which was thus vacated. GGNEBAL EEMABES. We congratulate the Unions on the general im- provement of trade throughout the United King- dom, and are glad to know that the workers in some branches of industry have, by the aid of combina- tion, succeeded in taking a share of the increased prosperity. We heartily hope that this tendencj' Meetings in Dtmdee. 25 will continue and increase, but without strong Unions this can only take place to a limited degree. This point raises anew the question of trade com- bination and its value or otherwise. If Trade Unions have failed, as some wish it to be believed, then they should be abolished, their membership scattered, their forces disbanded, and in the wilder- ness of chaos the workers should commence anew the search for the best means of protection and aid. If, on the contrary, as we believe to be the case. Trade Unionism has been enormously successful, and has placed the workers of this country in a superior position to that enjoyed by the workers of any Continental country where Unionism has never existed in any practical form ; if it has raised the whole status of labour by making it a power and an influence in many of the affairs of State by giving it representatives in departments of the Govern- ment, as well as in Courts of Summary Jurisdic- tion ; if mainly by its aid labour has found its way in a representative capacity into all parts of our local government system and educational institu- tions, then we unhesitatingly declare that he who seeks to sow dissensions in our ranks, by spreading false reports and by appealing to passions and prejudices, is an enemy to the cause of labour. Those who spread dissensions in the Unions, and seek to destroy Unionism by vehemently attacking its prominent representatives, we unhesitatingly de- clare to be people unworthy of confidence, and who should be shunned accordingly. The old enemies of Trade Unionism found that to abuse all only resulted in consolidating our ranks. The new enemies have learned the serpent's wisdcm, and make their attacks in detail. Their emissaries enter our camp in the guise of friends, in order that they may the better sow the seeds of disruption. Let the workers beware of them. During the year your Committee, and especially your Secretary, have been the objects of calumnies and misrepresentation of a nature calculated to de- stroy the foundations of Unionism and of the Con- gress. We point out the danger, and unmask their policy ; it is for you to decide whether your enemies shall triumph, or whether you yourselves will con- tinue to hold the field of Unionism. During the year extraordinary oiforts have been made to prevent your Committee receiving the necessary financial aid for the execution of its work. This was done by means of pamphlets and leaflets, circulated by thousands, and scurrilous abuse printed in large type in various newspapers, which were posted to all parts of the country. Instead of this action meeting with the success expected, it has served to rally our friends in a manner which gives us the greatest confidence in the future, and you will be glad to know that al- though in a few instances subscriptions have been reduced, in many cases they have been increased, and we are able to meet Congress not only free from debt, but with a balance in hand. "We ask the trades to make up their minds on tlie present situation, and to decide what their future policy shall be. If the men who have been attack- ing us are truthful gaides and honest men, then follow them ; if, on the other hand, they are enemies in disguise, then avoid them accordingly.' No progress can be made while dissensions reign in our camp, and those who create discord are not worthy of the association of earnest men. We leave the issue in your hands, and upon your deci- sion it will depend whether our Trade Unions and their annual Congresses are to continue to exercise a beneficial influence in regard to the cause of labour. The President stated that the report which had just been read would form the first business this morning. He also intimated that delegates who had not received invitations to any of the entertain- meats during the week could have them on simply haiiding their cards to him or to the Secretary of the Congress. The meeting then adjourned. SECOND DAY'S PROCEEDINGS. The sittings of the Trades Union Congress were resumed at 9.40 a.m. on Tuesday in the GilfiUan Memorial. There was again a large attendance ot dcles^tes. Mr R. D. B. Ritchie, the President, occupied the chair. The attendance of the public was considerable, the lower gallery being crowded. Monday's minute. Mr Beoob, the Congress Secretary, read tlie minute of Monday's proceedings, which was unani- mously adopted. SUBSCBIPTION TO THE LONDON DOCK LABOUEEES. The Peesidbnt then said it should be mentioned in connection with the resolution passed on Mon- day anent the strike of the London dock labourers that the sum of £10 was collected at the meeting on the previous day on behalf of the labourers —(loud applause)— ^hd that that amount was transmitted to London by telegraph, being the first occasion on which such a transmission had been made from Dundee. (Renewed applause. ) THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS, The President, on rising to deliver his address, was greeted with hearty applause. He said- Ladies and gentlemen, — I desire again to convey to you my most sincere thanks for the high honour you have done me in unanimously electing me to the honourable position of President of the twenty- second annual Trades Union Congress, and in ac- cepting the appointment I confidently rely upon the co-operation of every delegate present in pro- moting the successful and expeditious carrying through of the programme of business ; and while I occupy this chair it shall be ray endeavour to exer. V cise the strictest impartiality in regard to all matters which may come before the Congress. On behalf of the trades I have to extend to you a hearty welcome to Dundee. Amongst the lionours which have of late been conferred upon my native town the distinction of a visit from the Labour Parliament of the United Kingdom will certainly not rank least, and, " as iron sharpeneth iron, " much good is expected to result from inter- course with so many experienced leaders in the labour cause. Let me express the hope that your visit to "Bonnie Dundee" may be fraught with pleasant and profitable recollections. In my opinion the present Congress will mark AN IMPORTANT EPOCH in the history of Trade Unionism, if, indeed, it does not lead to a very large extension of its scope and aims. All who have devoted any attention to the industrial problem are quite cognisant of the fact that a spirit of discontent is steadily permeat- ing the wage-earning classes. Political faddists have not been slow to take advantage of this, and have endeavoured to tarn it to account to discredit the influence of Trade Unionism, which they find unfavourable to the propagation of their impractical and Utopian schemes. It is therefore incumbent upon this Congress to consider and if possible ascer- tain the cause ot the discontent and dissatisfaction with the existing state of things, and to suggest a remedy in order that the solidarity of the labour party may be maintained. It is only natural to expect that those who have devoted the greater part of a lifetime to promoting the 26 Traded Union Congress. amelioration of the conditions of labour and the improvement of the social well-being of the class who have been aptly termed "the disinherited of the woi Id, " should, on taking a retrospective view of the acliievcments of Trade Unionism during the past fifty years, be inclined to adopt a passive atti- tude ; but if tlie statement contained in the report submitted at the recent International Congress of Socialists in Paris on behalf of the British Labour pai;ty, declaring that " Trade Unionism on its pre- sent lines is a played-out force, " is to be disproved, it will bo necessary to encourage a more vigorous political policy rather than trust to reforms being accomplished by the dow process of individual or sectional effort, unaided by Parliamentary legisla- tion. THE CHIEF CAUSES OP THE PISOONTENT to which I have alluded may, in my opinion, be attributed to insufficient and uncertain employ- ment ; the unequal distribution of the fruits of labour between the labourer and the capitalist ; and the ever-increasing difficulty which the in- telligent wage-earner expeiiences in attaining a competency. The misery which springs from the first of tlieae evils is incalculable. In the ordinary course of things the unskilled or inferior workman is the first to suffer by a lessened demand for labour and the last to benefit by increased demand ; thus a margin of unemployed labour is created which is brought into competition with the more skilful class of workers, thereby tending to lower wages and acting as a drag upon the efforts of our Unions to maintain a condition of comparative comfort in their respective trades. Socialists frankly tell us that largely from this army of unskilled and inefficient workmen their ranks are recruited — and why ? Because Trade Unions, with few exceptions, have made no direct provision to meet the case of these unskilled workers. They are, therefore, inclined to look upon Trade Unions as their natural enemies, and are too often ready to applaud anyone who' is prepared to tell them that the Trade Unionist's in- terest is not their interest. It is perfectly true that under existing industrial conditions those worst provided for are the greatest suf- ferers during periods of trade depression, and can it be wondered at if, in the frenzy of their misery, they become at times a menace not only to their fellows, but even to the State? Although sceptical about "the good old times," whose praises are so often sung, it seems a str.inge parody upon the present boasted progress and greatness of Britain that over one million of her people should be paupers, and hundreds of thousands of able and willing workers should be denied the opportunity of earning a livelihood ; and it is not at all comforting to learn that THE ONLY REMEDY which has yet been prescribed for this widespread poverty and enforced idleness by our paternal Go- vernment is emigration — no doubt a convenient though objectionable medium by which to get rid of a disagreeable responsibility. "While no bona- fide attempt has been made to grapple with the cause of the increase of poverty, various schemes have been put forwar.i ostensibly to benefit the labouier, but in reality to protect and promote the interests of landlordism and capitalism. In this sense I view such a measure as the Irish Light Rail- ways Bill recently passed by the House of Com- mons, by which a free gift of public funds is given to carry out works which should have been per- formed by Irish capitalists. Free gifts of public money and land purchase schemes will not end the industrial conflict, but are only miserable subter- fuges which may in some measure retard the inevit- able reorganisation of the social system. (" Hear, hear," and applause.) THE EIGHT HOUBS DAY. Limitation of the maximum day's work to eight hours by Parliamentary enactment is the most generally approved method by which it is proposed to provide employment for the surplus labour of the country. On few questions has public opinion made such rapid advance as on that of Parlia- mentary interference with the working hours of adult males. Within two years our Unions have almost entirely changed front upon this point, and the general body of the members are in advance of their leaders. Toward the decision now arrived at three important facts have contributed, namely, the success of the Ten Hours Factory Act; the comparative failure of the organised trades to maintain a nine hours system ; and the hopelessness of the task of consolidating within reasonable time the enormous mass of dis- organised labour. The great bogey which is raised against the adoption of an eight hours system is foreign competition, but the same outcry was made against the adoption of the Ten Hours Factory Act, yet it only resulted in the introduction of im- proved macliinery, by which production was in- creased, so that at the present time more work is produced than when factories wore run for seventy hours a week ; but whilst improved machinery has facilitated the development of industry, it has not assisted in the equal distribution of the wealth thereby created, and in mills and factories women are being overwrought, underpaid, and forced to work under most enervating conditions. If we had done more to assist in reducing the working hours and increasing the remuneration of women, our position in the past would have been more logical, and the eight hours day much nearer accomplish- ment. PARLIAMENTARY INTERFERENCE. If the question was one affecting Trade Unionists alone Parliamentary interference would not be necessary, and would most likely never .have been suggested ; but it is a question not only affeotirg Trade Unionists, but the whole working population, and to fight whose battle on Trade Union lines the resources of the Unions are utterly inadequate. Repugnant as the mention of Parliamentary inter- ference is to many of us, myself included, it seems the only feasible means by which the unspeakable misery attending industrial warfare, where the contingencies of war have not been provided for, can be avoided. Take, for example, the strike of London dock labourers (whom we wish good speed). (Applause.) Those ac- quainted with the East End of London speak with admiration of the conduct of the strikers, but they also tell a pitiable tale of the terrible sufferings of many of the families affected, and yet that is a battle between capital and labour, in which public sympathy, I make bold to say, is wholly on the side of the labourer. Would .Par- liamentary interference in such a case as that not be hailed witli satisfaction, even by Unionists! How can such companies as those against whose unscrupulousness the dock labourers are contending otherwise be reached ? They have legally no con- science, and are chiefly composed of- men who fulfil none of the duties of employers, but whose only interest is in the amount of dividend, which can be squeezed out of the bone and sinew of the labourer. (Applause.) How, apart from legis- lation, can THE CASE OF SHOP ASSISTANTS . be met ? Although in some cases their hours may be shorter and their work less arduous than that of the artizan, in most oases the hours are excessively long,* and the opportunities for mental and physical improvement and recreation almost nil. Hitherto shopkeepers' assistants have been exempted from participation in the beneficent legislation which has been extorted from Parliament in behalf of other classes of workers. Future legislation must, however, be more comprehensive, embracing as nearly as can be all classes of wage earners. (Applause.) I am not .prepared to say that shops shall only remain open Meetings in Dundee. 2r for eiglii hours each day — as well say that our rail- ways shall only be wrought for eight hours, or that our ships shall be idle for sixteen hours out of every twenty-four. A reduction of the hours of labour must be effected by other means than that. A wider adaptation of the shift system to suit the exi- gencies of the various trades seems to be a simple and effective methid of overcoming objections. It is true that this would enormously increase produc- tion, but it is obvious that it would in every case lessen the cost of production, and where expensive machinery was employed the difference would be very great. Past experience has taught us that whenever the cost of production was reduced, de- mand increased. The common objection raised by many against Parliamentary interference with the hours of labour is that it may lead to a like inter- ference with wages, but those who raise this objec- tion should remember that Parliament can only do so by consent of the people. Parliament being the servant of the people, is it not the function of the Government to protect life and property ? If so, why should the property of the labourer not be pro- tected? His property is his labour, the most valuable commodity he has to dispose of, and he is entitled to demand State protection for it. (Ap- plause. ) NO PERMANENT ADJUSTMENT. No one will assume that the enactment of an eight hours day will be a permanent adjustment of the social machine, but it is a step in the right direction — a stop gap until such time as education shall have spread the light and enabled the people to grapple with and sweep away the real causes of the oppression of labour. It will then go hard with the gambler on the stock exchange, who draws from the wealth of the country without having added anything thereto ; with the land monopolist and with the receiver of mining rents and royalties. These are clogs upon the whuels of the industrial machine, which handicap the legitimate employer equally with the labourer. That such anomalies have existed so long need not create sur- prise when we consider that as recently as last general election over 38,000 voters were returned as illiterate in the United Kingdom, and that number did not any- thing like represent the total. This reproach can- not much longer exist if the educational machinery, which is now nearing perfection, is energetically put in operation. We hail with the liveliest satis- faction the advance which had been made toward free education, and the thanks of the ijeople of Scotland are due to Mr Hunter, one of the members for Aberdeen, for the persistent manner in which he forced this matter upon the attention of the (iovernment and the country. To a more perfect system of technical education we must in a great measure trust to enable us to keep abreast of other nations. Whenever we have been outdistanced in the industrial race, it has been owing to the superior technical knowledge of our opponents, and not on account of higher wages or shorter hours of work. It has been made A EEPROACH OP UNIONISM that its objects are selfish, that it benefits its mem- bers only, and they are the aristocracy of labour. To a large extent this is true, and only natural. The great unions have their out-of-work, their