Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-08-03

THE GREAT sTRIKE-THE Commune LEATERS-
THE PROSPECT.
NEW York, July Is, 1877.

NEW YORK, July IS, 1877.
To the Editor Of the Fres Press and Times.
The great strike which had plunged the
whole country into condition Of anarchy, is
the prevailing topic. The stoppagc of trail
fic on the railroads has had most disas-
trious effect on the business of the city, and
coming, as it docs, just as we began to see
glimmers of daylight, it is all the more Dc
pressing. 1t is a thousand pities that the
madmen could no; let the roads operate in
peace till the enormous crop that covers the
entire West was gotten to market, and the
money for it distributed in the hands OF the
farmers. 1t is thousand pities that men
haven't sense enough to know that force new
er did add a cent to mans wages, and
that labor is something that regulates ltseli
and which physical force can neither alter
nor amend. There was, all the week, ic-
verish feeling of apprehension. There arc
in the city fifty thousand honest men out OF
employment, fifty thousand more who
wouldn't do stroke of work to save their
lives, so long as anything can be iouno 10
steal: and then there are twenty thousand
men at work, who are injected with the terri
bic doemas of communism, and who are born
agitators. The strikes IN Baltimore and
Pittsburg set these classes into ferment'
The unemployed wanted work, the commun-
lists wanted an opportunity to ''strike Tor
the rights of man. and the rufians and
tramps wanted disorder that they might pill
lage with IMMUNITY. The excitement cul-
minated in monster meeting at Tompklns
Square, Wednesday night. under the direc-
ton of Schwab, Thompson and SwintOn, the
three leaders of the New York communists.
When the meeting was called the city was
in state Of alarm 1t was feared that the
fanatical leaders would inHame the multi
tude sure to be there, and that the meeting
would eliminate in riot, which would end i,
no one could tell when or where. The au-
thorities acted promptly and with discretion.
The national guard was ordered under arms,
and very large number of special police
we're sworn in. They gave the communists
permission to hold their meeting, but gave
them to understand that the place would be
surrounded by police, and that at the
first intimation OF disorder the military
would be brought into requisition, and that
there would be no halfway work about it.
The leaders saw that the authorities meant
business, and they instructed their followers
to keep the peace, which fortunately for
themselves they did. The meeting was a
fzzle, and with the fzzle ended the hopes of
the roughs of New York, to inaugurate a
riot here. The effect upon business has been
terrible. Immense masses Of freights lie in
the depots, there is no regularity in mails,
and the influx of strangers into the city has
almost ceased. Trade is almost as entirely
at a stand-still, as it is in Pittsburg. But
it can't last Men may stand and swing
clubs and yell, a few days, but they have got
to eat, and food was never got by swinging
clubs and yelling. The Pennsylvania road
is now open. and the others will be in day
or two; and the regular flow of business will
begin again.
TIKI Commune LEADERS.
John Swinton, the ablest of the lot, has
been connected with the press Of New York
for quarter Of century. lie is man OF
above the average weight and height, with a
good natured face, surmOunted by a bald
crown. lie got his notions of liberty, fra
ternity and equality in Paris, and is as radi-
cal Republican as ever lived. lie is an
excellent writer and an indeiatigable work
er, and is honest lie makes no money out
of it, nor is he in these movements because
of any hankering for notoriety. lie Is
good speaker, and is fayorlte with the
reds.
Justus H. Schwab is German of per-
haps forty-fvc, who processes to spend all
his time brooding over the wrongs of the
laboring man, which does not Interfere.
however, with his selling great deal Of
lager-beer to the oppressed, which his wife
draws. In times like these, Schwab does a
splendid business, and it is shrewdly suspected
that he is not averse to popular demOnstra-
ton. lie holds that property is robbery,
that there should be an immediate divide,
and that rich man is a criminal. lie is a
tall blonde, very powerful and muscular, and
has a wonderful influence over the long
haired OF his race.
Thompson, the other leader. is a tall, dys-
peptic Englishmsn, who was an agtator in
his native country. lie is man of some
eloquence of the kind known as CAB. He
can talk by the hour of the rights of man, y
and the oppression of labor" with all the
rest of that hap-doodle which such fellows
have vexed the world with for SO many years.
At the beginning, Schwab and Thompson
intended to precipitate riot, but the police
commissioners gave them to understand that
they would be held responsible for any trou-
bic that might arise, and they wisely held
their followers in check. Your ranter is
usually very cautious man when it comes
to himself But they will 90 right along,
and organize societies ''for the amelioration
of the condition of the laboring man." and
collect money and preach communism, living
the while very comfortably on the contribu-
tons of their dupes. And then when strikes
come they will keep very quiet in the back
ground, out of range of shot and shell, till
the fight is over, when they will emerge and
90 through the same process again. Your
professional labor reformer, like the profess
sional reformer Of any kind, is a most pesti-
lent fellow. 1t is to be observed that he
never tries to improve the condition of the
laboring man by the exercise of the virtues
of temperance, hard work aud saying-nOt
he. What he wants is that the mnn who
has earned and saved money shall be COM
RELIED to divide it with the man who has
squandered all that he earns, or who is too
indolent to earn any. 1t Is amusing to hear
men in Schwabs beer saloon, sit by the
hour deploring the condition of the "hoaest
working man who is starving" spending the
while the money for beer and cigars that
their wives are earning at the wash-tub.
Suggest to one OF these fellows
that he had better 90 ont and
earn dollar or tive, and he would answer
that he was no slave And he sits and
drinks beer and smokes, consuming in this
way money enough to make him rich if he
would save it and put it at interest.
The rioters don't apparently seem to know
that every dollar they destroy they have to
nav in the end. The counties, cities and
States are responsible for the destruction of
property, and every dollar burnt will 20 into
the tax duplicate. They may think that the
property holders will pay 1t, but they are
mistaken. Ii all comes out oisthe laborer in
the end the Mobile who lives by theft is
the gamer, for he never pays anything, but
the honest worker deluded into these move
mentS Will IHu tHe Dllls tudTStu w " INN
in the end, and he will settle them. 1t lisa
very serious matter About five millions
were DESTROYED in Pittsburg, which is about
$50 per head for all the men, women and
children in the city. Rioting is costly
amusement.
TIE PROSPECT
is encouraging. The enormous crops that
cover the West, have been harvested in
splendid condition, and some of it is reach
ing the city. Currency is going out from
here by the million with which to move it.
Capital that has long been lying idle is ont
in active service once more, and the good
effects are being felt everywhere. Up to the
time of the strike, buyers We're coming in
freely, and there seemed to he certain
promise of the renewal of business We have
been so long waiting for. The strike will
be Of short duration, and then the great,
the generous tide will set thltherward, and
our half-deserted streets and altogether de