New-York tribune., 1886-05-02
THE LABOR DEMONSTRATION
TWENTY THOUSAND MEN IN UNION SQUARE
AN ORDERLY CROwD-rHE POLICE HAVE NOTHING
TO DO-NO INFLAMMA TORY SPEECHES.

AN ORDERLY CROwD-rHE POLICE HAVE NOTHING
TO DO-NO INFLAMMA TORY SPEECHES.
The Central Labor Union gave the short-hOur
movement In this city good start yesterday and nearly
10000 people Union Square last night listened 70
speeches in favor OF the shortening OF the hours ot
labor the first requisite for improving tue condition
of workiugmen. II orderly. good-natured
crowd. and the police had little to do exccps
to stand guard and listen 10 tho speeches Early
I'm the afternoon George Blair the work OF buit'
ing the stands for the speakers one was put up at tho
Fourthaye end Of the plaza and another at the Broa
way side. There excitement Ia the square untn
little after o'clock. when Sergeant ger. OF
the Tweny-ninth Precinct, with thrtyseven stalwart
policemen OF Captain wlilIams's command marched
the square and took position the plaza
Their presence attracted crowd at once. This
continued to grow uu the whole plaza In seventeenth
st. packed ard the passage through Fourthave and
way asdecidcdy uncomfortable Policemen from
other precincts arrived in squads until there were nearly
800 in and about the square inspector steers had com
mand aud Captains Williams. Brosal, Mccullough.
Clinchy, Ryan. KIIlia and Mcdonnell acted As aides
superintendent Murray was also on hand. The police
disposed that they were as little conspicuous as
possible.
The square was pretty well filed up when at 7:iO tho
German Bakers UuiOn No. marched up Fourth-aye
with band at their head. They werc nearly 900
strong and they marche tho stands with bitred
nag with the name OF the orsanhatlon on t
at their head they greeted with cheers The mom-
Ders took advantageous places at the Broadway plat
form, where the German speakers were stationed Tho
the stand aud waved. and the band
played the "Marseiilaise" amid cheers This contin'
gent followed quick order by the United Trainers
and the United Machinsts, some OF whom nal torches
Up their arrival the plaza dark except for the big
electric light in the square, but as the torches were
scattered around the gathering crowd could
be seen more plainly, and the picturesque
NJ ha was yhtenet.
arrival of the Cigarmaers international Union No. l4f
With nearly 900 members large proportion OF whom
had torches banners greeted with cheers Iorches
from Of the bearers and the speaking
stands Illuminated. When nearly lOoO OF the En-
pre Protective Association wheeled into the square from
Fourth.aye under the command Of Captain Tom Col
lum and Acting Master Workman Higgins. the APP
plause uproarious and the speakers had 70
stop for time They had only drums aud
hfes and at their head banner bear
ing the inscription NO dictation either on the part OF
employer or employe" They took their position, In
front OF the English stand Fourth and the speak
ers proceeded. Other organizations arrived in bodies,
but until the striking suSar-house employees
from Brook arrived that the enthusiasm Of the crowd
interrupted the speakers.
BY $50 all the organizations had arrived and taken
their places The plaza this time was packed almost
solidy and the cross towa cars had great difficulty
in keeping a passa ge-wty ceIr through scventeenth
ST. The crowd hal spread out into Broadway and
Fourth-ave.. and Uuion square itself was crowded
Speeches were being ma 10 from two points on each
platform, auI while only few Of the many present
coud hear them the took the from those near
the platform ami W lenever good point was made a
mighty cheer went up The speeches |ero al In the IN
terest OK aw aud Order and rule deprecated strikes
IL WAS understood by the chlirmen at the different plat
forms that any ncenJary spec; were attemp'ci
the spotkers would be Immediately stopped.
The police were massed at the upper end OF the plaza
canain Kilnea sad: "Ihese ali gooI orderly fell
lows and VIC are having gOO socabe time together"
This was the spirit seemed to amin te everybody
nj the meeting notable feature OF the gathering was
the action of the cardvers they passed through the
| crowd. majority OF the Fo"rthave. and broadway
men their bells blew their whistles or banged tne
| ear hooks against the dashDoards as they passed
tho SQUARE Of their interest and good WILL Tue
crarmakers crced around IN the crow until there was
scattering OF torches and lanterns all over the plaza
They were the only organization which had any number
of banners At the head OF the divisions was trans
narency bearing the Inscription Of the number Of the
division and Eight Hours " IN biz letters. Among tle
other devices were: II you are in favor OF higher
" ,ces smoke blue.label cgars," Boycott tho Third
Avenue Railroad, and Damn the Conspiracy Law
Take the Second and Fourth-ave cars" Boycott Levy
Brothers scab Cigars" Every member OF the union had
a blue label on his hat.
II WAS decided to break up the meeting early and at
o3o the silk weavers marched through seventeenth-st
ON their way home They we're followed shortly after
ward by the cigar!nakers who went down University
place.
Twenty ORGANIZATIONS marched 70 the meeting Nom
their meetln, places An estimate OF their numbers Is