The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-05-06
How May Day Was Cele-
brated Everywhere,
The Movement Not as Cen
eral as Expected.
Many Miners Unions Refuse to
Go Out.
The Building Trades Strike in
Several Cities.
General Review or tho Whole Labor
Situation.

NEW York, May 1.-Small armies of
men, marching to the tune of the "Mar-
seillaise" and other airs. carrying aloft
red flags and transparencies, the latter de.
nouncing all monopolies, approached
Union square tonight from all directions
20 participate in the great eight-bour labor
demonstration held under the auspices of
the Central labor federation and the so
cialistic labor party. 1t was estimated
that there were 5000 people in the park
and in front of the plaza and at side
stands on Broadway and on Fourth-ave.
The police arrangements consisted Of
about seventy-fye footmen, twenty-five
mounted, lot OF detectives, and central
Office men in citizens dress were also scat
tered through the great crowd in case OF an
emergency. The main speakers stand was
at the cottage on the plaza on Seventeenth
st. Hero the English speakers talked
while speeches were delivered in German
and Hebrew from stands on Broadway and
on Fourtb-ave. Many women were crowd
ed in the throng. As each union or dele
cation arrived on the scene the flag and
banners carried by the leaders were ranged
about the cottage.
The 1aring torches and red flags of the
socislistic bodies, the upturned faces of
thousands of wage workers, made pict-
uresque and fearsome sort of sight.
Shortly after s o'clock the meeting was
called to order by Chairman Ludien Lam
iel. While the chairman was addressing
the crowd socialistic labor unions contin-
ued to arrive in small and large bodies
marching to the meeting. One of the So
cialistic bodies carried the American flag
with the union down. Mr.. Laniel, when
he had chance to speak, said that he
hoped the hearts OF the working people
would be as stout as their lungs during
the conflict for eight hours.
The universal motto of labor is, 1--WE
win; we shall; we must" 1t was high
time. after a century of advancement
that lobOr had its due. Labor was en-
titled to a share of its products. 1t was
time to unite and get il. The first step to
be accomplished was reduction in the
hours of labor. AS men, thew should
stand together, not as citizens of the
United States, but "a workers OF the whole
world against plutOcracy.
After other local speakers had addressed
the crowd a long preamble and series of
denunciatory resolutions were read at the
main stand. The features OF this deliver
ance were: Endorsement of the demands
of the Paris convention, demands for con-
sOlidation against capital, statutory estab-
Eshment OF the eight hour day, resort TO
political action 10 attain the ends desired
and allegiance TO the socialistic party.
After the resolutions were read ii. G.
Wiltshire, a wealthy socialist from Los
Angeles, Cal, addressed the meeting. His
talk was short, but to the point. He said
that a workman earned more in four
hours for his employers than he was paid
for working twelve hours, and predicted
that the agitation for an eight-hour law
was only a forerunner to a demand that
four hours should be considered days
labor. He declared that the sOcialistic
party was the only one to which the
~orkingmen should own allegiance. The
resolutions were adopted with whoop
and the affair at the main stand was over
On Broadway and Fourth-ave. were
trucks filed with socialist speakers who
addressed the crowds in various tongues.
Among them was Il. Weissman, of San
Francisco, editor OF Tobacco Journal. His
subject was the common one of al the
speakers Of the evening that of THE
Grinding Power of the Capitalists" He
epoke in both German and English. No
outbreak occurred and the crowd dis
solved as soon as the speaking was ended.
This afternOonit was stated atthe house
smiths headquarters that there were
about four thousand housesmiths out in
this city, Brooklyn and Jersey City and
about seventy-five firms are involved. The
agreement with the hOusesmiihs' union
as drawn up stipulates that none but
union men shall be employed and only for
eight hours day. The agreement ex-
lends over a period of one year. 1t was
learned this afternoon that nineteen firms
had acceded to the demands of the fram-
ers' union. There are still sixteen firms
to hear from. Six hundred trainers will
return TO work tomorrow morning and
about the same number will remain on
strike.