Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-08-25
THE ARGUS.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 1892
IT'S A LOST CAUSE.
Buffalo Strikers Own to Defeat
and Give up.
THE CONTEST ENDED AT MIDNIGHT
Sweeney's Last Gard Does Not Prove
a Trump--Appeal to the Other
Trainnen a Failure.

TO Join. Pleading Lack of Authority
state Arbitration Board Begins an In
quiry-Testimony of Employees as to
LonC'Hours and Refusal of Railway On
ciaIs to Observation-Disclosures Gives His
Version of the Emeute in Which He
Was Shot-Tennessee Miners Invading
Georgia.
BUFFALO, Aug. ga four hour con-
ference was held yesterday afternoon be-
tween Grand Master Sweeney, Grand
Master Wilkinson, Grand Master Sargent
and Grand Chief Clark. After leaving the
conference, Grand Master Sweeney and
Local Master Moriarity, of the switchmen,
called together the members OF the COM
mittee that has been conducting the
strike and it was before long reported
that at IL p. IN. a statement would be
ready. As early as 1870 there was camp
of newspaper men on the fourth floor of
the Genessee hotel, before the door of
room 163, the quarters that have been the
home of the switchmen's chief during his
stay in Buffalo. Shortly before II O'Clock
the door was opened and the waiting
throng entered.
Verbal Statement by Sweeney
The statement of the end of the strike,
made verbally by the grand master. was
in substance as follows: "The duly au-
thorized committee has declared the strike
off at midnight, and l have sanctioned
their decision Five hundred and fifteen
switchmen cannot cope with twelve big
railway corporations and 5000 militia and
succeed. We have made strong fight and
have lost" Asked if he had anything to
say in regard to the failure of the other
organizations to come to the aid OF the
switchmen. Sweeney replied: "Let them
speak for themselves. l have nothing fur
ther to say"
Other Trainmen Wouldn't Help
As other questions We're about to be
asked Sweeney, member of the commit
tee with whom the grand master had been
consulting created small sized sen5a-
ton by saying: al want 10 say right lie
that the br akemen, trainmenand fremen
refused to give US any help. My namr is
Barrett and you can say l said So" Ddr-
ing this brief, but emphatic speech Sw-e-
ney and others present tried to keep he
indignant brother quiet, but he had his
say.
Would Not Talk of the Future.
When asked to give his views the
possibilities that the present strike may
lead to a renewal of the federation of rail-
way employees. Sweeney declined to say
anything further, In this respect following
the lead of other executives, who, when
asked the same question after the after
noon conference, simply answered that
the future was not discussed.
Caused General Rejoicing.
AZ soon as the news began to spread over
he city, which il did very rapidly in spite
of the storm, there was general rejoicing.
The immediate withdrawal of the troops
Is not expected, as it will take more or less
time for a complete restoration of quiet
and cessation of the guerilla-like attacks
to which non-union men and soldiers have
been subjected.
The Conference of the Leaders.
The conference of the grand masters was
Sweeney's trump card. If he could have
gotten them to agree with him he would
have been fairly sure to win the strike-so
he believed. He told the leaders that this
was not a struggle in which the rights of
one organization were imperilled, but
those of organized labor in general, and if
they would unite with him they could
Strike a final and effective blow.
The principal opponent of the Sweeney
proposition was Sargent. He explained
how strikes were ordered in his union
and said that none of the preliminary
steps had been taken by the men, and he
could not act without them. Arthur was
not present, and that in itself was death
blow to the scheme. and was used by SIr-
gent. Wilkinson and Clark an arSu-
ment against Sweeney's proposal.