Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-02-13
SOCIALIsTIC REFORM.


laborers, ETC., employed by the United States
government. House calendar. Adjourned.
SOCIALISTIC REFORM.
Mob.
LONDON, February 8.-The starving me-
chanics of London to-day held mass meet
ing in Trafalgar Square, around the Nelson
monument, which resulted in riOtouS pro-
ceedings. It opened with an assemblage of
10000 men. The police were present in large
numbers. They at once saw that the social
istic element of London greatly predomi-
mated in the crowd which was managed by a
well known socialist By extraordinary eff
forts peace for the time was preserved.
Conspicuous among the leaders of the
multitude was Mr.. Burns, who ran as the
socialist candidate in Nottingham in
the recent election. He sneered at
| the populace and acted generally
as if he desired to bring about conflict be-
tween them and the people. He finally as
cended the pedestal of the Nelson column
for the purpose of delivering a harangue.
He was well aware that this act would not be
tolerated, and the police politely ordered
him to get down. This he refused to do, ap-
pealing to the crowd to prevent interference
with the exercise of popular rights" The
officers, however, were determined, and they
pushed their way through the excited and re-
sisting mass of humanity, and by force re-
moved Burns from the pedestal, BY this time
the crowd was greatly augmented and the
streets adjacent were packed by the surging
mob.
The stir in the elevated spot where the
Burns incident took place, was easily per-
ceptable over almost the entire area covered
by the cOncourse; and the sight of the he'll
NETS and uniforms in the struggle was ac-
ceptible proof of the commencement of the
fight against law. The populace responded
70 the stir with a general, fearful howl, and
attempted to rush from all directions to the
point of interest.
Burns had now been removed to some dis
lance from the position he had attempted to
occupy. He became emboldened by the
cries of the throng, and made a desperate
effert to recover the lost ground. He was
so effectually helped by the mob that officers
on the spot were brushed out of the way and
the orator was soon pressed up against the
monument
He quickly re-ascended the pedestal, ac-
companied by number of other socialist
leaders. Burns bore a flag and waved it to
the assemblage as the signal of triumph over
the authorities. He was greeted with deaf
ening shouts, repeated again and again.
Burns now leisurely finished his address,
and then read the fiercely worded resolutions.
They denounced the authors of the present
distress in England, and demanded that par
lament should start the public works to
give employment and bread to tens of thou
sands of deserving men out of work. The
resolutions demanded the immediate ap-
pointment of minister of commerce and a
min ster of agriculture, and concluded with
resolve that copies be forwarded to Glad
stone, Salisbury, Parnell and the board of
public works.
The reading of the resolutions was accom-.
panied by fierce comments andshort explain
atory speeches by various orators who stood
with Burns. Some of these orators went so
far as to warn the government that, although
sta rvlng mechanics of London, now attempt
ing to draw the public attention to their
needs by quiet, peaceful agitation, they
were bound to get bread, and would get it
by attacking the baker shops next if the
government did not come to their relief.
Burns himself, in one of these side speeches,
denounced the present house of commons as
a body of landlords and capitalists, for
whom hanging was too good.
He also declared that the people assembled
to summon parliament to Immediately re-
lieve the distress of British working men,
wanted the question settled and at once, if
possible: otherwise revolution was inevita-
BILE. This SO aggravated the excitement of
the huge mob that the police reformed with
increased force and made another assault.
The leaders of the mob then left the scene,
and proceeded to the Reform club building.
They mounted the steps. pointed to the
doors and windows, and bitterly denounced
the inmates. This looked like an attempt
on the part of the leaders of the mob to set
the mob on the building. The mob was ex-
cited, but not up to thepoint of violence.
Burns and his colleagues, seeing this, va
Gated the Reform club steps and proceeded
to the Carleton club where they repeated
their tactics.
By this time the mob was tremendous in
numbers and verging on desperation. Stories
of what the police had said and done at the !
Nelson column had been circulated from
mouth to mouth, exaggerated with every rep
etition until the Starving mechanics
were convinced that the authorities actually |
dared them to conflict.
They visited nearly all parts of London |
stocming and pounding all who interfered |
The police reports at midnight concur in |
stating that never before in the present gen.
Grafton has such tremendous disturbances |
occurred in London with so little bloOdshed. |
Some officials declare that upwards of fifty |
thousand men must have been rioting for at !
least six hours with absolute possession of
every thoroughfare they chose to invade.
If the police had been strong enough to |
attack the mob at any point there might |
have been terrible record made. At 1870 |
O'Clock everything is pretty much as it was |
uuIlAS tuc udy, anu tlc WuOlc tiltLy appears
to have been a sort of night mare. While |
it lasted, the city was thoroughly excited, but |
the mob was essentially English. It made |
frightful demonstrations, but asnot resist |
ed. and went to bed at the usual time.
Among the latter estimates 15O, 600 persons |
were engaged in the Trafalgar square demon
stration. Two-thirds of the crowd were
bonafde unemployed workingmen, the re- |
mainder were socialists. The two sections |
were not in accord; there were frequent col |
lisions among them. Working men took no |
part in the riotous acts that followed the |
meeting in Trafalgar square. Socialists |
aroused to fury by the violent TRADES of the |
speakers in the square created three hours |
reign of terror.
Jeweler shops were broken into, and the |
Contents were carried of by the mob. Car
riages containing ladies were stopped on the |
streets and the occupants forced to aliRht. /
Some of the rioters entered vehicles and |
drove at the head of the crowd. The mob
swept though the streets shouting, 'TSmash
the windows; let's get inside the SHOP" etc.
All decently attired persons Who encounter
ed the rioters, were maltreated, wearers of |
silk hats meeting with particularly rough
usage.
About fifty shops we're piIlaged, including
jewellers, baksrs, butchers and wine shops.
Hundreds of inofensive people were NAL
treated. The police were powerless at first,
but ultimately succeeded in restoring order
by breaking up the ranks of the rioters into
small squads. The military kept under arms
eli the evening while policemen patroled the
streets. s,am
Iafer aecmnts FINN, fl,e seana ~ ~