Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1889-09-20
THE GREAT STRIKE ENDED.
Pacific Settlement Obtained by the
Cancellation Committee.


The great strike, after a month of inces-
SAINT and at times embittered strife has
ended 1t has cost the parties concerned
over $40, 900, 900, and, in view of the immense
benefits, moral and material, conferred, the
price can scarcely be nsidered excessive.
For the first time in the industrial history OF
London unskilled workers have triumphed
over capitalists, and the effect has been in
vigorating upon the men. The lowest class
of day laborers have learned to
respect themselves and each other
and there is good ground for hope that the
improvement will be real and lasting. Dur
ing the long struggle John Burns and Tillett,
who are both total abstainers never wearied
of impressing upon the men the virtue OF
temperance and clean living and it is on
record that no fewer than 1900 of the strikers
have taken the total abstinence pledge. Ono
of the most pathetic features of the struggle
was Burns constant appeals to his rough
followers to quit wife beating and be kind
to children. In this respect, also, it is
credibly asserted there is almost palpable
improvement.
1t speaks volumes for the patience and
tact of Cardinal Manning and his two col
leagues of the conciliation committee that
they were able to persuade the aggrieved
and irritated lightermen to join in the gen.
eral compromise 1t took several hours to
smooth the tangles, but the good work was
finally accomplished, and the lord mayor
was able to announce from the Mansion
House that the employers, with three dis
senters had accepted the compromise and
that work could he resumed on dock river
and wharf. The Protestant bishop of Lon
don and the lord mayor joined in the pacific
work with the cardinal and he gratefully
accepted their assistance
For weeks the dock directors have been
calling all men to witness the terrible intimi-
.l.As I.rA o,,1
ernment was emplOred to send more police
to disperse the strike pickets, under penalty
Of seeing London in the hands of the COM
munistic workmen. They lied shamefully,
as the records prove. During the month the
strike has lasted not dozen cases Of intimf-
dation have been tried in the police courts,
although the magistrates and police were
not disposed undulv to favor the strikers.
1t cannot be denied, therefore, that
no struggle of such magnitude has ever been
conducted in manner SO orderly and free
from violence as that of which the end has
lately been witnessed. Ghe fact was testi-
fled over and over again by Cardinal Man
ming, the lord mayor and other speakers at a
quiet little meeting of the strike leaders and
conciliation committee, held at the Mansion
house. At this gathering Burns expressed,
like a man, the strikers obligation to the
conciliators, assured them of the men s
gratitude, and promised that the strike COM
mttee would as soon as they pos
sibly could, publish properly authenticated
balance sheet of all moneys received and ex-
pended during the long struggle. Then
everybody shook hands with everybody else,
and after partaking of refreshments, Burns,
Tillett and others went away to tell the men
in meeting assembled all that had taken
place. The Associated Press dispatches pub
lshed in America the 5th inst, to the effect
that the police had fired on the strikers and
one man had been fatally wounded, were alb
solutely false.
The agreement between the ckmen and
the directors Of the dock companies includes
a stipulation that contract work shall be
converted on the 4th of November next into
| piece work. All payments shall be made di-
rectly to the men, under the supervision of
the dock officials. Laborers who orked
during the strike are to be treated as fellow
laborers by the strikers and the directors
pledge themselves not to show resentment
against the strikers