Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-02-21
BOSTON'S IDLE MEN
Create a Sensation at
the State House.
THE LEADERS SHOW FIGHT
But the Governor Shows Himself to Be
Equal to the Emergency.

BOSTON. Feb. 2l.-siS or 700 men. who
pretended to represent the unemployed OF
this city. went up TO the state house yes
tsrday afternoon to see Govsrnor Green
halee.
The leaders were Morrison L Swift and
Herbert N. Cssson.
They had been to the state house on Q
previous occasion 10 see his sxosllsncy.
but he was then absent In New York.
Previous to the demonstration at the
state house about 1900 men had assembled
on the Common yesterday under the
auspices Of the association for the un-
employed, and listened to ssmi-an
arohistic speeches made by Morrison I.
Swift and Herbert N. Cssson. Under the
influence and fiery srdor of the speeches
the crowd, headed BY the two speakers,
marched to the state house, where these
ssltappointed leaders interviewed Gov
srnor Greenhalgs, while the crowd ~
mainsd outside. They demanded that
work should be given to the men they
represented.
The governor signifisd his willingness
to do all In his power to help the unem-
ployed. and he had no doubt the lsgisla-
ture would do the same. Upon the invi-
tation of the delegation the governor ad-
dressed the crowd He told them that
personally he would do all he could and
that he would recommend action by the
Legislature He pointed out that the
general court had no power 10 give work
to the unemployed except 1t had money to
pay them and that such work must be fos
the public good. The governor insisted
that the first duty Of every citizen was
obedience to the laws
This speech did not meet with the ap-
proval of the crowd. and they surged into
the state house to present to the lsgisla-
ture petition, but which was oouched In
the terms of q demand. The petition
stated how the unemployed have starved
for months with patience after making
many appeals for employment, which the
city and state were alone competent to
furnish, and should have supplied in the
beginning. They ask the legislature to
provide farms and factories where the un-
employed ~ all times may work to sup
ply their own wants. This petition was
presented to the Legislature by Reprsssn-
tAtivs Mellen.
A QualIificatioa.
On their return the mob assem- bled In
Doric hall, where Swift made an incsn-
diary speech, In which he threatened that
II the petition was unheeded they woald
clear the state house.
Governor Greenhalge met Swift and
Casson directly after this speech, and In
plain language told Swift that his speech
was grossly obnoxious and improper.
Swift saw that the governor was angry,
and Immediately tried to ''crawl" by say
ing that he meant Ito clean them out by
ballots" and apologired and denied that
he had made utterance Of such words.
At the close Of this incident the mem
bers of the state police and 80 Boston
policemen were called upon the scene.
After consultation with the governor
the order was given to clear the state
house. The crowd was defiant, and shouts
went up of XIII the police" and Down
with capital" The sight OF the clubs in
the hands Of strong men, however, soon
tended to dispsrss the Kissing and yelling
mob.
It il said that only In a few instances
had the police to use force.
Swift was seen last night by reporter,
and denied having made the statement
accredited to him, but sftsrward qualified
It by saying: IF did say 1t, 1 meant by
the ballot. am not displeassd with the
outcome; this Is the first of = series of
meetings which will be held until the un-
employed get work"
Governor Not Frightened.
In answer to query Of reporter as to
what he thought Of the demonstration
at the state house, Governor Grsenhalge
said: "My impression is that law and or
der are prevalent, and that feature was
the idea of subsection to law. felt no
uneasiness In the presence Of large num-
bers In the state house. IL Is very difficult
to know what the extent of the exigency
is. Everything was all right. / had
made my speech. but the crowd still had
a notion Of presenting their petition to
the house. At first they were quiet and
orderly, and would like to have argued
with 1000 of them. Those fellows (rsfer-
ring to Morrison and Casson) began to
make incendiary speeches, and said TO
myself, I'll stop that. All I wanted was
90 policemen. / told those fellows that
they could not run this place. / picked
out the leaders and told them would
hold them responsible for any trouble"
May Try IL Again.
The Municipal League for the Employ
ment Of the Unemployed, consisting in
part Of the leaders In yesterdays do
monstration at the state house, met last
night and discussed the matter. Much
satisfaction ut the results was expressed,
and Il was voted to repeat the manifesto
lions at an early date. The newspapers
were heartily denounced for calling the
matter riot, and Morrison /.
Swift sarcasticslly said that the most
riotous man in the building was
Governor Grsephslgs, who, he said,
was beside himself with impotent
rage, either genuine or assumed, for
effect. The action Of the legislature in
refusing at first 20 listen TO the petition
was pronounced cowardly and as servils
to capital.