sick and funeral, their superannuation and accident funds. Uesides being trade unions, they are great friendly societies. Of course in all this the mem- bers only are directly benefited, as everyone is benefited who, instead of squandering the whole of his income, lays up something for a rainy day. But indirectly the whole State benefits by the splendid example of the self-reliant unionist, and who can estimate the saving to the community of the noble efforts at self-helxj represented by the enormous annual disbursements of our great Unions ? But, hostile critics urge, though Unionism is good to its adherents, it does not really touch the kernel of tlie problem, which lies in the unorganised masses, the victims of the sweater, the helpless, the unfit, the unemployed. Unionism takes no account of this side of the question, and is content if its members have good wages and fair conditions of work. It must be con- fessed at once that there is a good deal of truth in this criticism, but it is becoming less true every day. For Unionism, having established itself as a power in the country, having achieved most of the primary objects for which it was originally brought into being, has begun to reach out after larger issues, to endeavour to help on the great cause of labour everywhere and in whatsoever form it appears. Indeed, it cannot do otherwise if it is to live. And it must not be forgotten that it is only a few years since the principle of free trade has been applied to Unionism. Many of us, who are keenly alive to the pressing nature of the questions which confront every thinking man as the most extreme and Socialistic of our members, have had dreams of an ideal Unionism which should work out THE EMANCIPATION OP LABOUR. Let us try and reduce our ideal as far as possible to practical shape, which, I fancy, will be most acceptable to my fellow-Unionists. As men and as individuals Trade Unionists have hitherto taken their part as citizens in the national life ; but their Unionism has been a thins apart and distinct. It is, however, beginning to be perceived that the most aristocratic Unionist cannot separate himself from the humblest labourer, that the solidarity of all labour is a phrase with a great wealth of meaning, that if he (the aristocrat) is to raise himself he must raise his humbler brother along with him. Unionism, in fact, must become humanised. But how? AVell, let us consider the various aides of our national Kfe. In this country, where democracy has become a verity in everything but the name, is it the case that the labourers, the most numerous class, have anything like a fair share in the ad- ministrative work of the nation ? To whom do we give the management of our parochial, our muni- cipal, and our political affairs ? The question hardly requires an answer. In the first and second classes the shopkeeper, the small employee of labour, and the retired merchant are predominant ; the squire has a monopoly of the third ; while the fourth has numerous representatives of every in- terest but the greatest "interest" of all, which has a paltry half-dozen members. THE PUTUKB OP UNIONISM. What I hope and think worth striving for is that Unionism should now begin to demand a larger share in the moulding of the national lifei Wherever there is corporate existence; there let Unionism make its voice heard and "respected. With Unionist Parochial I\ranagers, Unionist Town Councillors, Unionist Magistrates, and Unionist Members of the Legislature, what could not be ac- complished ? Why, the unjust employer and the sweater would be harried out of existence. Rail- way Companies who pay 8 per cent, of a dividend, and work their employes six- teen to eighteen hours a day would become an impossibility. Labour even of the lowest and humblest description would be sympathetically dealt with. A public opinion would be formed which would once for all place and maintain labour on its true footing, and place idlers and others with no visible means of support also on their true footing. This is no mere chimera, no Utopia to be realised about the year 3001. All the offices I have named are elective, and the Trade Unionists have the vote ! What is wanted is the concentration of the power of Unionism in the proper direction. The Trade Union has penetrated or is penetrating into every town and village almost in the king- dom. (In Dundee alone during the past year nearly a dozen new unions have been formed.) In every large centre there is a Trades Council, gene- rally composed of the best men of the unions, 28 Traded Union Congress. and over all there is this Congress, which has justly earned for itself a high character as a deliberative assembly. The organisation is complete. There is no state in the country better provided with machinery than this labour state. The local Unions are the House of Commons, the Trades Council is the House of Lords, and the Trades Congress the final Court of Appeal. None of them are hereditary, all are elective. What is required is that tlie Unions shall so lengthen their cords that they shall give tone to tlie whole life from the labour point of view of the district in which they are situated. Each Union might be- come a watch-tower on the road along which the victorious army of labour must march. The organi- sation of the Unions presents a unique opportunity for giving to labour its due place in the economy of the country. This is not political work so much as good citizen work. The fitness of Unionists for such work as I have sketched out will not at this time of day be denied. Too long has labour lain under the heel of capital ; it must now begin to arouse itself, and become conscious of its own existence. It does not require any fierce and bloody revolution. Neither confiscation nor robbery need be indulged in ; only a little education, a little forethought, a little resolution, and a little organisa- tion. The ideal is worth striving for, and it can be achieved. I am conscious that I have not drawn up «ny brilliant picture of a quick-coming social millennium. The evolutionary process is slow, but it is sure. There is evidence that the process has begun, and is being consciously carried on. We have representatives of labour in all the great departments of the State, from the House of Commons down to the humble School Board. And these representa tives have demanded, and in many instances have obtained, recognition for labour which it would not otherwise have received. This is conspicuously seen in the London County Council and the London School Board, where fair wages and conditions of work are made an essential part of the contract of work. This holds great potentialities, and can be applied almost universally, I trust, ladies and gentlemen, your deliberations at this Congress may tend to bring capital and labour into closer harmony with each other, and to hasten the time when each shall occupy its true place in the social economy, when their interests shall be found to be identical, and when the good of all shall be the aim of both. (Applause.) On the motion of Mr Ross, Edinburgh, seconded by Mr Robertson, Glasgow, a hearty vote of thanks was awarded to Mr Ritchie for his able and intellectual address. THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE'S REPORT. ATTACKS ON MK BBOADHUKST, M.P., AND THE PAHLIAMENTAEY COMMIITEE— SCENES. ■ The Chairman then intimated that the next business was the discussion of the Parliamentary Committee's report. Mr FoYNE, Durham moved, and Mr Foster, Durham, seconded, the adoption of the report. The Chairman — If there is no amendment I will declare the report adopted. Mr Newstead, London, rising amid repeated in- terruptions, said that before the report was ac- cepted he wished to propose that the four last para- graphs should be deleted — (cries of "Oh, oh, and laughter)— on the ground that they contained nothing but serious and indirect abuse of Unions in general— (cries of "Oh, oh," and "Withdraw") — and aimed at men and Unionists who had endea- voured to push on the wheels of progress. (Derisive pries of " Oh, oh.") Continuing, he said that after the Paris International Working Men's Congress had been at the trouble and expense of formulating invitation circulars and other papers, and sending them tp the Parliamentary Committee, that Com- mittee thought fit, in face of all this, to return these circulars with a curt note. (Cries of "Oh, oh," hisses, applause, and cries of "Withdraw,") Mr Boss, Edinburgh, here rose to a point of order, saying that no person could speak more than five minutes on the Parliamentary Committee's re- port. The Chairman — Mr Newstead has a minute yet, Mr Newstead — I hope you are deducting the time for interruptions. The Chairman — You have already spoken four minutes. (" Hear, hear," and applause,) Mr Newstead— I have only one minute, and a lot to put into it, (Laughter.) Proceeding, he said it was universally admitted that that Congress was a great success, but It would have been a still greater success had the Parliamentary Committee aimed at assisting it. (" Oh, oh," and applause.) Instead of doing this, they practically sneered at the Paris working men. He strongly objected to indirect inuendoes, and therefore he had to press his resolution. He took his seat, saying— I would have dealt with the Secretary had time been allowed. (Derisive cries of " Oh, oh," and laugh- ter.) Mr Blackwell, London, said that what he objected to the report was where it referred "to the men who were causing dissension." They, who were the progressive party — (cries of " Question")— the report stated that they were causing dissension. They said that was not correct. They were forming no unions regarding which the fossil party should be disposed to attack us. He himself had foiTned a Trades Society, and on his own responsibility — (great laughter) — and without the assistance of the Parliamentary Committee, and without the assist- ance of the Secretary of the Parliamentary Com- mittee. And what had they got for the work they had done in the last four months in forming these Trades Societies ? Who were the gentlemen re- ferred to ? Undoubtedly men like Mr Burns, Mrs Besant, and Mr Barrett, who were as good Trades Unionists as any, and they were attacked because they were forming Trades Unions. A Delegate — There is no reference in this report to the persons now introduced. We are just wasting our time. (Hear.) The President — I thing this is a little out of order. There is no necessity for introducing indi- viduals' names. (Applause.) Mr Blackwell proceeded —For the progress they had made in four months this was the way the Parliamentary Committee complimented them for doing so, by attacking them in a beastly, brutal, and bitter manner. (Disorder, and cries of "Oh," "Shame," and "Withdraw.") A Delegate — That gentleman either ought to retire or withdraw. (Continued disorder and cries of "Withdraw.") The President — Order, I think that the gen- tleman should couch his remarks in gentlemanly language. ("Hear," and applause.) I don't think that the application of the words "beastly" and ' brutal" are in accordance with the forms of dis- cussion at this Congress. (Applause.) Mr Blackwell — If the words I have used are not approved I withdraw them. He then proceeded to ask, were not the Parliamentary Committee at Paris Congress in 1886, and was it not decided that there should be a Congress there in 1889? Did the Committee then raise any dissension ? Then, when the Congress was held in Bradford, did the French delegates not invite them to the Congress in Paris ? Was there any objection to that ? If the Parlia- mentary Committee had not sufficient power they could have asked their constituents. At the last International Congress held- in November, was it not decided that they should go to the International Congress? He (Mr B.) had spoken at his Society against the action of Mr Broadhurst, and against the action of Mr Shipton, Mr Broadhurst, in his trade, he should say that his name stinks, (Dis- order and interruption.) Meetings in Dundee, 29 Delegate— I call to order. There is nothing in the fourth paragraph mentioning the name of Mr Broadhurst or the name of Mr Shipton. Mr Wilson, Dunbar— I want to call attention to a point of order. I submit that in the fourth paragraph of the report there is no reference to Mr Broadhurst or ftir Shipton, and anyone discussing their character is altogether outside the matter be- fore us. (Applause.) Mr Blaokwell— Is Mr Shipton not the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee, and is Mr Broadhurst not the Secretary ? (Hear. ) The President— We should not narrow down the discussion too much. There is not much of the re- marks of the delegate from London out of place at all. Mr Blaokwell — I accept your ruling. The President — You are wasting time. You will better make good use of the next half minute. (Laughter and applause. ) Mr Blaokwell — As a member of my Society, I protest against the action of Mr Broadhurst in supporting a man like Hill, and sweaters like Henry Brunner. (Disorder and interruption, and calls to order.) The President— It was already ruled that the discu.ssion was quite regular. (Applause. ) Mr Blaokwell — I will always protest against any man A Delegate — Just a moment • Mr Blaokwell — All this interruption is simply to knock out the five minutes allowed me to speak. (Cries of "No.") I would protest against the action of Mr Broadhurst or any other man who sells the interests of the labouring class to the capitalist party— I don't care whether the Tory party or the Liberal party, or any other party. It is a well known fact that Mr Broadhurst refused, on the in- vitation of the Compositors' Society of London, to attend a meeting of that Society. (Ironical cheers, and cries of "Time," amidst which Mr Blaokwell resumed his seat. ) Mr Threlfall, Southport, said he was one of those who believed it would be better for Mr Broadhurst, better for the Parliamentaty Com- mittee, better for the Trades Congress, and better for Trades Unions to meet face to face the scur- rilous attacks upon Mr Broadhurst and the Parlia- mentary Committee. (Cheers and "No.") Mr Shipton and himself, and every prominent official, were attacked as being swindlers. There was no prominent official who was free from attack unless he was prepared to bow the knee to those whose objects were secret and hidden. He would ask this plain question — If one of those extremely pleasant gentlemen of the London Society of Compositors who posed as a saint and an apostle of freedom — Mr Bateman — (cheers) — did not within the last month apply to the Home Secretary for the post of Factory Inspector? ("Hsar, hear," and laughter.) There was not a man on the Parliamentary Com- mittee who could not make a good defence. When a man who had worked honestly and fearlessly for Trades Unions, it mattered not to him what that man's politics were ; he was bound as an honest man to defend honest men. ("Hear, hear," and applause.) There were two members from the salt district present, and he hoped their voice would be heard for the sake of honest discussion, and that they would defend the character of honest men against male- volent, vindictive, and unscrupulous attacks. If Mr Broadhurst had been the man he was alleged to be he could, as chairman of questionable companies, have drawn thousands of pounds a year. Those who went through the sewage of political life, aided and abetted by ndalevolence and vindictive- ness, could only rake up charges which were capable of the best explanation. He was prepared to move a vote of confidence in the Committee. Mr A. G. Cooke, Librarian of the London Society of Compositors, said that, as a member of the Society which had passed a resolution hostile to Mr Broadhurst, he wished to say a few words upon the subject. As an officer of that Society, and also as a member of the London School Board, he wished to express his views upon the subject. Ho agreed with the previous speaker that when a public man was abused, and his character traduced, they had a right also to analyse the character of his traducer. Mr Bateman, the prime mover in this matter, happened to be a fellow member of his in the London Society of Compositors, and it was very painful to him (Mr Cook) to say a word against a fellow member. Mr Newstead wished to state that he had never used Bateman's name. The Chairman — Mr Bateman's name was used by your fellow delegate. (Hear, hear.) Mr Cooke continued that, when he had pre- viously risen to call a speaker to order, the Chair- man had ruled that the speaker was quite in order. He therefore considered that he was quite entitled to refer to the matter now. The previous speaker had referred to Mr Bateman having applied for the position of factory inspector, and this at the very time when he was denouncing the man who was the prime mover in the movement to appoint work- ing men inspectors, Mr Bateman had also gone to the Liberal Unionists in a similar manner. He asked whether they should put their trust in such shuttlecocks ? (Loud cheers. ) Mr Bisset, Aberdeen, supported the proposal for the deletion of the paragraphs. If, he said, there was dissatisfaction within the ranks of their organi- sation — if they were not pleased with the policy of their leader — and if their mouths were to be shut because they felt it necessary to speak out and in- form their leaders it was necessary to adopt a more active, aggressive policy, was it right that they should be spoken of as men who ought to be shunned and despised, and attacked in such an in- direct manner ? If there was any one to whom their opponents directed their attack let them name them, and give those attacked an opportunity of explaining their conduct. (Hear, hear.) He held that it was unworthy of the Parliamentary Committee, and much more unworthy of the Con- gress, to adopt such paragraphs as were referred to without specifically stating to whom they re- ferred. If they had any individuals to whom they referred, he for one should not take objection to the paragraphs, but until that was done he thought they ought, in honour, to insist upon their deletion. He was sure every one present entertained the highest respect and admiration for the services rendered to the cause of labour by Mr Broadhurst and other men, and the regret was that