The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-07-13
al March.

Wiokita witnessed its first labor demon
stration last night, and il was certainly a
novel one.
With brass band and a procession OF zoo
strong, the retail statesmen, BARRIERS and
other laborers started out and presented
themselves as living petition to the shop
keepers who were not complying with the
rule of closing at O'Clock in the evening.
Neff's band headed the procession, and
the crowd that followed embraced every
kind of employe from the young gentleman
who parted his hair IN the middle and wore
four-in-hand neckUie TO the chap who
wore no necktie at all and whose hair was
last cOmbed by the whistling winds.
joe Hinkle was the Eugene Debs Of
the movement and Tommy Wisdom the
Sovereign. In face, Tommy was the lead
er, and thus the enterprise was guided by
Wisdom" which cannot be said of the
larger demonstration OF labor now being
made.
In appreciation of the fact that Payne &
Andrews was the first retail store in tine
city that encouraged the movement some
months ago, the procession formed before
that institution. and the band played "Au-
bic Laurie" among other pieces.
The citizens generally thought the move
ment was n strike, aud, as a consequence.
Douglas avenue was filed with sghtseers,
which swelled the crowd 10 enormous pro-
portions.
Andersou's store on the corner of Doug
las and Emporia avenues, was the first
place visited. The procession halted. and
the committee went in the store TO inter
view the proprietors. Their demands
were at once granted, the committee came
out and ordered three cheers for Ander-
son" which was n signal that that shop
was square" Mr.. TwOmey OF the Rock
Island grocery WAS next visited. Mr..
Twomey held out a long time for the rights
of opprt ssed capital. but finally be sur
rendered and the committee ordered
"three cheers :or Twomsy." Doods & Son
was the next firm visited. IL didn't re-
quire much diplomacy to square these
gentlemen and the reward was ii lustv
three cheers and tiger to match.
Mr. Herman, on the corner OF Douglas
and Ida avenues, also relsnted and he, too,
was given hilarious 'three Cheers
Joe Hinkle then made an announcement
that almost precipiiated stampede. IL
was no mere nor no less than that Mike
D0niVau had key of beer on tap for the
boys which he desired to set up free
gratis for nothing" as it was expressed.
Three hundred pair OF lungs cried ''dur-
rah for Mike" aud a robust aud hilarious
meut Mike immortalized himself aud is
now in line of promotion for alderman
next spring.
The band played Marching to Georgia"
Meet Me W here the Beer is Eoaming."
and other classic tunes till they Tesched
Mixes place aud then thsy halted for rest
aud refreshments.
After having - drink or two of beer they
concluded thai then was the best time TO
TAKE a German. and accordingly visited
Emil Werner. Emil did not receive them
with the suavity Of Pullman, but with
equal positiveness. He talked FIGHT 10
them aud to prevent trouble AMI the call
ing out of the militia they retired
and gave him a wide berth. The next
place they visited was the Enterprise
notion shop. The committee went in, but
the proprietor turned out the lights and
wouldn't arbiJrate. The band playei
very solemn funeral march before the
place, which indicated a boycott, aud dis
banded well satisfied with their success,
having their demands considered TtyOTabIv
Ia every Instance bat the Two last named
The object of the movement was to nix
the hour OF Closing stores uniformly at Z
O'Clock In order to give the clerks an Op-
portunlUy TO enjoy the cool evenings after
several hours or close confinement during
the day. Eight out of every ten stores
have been complying with the demand
ever since 1t was first made some months
ago. The balance remained open, and by
doing SO picked up the late trdde, thus put
ting the friends OF early closing at a dis
advantage. The members o: the labor
unions say they will boycott every store
that doss not comply witt their request.