Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1890-05-08
GREAT DEMONSTRATION.
HALF A MILLION PEOPLE, AT THE
LEAST ESTIMATE, ATTENDED.

The Trades Council the Leading Sections
/ in the Parade-The Socialists Few in
Number-Fourteen Speakers Stands
Michael Davitt One of the speakers-
Railway Workers Out in Full Force
The Police Absented Themselves-
ROusing Resolutions Passed.
LONDON, May 5.-The great labor day
demonstration in Hyde park yesterday
was success in every particular. Half
million people, at the least estimate,
attended. The various organizations
transacted their business and dispersed
without a single disorderly incident
having marred the occasion. The lead
ing sections in the parade were those of
the Trades council, including eight
groups, namely: The leather workers,
the metal workers, the cabinet makers
and cognate trades, the shipping, cloth
ing, printing, paper and building trades
These first marched with bands and BAN
ners toward the Thames embankment,
the central point, whence the marshaled
array was ordered to start for Hyde
park. At o'clock the embanklnent
presented no appearance of any demon
stration, beyond the increasing masses
of sightseers. Shortly after that hour,
however, the first column of marching
laborers came in. sight. moving toward
the National Liberal Club house, and
soon as far as the eye could reach We're
seen dense masses of moving columns,
their mounted leaders marshaling them
in the proper order. The routes taken
toward the park led along Bridge street
and st. James park. The Bird Cage
walk was filed with spectators and
thousands. joined the procession as it
passed along, and when the park was
reached the
Column Numbered Fully 10000 Men.
simultaneously with the Trades coun-
Gil procession the Socialist sections en-
tered the park from another direction
and their columns converted upon the
two stands specially allotted to Socialist
speakers. The Socialists We're few in
number compared with the great body
of the workingInen belonging to the
Trades council sections. Three out of
every four wore red sashes, but the
speeches of their leaders were moderate
in tone. These orators claimed that the
Socialists initiated the eight-hour move
ment. They urged their hearers to con-
slider that movement as only the first
step in the advance toward the complete
enfranchisement of the workers. Mr..
Hyndman apologized to their brethren
on the continent for the failure of the
British Socialists to gather on the first
of May, but explained that the failure
was due TO the different circumstances
existing in this country from those
abroad. His remarks were greatly ap-
plauded. The Socialist speakers also
denounced Mr.. Bradlaugh and John
Morley as men who had proved false to
the
Cause of Industrial Freedom
which they had pretended to espouse.
Among other speakers at these stands
were Mr.. Cunningham Graham, John
Burns and Mrs. Besant. There were
fourteen platforms altogether in the
park. Michael Davitt was one of the
orators. The railway workers were out
in great force, their unions forming a
separate branch of the parade The
speaking began about and was over by
o'clock. shortly after which hour the
park began to resume its normal aspect.
A noteworthy fact is that the police not
only refrained from interfering, but
actually absented themselves. There
was not an officers uniform visible in
the vast assemblage. In the back
ground, however, and along the neigh
boring places the practiced eye could
discern evidences Of reserve forces being
available. After the speaking resolu-
tions in favor of the eight-hour system
were passed with hurrah, the process
sions quickly reformed, and the dis
persal began. There was no revolu-
tionary music played by the bands in the
professions, only national airs being
heard. The great majority of the
demonstrants represented the solid, re-
spectacle class of workingmen. The
percentage of ragtag and bobtail was re-
markably small for London parade.
The number of marchers is estimated at
between 175, 900 and 100000