they did not seem now to take the same active interest as formerly. If they were leading the movement as they had done in times past he believed every man within the ranks of the Union would give them the same assistance and support ns hitherto. But if they cared to block the way to prevent progress they could not but find dissatisfaction) and that dissatisfaction would find expression. ( Apiilause. ) Mr EDDf, Glasgow, said that after all the bounce and bravado which had been going on during the last twelve months, and after all the insolent lan- guage, contumely, and insults which had been poured upon those who had been chosen to repre- sent the working class, now when a chance had come to those who had been doing the dirty work of those outside that Congress these people had shirked. (" Hear, hear," and " Question.") There was no question about it, because they found them all apologists that day. (" Hear, hear.") They found them making different speeches there from what they made at other places. The last speaker, for instance, had made a very different speech from wh it he delivered only a short time ago to the Aberdeen Trades Congress. Mr Bisset — Is Mr Eddy aware that since that I have retracted that speech? (Great laughter.) m. Trades' Umm Congress. ■Mr KnnV— I am not aware Mr Bisset did any-, thing of tlie sort, but we are all very glad to think that he has got more common sense now. (" Hear, hear, " and laughter. ) As a compositor, he had to say that the London Society of Compositors had arrogated to themselves such a tremendous amount of importance — (applause) — that he for one felt titterly unable to help them in maintaining it. {**Hear,hear," and applause.) To think that one individual Society should call upon the Secretary of the Parliamentary Committee to come before them as a criminal, and liave his conduct judged and be censured by that body ! Let them bow in admiration to tlie London Society! (Laughter.) He had heard before that the compositors were a very intelligent body — (great laughter and "Ques- tion ") — but he must say that he never thought they bad such presumption as to come there and tell all the representatives of the working people of the conntry that Sir liroadhurst and the Parliamentary Com- mittee were responsible only to the London Society of Compositors, and that if the Parliamentary Committee and Mr Broadhurst could not fall in with the fads and the newfangled ideas of some of these apostles of plunder — (laughter and loud ap- plause) — they were to be told that they came there to knock smithereens out of the whole concern. (Laughter.) He hoped this question would go to the vote. If those people who were going to re- generate all the people of the world with some new fashioned ideas of their own could produce better plans whereby the people could be lifted from the position in which they had been m the past they would listen to them ; but let them come forward manfully, and not go behind men's backs and slander them as they had done. ("Hear, hear," and loud applause. ) Although he was an Em;lisli- man himself he was thoroughly ashamed of the London Society of Compositors. (" Hear, liear," and applause.) . Mr TOMUNSON, London, pointed out that, although a member of the London Society of Com- positors, he had not spoken on the question. M GiLLET, one of the saltworkers, said that when they desired to form a Union he wrote and asked Mr Broadhurst to come ami deliver an address to- them. Mr Broadhurst immediately attended to thisjbutwhenthemeetingwas heldthere wasaswarm from London, including Blr Ciiampion and Tom Mann, or otherwise Joe Millar, as he called himself on that occasion. (Derisive laughter and cries of " Oh, oh.") He (Mr G.) afterwards informed them that had he known tlieir object he would have taken care that they were not admitted, the more so as he was responsible for the order main- tained at the meeting. ("Hear, hear," and ap- plause. ) They got an invitation from Norwicli to go there and hear the celebrated Tom Mann, of Ltmdon. They thought they were to have a treat, but when they got to Norwich it was nothing but .Joe Millar. (Great laughter and applause.) Well, then, a man who was Tom Mann at one place and Joe Millar at the other was not a j>erson he would follow.. (" Hear, hear, " and cheers. ) He would require to have yes or no, not yes and no. (" Hear, hear," and cheers. ) At the outset, when they formed their Union, there was a membership of about 840, and now they had 1600 members. (Applause.) As the result of the address then delivered by Mr Broad- hurst, and aiiother given by him subsequently, as well as the assistance which they had received from Mr Arch, they now had 1500 members at Wisbeach, 030 members at Norwich, -100 at AYorces- ter, and 200 at Middlesbrough. This was the work of the so-called enemy of Trades Unionism, the Secretary of the Parliamentary Committee. (Loud a Ijplause. ) Mr COOPEK, London, supported the arneudmout. He said he was not there to attack individuals, but to attack wliat ho considered the wrong policy purs.ued by the Parliamentary Committee. That conduct he was going to refer to in reference to the International Congress at Paris. By the resolution passed at the last Congress the Parliamentary Com- mittee was bound to support the Pa is Congress, and the action the Committee had taken was. he thought, a breach of faith, and it was because of that, and the fact that he considered this bad policy, that he condemned the Parliamentary Com- mittee. (Applause.) Mr King, London, said the Parliamentary Com- mittee had done a thing in the past year for which they should be commended by the Trades Congress, and that was that they would have nothing to do with the Labour Congress. It should be remem- bered that they were Trade Unionists first and before everything else. They might belong to religious denominations or political bodies or be Socialists, but they were first and foremost Trade Unionists, and on that ground he was very glad to know that the Parliamentary Committee had refused to have anything to do with a Congress that did not recog- nise Trade Unionism. If the Parliamentary Com- mittee had taken the circulars and disseminated them through the Trades Unions of the country, they would have stamped it, as it were, with their approval, and he thought therefore they were quite right in having nothing to do with it. (Hear, hear. ) Mr Haddlbton, a member of the Birmingham Trades Council, in the course of some remarks, advocated strongly the necessity for more aggres- sive action in the matter of assisting their feUow- m'^n — whether skilled or unskilled workmen — and lemarked that they were very conservative as re- gards admitting members into their trade societies. He did not, he said, care altogether for Socialism, but there were some good principles in it which he felt it to be his duty to take up, and one was that they did what they possibly could to assist their brother man out of the Slough of Desijond. As regards the discussion, he said that, in all the circumstances, when a matter of that kind was brought up, it ought to be made as public as possible, and he thought they ought to be obliged to their London friends for introducing it. Mr Keie Habdie rose to move an amendment to the amendment. The Chairman ruled that it would be iracompetent to take that course at that stage. Mr Fenvviok, M.P., said the last four paragraphs of the Committee's report were somewhat wid of the mark of what the mover of the amendment in- dicated by his speech. If he under.stood the argu- ment of the mover of the amendment, he moved the amendmeiit with the view of calling attention to the conduct of the Parliamentary Committee with respect to their action or non-action in refer-- ence to the Paris Congress. The universal press of the country had called attention to the charges made against the President and the Secretary of the Parliamentary Committee, and the delegates had had no end of newspapers sent to- them, especially from London, with every leader specially marked. As no one denied that these charges had been made, it seemed to him to be un- necessary to delete the paragraph referred to. He thought the amendment would come in better form when the paragraph referring to the Paris Congress came to be considered. He believed the Committee might have done more than they did in order to secure a wider representation of English Trades Unionists at the Congress. He was of- opinion that the Paris Congress was productive of great good, and that in the near future the results of that Congress would be realised. The proj)er- time to criticise the conduct of the Secretary was when they came to the election of the secretary. (No, no.) That was his opinion, but he would be glad if the whole thing were .fought out at the time. He maintained that they ought to have some, specific and definite charge brought against the President, and Secretary of the Parliamentary Meetings in. Dundee.. 3;i. Committee which they could discuss in a conoreto form. Such had not been submitted by the mover of the amendment. The PEESiDENl^It is intended that the whole discussion on the report should take place now. I will give Mr Keir Hardie an opportunity to move the amendment he wished to move a little ago. Mr Blaokwell— Are you not to allow criticism pf Mr Broadhurst when his name comes forward ? The President— The hope is expressed that the whole discussion will take place now — that any criti- cism to be passed upon the Parliamentary Committee will be made now. ; Mr Newstead — I call attention to a point of order. I put it that the last four paragraphs should be deleted, because an unfair and unwarranted attack has been made on unspecified persons. I do not know to whom those attacks refer, and we wish the Parliamentary Committee to be manly enough to name those persons. (Hear. ) I don't wish to burke discussion ; let the vote be taken. The President— We certainly have no desire to prevent discussion when che election of the Parlia- mentary Committee comes on, but we appeal to the good sense of the delegates to give effect to what I have indicated. Mr Freak, London, referring to the Labour Con- gress in Paris, said that even if the Continental meeting did not move entirely upon the same lines as their own, they had no right to say that they would have nothing to do with it on that account. ,He thought that every opportunity should be embraced by Englishmen to co-operate in all these Confrresses, either to educate the foreigners to their own standard, if they were above them, or to have their own minds disabused of the conceit in them. Hear, hear. ) He held, therefore, tiiat the Parlia- mentary Committee had no right to withhold that circular. A copy of it should h.ave been issued to every trades unionist in the United Kingdom, even if it iiad been accompanied by a circular from the Parliamentary Committee, giving their opinion about it. He held, therefore, that the Parlimentary Committee were guilty of an act of discourtesy in having omitted to transmit the circular. (Ap- plause.) Mr G-EDDES, Stafford, in a voice which was almost inaudible, said he desired that the subject should be threshed out just now. His experience of Trades Unions, which extended over twenty-five years, was that the whole of their leaders were always subjected to vile literature when they were doing their very best to elevate the position of their fellows. (Sear, hear.) It was the old machine simply with new operations. "VVho were the men who attended former Congresses and made similar attacks ? They were wiped out ; and they should serve the men who were making attacks that day as they served the others. (Loud applause. ) From the literature which he had received, his impression was that there would be only two honest men at the Congress, and that they were coming from London. (Great laughter.) He held that it was entirely wrong to send men to that Congress with special instructions as to how to vote on this matter. (Loud applause. ) Mr Fife, Edinburgh, said he regretted extremely that the attack upon tlie Parliamentary Committee should have come from the printing profession, to which he belonged, and he thought that the Scot- tish compositors would not support their London brethren in the matter. (Applause. ) As repre- senting the general body of the workmen of Edin- burgh, he had to support the action of the Parlia- 'mentary Committee, and he had to ask whether the paragraphs which it was proposed to delete were true or false ? He maintained that there ha,d be.en no contradiction to them. The facts were there, and spoke for themselve.s. (Applause.) It would, he said, have been altogether inconsistent with the position of the Parliamentary Committee ;te ignore such scurrilous attacks as had been made upon them within the last twelve months. With all due deference to their London friends, who were in the forefront of the labour movement, they must say that it was the work- men of Great Jiritain, not London, who had to settle that matter. It appeared to him that the whole thing was a storm in a teapot. It had only come from one or two quarters,and it had appeared from the public prints that there was a terrible storm raging, but what had it come to? Tliey had heard no accusation, except that they refused to send round a few circulars, and the attack, he held, was perfectly uncalled-for. He did not wish to say that the Parliamentary Committee were all -that might be desired. They might not go so far as some would like, but there was no body of any kind in which there was perfect agreement, and instead of obstructing the progress of the Com- mittee they ought to assist them as far as they could. (Applause. ) Mr COEBETT, Nottingham, said that in the cir- -cular sent down to Nottingham from London, and which he believed had been sent to the other parts of the country, it was stated that the Nottingham Trades Unionists had beeu directly opposed to their Secretary. The purpose of these circulars was to lead the Trade Unionists of the country astray. (" Hear, hear," and applause.) That had not been so, and he thought it was too late to attempt it, for in Nottingham they had the greatest confidence in .the Parliamentary Committee, its President, and its Secretary. (Applause.) Mr Harvib, Derby, said they must have a better policy and a better programme submitted before they accepted the doctrines of the Socialist party. What had that party, the army of plunder, done to alleviate the working classes? When there was likely to be a successful agitation - these men came upon tlie scene, and tried to upset what had been wisely and cautiously done, and they did ten times more haim than good. They ought not to take notice of the abuse that had been thrown upon the men who had borne tlie heat and work of the day — men who had worked be.sides shouting, and who had made sacrifices for the grand cause -which it was their hearts' desire to advance. He concluded by declaring that knowledge and not ignorance should rule the masses of the people. (Applause. ) Mr Boyle, Northumberland, said that one of the gentlemen on the opposite side, in speaking- about Trades Union.«, called some "old fossils." (Laughter.) Why, one of the very oldest fossils tliey had had done what they would never do. ("Hear," and applause.) That old fossil of theirs had been the pioneer of labour representatives. (Great applause.) They had sent two men to rejiresent them. They kept themselves. -Had the gentlemen on the opposite side sent any- thing? No ; they came amongst them to try their very best to make it ditScult to keep their repre- .sentatives in London. (Applause) In whatever constituency labour was represented there they found tlieir opponents as well. (Hear.) If labour was to be represented, who did they want to see re- present it ? They must have men to do so like themselves. His experience caused hira to agree with the Parliamentary Committee. He would say as the priest said in the pulpit — " If you want to keep away from sin keep away from all temptation to sin" — (great laughter and applause) — aud if they were determined to keep to their proper objects they would keep away from those on the opposite side and their system of disorganisation. (Ap- plause.) He once read about a Scotsman, who was going into a gentleman's orchard to take a few apples. The gentleman came to him, and said — " Where are you going?" He replied, turning to the wicket — " I am gaun' back again." (Great ■ laughter.) His experience was that wherever they had found them and asked anv member that left them where was he going to, he, jusi; said, "lam ;gaun' buck.again." ..(.Great laughter and apfilause.) 