The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1874-09-05

confusion greeted the sight of the young
mechanic Robert Parton as he entered the
hall where the meeting Of the strikers was
going on. Upon the platform at one end
of the hall were gathered few of the
foremen in the shops leaders of
the men, one of who had, it was
evident just been spea to the men.
Upon their feet and fiji hot-headed
and wild were the men I beNes they
we're cheering, yelling an gesticulating
and from their utterancef bbert at once
OWNED that q very iAcen speech had
just been delivered by Il speaker upon
the platform whose orat Seal elocGtion
had 50 stirred up the men.
Our privileges !!
The old pay "
Down With the aristocrats.
No man shall work if we don't -
And other equally loud and demonstra-
Y tive utterances lent fair clue to the
I feelings os the the men. In a moment
/ Robert Parton detected the great error
which had been committed and was pro-
ceeding to the platform when a loud cheer
/ told him that his presence in their midst
had been detected by the workingmen.
There he is n
Parton Z"
Parton-Speech =
He came upon the platform with hun
dred hoarse throats yelling series of
encomiastic cheers. He did not respond
by gesture or word - the compliment but
stood silent and grave until the tumult
so wild had III a great measure subsidized.
My men, he said, as a general sils.lce
was obtained. - started for here this
evening with glad conviction that we
we're IN fair way to secure our rights
and our privileges. | must now say that
| am disappointed. | do not think we
are
A buzz of disapprobation and surprise
told him that his speech had had its effect
The men muttered disapprovingly and
general confusion ensued, until he began
again.
81 am 50 constrained to think, because
see that instead Of acting quietly and
reasonably you are not only rlotous but
vIndictlve To threaten Is folly. To
create riot is seDseless Be men, and our
resolves cannot fail to become means of
bringing about speedy revocation of the
unjust decisions of our employees"
He's right !"
Go ahead T.
That s So
And a kindred series of utterances
showed the wAvering tone Of the assembly.
body oi T. esssspcsd s. n,en easily ,s-, ~
A. ready to do what WAS not quite prudent
In moment sof hot-headed impetuoslty,
no one knew more than r pbert Parton
the folly Of riotous demonstration and he
soon saw the men in better frame Of
4 ., -
with the dictates OF wisdom. He went
on speaking for some time, cheer after
cheer greeting him until he saw en-
tering the door to his surprise, old
Mr. Tremayne, his book keeper, Edwin
/ Amorey and the village constable.
The entrance of the latter was purely
Incidental and he had met the two first
named gentlemen who were passing by
the hall ON their way from the railway
station. They having just returned from
New York, and had gone up into the hail
to see what was the cause of the sounds of
cheering which had reached the quiet street
without, at that moment. Robert Parton
was just concluding his speech in the fol-
lowing words: 81 and II that it
is better to be wise and quietly eide the
adjustment Of our difficulties than as they
did out West to burn the shops II
The only words that reached the ears
of the three new comers, were, "-To
BURN THE SHOPS
Mr.. Tremayne could not believe his
hearing, the constable stood dumbfounded
and Mr. Amorey %::tti a surprised air,
said, to Mr. Trehayne as they left the
hall.
"A desperate set of men and des-
perate leader"
-" cannot believe Ii II said Mr.. Ire
mayne.
" 1t is an incendiary threat. | am sur
prised that Mr.. Parton should use any
words having SO bad tendency against
his employees interests.
ct shows him in his true colors," in
sinuated Amory, only too glad Of the op-
ploye's mind against the man whom he SO
bitterly heated and whose utterances had
been so misunderstood and misconstrued
by Mr.. Tremayne the book-keeper and
the constable who was with them.
They went on their way home, the CON
stable with fixed conviction that the
strikers would raise riot. Mr.. Tremayne
IN a confused maze at the words Of the
young mechanic and Edwin Amory in a
hope that Robert Parton might lead the
men to some wrong that would cause his
own punishment. He instinctively hated
the man and was in b very strong hope
that the man might be removed from his
way.
The meeting went On quietly and then
dispersed, the men resolved to abide by
the decision of their l&ader the man whose
counsels they had adopted and acted upon