Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1883-07-26
MIR. oRoAsDALE ON THE STRIKE.
He Bids the Photographers sod Speed
In n Speech at FOrd's Opera House.

MIR. CROdSDALE ON THE STRIKE.
He Bids the T.Ieg raphers sod Speed
In n Speech at FOrd's Opera House.
At an enthusiastic meeting Of the strik.
ing telegraphers In Ford's Opera House,
Baltimore, on Saturday night there were
various speakers, among them w. I.
Croasdale, late editor of EVERY EVENING,
but now or the Baltimore Day. In it's re-
port the Baltimore american says:
When Mr. William T. Croasdale, edi |
tor of the Day was introduced, the DEM |
onstration lasted three or four minutes. |
The photographers arose in a body and |
Justify oheered him, and the audience
added to the three huz2as final tiger"
After oongratulating them on their
moderation. courage and knightly loyalty,
he said al am very sorry you had to
strike. strike is almost as bad as q
war, aud sane men will not engage in
either If they can safely aud honorsbiy
avoid it. But, universally az good men
hate needless war, they have from time
immemorial held that there are some
things worse than fighting, and amongst
them is tame submission 10 wrong insult
and oppressiou. The psopls which is too
mean spirited to assert its own rights
and maintain them, if need be, with it,
very life, ia despissd throughout the
world, and receives no sympathy when
subjected to oppression. The same is true
Of men who submit to wrong and oppres
sion rather than resort, even at some cost
TO themselves, to the bl0odless warfare of
a strike. strike generally bears more
hardly on them than on any one else
while it lasts but il they will not sub
nit to this rather than meekly bow to
such treatment 81 you have received AT
the hands of the telegraph companies
they deserved to be oppressed, and may
rest assured that they will receive their
| deserts.
| 81 happen to personally know some
| thing about the way in whicn steady
work at a telegrsphic instrument uses up
| a man, having at one time edited news
| paper which was compelled to operate a
leased wire in order to obtain the
Associated Press dispatches promptly,
aud have no doubt that your demand
for shorter hours is reasonable one, and
your published statement GOnvinoes me
that your claim for better pay is likewise
we'll founded. But whether that was the
case or not, you would still have a
grievance that abundantly justi6es your
strike. You did the only thing by which
it was possible for you to better your
condition and obtain juatioe in organizing
your brotherhood, and through it
you respectfully presented your petit
tion for redress of what you regarded
as your grievances. What was the re-
} suit Recognizing instinctively the
power which organization gave you, this
, employing companies refused to even
listen to you unless you practically dis
solved your brotherhood and delivered
yourselves into their hands berett of your
strength. None know better than they
the power of perfect organization and
disciplined and intelligently directed
strength aud they saw in the brother
hood new Samson, and they summoned
the Delilah OF protested friendly relations
: with their own workmen to shear the
, giant OF his strength. The giant refused
to be shorn, and hence you are here
, tonight as members of an organization
!, able and willing to compel that respect
full hearing of your grievances which
,, your authorized agents have already
! demanded"
!, In alluding to the Baltimore & Ohio
! company, he said it threw away the only
chance it ever had to convince th'
country that it possesses a telegraph sys
TEN. He gave q caustia review of Mr.
, CARROTS action III the 4 ference bstSsei
: his company and the Erotharh md
:. especially his refusal to treat ~it'i irt n
!. bers of that order in an adjustment O
!, the troubles.
81 rejoice for your ssk5s," he said, il
+, conclusion, "thst You have Loyalty stoo
i, by your brotherhood. rejoice in it ais
for the sake OF the example of manlines
+. and courage You have given people to
!, prone to tamoly submit to the insolepc
= and rapacity OF corporate wealth. There
= time coming, and that before long ,whe
. not only ali honest selt-respecting work
iugmen, but all men of moderate means
!. whether olasssd as wurkingmen or moi
must follow the example you have set /
:, this matter il the corporations created b
!, the states are no. to become supreme i
" this nominally democratic republi
through tue abuse and misuse of tn
powers conferred on them ia the nam
=. and by the authority Of the people the
y cypress. When that tins comes you Gu
e look back to this day as one ON whio
!, you led the way in which the people ~
= to follow. You drank III the iuspira.io
) which hiss filled brave men and patriot
- throughout the ages when you resolve
"a 10 risk occupation aud comfort ra,l.e
~ than submit to oppression aud insult.
"When all your fellow countrymeu a.
= equally imhued with that sa,ae sprt
q, the problem OF dealing With corporal
l.. insolence aud aggression will be quckl
solved not by the dpstfut;tiou of uspfu