32 Trades' Union Congress. The Chairman said they wore very pleased to see so many strangers in the gallery, but expressions either of approval or disapproval by them mast be avoiiled. (Expressions of dissent.) Mr Holmes, Burnley, said he was surprised that the mover and seconder of the amendment had nothing particular to say, and, he might add, that they had succeeded in saying it, (Oh.) They had moved the deletion of the four last paragraphs, but there were no specific charges made against anyone in them. It seemed to him that the sup- porters of this amendment were securing at least a very cheap advertisement. (Hear, hear.) He questioned whether they had any right to sit there and discuss matters of that kind, to the detriment of more important questions that should have to be discussed. He protested against their time being wasted in this manner. Their constituents had a right to expect that they would do something else than discuss personal matters. (Applause.) Mr Habeis, Newcastle-on-Tyne, said that the Trades Council which he represented lad con- sidered the attack upon Mr Broadhurst, and the men of Northumberland rose to the occasion and saw through tlie triclc. He thought there was sometliing more in these four paragraphs which the supporters of the amendment had not the manli- ness to bring forward. There was an old saying that if a cap fitted any one he should put it on, and he would commend it to the supporters of the amendment. A great deal of mud had been thrown about that morning, and he hoped some of it would stick to the throwers. (Hear, hear.) He had no hesitation in saying that the Trade Unionists of the country would support those who had fought the battle of Trades Unionism. (Applause. ) Mr Bloor, Burslem, said he considered that the charges made showed that there were certain parties who had been sowing seeds of dissension, which, had they taken root to any extent, would have entirely thwarted and stultified not only the Parliamentary Committee but the objects for which they were met. For his own part he could have appreciated the action of their opponents better had they come forward manfully and made their charges in a specific manner, but whereas on the one hand he found them posing as butterflies, on the other hand he found that they were notliing but stinging wasps. Mr Chandler, Manchester, did not think the report would be complete without the paragraphs referred to. Mr Wilson, Durham, as chairman of the Stand- ing Orders Committee, moved that they now vote on the deletion of the four paragraphs of the report referred to, and that then they proceed to consider the conduct of Mr Broadhurst. (Applause.) This was agreed to, and the question was there- after put to the meeting, when there voted for the amendment (for the deletion of the paragraphs) 18, and for the motion 142. The announcement of the result was received with cheers. One of the tellers here called attention to the fact that Miss Sincox who was not a delegate had voted. Miss Sincox— I rise to a point of order. My credentials were sent in three weeks ago. A Mkmbeb— Is any one not a delegate allowed to speak without the permission of the Chairman ? The Chaieman— Certainly not. The rule is im- perative. Miss StNCOX— The Standing Orders Committee have not The Chairman— It has been moved that the Standing Orders be suspended in order to consider the conduct of Mr Broadhurst. IMPKACHMBNT OF MR BROADHURST, M.P. Mr Wilson, Durham, said that in order to give facilities to those making charges against Mr Broad- hurst, which, he hoped, they would be manly enough to state— (hear, hear)— he -would move— "That this Congress expresses undiminished confidence in Mr H. Broadhurst as Secretary to the Parliamentary Committee, and its opinion that the charges circu- lated about him are untrue." (Applause.) Mr OORBBTT, Nottingham, seconded. Mr J. C. THOMPSON, Aberdeen, at this point rose and asked whether it was not possible to lengthen the time of the various speakers, five minutes being simply nonsense. He suggested that fifteen minutes should be allowed to each speaker ? After some discussion it was agreed that fifteen minutes should be allowed to the proposer and seconder of a motion, and ten minutes to other speakers. Mr J. Kkie Habdib then moved an amendment : — "That this meeting, recognising the fact that a strong feeling of resentment is rising in .the minds of the Trades Unionists of this country against the action of Mr Henry Broadhurst, M.P., in having sup- ported at an election two men who were sweaters and unfair employers, and by his declaration that he will continue in this course in future ; and, fur- ther, by the fact that he has admittedly held shares in a public company — (Oh) — where men are shamefully overworked and underpaid, declares that he is not a fit and proper person to act as Secretary of the Parliamentary Committee of the Trades Unionists of Great Britain." Mr Hardie, in submitting his amendment, said he wanted the question raised fair and square, and dis- posed of, in Older that the Congress might apply itself to business of a more practical nature during the remainder of the week. He then said that If this motion were not carried, he would go over the matter again until the Trades Unionists of the country came to hold the same opinion as he (Mr Hardie) did upon it — (Oh)— or until Mr Broadhurst saw fit to resign his position or apologise, (Derisive laughter and "Oh.") Mr Hardie went on to say that in 1879, Mr James Hill had a contract to supply the Government of this country with certain locks. It was discovered that the looks which were supplied were of American make, and when asked for an explanation Mr Hill said that, owing to the injurious action of Trades Unionists, the drunkenness and improvidence of the working classes, the existence of short hours and long wages, he was unable to get his locks supplied cheap enough in this country, and therefore had to go abroad. Nearly three years ago the same Mr Hill was a Parliamentary candidate, and amongst those who supported him was Mr Broad- hurst. What had been said since by Mr Broadhurst and others was, that they had not heard what Mr Hill's opinion was now; But in a speech delivered at Greenock on 30th Sep- tember, 1888, Mr Hill said that while he went to America, driven by force of circumstances, the moment he saw that the British working men were willing to adapt themselves to his views both as regards the price and the improvement in the locks he was only too glad to come back. As to his price, he made a boast of it that he had succeeded in reducing the price of locks 50 per cent., which meant that he had reduced the wages of the lock- makers 50 per cent. They had Mr Hill's own words that he held the same opinions that day as he held ten years ago, and yet they had the Secre- tary of the Parliamentary Committee, in the face of the world, supporting him at election times. Mr Brunner also worked his operatives 84 hours a week, at a wage averaging 3jd per hour, yet they had Mr Broadhurst at election times supporting Mr Brunner by all the influence he could bring to bear, and telling them in the Congress that Mr Brunner| a man who had grown rich out of the miseries — (Oh)— out of the blood and muscle of the British workmen, that that man was an honourable man entitled to their support. He also said that he had heard Mr Broadhurst admit that he was a holder of shares in the firm of Brunner, Mond, & Co., and he held good deeds in the past would not atone for sins in the present ; and if they found those men . Meetings in Dundei, 33 Vylio oug)it to be their leaders figttihg aftd working side by side with those who were reoognised and admitted to be their oppressors, they ought to speak out strongly. It was said tliat Mr Broad- hurst did what he was charged with in his private capacity, but they could not divide a man, and he submitted that the Congress would be doing an injustice to those o£ tliem who were there to represent the great cause of Unionism unless they passed such a resolution. All they asked for was that the men who stood upon the platform as leaders of Trades Unionism should know no party except the party to which they belonged, and to whose ranks they had risen — the party of labour in this country — concerning which Whigs and Tories were agreed in seeking to oppress, to keep down, to trample under foot, and to prevent from coming into its own. (Applause. ) Mr Newstkad, London, seconded. In doing so, he said he had a direct mandate from the Loudon Society of Compositors, with a membership of 7500. This Society had yearly contributed £20 to the fund of the Parliamentary Committee, but this year they had reduced the vote to £5, in conse- quence of the action of the Secretary of the Parlia- mentary Committee. The charges were made by Mr Bateman, and he would have preferred that Mr Bateman had had this job to perform. ("Hear, hear," derisive laughter, and applause. ) He wished so because Mr Bateman was better grounded in the facts of the case than he (Mr N.) was. Pro- ceeding, he said that in all due courtesy Mr Broadhurst was invited to attend a meeting of the London Society of Compositors to say whether the charges made were lies or not, but Mr Broadhurst refused to come, and con- sequently the London Society of Compositors were driven to the course which they had adopted. Pro- ceeding, he again repeated the charges in terms pretty much similar to those used by Mr Hardie, and taking the whole ques- tion into consideration, and the fact that the shares referred to were transferred immediately after service was rendered, he was inclined, in the absence of proof to the contrary, to assume that they were given for that service. ("Hear, hear," and loud hisses. ) In conclusion he explained that Mr Bateman not being a member of the London Society of Compositors for five years was not eligible to be a delegate to the Congress. This explained why Mr Bateman did not make the charges himself. Mr Chisholm Bobebtson, Glasgow, said he found himself in opposition to his esteemed friend Mr J. K. Hardie. He had been a bosom friend of his for a long time. (Laughter. ) Two years ago, at Swansea, he (the speaker) was the only mau-^or rather boy — ^who stood up as his apologist, and what be said on his behalf on that occasion he was come there that day to recant. (Applause.) Mr Hardie made certain charges against Mr Broad> hurst. He charged Mr Broadhurst with what was no doubt a very heinous crime, of investing money in a certain concern without making full inquiry as to how that concern was worked. Well, he came there to formulate the same charge against Mr Hardie. (Applause and laughter. ) Mr Hardie started a paper, and he found himself in the same position as the American who started a paper and some time afterwards wrote a friend stating his experiences in the following lines : — Man's a vapour, full of woes, Starts a paper, bursts, and goes. (Great laughter. ) Mr Hardie started The Miner, and it had burst ; and he also started The Labour Leader, and it had burst. (Laughter.) He had invested his money in these two organs, and they were not to enlighten the British people, but all the people of Europe and worlds yet undiscovered. (Great laughter.) Before stairting these organs it was necessary for him to discover somewhere where he could get the papers printed. He tried all the E machine plnoes in GlasgbW, m Edinburgh, in Lon- don, Dublin, 'Derry, Belfast, and all the other towns he (the speaker) was acquainted with. (Laughter.) At last he had to go back to Ayrshire, and he gave the printing of the paper to the Ayr- shire Post Office. They found from information supplied to them that day that that shop was a notorious rat shop. (Great laughter and "Oh, oh.") Some short time ago Mr Hardie, as the apostle of purists, brought forward a motion at the Miners' Conference.in Glasgow condemning a paper published in Dundee because it was not working on Trades Union xjrinciples. He misled the delegates, and they passed a resolution on his misleading statements. Afterwards they found that his state- ments were entirely incorrect, and they discovered he had a motive in the question. He had made application to become the correspondent of two papers — the one refused his offer and the other ac- cepted it. The one that refused was the one that was worked on proper principles, and, of course, received the condemnation of Mr Keir Hardie. (Laughter and apx>lause. ) When Mr Hardie was asked to publicly retract what he had stated, he refused to do it, but in his organ — now defunct, unfortunately — (laughter) — a fortnight later he made the announcement to all and sundry that it had come to his knowledge that certain labour leaders had supported this paper by writing to it— their names were known to him, and unless within a certain time they with- drew from all connection with the paper he would publish their names to the respective trades. (Great laughter. ) Mr Hardie was a man of varied character. Hewas apoet, novelist, dramatist, anti- tobacconist, teetotaler, anda number of other things. (Laughter. ) He had stood as a Labour candidate for Mid Lanarkshire, and while he wns standing as a candidate he got his literature printed in a notorious rat shop in Glasgow. Mr Hardie could get up and deny the charges he was making. Mr Haedie— I am to do so. Mr Chisholm Robertson remarked that Mr Hardie was capable of denying many things. He went to Paris recently as representing 65,000 Scotch miners. Mr Hardie — I never said so. Mr Chisholm Robertson said that statement appeared in the newspapers. Mr Hardie stood dis- credited before the miners of the country, and there were many districts where he dare not show his face, because they had sincere doubts that Mr Hardie was not a man who should receive the trust of anybody. A Delegate said it was not Mr Hardie they were trying. Mr Chisholm Robertson said it had been ruled that if charges were made by certain individuals it was perfectly right and proper that the character of those who made the charges should be investigated. Mr Hardie did- not come forward in support of Trades Unionism. A London Delegate remarked that those who sup- ported the charges against Mr Broadhurst had no- thing to do with Mr Hardie. Mr Chisholm Robertson said that if these gentlemen withdrew from Mr Hardie he was quite willing to exonerate them. A Delegate from the London Society of Composi- tors said he never saw Mr Hardie before that day. Mr Chisholm Robertson wished from the bottom of his heart that he could say the same thing. (Loud laughter. ) Mr Hardie, in his re- markable report to the Paris Congress, which had been translated into all the European languages — (laughter) — said he was the avowed enemy of Trades' Unions. It was strange that he should stand up there that day to free them from the incubus connected with Mr Broadhurst. Mr Hardie came there as a delegate representing 4000 miners who voted in favour of eight hours, but when he (Mr B.) took up the report he found that Ms 34 Trades' tlnion Congress. Hardie only represented 1000. Mr Hardie had told them distinctly that he was perfectly ready at any time to take money from any quarter. (^°'?" laughter.) In a speech at Liverpool he asked to be implicitly trusted with money to improve the con- dition of the poor. He was the new Moses come to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. (Loud Innghter.) He concluded by heartily supporting the motion made by the Chairman of the Parlia- uieutary Committee. Mr Kbir Hardie rose to reply. The President — You can only make a fair ex- planation without any speech. Mr Hardie— Neither The Leader nor The Miner Were ever published at the office of the Ayrshire Observer. For nine months The Miner was pub- lished at the Ayrshire Post Office. What he had to say was that he paid Trades Union prices for it being printed. (Applause. ) For another period of two and a half years the paper was published by Mr Guthrie, of Ardrossan, and he took it for granted that it was a good Trades' Union house. President — I think this is going beyond a personal explanation. Delegate— Will this gentleman tell us the num- ber of apprentices in the Ayrshire Post? (" Hear " and cries of " Chair.") Mr Hardie, regarding his writing to the Dun- dee papers, explained that the Dundee Trades Council passed a resolution that one of the news- papers printed in Dundee was printed in an office not In accordance with the rules of Trades Unions. He was correspondent for that paper, and got 10s a week for sending news to it. As soon as he learned that the paper was a non-union one he resigned his position as oorresponi'eut. As to the allegation that he had got his election printing done in offices which were "rat" shops, he denied this, and said that the 5000 cojiies of his election address came as a donation from the office of the Ayrshire Post. In reference to the report of the Trades Labour Congress which had been sent for pub- lication to a Dundee newspaper he remarked that what he said was " that if the Trades' Union did not develop in another direction it would become a huge friendly society," but the good compositor in Dundee made a mistake, and made it read that " the Trades Union would become a huge fiend of society." (Great laughter.) A Deleg.