Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1886-11-15
ROCK ISLAND, MONDAY, NOVEMBER Is. 1856.

| that such an order was out, but owing to
| the reticenCe and mystery preserved by
| Mr.. Powderly and his lieutenauts here it
was impossible to confirm them Satur-
day night upward of 1000 of the strikers
crowded into Germama Turner hall, at
the corner of Thirty fourth and Halsted
| streets. a place calculated to accommo.
date about 1000 persons uncomfOrtablv,
| in obedience to an order from the mas
| ter workman of the district assembly,
which was issued during the afternoon.
The men crowded and jammed each other
in their efforts TO gain admittance in q
way that was threatening 10 life aud
limb, and the only wonder is that SER
i0us accident did not occur. At O'Clock
sharp T. b. Barry, W. c. Marshall,
George Schilling, Z. T. Barry. M. J.
Butler, and number of other prominent
knights ascended the platform, and MI.
Butler called the meeting to order, after
which Mr.. Barry arose and said: Broth
ers. | have in my pocket an order from
your general executive board, the
supreme body of our organization, which
is If vital interest 10 you at this time.
and with your permission | will proceed
to read il, and Mr.. Barry read the fol-
lowing dispatch:
PnmADELPHIA, Nov. lot. B. BAR
RY, CHICAGO: In circular issued March
i3, 1856, stated the policy of the
Knights of Labor on the eight hour
question. That circular was read to and
approved by the general executive board
before it went out. 1t was afterward ap-
proved by the entire order. In opposI>
tion tc that circular the men at the stock
yards strike for eight hours The order
OF the Knights of Labor was not brought
into the controversy, hence no action was
necessary. During the session of the
general assembly the men at the stock
yards struck again. You were sent to try
and settle, but in case of failure the or>
der was not to be involved or asked for
assessments. You settled by ordering
the men back at the old hours. They
have, in violation of the law and your or
deIs, and without notifying us. again
struck fer eight eight hours The BOARD
-inStructs You and Carlton. who will be
with You today. to settle by putting
men back at old hours until the order of
X. OF l. takes definite action on the
cight-hour plan. Ii men refuse, take
their charters We must have obedience
and discipline. BY order of general ex>
ecutive hoaFd T. V. POwDERLY,
Chairman.
The crowd remained reasonably quiet
while the delegate was reading the mes
sage, but at its conclusion pandemonium
reigned. 1t seemed as if every man in
the hall was yelling and stamping his feet
at the same time, and altogether making
a confused roar OF sound from which, for
time, 1t was impossible to distinguish
anything. The building seemed to treln>
ble under the strain, and this fact alone
brought the crowd to their senses, and
there was partial cessation of the noise
for perhaps second, and then il broke
forth again in vehement cries of No
Never" Eight hours or no,hingr
"Will never 60 back al ten hours
Mr.. Barry watched the strikers closely
during the demonstration, and when they
had tired themselves out he said: Il
know 1t is hard for you 10 take this, but
you must Dc so for your own good. You
can see the purpOrt and effect of this or, |
der. 1t ought TO be apparent TO all of you |
that disobedence will only result in more |
complications than those which surround |
you now, and therefore will say to you, |
obey it, you cannot afford TO lose your |
prestige as Knights of Labor, though that |
order, through its supreme body, its ex>
eculive board, compels you to work ten |
hours day. when you feel that YOUR |
claim for reduced hours are fair and |
equitable and ought to be granted, but |
you Should remember that one dav. per> |
haps not long distant, the order will bring
YOU to The goal You would seek now |
therefore, obey. Do not take any action |
now, nien, for you are all excited. angry.
and not in 1T mind TO act with any de
gree oi good sense or Judgment, but wait |
until tomorrow, and then 90 into yonr
local assemblies and there consider what
had best be done
Then Mr., Barry reviewed his coppec-
tioa with the two strikes at the stock
yards, and said be ordered the first strike
of because be considered it best TO order
a temporary retreat. He then related all |
that had occurred between the two strikes,
as well as what has occurred since, and
he said everything was going along fairly
ana well when, on Wednesday night, this
telegram came from Powderly. At first
doubted its authenticity and telegraph
I'd to Howderly twice for its confirmation,
but he did not pay any attention to my
kilograms until today. when ! received
rom him another dispatch confirming
hat which have Just read to YOU. As
subordinate | am compelled to carry
'ut the orders of my superior officers.
mi in doing so in this case | will have 10
)rieT You back ia work
There was another demonstration at the
conclusion of the Michigan knights ad
iress, which Butler Intellectually tried to
luiet for fully ten minutes. Finally
When lac did succeed in getting ii chance
&" talk, be advised the men to net with
prudence and discretion and not to at,
empl TO ANYTHING under any circumstan>
Is until today. when they go To their
ocal assemblies to discuss the situation
fcorge Schilling also spoke in favor of
,tace and the meeting broke up
he men left the hall quietly and pro
rcded directly to their homes, not ats
enp'ing any sort of demonstration
tier they reached the street.
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