Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-02-28
cenera. Review Of ,he labor Agitation

GeMSrSs L3SFASn Oh tASN AtJVE -h%f'stLSoA
by Che Geeord-lni0n" special Re
pericr-
SAN FRANc1sco, February 27th-So far as
can be ascertained from close observation
and analysis of the true inwardness of the
Workingmens movement, there is no proba-
biiity Of any riot or serious disturbance here.
The persistence with which the sand lot
committee has pursued employers of Chinese
labor, and the threats made by windy MEM
hers of the party, have exasperated business
men here, and undoubtedly there are many
who would be glad of an excuse to suppress
the Kearney demonstrations, but there is
no prospect that the latter will furnish any
occasion. Their leaders don't want any fight
ing 1t is so far, essentially political move
ment, and will be kept up just as long as they
think anything is to be gained by it. To
this extent the rank and file of the following
is being deceived. The leaders hold out the
announcement that something Is about to be
done. They raise, among the masses, the ex-
pectation of some great good on the eve of
accomplishment through the demonstrations
now being made.
At the sand lot this afternoon Mayor Kali
Loeb spoke few minutes to the crowd, tell
ing them that their parades were having the
effect to irritate business men and to prevent
any steps being taken to relieve their wants.
He advised them to postpone further meet
ings and parades until certain movements for
theirbenefit could be carried out, adding thatif
something was not done, they might meet as
much and talk as loud as they chose, free from
any interference on his part. That this was
taken as an intimation that, so far as he
could help it. the authorities should not in
terfere, was evident. The crowd accepted
his advice, and adjourned TO meet at the call
of their committee. There were probably
1,500 men and women present at the meet
ing, most of them respectable in appearance
and showing no sign of suffering. Their
leaders don't amount to anything, and will
never make any serious trouble. 1t is en-
gineered from the inside, however, and the
nominal heads of the movement have been
put forward by the real manipulators OF the
Workingmens party. The object is to infiu-
ence legislation, to brighten the employers OF
Chinese, bit, more than all, to keep up an
excitement and keep the party alive. Kali
loch is concerned in all their operations, but
he has no notion of doing anything but to
stir up political feeling and profit by the re-
suit. Whenever the spirit of the party begins
to lag, some such means will be used to wake
it up, and then, at the proper time, he and
others will counsel peace, and claim credit
for having saved the city from riot.
The indefinite expectations being raised
may stimulate spirit of turbulence beyond
the control of the leaders. Many among the
mass of the following indulge vague hopes of
radical changes in their condition, to be
wrought by these revolutionary proceedings.
When these expectations are disappointed
the discomfort which is being constantly aug
mented by them may have engendered sufii-
Gent force to produce serious disturbance.
Meanwhile the movement Is taking on more
definite organic form than in any former pc
Rod of It's history, and observations of its
progress will furnish an interesting feature of
the news from this city for some time.
The owner of the sand lots has informed
Kearney that if gallows was erected they
would not be permitted to use the lots for
their meetings ia future.