^te — I protest against this as a waste of time. Mr Robertson here produced a copy of Mr Hardie's election address to the mid division of Lanarkshire, and stated that at the foot of the sheet there were the words "Printed at the Ayrshire Post Oace." Mr Hardie — I said that I got 5000 of these sent as a donation from the Ayrshire Post Office. Mr J. Parkinson, Newcastle, said a very serious charge had been brought against their Parliamen- tary Secretary, and he himself would be very care- ful in bringing such a charge against any man. He considered that Mr Broadhurst stood before the world as a Trades Unionist who had endeavoured to do his duty to the country. He characterised some of the Trades Unionists who had sprung up during the last twenty-five minutes as " mush- rooms." (Laughter.) The Socialists, he insisted, had never tried to organise, but rather to dis- organise, and therefore they were not entitled to confidence ;ind respect. (Applause.) He believed the whole of the Newcastle delegates would sup- port a vote of confidence in Mr Broadhurst. (Hear, hear.) He himself had always the strongest con- fidence in the Parliamentary Committee, and hoped they would go on in the path of peace and progress. (Applause. ) _ Mr Robertson, Glasgow, then moved the ad- journ nent of the sitting for an hour, which was •greed to, THE AFTEEiSrOON SITTING. On resuming at two o'clock, after an interval of an hour allowed for luncheon, The Chairman suggested that the discussion should be brought to a close after other three dele- gates had spoken on each side. Several motions were proposed as to whether the discussion should proceed in the usual way, and ultimately it was resolved, on the motion of Mr ' Weir, Dunfermline, to conclude the debate not later than four o'clock, the statement of Mr Broadhurst and the reply of the mover of the resolution being reserved until next day. Mr Robertson, Glasgow, said that, as he moved the adjournment of the debate, he would be brief. He had to support Mr Chisbolm Robertson in refer- ence to their friend Mr Hardie getting his printing done in an office filled with apprentices. Mr Hardie charged Mr Broadhurst for not going and inquiring before he did anything, whether he was right or wrong. He asked Mr Hardie whether he went and inquired at this office whether it was a - Union Office or not ; if not, he ought to have his own door clean before he found fault with his neigh- bour? (Laughterandapplause.) He(MrR.)happened to belong to the Scottish Typographical Associa- tion, being a printer, and he must say that he felt ashamed of himself — (great laughter)— when he found his colleagues coming from London doing what they had done. They had been educated under Mr Broadhurst, and now they thought they were wiser than their father, and were to turn him out of doors. (Laughter. ) That they were not able to do, for he believed Mr Broadhurst in his reply would be able to show to the dele- gates that what he had done would bear investigation. (Applause.) He (Mr R.) had been down at Ayr on Saturday, and he found that the office in which Mr Hardie got his work done— the Ayrshire Post — was a nest of apprentices. There were four apprentices over the stipulated number according to rule ; and the other office, which belonged to the same proprietor — namely, the Observer — had nine apprentices over the stipu- lated number. It became one and all of them, as working men, that they should take their work to the men who paid properly for it, and where it was not done by boy labour. Mr Hardie said when he heard tell of this he removed his work. Why did he not do this at first ? If they had an enemy, let them have a fair field and no favour, and let Unionists in this Congress buckle on their armour and guard themselves with steel, so that even a sword would not penetrate it. He was not afraid of the enemy ; they were present in sheep's cloth- ing.. (Great laughterandapplause.) Mr Swift, Manchester, then gave a detailed statement of the facts relating to the firm of Messrs Brunner, Mond, & Co., who, he said, were accused of being notoriously bad employers. The Brm, he said, now paid 34s a week to their engineers — the highest minimum average wage that there was in Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Cheshire. After going into details in regard to the manner in which the works were managed, Mr Swift said he had no hesitation in saying they were not bad employers of labour ; but, on the contrary, men were treated with every consideration, though in some depart- ments the work was not of a very agreeable nature. In conclusion, Mr Swift said there had been more deliberate lying about the firm in question than all the others in England put together. (Laughter and applause. ) Mr Knight, Newcastle, said he had had an op- portunity of making full inquiry into the wages faid by the firm of Brunner, Mond, & Co., and he pound that the wages paid by that firm was 2s per vfeek over and above that paid by any other arm m the district. The charges made against that firm were totally without foundation: It would be most unmanly on his part to hea„ u' made against one who had been theu' tr7j /F^^ ftnd leader (or a number of years without ^ ■ °" Meetings in Dundee, 35 flad out all he ooald ia regard to these charges. He had that opportunity, and he found that the charges against Mr Broadliurst were perfectly un- true. Mr Blackweli., London, said he presumed their friend who had last spoken was from the engineers. It seemed to him that the engineers were to have Mr Burns representing them there, and if he had been with them they would have heard a very different tale. In his (the speaker's) Society (the Glassblowera') and in his own trade Mr Broad- hurst's name stinks. (Hisses.) It was a positive fact. (Hisses and cries of "Ordei.") It was so. ("No, no," and renewed hissing and cries of "Order" and "Withdraw.") His name was not very palatable. ("Oh, oh," and "Order.") His Society and the men in his line had objected strongly to Mr Broadhnrst for years. They did so on the question of the museums, when Mr Broad hurst strongly opposed the opening of them on Sabbath. (Applause.) They had also been op- posed to Mr Broadhui'st on account of his promoting the candidature of Mr Hill. His Society objected, he had said already, to Mr Broadhnrst, and he (Mr B.) objected to him in particular — (great laughter) — and if his Society did not object to him they would not have sent him (Mr B.) to Dundee. It was a well-known fact that Bruuner's men wrought something like eighty- six hours a-week. The average, at any rate, was eighty-four hours per week, and the remuneration they received was only 30s for that time. After referring, in a few words, to the bottle trade in the North of England, Mr Blackwell spoke of the Socialists, and stated that Mr Threlford last week said they were doing good work. Mr Threlfall at this stage rose, and, amid laughter, hoped Mr Blackwell would pronounce his name properly. Mr Blackwell said the dock labourers had a very strong Union, although it was formed not long ago; and had been organised by Socialists. Mr B. AnSTEN, London, said reference had been made to the" fact that the engineers had reduced their subscription to the Trades Union Congress. He had not been present at the meeting whea this decision was come to, but he had told them that he believed it was illegal to do so. They had heard something that day about recantation, and he did not know whether it was remorse of conscience, but in less than a month Mr Bums moved that the subscription should be raised, and an extra sum given to the Parliamentary Committee to meet contingencies and the expenses of the International Conference. (Hear, hear.). The speaker spoke strongly against the London Star as a most unfair paper. He also spoke in exoneration of the Messrs Brunner & Co. from the charges which had been brought against them. He could only say that he wished they were the worst firm in the country, and that they had more imitators of their system. He did not think this badgering and attempting to set one individual. against another would do any good. They had enough to do to fight the employers without fighting each other. (Hear, hear.) If they devoted their exertions to this they would do a great deal better. In conclusion, he denounced the shameless statements which had been made in the press, and which were not worthy of belief. (Applause. ) Attention was here called to the fact that a jroung man, who was sitting at the reporters' table, had been interrupting the last speaker in an un- seemly manner. It was desired to be known whether he was a delegate or a reporter. The in- dividual referred to, who belongs to Dundee, said he was a reporter, but when asked by the Chairman what paper he represented, or to show his card, he would not do either. After some interruption, the Chairman requested the offending individual, amidst cries of "Put him out, " to withdraw, and this was ultimately done. The Chairman requested the door-keeper to be careful not to admit any one to the body of the hall who was not either a delegate or a reporter. Mr Wkih, Dunfermlini', said his reason for being impressed with the duty was the fact that the charges made against the worthy Secretary of the Parliamentary Committee were formulated by what was called a representative of the Scottish miners. He (Mr "VVeir) represented that body to a certain extent, and he could assure them that these charges' from time to time had found their way into the dis- trict in which he was situated, but the body of miners whom he had the honour to represent had been pleased to treat these charges with a certain amount of caution until they got some absolute proof. Who was Mr Bateman? (Laughter.) They ^ had never heard of him before. He did not know' anything about liim, but that was possibly his (Mr W.'s) fault. (Derisive laughter and applause.) He was well acquainted with Mr Hardie, who had repeated the charges there that day. He was a somewhat but probably not so wise a man as Mr Keir Hardie, though he assured them that instead of adopting his own tactics he had rather let mattersalonethan be guided by Mr Hardie. On this occasion he had followed the same course, and he was glad to say that the miners whom he represented were inclined to do likewise — were pre- pared until they had more substantial and greater authority for believing Mr Broadhnrst was what was represented by his accusers. He thought Mr' Hardie had got quite enough from his friend Mr Robertson. (Laugliter.) He was inclined to think there was not so much desire on the part of Mr Broadhurst's accusers to renovate or regenerate society as there was to pull down the honoured men who had been placed in the forefront of the battle. Their colleagues among the miners of North- umberland hada severeattackof Sociali-im sometime ago when they were in the throes of a dispute. Why, he asked, was the happy hunting ground of theSocialistsplaceswhere disputes were in existence? Concluding, Jlr Weir said that when Trades Unionists departed from the lines they had been going on for years they would depart from the line of rectitude. Let them fortify themselves as they had been doing, and then they would be in a position to meet employers and Socialists as well. (Applause. ) Mr Walker, Glasgow, said that this was the first time that the men he represented had hnd an opportunity of sending a representative to the Con- gress, and he had been sent because they were organised by a Socialist. Those men had been driven hither and thither even by reactionary Trades Unionists to work at starvation wages. He stated that the rates of wages at the works of Mr Brunner stated by Mr Bateman, Mr Keir Hardie, and others were almost identical — the wages were 18s per week. If the hours were 84 per week, and the wage 18s, they could not deny that that was a sweating firm. They had blacksmiths and hammer- men — men who did the same kind of work for a difference of £2 a week in wages. (Laughter.) Was that sweating? They had Mr Burns in Lon- don fighting the battle of those who had suffered from sweating in the past. It had been stated that Brunner, Mond, & Co. was a very finefiim, and that they could not get a better, and yet there were men working 84 hours a week for ISs a week. His Union had sent him there that day to say something which would have an effect on Mr Broadhurst's position. (Great laughter.) This was not altogether his opinion, although he endorsed that opinion — (roars of laughter)— and be- lieved, if it would cause another laugh, that Mr Broadhnrst should be removed. (Laughter. ) The charges formulated against Mr Broadhurst had not been met by his supporters — what they had done was to turn about and a tack others. (Laughter.) As representing a large number of workmen through- 36 Trades' Union Congfess- out Scotland, they had waved the red flag, and would do it again. (Great laughter and applause.) Mr INQLIS, Glasgow, said there were certain observations made by the last speaker that made it absolutely necessary for him (Mr I.) to defend the body which he represented. (Hear, hear.) He had put down the blacksmiths as being " sweaters," and that the hammermen only earned 18s, lOs, or 20s per week. He could say that when hammermen came to be employed by a blacksmith they received 28s and 30s per week. He had himself for many years had working with him two assistants or hammermen. While working on contract work he had always on every occasion paid those men wage for wage, giving them a fair and equitable share of whatever was received over and above the ordinary rate of wages they were receiving. Not long ago, on the invitation of Mr Chisholm Robertson, he attended a meeting of hammermen for organising purposes in the Spring- burn district of Glasgow. A well-known gentleman was there, and he took the opportunity of saying that he was pleased that the General Secretary of the Blacksmiths' Society was present, because he had something to say with regard to the manner in which blacksmiths were treated from hammermen. What did they think was the objection he had ? He objected to the blacksmiths giving their hammermen a fair and equitable share according to the profits that were produced at the job over and above the ordinary rate of wages. He objected to the payment of wage for wage. He wished to state that if anything went wrong with the job which the blacksmith was doing, and he bad paid bis assistants, the assistants very often told him that they were not responsible, although they had equitably got their share of what bad been made, and they would not start again to the job unless they were repaid for doing it again. They would have to take up a position entirely different from what they had hitherto done in dealing with their hammermen. While the men refused to concede to their desires and wishes, their employers were paying them very much more for piece work than had been paid by any other firm. If Mr Waugh was determined to raise that question he would not hesitate to bring up the matter. A Delegate — That is away from the point alto- gether. Our time is not to be wasted on matters of this description. Mr Kelley, Manchester, said his patience had been very much tried that afternoon in listening to the unreasoning twaddle they had had from one side of the house. (Laughter and applause. ) He was surprised that the London Society of Com- positors, a body who were presumably intelligent, could not find a better man to send to the Uongress. (Hisses and applause. ) Mr Darby, Glasgow — Insult is not argument. (Cries of "Withdraw.") Mr Kellby — I am not going to withdraw any- thing. (A Voice, "Turn him out.") The statement I made I am going to adhere to. Mr Newstead, London — I am the delegate from the London Society of Compositors, and I should like that gentleman to rexjeat the statement ? The Chairman deprecated personal remarks, and advised Blr Kelly to withdraw his statement. Mr Kelley-— I am not accustomed to withdraw anything I have said. Mr G. C. Thomson, Aberdeen, moved that if Mr Kelly did not withdraw he should resume his seat. Mr Kelley said the Chairman had made a sugges- tion which he was ready to adopt without any assistance from Mr Thomson. His remark applied to one of the delegates from the London Composi- tors' Society. The Chairman— I must admit that Mr Kelly is narrowing the objectionable incident— (laughter)— but he had not mended it in any way. Mr Kelley then withdrew tlie remark, and urgei that the discussion should be brought to a close. Mr Greenwood, glassblower, Castleford, York- shire, said that he represented 1600 members, and that his Society had contributed towards the ex- penses of the Parliamentary Committee and taken part in the Congresses ever since the first Congress was held. A Delegate— What in the name of common sense has this to do with the charges against Mr Broadhurst. This might go on for a week. Mr Greenwood — I wish you would mind your own business. Mr Greenwood then said that he very much regretted that so maiiy speakers, and especially experienced Trade Union delegates, came there and made such vague statements as he had listened to. Those who formulated charges should specify them, in order that they could be answered straightforwardly. His impression was that the gentlemen who came there to object to the Parliamentary Committee and its Secretary had not made out the case against them. Mr Dabby, Glasgow, said that the young men who were sent to the Congress from the London Society of Compositors were as much entitled to speak and express their opinions as the men who had grown hoary in the throes of Trades Unionism. (Hear, hear. ) Tlie question they were discussing that day was not the question of Mr Broadhurst s conduct, but the question of Socialism v. Trades Unionism. Mr Thbelfall having made a personal explana- tion, Mr BISSETT, Aberdeen, replied to a statement that had been made by Mr Addison. He alluded to the fact that two years ago, at the Congress held at Swansea, something arose as to Mr Broadhurst's conduct, on which he had spoken disparagingly to the Aberdeen Trades Council. Subsequently, however, he had discovered that he had been mis- taken, and he at once withdrew the charge he had made. Before coming to that Congress, the Aber- deen Trades Council, believing that the proposal to have an eight hours' working day was the most important that would come before the Congress, and believing that it was only consistent that they should have at the head of their Congress men who were prepared to support this movement, in- structed him to vote against Mr Broadhurst. He did so for that reason, and not because of anything that had been said that day. Although they were opposed to Mr Broadhurst on principle they did not entertain the feeling expressed by some of the dele- gates that day. (Applause. ) MR BROADHURST'S REPLY. Mr Broadhurst then rose to address the Con- giess in reply to the charges which had been made against him. He was received with loud and pro- longed cheering, which, having subsided, he said he thought that on occasions like these it was always wise to commence with a confession which was well known in the English creed — " That there were many things they had done that they should not have done, and there were many things they had not done which they should have done." Now, with that free, frank, and open confession, he next had to appeal to the Chairman and to the Con- gress to be somewhat indulgent with him on this occasion, as his opponents — those who attacked him — had had twelve months in which they had been busily engaged in their congenial occupation. They had had the great services of two distinguished newspapers — one in Glasgow and another in London — neither of which had scarcely ever been heard of outside the streets where they were printed ui\til they were circulated with the attacks to which attention had been directed that day. Then, those poor men, who gave all that they possessed in life to the poor, had been circulating by the thousand, and by their fifties of thousands, pos.t free to every address that they could get hold of in the United Kingdom, the newspapers he bad referred to, and Meetings in Dundee. 