The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-01-17
THE CLERKS WILL Fight
Enthusiastic Meeting Of the
Early Closing Association
Last Night.

still express the utmost confidence III the
final success of six o'clock closing. They
predict the early accomplishment of the
movement, as the amount OF business done
at the present time, between the hours OF
six and seven O'Clock, does not amount to
anything. Some merchants, they ay, have
violated the seven o'clock rule and are again
open till eight o'clock. The city at the pres
ent time is flooded with circulars asking sup
port of the people. There was a large at
tendance at the meeting of the clerks, held
last evening at Humboldt Hall. Some mem
bers from the stores that close at seven
O'Clock were on hand. Special reference was
made to the dry goods house of I. G.
O'Brien's, Newark avenue, which was
amongst the first to sign to close atsix P. M,
and the owners still adhere to their signature
by closing their store punctually at six P.
NJ, notwithstanding they are newcomers, to
a great extent, in this city.
PRESIDENT COLES
Precisely at half past eight o'clock, Fl. M.
Cole, the president of the association, called
the meeting to order by addressing the MEM
bers as follows
"Another week has passed since we last
met, and still further proof of success in
early closing seems to stare us in the face. Ii
Eany person were to inquire OF any. merchant
who keeps open after six o'clock, how much
business he has 0 after that hour for the
past week, / presume his answer would be
very brief, The committees appointed to
distribute the circulars appealing to the public
to do no shopping after six o'clock, has done
effective work. The circulars are to be
found everywhere-on the ferryboats, in the
street ears and on the Hill. The work before
-. - - -.,cl tho oI,oDfiop IF rn11blip 0n1rinD
We are a working people. and why should
we not require as short time to do our labor
as the artisan or the mechanic. The labor
ing class don't want us to work longer. The
public don't want us to work longer. Who
doesa We leave the public to judge where
the selfshness comes in, and we ask them to
keep away from the stores after SIX o'clock,
and the proprietors will soon tire of keeping
open at an unnecessary expense to them
selves. There is one thing we have to con-
graduate ourselves on tonight, and that is the
extraordinarily large attendance. 1t shows
us that we are losing no ground. Now l do
not wish to detain you longer, as there
are SO many labor representatives here.
Some of them may wish to address you, but
one word before / close: Keep in the fight.
Continue the work in the future with the
same zeal you have shown in the past.
K. OF L. SUPPORT.
II. C. Gruber, a prominent member of the
n. I'll L.. SDOhO 1CAu. IL u. XA1bOt
listening to the address of your president
there is to a great extent nothing for me to
saw. As an individual I have taken no con-
spicuous part in your movement, but as a
member of the K. of L.. l a given it seri-
Gus consideration. You have been pledged
the support of our people, and as long as you
are in the fight we are in it, and SO is all
organized labor in Hudson county. Why
shouldn't we? Isn't an injury to one the con-
Germ of all? Why. should not we demand
your hours of labor to be shortened the same
as ours? We. the laboring people, are quoted
to you as being the cause of your having to
work until eight o'clock at night to oblige us.
deny the assertion. l brand it as a false
hood and a deliberate means of mis-
leading the public for speaking the
sentiments of 1000 working people in
Hudson county. Wedo not want you to work
after six O'Clock. l challenge any storekeep-
er in this city who has violated the sigma
tnre he gave to you to close his store at six
| P. NJ. to show you that a member of the
order of Knights of Labor has traded five
| cents worth in his store since. Why, II 1T
was our wish that you should keep open,
| would we, as we have done this week, APP
peal to every clergyman in this city to ask
| their congregations to do no shopping after
| six O'Clock. One word in conclusion, you
have our support. You have the support Of
the laboring class in Hudson county. Keep
in the fight. We are right with you, and sue
| cess will finally be yours"
James McGregor, another prominent MEM
Der of the Knights of Labor, next addressed
the meeting.
A discussion then ensued as regards Or
g~anizing the salesladies of this city in the
association, but the matter, owing to other
business, had to be left over until next
meeting.
The meeting decided to have one thousand
\ large posters printed before Saturday and
| placarded over the city advocating early
| closing. The further distribution of circu-
lars was also decided on, and the work is to
| be pushed vigorously for the coming week
A committee, consisting of eight, was then
appointed to make arrangements for a mass
meeting, to be held about the middle of
| February, which the clerks expect to be a
great success.
AS everything shall be done to give it
publicity, the President appointed five MEM
bers to interview the printers of the theatre
programmes and have an appeal to the pub
fc Inserted in them. The meeting adjourned
| till next Thursday evening, January %.