Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-08-28
The Strikers Reign.
They Have the Upper Hand in
Britain's Metropolis.
SCHEME OF THE VESSEL OWNERS.

Eight Thousand Men To BE Brought
from Across the Channel and a Flank
Movement Tried-The Strikers Laugh
Mt the Move and Threaten to Tie Up
the Rsilways-Home Secretary Mat
thews Tells the Employers to Go Slow
-Businsss Men Protest.
LONDON, Aug. 2s-The vessel owners held
meeting yesterday morning and appointed
committee to wait on Matthews, home sec
Rotary, to inquire if the government was
prepared to give them protection in case they
undertook to bring men here from other
points to load and unload the ships now at
this port Matthews assured the members
OF the committee that they should receive
ample protection, but when asked to advise
them, declined to express any opinion as to
the wisdom of the course they proposed. He
pointed out to them, however, the grave con-
sequences which were almost certain to re-
suit from an attempt at this time to fill the
places of the strikers with foreigners, and
suggested that they do nothing rsshly.
Have Hired Foreign Laborers.
The committee reported in the afternoon
at a joint meeting Of the sh ipowners and the
dock companies. The conference was strict
ly private and reporters were excluded 1t
was learned last evening, however, that a
decision was reached not to make the at
tempt to handle freight with the new men
that have been engaged A large steamer is
on the way 70 London now from Hamburg
and another from Antwerp with men who
have been hired at these points to take the
8 - 81. II
structions will he sent TO land these men at
neighboripg ports, and on no account to
bring them to london.
How They WI Work the scheme.
A plan was proposed at the meeting, and
very favOrably received, TO gradually send
the vessels now lying here to the nearest
ports to be loaded and unloaded, and
ship their cargoes to and from London by
rail. Nearly 600 iaborers, who have been
hired at foreign ports and who are now on
their way here, are to be sent to these places
to assist in loading and discharging vessels
In this way it is hoped 70 tide over the pres
ent difficulties and to starve the strikers
into submission W thout furnishing them an
excuse for open violence 10y bringing men
here to take tn cir places No definite action
was taken yesterday, but it is quite likely
that this plan will be adopted at an ad
journed meeting.
The Movement VIII He Check mated
| The leaders of the striking laborers laugh
at this attempt at flank movement They say
the enormous cost of such a proceeding
would alone condemn il to failure, but apart
from this, if the attempt is seriously made
they could effectually checkmate the ship
| owners by ordering out the freight-handlers
| at the London termini Of the railroads, who,
they say, are even now anxious to strike.
Burns, the Socialist, in Command.
The public subscriptions in aid of the
strikers now amount to GS, 900, and this sum
will be used chiefly for the purchase and dis
| tribution of food tickets. Over 100 900 men
| In different occupations are now on strike
and all look for orders to Burns, the Social.
list agitator, whose excellent management OF
\ the strike thus far ELECTS surprise and adj
| miration from friend and foe alike
| The Dock Companies Denounced.
The London chamber of commerce held q
| special meeting yesterday, called for the
| purpose of taking some action with refer snce
| to the disastrous condition of things brought
| about by the existing strikes. The meeting
| was very largely attended representative
men from all branches of trade and industry
being present. Speeches were made roundly
| denouncing the dock companies for their &C
ton, and resolutions were passed urging
| them to agree to arbitration. COMMITTEES
of prominent business men was appointed tc
wait on the officials of the company to pre-
sent the resolutions, aud they were instructed
to Use their best efforts to prevail upon tn,
dock companies TO end the strike.
NJ. P's- Labor with Them.
| Seven members of the house OF commons
called ON the dock managers yesterday anC
labored with them for nearly two hours il
| an effort to induce them to yield. They
urged the justice of the demands made boy
the laborers and asked them to concede tn,
| insignificant advance of wages sought They
| pointed out that the situation was hourly
| growing worse, and that nothing short of alb
| solute ruin for the vast interests of London
and England was threatened as a result o
| ill-considered obstinacy at this critical juno
| ture ON their part. The managers were al
| politeness, but held out no encouragement
| and the most compromising statement tha
| could be extorted from them was that the,
| "would consider 1T >"
Burns, the leader of the strike, ADDRESSED
a meeting of the strikers last night, declar
| ing that the strike was the beginning of &
| new era for workingmen.
| Another Immense Procession.
| One hundred thousand striking dock labor
| ers marched IN procession yesterday, and
| the great army was loudly cheered as 4
| wound it, way th-''uSh Tho city. 1t was tn
largest procession of strikers which I.ondor
has ever seen, and the effect of the grea
demonstration was apparent last night
Workmen are every where discussing tn
event, and unless the strike be ended at ono
by arbitration or surrender of the docl
owners men in many branches of trade no
yet affected VIII be drawn into the revolt b,
the mere attraction of numbers Nearly
100000 men now out, and double tina
number will have stopped work II the upris
ing continues another week
| Natural Gas Consolidation.