37 the leaflets whiok many of them had seen— all free gratis, and for nothing. (Laughter.) And having had twelve months' treatment of this kind, it would not be too much forhimtoaskthatthey would bear with him, in contradiction to the standing orders, till he felt he had said about as much as was necessary in reply to the various statements which had been made against him that day. (Applause.) Let him commence with the general statement that it was in Scotland where he was first called upon to occupy the post which he held that day— one for- midable, one distinguished post, second to none in the United Kingdom for responsibility— (loud ap- plause)— and which he had valued and guarded accordingly when he was elected— not on his seek- ing, as there were many in that Congress who would tell them that he refused to occupy the post, even up to the time of going to the vote— his last declaration was that he wouU not occupy it even if he were elected. He had worked on nearly every matter since with his honourable opponent — that was the only contest they ever had— and there were none closer that day on this subject than the only man who ever contested the post against him — - namely, the present Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee, Mr Shipton. (Applause. ) Such was the in- troduction shortly to the post he had since held ; but what was the condition sought to be imposed upon him on that occasion. He did not mean pressed, but the suggestion was made, and in mentioning the sugges- tion he did not propose to reflect in the slightest degree upon those who made it, but it was made immediately after his election, and at the first consultative meeting of the Committee — namely, that in the future he should somewhat restrict the political activity in the general affairs of the country to which he had been in the habit of pay- ing attention. His declaration to that suggestion was that highly as he had valued the post, highly as he regarded the honour .of having been elected to it and of occupying it, still there was a sacrifice which he would make to no living man or men, and that was his abso- lute, free, uutramelled political action. (Cheers. ) To that gospel he adhered that day, and to that gospel he would adhere so long as he lived, and he would not sacrifice his freedom for any price for any instrument for any party, and certainly not at the dictation of beardless youths. (Roars of laughter.) Here Mr Broadhurst lifted his spectacles from his nose, and pointed his finger in the direc- tion of the representatives from the London Society of Compositors. Proceeding, he said much of his work hsid been saved by the statement made by his friends from London, Manchester, and Newcastle, and had he known thai these statements were to be made at an earlier part of the day he could have got them out of his notice, and perhaps made his statement more consecutive and close than it could be possible for him to do now, as he would have to pick them out as he went along. . The sum and substance, as he understood all the so-called charges against Mr Broadhurst by Mr Bateman and by- Here he again smiled, and pointed to the London delegates, his manner on this occasion again calling forth the lusty applause of his many supporters. On the noise subsiding, he said he forgot the names of the London delegates, but the Chairman had in- formed him that their names were Newstead, Cross, and BlackwelL The point of the charge was that he (Mr Broadhurst) supported in political con- tests two men whose names they had brought forth that day. Let him deal in the first place with Mr Hill, and, while he did so, he wanted them to bear in mind the whole of the time his first general declara- tion. He (Mr JJroadhurst) then insisted upon poli- tical freedom, and that politics had nothing to do with Trades TJnionism — (a Voice — " Question ") —but that Trades Unionism had been mixed up with politics in his case. There was no foundation for a single item of statement which the charge contained against the Parliamentary Committee, Ever since it had been in existence they had had politicians of both parties, and ho (Mr B.) defied any of them, and all of thom would boar him witness that never in the history of his Sec- retaryship had he sought directly or indirectly to vise the influence of Trades Unionism in the in- terests of political parties. Never had he in the thousands of political speeches he had made throughout the country referred to his position as a Trades Unionist, and never had he called on any person he addressed on Trades Unionist grounds solely to vote for any can- didate with which he was associated. The offence, as he understood, of Mr Hill was that he had had a dispute in his trade — not as a manu- facturer, seeing he was a buyer aud seller, as Mr Hardie said— that he wrote letters against Trades Unionism, and that he bought his goods from abroad. But Mr Hardie did not say they were brought from America, whei e people did not give their labour cheaper than they did in this country, Mr Hardie went on to state that by his action Mr Hill had reduced the cost of labour 50 x^er cent., and therefore the workpeople in the lock trade had suffered to the extent of 50 per cent. No one could prove or disprove it. He did not believe it was true, and neither did he thmk any such statement had ever been made that could bear that interpretation. Mr Hill stood as a candidate for a constituency adjoining that in which he (Mr Jl.) lived, as a man agreeing witli every plank of the platform that the Congress had put forward from year to year, and agreeing on the great question agitating the mind of the party of which he (Mr B. ) was a humble member, and in which he was a poor worker. These were the con- ditions under which he supported Mr Hill's candi- dature, and he spoke for Mr Hill, as of course he was bound to do, to that extent at anyrate. The next case was that he supported Mr Bruuner, the notorious sweater, whq^se works, it was stated that day, were so unhealthy that people could scarcely live in them. His reply to that had been taken from off his shoulders by gentlemen in the iron trade who were more capable of replying to it than he could possibly be. Their statements went to show an exactly contrary condition of things. They had shown that that firm which was called a sweat- ing firm was actually paying more wages than any other firm in that part of the country. He referred to the charges about being a sweating employer and therefore one unworthy of support for political purposes. A further part of the charges in connec- tion with this case of Mr Brunner's was that he (Mr Broadhurst) held some shares in that manufactur- ing concern. He never denied that he held shares. It had been put forth again and again as though he had attempted to make a secret of it, as though he wished that it should not be known, as if he wished to obliterate the transaction. It was nothing at all of the kind. He held shares in the Company. Any man present could buy shares and hold them on the same terms and under the same conditions as he held the shares, and no difficulty whatever about it. They were as marketable as the shares of any of their railway companies ; and he bought and he sold, and the suggestion that these sharts were given to him as a bribe, as he understood it — (hear, hear) — for what xjurpose could he be bribed ? How, where, or why ? What was there to bribe him for ? He did not know what others had obtained, but in his experience he had never met with a kind-hearted people who had been prepared to offer him hundreds and five hundreds of pounds for bribes or for political service. (Applause.) Mr Hardie did him too much credit, he was bound to say. He (Mr B. ) did not estimate his own value at that wonderful figure. (Laughter.) He was sure no one would be found capable of putting such a price upon his poor services. If it was a crime to hold shares in a concern which had been shown by those who had the right and authority to speak — 33 ^rades^ Union Congfess. by Mr Smith, Mr Auaten, and Mr Knight— men whose words dare not be challenged — (hear, hear)— whose characters could not bo assailed — (hear, hear) —•and whose motives could not be attacked — if it was a crime to hold shares in such an undertaking, how much greater a crime must it be to hold shares in a railway company, where the hours of labour were equally long, the rate of wages less, and the risk greater ? (Applause. ) He did not find that these gentlemen attacked railway share- holders, directors, or promoters. 'J'liere were many things in connection with this he should like to say, and they were in the direction of this great sage of Ayrshire — (laughter)— who burned to enlighten the world as to its duties. (Renewed laughter.) With regard to his connection with the firm in ques- tion, he had stated fully and frankly all that there was to be stated so far as he was concerned. The thing had been publicly done. There was not an individual in Great Britain but could invest in the Company if he liked ; and, as to the character of the works, that had been attested to the Con- gress by several delegates. (Applause.) To re- turn again to Mr Hill, Mr Hardie, in addition to his many qualities, was an unanswerable authority upon some subjects, but upon the subject of eternal damnation he did not agree with some of his friends. But was a man who had sinned once never to be forgiven, and never to be permitted to return to the paths of reason, right, and justice ? If this was his doctrine, how many members of the House of Commons would stand such a test? (Hear, hear.) How many were there, however, who had in years gone by opposed with all ther might the right course in relation to matters of labour? If it was right to condemn one, all should be condemned. (Hear, hear.) If they were prepared to do that, what about that great and distinguished Trades Unionist from London, whom Mr Bisset, from Aberdeen, had written him about ? He was not angry with Mr Bisset. On the contrary, he had not a word to say against his resolutions or his speeches, so long as they were fairly accurate. Mr Bisset, in addressing him (Mr Broadhurst) by letter, spoke of "that great leading Unionist, Mr George Bateman." (Laughter.) Now, then they had heard Mr Cook, of the London Compositors' Society, say that Mr Bateman was not a qualified member to attend this Congress to represent this Society. Why ? Be- cause of his youth. (Laughter and applause.) But Mr Bateman, as he had been informed, had joined the Society after considerable moral pressure, according to Mr Cook's statement — he took his statement for it — and then he had been further in- formed that, since that moral pressure had this effect in 1884, he had since lapsed in his arrears, in his payments, and he was so far in arrears on the night he made the attack against him in the Com- jiositors' Society that an hour before the meeting took place he was disqualified to enter it because of the money he owed for contributions. (Laughter.) This was the great distinguished Unionist they had heard of — (roars of laughter) — by whom Mr Bisset had been led astray. (Here Mr Newstead, London, rose and called to order, which led to considerable disorder and uproar, during which there were loud cries of "Order," "Chair,"the President frequently calling "to order.") Quiet having been restored, Mr Broadhurst proceeded — The tenderness of the conscience of these young men was most remark- able. (Laughter.) They were like quicksilver — they gave indications almost of their tenderness and loving-kindness and haste with which they rose at any approach towards an attack upon their distinguished Trades Unionists. (Great laughter.) Keturning to his good friend, Mr Bisset — because he believed he was actuated by perfectly pure motives — he said he was sorry that he received that letter. He regarded the citizens of Aberdeen as the most difficult people on the earth so far as he knew to approach with a deceptive statement and to take in matters of (act. His faith in thetn had been greatly mistaken. ("Hear, hear," and laughter. ) Mr Bisset had put forward this great leader of Unionism from London as his authority for the statements he made. No, no ; it was all very well. Things went right when he (Mr Broad- hurst) was in London and was not present at the meeting. (Interruptions. ) Was it not a fact the statement made by Mr Cook that morning ? Mr Newstead— Not as you gave it. (Renewed interruptions. ) A Delegate — That is decidedly unfair. Mr Broadhurst did not interrupt you, and you should give him a fair hearing. I will put you out by the neck if you do so again. Mr Broadhubst (continuing) asked if it was not a fact that the shop in which he worked was a non-society shop ? (A Delegate — "Right.") Yet this was the man who now preached the wonderful revelations about the honesty of mankind. (Laughter.) And did he only make his shop a society shop when he was challenged for his own inconsistency ? If that was so did not these great men fall by their own doctrine of eternal damna- tion for one sin committed in their lives. The doctrine was so repugnant to enlightened tolera- tion that it would be intolerable. (Applause.) Public life would not be worth living if they coald not forgive and forget, so long as the man entering it pledged himself to do that which was right in the future in the discharge of his great and sacred l>ublio duty. This was his reply. He asked whether he was not consistent, and whether he was not right in the path he had taken in this matter ? (Loud applause. ) He had been told that it was printed in one of these great news- papers he had already referred to that the attack on Mr Broadhurst was not political, that they had nothing to say against him ; only that he had sold Trades Unionism. But there was a great political, and nothing but a political, element and object in this attack. ("Hear, hear," and loud applause.) A Conservative workman, about whose character no man dare whisper a suspicion, and a well- known and resjjected Trades Unionist and a bosom friend of liis, said to him in his office a fortnight back, " Old man, this is political. I know it, for in my party they believe that you have rendered such services to your party that your posi- tion as a Unionist is secure, and they are deter- mined to kill you at any cost." ("Shame.") As circumstantial eddence of this, he mentioned that the opponents of Mr Brunner and Mr Hill were the sons of Dukes. (Laughter.) One of them was the descendant of the Duke of Westminster, who possessed land in Loudon, one square plot of which would purchase Bruuner & Co. ten times over, yet these papers and the Duke and his Duke- ling — (great laughter) — would leave no stone un- turned to blast the character and destroy the posi- tion of any man who dared to cross their path. He fought that contest as a battle against the Dukes — (•'Heal', hear," and applause) — and then these puiists came and said that they had not been mem- bers sufficiently long to qualify them for the Con- gress. They had to examine into the age of the gentleman from Ayrshire on one other oc- casion. Since then he had removed an evidence of his age. But Nature would not be outraged with impunity, and she had given him indications higher up that he was no youth — (great laughter) — so that there would require to be a deft arrange- ment between himself and his hairdresser. (Renewed laughter.) Mr Bateman, he had no doubt, had served Her Majesty faithfully and well in the dis- charge of his military duties. They had evidence from some delegate, however, that he was not qualified to represent his Society at that Congress, although he was now anxiously awaiting the reward of the services he had rendered in the political attacks upon the Secretary of the Trades Congress. (Cheers.) They did not take on children as factory Meetings ih Dundee, 39 and workshop ins^ificto^s. (Laughter.) These were the men who had tr.iduced them, and who had called them hangers-on of Governments, seeking only their own advancement, pick- ing up crumbs of factory inspectorships and J.P. -ships, and any other little distinction which came about, and these were the very men who were going forth to the world in all their man- hood, in all their dignity, in all their freedom and their patriotism, seeking for the rewards which others had been hunting after. These very men. Or one of them at any rate— and they did not know how many more — while preaching these doctrines through the press and through thousands of pamphlets, was sneaking round the back door of Government offices to pick up the appointments which they treated with scorn and condemned wien attacking the Trades Unionists of the Con- gress. (" Hear, hear," and loud applause.) Was it not time they were done with these shams ? He had no objection to the gentlemen referred to hav- ing a factorship or any other inspectorship, but don't let them, while trying to worm them- selves into office, try and destroy the charac- ters of others. ("Hear, hear," and cheers.) How could these poor men pay for the postage of the hundreds of newspapers and circulars which had been distributed? how could they print 50,000 leaflets and pamphlets at a time, and where did the money come from for this dirty work ? Who found it ? They were allowed to draw their own conclu- sions — ("Hear, hear," and applause) — and were they not justified in concluding that the money came from some source whose object was to try and destroy the position of some of the public men in the labour movement? ("Hear, hear," and applause.) He asked them therefore not to ignore this fact. These men could not do it by their own resources, and they would not do it if they even could. (Laughter and applause. ) He then read a letter from Mr E.. W. Minter, the Chairman of the London Society of Compositors, who stated that in his mind there was no doubt the enemies of Trades Unions had taken advantage of the differences of opinion between them — as to whether the eight hours' question should be fought and won bj the efforts of the various Trade Societies or by the aid of the State — to retard the success of that measure by either means for some time to come. He (Mr M.) felt it was the position which he (Mr B.)