The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-03-16
BOYCOTTING A LAsTERs' UNION.
A Singular Contest Now Under Way In n
Smnil NIuine village.

uiu I'LL IilVRes
A letter from Norway, Nc, says
II little village OF 1000 inhabitants,
nestled amid the foot hills of the White
Mountains, is at present torn to the core
with a labor struggle liz Il most singular
aspect. The life of the town for thirteen
years has been the big shoe factory of
Il. f. Spinncy Il Co. 1t came to bring
prosperity to the villagers during the
labor trouble IN Lynn in 1872. A gold
many other Lynn firms sent part of their
business into exile at the same time,
with the view of having two strings to
their bows, by holding a shop at Lynn
and matching it with one in the country.
The country shops were usually built by
the towns in which they were located,
and were given, rent free, to the big
firms, who occupied them under terms
which forbade the formation of labor
unions among the operatives. So this
factory came to Norway, and the village
boys and girls and the farmers sons and
daughters found profitable work within
it, and all prospcrcd together for full
ten years until the workers became cx-
perts and driftcd away to bigger and
better factories, where their skill brought
better pay. In their stead came the pro-
fcssional shoemaker. lie brought trade
unionism with him, but it took no shape
for several years, for the villagers crush
cd all incipicnt movements. Finally the
Lasters' Union sent out from it's Lynn
headquarters about six months ago an
order designed to drive all outside fac
tories back to the shoe metropolis. 1t
came to Norway, and the lastcrs formed
aunion at midnight and made n demand
for a raise. The company's lease had
expired, and it at once declared that if
it must be governed by unions it were
better to have it done in Lynn than in
Norway. They gave notice to quit with
a promptitudc that brought horror to
the Norwegian mind. The villagers
went on their knees to both the corpor-
alton and the l~astcrs, offering even to
buy out all the latter if they would but
vacatc ~pcaccably. The lastcrs refused
the little town, and kept them in misery
dent Lynn lastcr said hat when the fac
tories were nee all back in Lynn the
union would finish its work bv pushing
them to the wall until high wages were
again obtained. This frightened the
VIM liz .lcSSIS. OI)luICN
turned again to Norway, saying that it
Il shop were built Of sufficient size they
would desert Lynn ut once and forever.
The proposition was accepted, and a
building that will accommodate 400 hands
stands completed to-day ready for bust
ness. The company cNactcd that labor
unions be crushed out in the town, and
the town went to work to do it. Every
,,nr ,-1,> l.,l .>l %h - 4AI
band was thrown out of employment and
boycottcd in every possible way. Store
keepers declined to trust them, and
gave their accounts to lawyers to collect
by the aid Of IL deputy sheriff, without a
show of mercy. Many deserving fellows
suffered with the m~alcontcnts. Each
man who dared to sneak against this
cruel system was ostraciZcd with the
rest. A Knight of Labor named Adams.
who owned Il store and restaurant. had
the building he rented purchased by
four local %magnatcs, and was turned ut
once out of doors, in an cndcavor to
drive him from the town. No man who
said Il good word for the lastcrs escaped.
Even the local baker, an active youth
named Rincs, is now having his loavcs
boycotted for too free expression of
opinion.
In the mean time the knights of Labor
have turned their attention to the town.
Master Workman button and Massa-
chusetts workmcn have organized Il
| dge Of q hundred or more and are Ia
boring to increase it's ranks. No hall
could be hired for the purpose in the vii
lagc, so they went instead to the "Lalsc."
Il suburb a mile or more away.
Quccrlv enough the farmers are join
inw with them. They fought the coming
of the shoe factory long ago, and were
beaten, but have never ceased to hate it,
md now they are getting even. Meet
ings arc held every night Or two, and
the heat of both parties is rising fast.
The bitterness Of feeling exhibited all
around is something amazing. Neigh
bors arc arraycd against ncighbors and
there is more than enough finder ready
for n blaze. Few places can produce
such enthusiastic hatred rs these New
England towns, and Norway by long
practice, has won a place at the top in
the list of combativc communities. 1t
has fought destructive battles over re-
liGion and politics; now it is trying
labor. There is more trouble ahead than
pcaccablc people care to think about.
The new factory, though, is filling up
with the pcasantry. Each would-be
worker signs an ironclad oath not to
join trades unions before he can go to
work. but the lasters bidc their time.