The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-20
GENERAL BUTLER.
A Meeting Which Was a Failure as to Mum.
bers-Sympathy for the workers.

Meeting Which Was Failure as to Num-
bers-Sympathy for the Workers.
PRovIDENoE Aug. 10 LIN point Of numbers,
the Butler demonstration at Rocky Point, to-
day, was failure. Only about 5000 persons
listened to General Buffers afternoon speech, in
place ef the 10000 or more expected The
Central Labor Union and the typographical,
tailorss cigar makers, shoemakers', bricklay-
ers, plasterers, stucc-omakers and painters
unions were represented by delegations Gen
eral Butler thus began his speech:
Mr.. President Ladies and Gentlemen and
Laboring Men-who are the noblemen of this
earth when they do their duty to themselves
and country and their familiesI am not una
ware that am not at home, to-day, in Massa-
chusetts, where should not have to- say any
thing about myself; but, gentlemen, after the
introduction may have had at the hands of the
press, it is necessary should say a few words
in order to find out myself who am. Laughter. 1
General Butler told whyShe was identified
with the laboring people, argued in favor of ar
bitration for the settlement of disputes between
employers and employees and closed as follows:
II remember that few years ago great out
rage was reported on the part of workingmen
was at first deceived myself. There was
strike in Pennsylvania which resulted in the
stopping of trains and the destruction in Pitts
burg, of So 600 600 worth of property. This great
destruction of property was caused by q contro-
versy which three honest disinterested men
could have stopped in fifteen minutes. Brake
men, conductors and iremen said thew could not
live on their wages, and they would not work
Ispoke to the ablest railroad man ofeour time
on the subject (Mr, Scott, and he said General
Butler, what do you pay your laboring menr l
replied. $l-25 a day, sir He answered,
pay 81 81 q day, and my men are no better
than your men,. | could not say anything in
answer. Afterward, in travelling on that rail
road, among the mountains, / asked fireman
and an engineer why they could not support
themselves on 81 80 q day They told me they
had to run two hundred miles from home. take
their dinners on the road, get their suppers away
from home, and get back next night to sleep
with their families. They would rather work at
81 day # they could stay at home. They had
to live away from home themselves, besides sup
porting their families Three disinterested men
could have seen in moment the trouble and its
cause, and 100000 worth of property and
much valuable time would have been
saved The proposition in favor of
arbitration to settle these controversies
was spurned in the Democratic convention; they
would not listen to it have been an employer
Of labor for more than thirty years, and for
twenty seven years director Of one corpora-
ton. would be glad to have any trouble
arising between my employees and me settled by
some one else Some one sterner than /
would be with them, for some of
them are my old friends; but whatever
twenty seven years, there has never been q
strike in my mill They say am overbearing,
obstinate and determined, but the difference be-
tween me and some others is, that know when
to be overbearing and determined and obstinate
and men like determination and obstinacy in
the right place The reason why l can
not longer sustain the Democratic party
organization is because it has not
proved itself friendly to the laboring
man. said to the Democratic convention: La
Dor has right to organize for its own protection
and to be protected in its organization Just as
capital has right to organize and be protected
in its organization. Now, gentlemen
of the Democratic party, will you
place that plank in your platform
and declare that all laws to the contrary are un
just, and ought to be repealedP They would not
adopt it tried them again with the PROPOSE
ton that labor had right to Just share of the
profits / rather got them there, for
did not say what a just share would be.
fused to say it Again, proposed that the
United States government should aid in estab-
fishing common schools, whereby the children
of laborers could be properly ed
ucated to become good citizens. They
would not add that to their
platform. They would add nothing that looked
like elevation Of labor It hen said: When we
raise tariff revenue without taxing any one
more than necessary, it ought to be raised
so as to promote American enterprise and
industry, and foster and cherish American
labor They would not agree to that, and left
them saying, God help you; cannot Zap
plause and laughter.l And now / appeal to
workngmen to stand together and vote together:
don't be counseled away by different parties OF
by any party. say to Republican workingmen,
IConfinued ON Third Poc,s-l