- had taken up against State aid that had aroused the wrath of the extreme sections of their various Trade Union organisations. After remarking that he had hoped if ever Mr Broadhurst were attacked on his Trades Uuion principles it would' not have been by the Society of which he was chairman, Mr Minter said that if there were one man who had fought the cause of the London printer in the House of Com- mons and outside, and who used the whole of his influence, and had secured that of his friends, against the unfair employer of labour, that man was Mr Broadhurst. In conclusion, Mr Minter said he was confident that Mr Broadhurst would be able to answer the charges made against him by men who would never be true enough to the cause of labour to benefit it. (Loud applause. ) The attacks had brought him scores of letters of a similar character from every direction, and yet these were the men whose chief officer wrote letters of that description. Whether that had been a mere sample of the evidence of goodwill from men who knew whether it was worth while spending time, effort, and energy on men they did not know. ("Hear, hear," and applause.) The young man said he wished the man who had made that state- ment originally was present to substantiate it, be- cause he did not understand it. (Laughter.) He quite readily volunteered to make a case and a statement in support of it. On the face of it he confessed he bad little acquaintance with it. Such was the value of the indictment which could be detailed ly the young men from the Compositors' S ciety. (Laughter and " Hear, hear.") The state- ment had been made that he made no reply. He did write a letter to the Compositors' Society. Their charge against him had appeared a fortnight before the adjourned meeting, and then they asked him to come and en- deavour to overtake ahare that hadhada fortnight's start in the race. (Laughter.) Nay, he was too old a sportsman — (loud laughter) — to enter contests of that kind. He knew the trick they intended. Only bits of the letter he sent were made public, and that these least important. The letter was full and complete in its reply. Mr Newstead, rising to his feet, was about to speak, when Mr Bkoadhuust said — Sir, I must state you have had your turn, and now I will have mine. (Hear, hear.) Mr Newstead, again getting to his feet, said— I simply wish to correct a statement. (Cries of " Chair, chair," " Order, order," and " Sit down.") A Member— It is not fair to Mr Broadhurst. Mr Newstead— The letter sent by Mr Broad- hurst ("Sit down," and interruption. ) Mr Broadhurst, continuing, said another form of attack had been that he repudiated his responsi- bility as a member of Parliament to the trades of the United Kingdom. There was no atom of truth in such a statement. Last Congress he was asked why he had refused to put a question sent to him. He did not believe it bona fide. The party had no right to demand his services. A nice officer of tho army to control their awkward squads pretty suc- cessfully, but he was not going to control him. (Loud laughter. ) If he wanted to do that sort of thing let liim hie back to his profession — training militia — (renewed laughter) — and he asked eveiy man present — he asked every trade of the United Kingdom— whether when they appealed to him to do anything that was possible for him to attend to he had refused to do it ? Was there a man who would say he ever refused to do the right ; that ho ever neglected to reply to a letter, or join a con- ference, or go with a deputation ? Not one could say so. (" Hear, hear," and applause.) His every- day life and labour gave the lie to the charge that he had shirked his responsibility to the Trades Unionism of the United Kingdom. The reply to that sort of thing was endle-is. He could go through them further in detail if time permitted — (cries of " Go on") — bat he must draw to a close. His statement was before them. He had not shrunk from meeting them. He had reviewed the newspaper touters from Fleet Street and other places not of sufficient importance. A great man in Ayrshire had announced to the world that he had no intention of contesting the secretaryship. (Laughter.) He breathed more freely when he read that. (Renewed laughter.) If Mr Keir Hardie applied to him for an Inspectorship he would not promise to get it for him, but he would consider whether anyone could help him. (Laughter and 'applause. ) That Congress had ever been the temple of freedom and liberty. He had been secretary for 14 years; and he declared that during that time not one farthing of money ever crossed the threshhold of that office for any purpose outside Trades Unions. He had refused subscriptions, and he had refused friendly aid. He had refused all approaches in years past whenever they were made to him. If that they discharged him from his position — (loud ciies of " No, no") — he would leave their service with clean hands, and he would leave their reputation untarnished and un- blemished. He hoped that his successor might be enabled to do even greater and more honest work than he had been able to ilo for them. They asked that the consciences of each man should be the sole property of that man. He claimed no greater right than that. They protested against jury packing, and they protested against intriguer 40 Trades' Union Congress. ogainal} the liberty of a nation or of a people. Yet there were many there that day who he feared had willingly entered the jury box pledged before they entered it — ("Hear," and applause) — and who only entered it on condition that tliey would keep their pledge to find a verdict of guilty before they had heard the evidence. ("Hear, hear,"and applause.) He was not in anger with these — he pitied them. (Applause.) He regretted that the career and his- tory of Trades Unionism should be marked by so black a spot, that would live upon their fame, upon their past efforts, and upon their past history. To these gentlemen he could make no appeal. He could only leave them to their conscience, and to the just judgment of those who thought soundly, honestly, and liberally upon these and similar sabjects. Now, he had nothing more to say. He had made his statement. He might yet act as their Secretary — a posi- tion he had never sought, a position which they had a perfect right to take from him any inoment they desired ; nay, more, he would say at this moment that if he could render the least ser- vice to Trades Unionism by retiring and absolutely refusing a nomination he would do it with as much ]>leasure as tliough he stood and succeeded in his contest. (Applause.) The result was in their hands. He had given them the best of his life. All that he had had been theirs. He had now arrived at a time when health had given way — when force had been slackened ; and these were the churlish dogs that dared not attack him when he was in health, and who were like sucking puppies round the carcase of one whom they would not have approached a few years back — these were the men who thought that they could make remaining life intolerable, and not only intolerable, but dis- honourable. (Cries of "Shame on them.") From them he appealed to the Congress — (cheers) — and from the Congress he appealed to the great mass of the working men — ay, and of the working women — of Great Britain and of Ireland. (Cheers.) He left the verdict in their hands. His reputation was safe in their keeping. (Renewed cheers.) And to liis enemies he would say — God spare them from the dirty, dishonourable, and disreputable occupa- tions which they had been wallowing in for many months back. (Cheers.) He now left this matter in their hands — in their hands and no others, and he asked them not on his account — do not consider him one moment — his interest was as nothing com- pared with the interest, the honour, and the pro- gress of the labour movement — not in his interest, but he asked them in the interest 'of the great and sacred cause for which he had lived his whole life, to give the lie to the calumnies from these crea- tures in their midst. (Prolonged and enthusiastic cheering and waving of handkerchief s. ) Mr Eroadhurst spoke fully an hour. Mr AViLSON, the mover of the resolution, briefly replied. He said it had been told him by some friends in Newcastle that the Trades llnionists tliere had put hnn forward as the acting secretary. He had Ir Cunninghame-Graham into this discussion, because he had subjected Mr Graham to an amount of ridicule which his eminent services on behalf of working men ilid not entitle him to receive. Spealdng on behalf of a section of the miners of Scotland, he would say that they appreciated very highly the services rendered by Mr Graham to them. But they were not prepared to place Mr Graham on the very top- most round of the ladder. They remembered that there were men who had laboured in this cause before the name of Mr Graham had been heard of. The miners were aware that they had got benefits by the self-sacrificing spirit of these men, and were not prepared to throw stones at them now. But had this question been dealt with some years ago they would not have been assemljled in tliat hall that day, because Mr Hardie would have beea in the House ot Commons, and his being there would have done away entirely with the necessity for discussing the question of a Labour candidate. Meetings in Dundee 51 Mr Haidie had asked why the Trades Unionists had not supported the Labour party, but the reason was that there were certain men connected with it in whom they had no confidence, and with whom they had no sympathy. Tliere were other men in whom they had confidence, and they would not withdraw their leadership from these men. Tliey put their trust in them, and were confident that, as they had ijot deceived them in the past, they would not deceive them in the future. Mr Hardie had pre- sumed to lecture the Liberal members upon their duties. " By their fruits ye shall know them, " and what had Mr Hardie or any of his party done for the working classes ? Mr Hardie had done more during the last two years to spread disorganisation than lie conld possibly rectify if he lived to be as old as the celebrated coat of Methuselah. (Laughter and applause. ) Mr Hardie believed he had a mission, but the point of difference was this, that others did not believe it. (Hear, hear.) If Mr Hardie would convert them to the belief he had in himself he would take away the support they had given to the Liberal party, and give it to the modern Ajax. (Laughter and cheers. ) But the working men did not believe in him, and he (Mr Robertson) ex- tremely regretted that a man connected with his calling should have shown such barefaced impudence and impertinence. (Cheers and expressions of dissent.) Mr Harvey, Derby, said they had a certain num- ber of Labour representatives in Parliament whose honour had been questioned. In the United King- dom there were 600,000 miners, and amongst these men there was confidence in the men cliosen to speak on their behalf. He thought the character of these men had been made manifest in a clear and very unbiased way, and that the specimen of the men whom the miners had chosen to represent them would leave a very good impression upon the ijeojile of Dundee. If they had time to examine the action of the Labour representatives they would find that in the day of adversity they had been the only men who had stood true to the cause of labour in the House of Commons. Take the action of these men in regard to Employers' Liabi- hty Bill. All the 21 Labour representatives were in their seats when the vote was taken and did their duty, while the benches of many who professed to be in sympathy with the working classes were empty, and it was through the action of the Labour representatives — the Socialists may say what they like — that the Employers' Liability Bill brought in by a Tory Government was defeated. '1 hey were prepared to accept no dictation regarding em- ployers' liability, but when a Bill did come it should be made to suit the labouring people of this country. (Applause. ) Mr Weir, Dunfermline, said that to compare their long tried and trusted Labour representatives, elected and paid by the working men, with a gentle- man whom he respected most highly was altogether out of place and derogatory to that gentleman him- self. He highly respected Mr Cunninghame- Graham for the energetic work he had carried through on behalf of the miners. In saying so he was certain he expressed to the full the sentiments of the whole body of the Scottish miners, although he did not presume, like some others, to represent the whole of them. (Derisive laughter.) Those questions raised by the resolution were of great in- terest to himself and the constituency which he represented. In the "West of Fife Division some time ago they had an opportuni:jy of showing the leanings so far as the desire to have labour repre- sentation in Parliament was concerned. 'J'hese were distinctly in favour of it, and the only thing in the way was the want of funds to pay the neces- sary expenses. The constituency by a large majority, as it was represented then, declared in favour of selecting a Labour representative, and he believed had sufficient time been allowed that the desire of the constituency, or at least the majority of the constituency, would have been given effect to. (Applause. ) They had made a start to establish a fund for the purpose of securing Parliamentary labour representation. They had already some- thing like £150 in that fund, and they were quite conscious while these efforts were being put forth that the only solution of the difficulty was the pay- ment of the members of Parliament by the State and the election expenses out of the State. (Loud applause. ) After some discussion, it was agreed by 61 votes as against 55 for the previous question to take the vote (in tlie resolution. Mr Threlfall, in replying, said that while as an individual he could regard Mr Cunninghame- Graham as having deep sympathy with the working classes he could — at least in their sense of the term — never be a Labour representative, for no man un- less he went through the trenches could claim to be a leader of the working classes. He did not wish to occupy their time by further referring to Mr Keir Hardie, but so long as Mr Cunninghame- Graham associated himself with questionable poli- cians — Mr Freak, London, rose to a point of order. He thought that Mr Threlfall should confine his re- marks to the question before the Congress. Tlie question before them was the matter of paying members of Parliament, and he thought they ought to confine themselves to that. ("Hear, hear," and applause. ) They had had enough of tlie other stuff. The Chairman— I don't think that Mr Cunning- hame-Grahain has any connection with the motion before the House. (Applause. ) I think, therefore, Mr Threlfall would be well advised if he would con- fine his remarks to the question being considered. (Applause.) Mr Threlfall, jiroceeding, said he would do this. Referring to the Mid-Lanark election, he said that had Mr Hardie taken the advice he had given him before going home, the prospects of the Labour party in Scotland would be infinitely better than they were at the present time. (Applause. ) He (MrH.) had thrown the subject of labour repre- sentation in Scotland back for many years. (Ap- plause. ) On the suggestion of Mr Pearson, Liverpool, it was agreed to insert the words "County and" before " Councils " in the resolution, which was then put to the meeting and carried unanimously. CERTIFICATES FOR SEAGOING SHIPS. Mr A. A\ ILKIB, Newcastle-on-Ty ne, moved : — That in order to secure the greater safety of life and property at sea, it be a special instniction to the Parlia- mentary Committee to use their best endeavours to pro- cure in any Shipping Bill that may he introduced into the House, a clause giving effect to that lecommendation of the Koyal Commission on the Loes of Life and Property .at Sea, "that a competent professional examination should be required for the rating of shipwrights," so that all such before being allowed to proceed to sea in that capacity must produce a certificate of competency. And that the use and wont custom of the trade shall be lega- lised, by all vessels being rtquired by law to carry one or more shipwrights. Mr Wilkie proceeded to say that in the olden days, when the sea trade was carried in wooden walls, they had not the same difficulty as they had now in the case of vessels of modern construction. ■Those of them in connection with shipbuilding trades knew that the vessels of the present day- were actual floating cities, and therefore the men in charge of those vessels ought to be competent men. The construction of the Vessels was very varied, and practical men and his friends the sea- men knew, to the cost of life and limb, the necessity of having properly qualified shipwrights on board when accidents occurred. In interviewing their members of Parliament and their employers, the shipowners, they had advanced one little step, that the Board of Trade at the end of last year issued a circular in regard to the certificating of seagoing carpenters. In their interviews with the Board of 62 Trades' Union Congress. Trade they had been asked for oases of vessels lost through the inefficiency of shipwrights. He was not aware that any such request was made to their friends the engineers when they caused them to be certificated officers. Practical men knew that in many cases it was an impossibility to get an answer to sacli a question, for tlie reason that the vessel was entirely lost, and no one was left to tell by whose incompetence the vessel had gone to the bottom. They knew that if practical men were on board the damage, perhaxis sustained in a hurricane, might be repaired before the vessel became unmanageable, and thereby life and property saved. They did not object to other qualified tradesmen going to sea, but, as shipwrightH, they objected to other trades- men going to the Shipping Office and signing as shipwrights when they were not, and knew nothing whatever of the construction of a vessel. They desired that all men proceeding to sea as shipwrights should be able to produce their certificates and their indentures of apprentice- ship, proving what they profess to be. There was also a great grievance in the fact that incompetent men were handicapped in competing for places with qualified men by the former accepting lower wages. "When qualified men could not get the wages they wanted, other men stepped in and offered to go for less, and the greed of gain made the owners engage the lowest paid men. They ought to have all ship- wrights certificated before going to sea, and that would induce their young men to educate them- selves better, and obtain adequate theoretical and practical knowledge of their profession, and in the end he was sure the shipowners' interests would be better secured, and greater benefit would be done to all. (Applause.) He urged that unless the men at the diffeient ports agitated for the necessity of this resolution it would not receive even from the Parliamentary Committee the support it other- wise would ; and not only so, but the effect on the Board of Trade would not be so great. If the various representatives of the trades were allowed to support this proposal, that would cause all to give greater attention to it, and it would assist very materially in the House of Commons when the question came to be legislated on. (Ap- plause. ) Mr Joseph Heslop, Newcastle, seconded the re- solution. Mr Manson, Newcastle, suggested that boat- swains should be included in the resolution. Mr AViLKlE expressed his willingness that this should be done. Mr Manson, continuing, said that most people knew nothing about the. wants of seafaring men, and hence the difficulty of dealing with this subject. The boatswain had as much responsibility thrown upon his shoulders as any other officer. He had known, when the carpenter was sick, that the boatswain had to undertake his duty, and he under- stood the construction of some parts of the ship better than the carpenter. He knew this from actnal experience, and therefore he was glad that Mr Wilkie was willing to have the boatswains in- cluded. Mr WlSHART, Dundee, in supporting the resolu- tion, said there was considerable responsibility upon the shipwright. He also appealed to the meeting as the guardians of Unionism. He held that if they did not support that resolution it was keeping back the trade to which he belonged. They had men quite incompetent coming from foreign countries who knew little of the construction of a ship. They were employed by tlie shipowner for very Uttle money, and were the means of keeping etween the workmen and women of Great Britain and the Continent when apjiroached by any body entitled to speak in the name of organised work- ing men and women. Mr Cooper, London, in seconding, said it ap- peared to him that it was necessary, if the Parlia- mentary Committee was to take any action with reference to congresses on the Continent, that they should get definite instractions from the various trades organisations before they proceeded to act. He thought they had a right to combine together for the purpose of maintaining the hours of labour, (Applause.) Mr Uttlet, Sheffield, was of opinion that money would be well spent in securing the services of some agents who would become propagandists of labour questions among Continental workers. (Applause.) Mr Threlfall said he thought it was time that they should draw some distinct lines on which to proceed in. regard to these International Congresses. The recent International Congress in Paris was not a Trades Unionist Congress, for out of the English societies represented only 13 or 14 were Unionists, and 17 or 18 Socialist bodies. As a Trades Union Congress they should only commit themselves to an International Trades Union Congress. (Applause. ) Mr TossfE, Cleveland, moved that the words "Trades Unions" should be inserted before the word " Congress." Mr Threlfall seconded. Mr Wardley, Sheffield, supported the resolu- tion, remarking that the condition ot the workmen on the Continent was such that it would be impos- sible for them to combine in the form of Trades Unions because it was practically illegal. Mr Inwood, Northampton, also supported the re- solution, and said he wished to impress upon the meeting the desirability of having intercommunica- tion with workmen on the Continent as well as with those of the United Kingdom. He represented a body of men who for some years bad been subjected to much trouble and difficulty arising from the manufacturers endeavouring to cripple the labour of British subjects by importing foreign labour, and they had been put to great expense in sending back'hundreds of men to Norway and Sweden. Mr King, London, said they were not prepared to sit with any body of people because they had called themselves workmen, and he held that if they were not prepared to do this in Britain they should not do it in Fi ance, Germany, Russia, or anywhere else. (Applause.) He supported the amendment. Mr H. Tait, the Vice-President, said that before they could accept the resolution they should ex- pect that the foreign workmen lihould agree amongst themselves. They might agree with a great many of the thines said at the two Congresses held 80 frade^ Vhion, Oongmk- in France during the present year, but he was in- olinej to think that there, were many things said that the Trade Unionists of this country did not agree with. After remarking that they should have a distinct understanding that the trade societies that sent representatives to these Con- gresses should defray their expenses, as was done in the case of delegates to that Congress, before they liad anything to do with them, he said that, see- ing that they had received no instructions from their various Societies on this matter, and the fact that many of the British Societies were discontented with the International Congress held in London, he did rot think they should commit themselves on this point. He suggested that they should approve of the amendment. Mr Jepson, Nottingham, pressed the amend- ment. Mr Blaokwell, London, said that this was a very important matter in connection with Trades Unionism. His Society considered it a very important matter, because they were not so much afraid of the non-society labourer as of foreign competition. (Applause. ) He thought these Congresses were a good means of securing international communication with other nations, and he had, therefore, pleasure in supporting the resolution. (Applause. ) Mr Kelly, Manchester, supported the amend- ment. Messrs NicoU and Bisset, Aberdeen, both spoke in support of the resolution. MrUTTLKY, Sheffield, asked whether it would not commit the Parliamentary Committee to a large expenditure of money in sending out literature at the request of parties not connected with the Trades Congress. A Delegate — I would suggest, in view of this (Cries of "Sit down," and interruption.) Mr Uttley — I rise to a point of order. I asked a question which has never been answered. I ask for an answer. (Applause and cries of " Sit down.") The Chairman — If the delegate does not care to answer the question we can't compel him to do so. (Applause, ami cries of "Vote.") The vote was then taken, when there voted in favour of the resolution with the addition of the words "Trades Union" before the word "Con- gress " in the third line — 85, and for the re.solution as it stood on the programme 28. The Chairman therefore declared the former carried. THE FEDERATION OF TRADES. Mr Juggins, Cradley Heath, moved as follows : — That in the opinion of this Congress the time has arrived when the various trades should he drawn into closer unity, and requests the Parliamentary Committee to draw up some system of federation for the consideration of the next Congress. In .submitting the resolution Mr Juggins said that the necessity for a closer union existing amongst the Trades Unions of this country was very patent to everyone. What they wanted was to get the Parliamentary Committee to recognise its duty in organising unorganised workmen. There were tens of thousands of workmen in this country not con- nected with any Trades Union whatever ; and if some energy were displayed in this direction by the Parliamentary Committee they would have by next Congress a considerable increase, not only of dele- gates, but of the trade organisations throughout the country. (Applause. ) Kir Keik, Aberdeen, in seconding, said that the Aberdeen Trades Council in its efforts to organise unorganised trades had succeeded in a very satis- factory manner, and he thought that many of the Trades Councils in the south might well take a leaf out of their book in Aberdeen. (Applause. ) Re- ferring to his own trade, he said that work was sent from foreign countries into this country and sold (or less money than they could buy the raw material to make it. He therefore thought that a federation of the trades in this country and Inter- national Federal Unions were required in ft high The resolution was unanimously atiopted. THE STRIKE OF SOMBRSBTSHIBB MINERS. Mr Bailey, Nottingham, in the absence of Mr Cowley, moved : — That this Congress is of opinion that the miners of Somersetshire, who have been out on strike ten weeks, are deserving the sympathy of all trades represented here in their struggle for an advance in wages, which struggle has been forced upon them by their employers, who have per- sistently refused to meet the representatives of the men, or to recognise their Association in any way whatever. He said that the miners of Somersetshire were de- serving of the heartiest support of the Congress. Mr Beoadhubst, Forest of Dean, seconded, re- marking that these men were the lowest paid miners to be found in England, and they had been nobly supported by tlieir fellow miners in England and Scotland. The resolution was unanimously carried. THE PRESIDENT THANKED. The President having intimated that the business of the Congress wa^ concluded, Mr TOYNE, Saltburn-by-the-Sea, moved a vote of thanks to Mr Ritchie for the able way in which he had performed the responsible duties of president during the week. (Loud applause.) Mr Ritchie had acted honestly and fairly, having given every- body a fair chance so far as the time at their dis- posal would allow. (Applause. ) Speaking witir the experience of twelve or fourteen Congresses he said that Mr Ritchie, so far as he knew, had acted fairly and conscientiously, and in such a way as to merit the best thanks they could award him. (Loud applause. ) Mr Robinson, Nottingham, seconded, and the re- solution was unanimously adopted. The President, in returning thanks, said it was scarcely to be expected that any one could occupy the chair at such a gathering and please everybody, but he did not think he ever faced a body of men who more deserved the title of gentlemen. (Ap- plause. ) VOTE OF THANKS TO THE PRESS. Mr AViLKiE, Newcastle, proposed that the thanks of the Congress be awarded to the representatives of the press present. (Applause.) He was sure thoy had been well served during the week. (Ap- plause. ) Mr Pearson, Liverpool, seconded the resolution, which was unanimously adopted. Mr John Leng replied. THE DUNDEE TRADES COUNCIL THANKED. Mr Swift, Manchester, then moved that the best thanks of the Congress be given to the Dundee Trades Council for the admirable arrangements it had made in connection with the Congress, remark- ing that he did not require to use any eulogistic words to tell them how the delegates had appreci- ated the arrangements that had been made for them, and that they would return to their homes thoroughly satisfied in every way in connection with the Congress. (Applause. ) The good feeling that had been shown towards the delegates throughout the city had also been extremely pleasing to them, and would leave many kind remembrances in their minds. (Loud applause.) Mr C\immings, Bradford, seconded the motion, which was cordially adopted. Mr CoNDlE, the President of the Trades Council, in acknowledgment, said he was sure that anything they had done had been admirably repaid by the success which had attended the meetings this week. (Loud applause ) VOTE OF THANKS TO THE OFFICIALS. Mr Uttley, Sheffield, moved that the best thanks of the Congress be given to the Vice-President, the Secretary, and the officials. Very much of the success of the Congress was due to the admirable manner in which these gentlemen had performed their duties. (Applause.) Mr Beveridge, Glasgow, seconded the motion, which was cordially adopted. Meetings in Dwndee. 81 Mr Ekuob, the Seorets^ry, in ijeply, thanked the delegates for the honour they had dpne him in electing him to the office he had filled, and assured them that his labours in connection with the Con- gress had afforded him very great pleasure, and had been a means of education that would stand him in good stead in the future in his work amongst his brother Unionists. He wished them God speed and a safe journey home to their respective destina- tions, and expressed the hope that they might go back encouraged and strengthened, and determined to work harder than ever for the furthering of the great cause which they all had so much at heart, and for that happy time when The war drum throbs no longer, when the battle flags are furled, In the Parliament of man, the federation of the world. (Loud applause.) THANKS TO THE CORPORATION AND NEWSPAPER PROPRIETORS. The President afterwards proposed a vote of thanks to the Corporation of Dundee, the pro- prietors of the Weekly News, and others, for the splendid way in which they had entertained the delegates. (Loud applause.) Mr ThbbIiFALL, Southport, who seconded, said he had attended several Congresses, but that he did not remember an occasion on which the Scottish hospitality shown to them this year had been out- done. ( Hear, hear. ) • The delegates had been ex- tremely pleased with the , hospitable manner in which they had been entertained. (Applause. ) Mr D. 0. Thomson, of the Dwndee Courier and the Weekly News, who replied, said he was un- aware that any formal notice would be taken at that meeting of the . entertainments outside of tie regular work of the Congress, . but he had come down at the invitation of the Chairman. For .any small thing his firm had done towards entertaining the delegates attending the Congress they felt amply rewarded by the pleasure of seeing them all in Dundee. (Applause.) It would probably be a considerable time before the Congress again met in Dundee, but they would have great pleasure in see- ing them back in Dundee. (Loud applause.) OTHER VOTES. Mr Chisholm Robbbtson, Glasgow, moved a vote of thanks to the postal authorities for the arrangements which they had made for the con- venience of the members of the Congress, and which, he remarked, had given the utmost satisfac- tion. (Applause.) A similar compliment was also paid to the public for the interest which they had shown in the meetings. The delegates then sang " Auld Langsyne," after which the delegates diapered, and the Congress came to an end at 10.45 a.m. THE NEXT MEETING PLACE. Mr Henry "W. Pearson, the secretary of the Liverpool Trades Council, is perhaps one of the foremost of the younger scbool of Trades Unionists attending the Congress. Born in Yorkshire in 1856, he received his early education in the Parish Church Schools at Halifax, and at the age of 9 went to work as a half-timer at the great firm of carpet manufacturers — John Crossley & Sons. At 14 he became apprenticed to the printing trade, and at 21, owing to family bereavements, removed with his mother to Birmingham. Possessing a strong desire for self-improvement, he attended the evening classes at the Midland In- stitute, Severn Street Night School, and the School of Design, with considerable success, compiling a small library of prizes and awards. In 1880 he came to Liverpool, and was elected in 1883 to represent the Liverpool branch of the Typographical Associa- tion at the Trades Council, and at once took an active part in all the questions that affected the welfare of labourers and labour. In 1885 he negotiated the terms of agree- H ment between the School Board, the Voluntary Association, and the Trades Council for the estab- lishment of recreative evening classes in the Board Schools, and became one of the first working men managers. In 1886 he was elected vice-president, and a year later president. On the office of secre- tary becoming vacant, the Council unanimously ap- pointed him to this important office, which he has continued to hold with increasing respect and esteem for nearly two years. The Council now num- bers 50 delegates, representing some 35 different trades and branches, and 15,000 Trades Unionists. Besides his incessant devotion to Trades Union organisation, he has found time in the evening after his day's work to continue his studies ; and in 1886 succeeded in winning one of the working men's scholarships offered by the University College for open competition. He has now won this scholar- ship three years in succession, and is busy studying for the fourth examination, in which we wish every suc- cess. During 1888 he assisted the Tailors' Society in exposing the sweating system in Liverpool, and also gathered evidence which was laid before the Com- mission of Inquiry instituted by the House of Lords. In the autumn of this year and the begin- ning of 1889 he acted as Hon. Secretary of the Liverpool Workwomen's Society, which was formed for the purpose of establishing Trades Unions for women in those trades where they may be brought in competition with men, and he has succeeded in forming unions in the bookbinding, cigarmaking and tailoring trades. At the last School Board election he was nominated by the Council as a labour candidate. The Dean of Norwich, then the Rev. Archdeacon Lefroy, waited upon him on be- half of the Church party, and stated that they would be pleased to put him upon the Church list of candidates if he would support the - voluntary school system. This would most probably have proved a safe seat, but his Com- mittee would not entertain the proposal, a^nd the election was lost. Having studied the question of technical education for some time, he decided last May to enter the examination of the City and Guilds of London 82 Trades' Union Congress. Institute for the promotion of tedhnical education, for the purpose of obtaining a better knowledge of the standard and scope of technical education as promoted by this important institution. We are pleased to note that the examiners awarded him a second class diploma for hot h.praotical and theoretical typography. Later still, in June this year, and immediately preceding the great Sailors' strike in which he took such an important part, he wrote an essay on "Drink and Industry," for a prize of £10, open to the United Kingdom, and proved success- ful. On the commencement of the recent sailors' and' firemen's strike in Lirerpool, he threw himself heartil^ into i£.' A special meeting of the Trades Couneil was summoned, with the result that a general appeal for help was issued to the Trades Unions, and for several weeks the sailors and fire- men were supported by the funds thus raised. The statement of accounts just issued shows that over £400 was thus collected for the sustenance of the sailors and firemen and their families. CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBBAJ}.!, 3 1924 091 719 678 DATE DUE GAYLORD PRINTED IN U.SA