The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-01-03

CLERKS TALK FIGHT.
Say They Will Not Compro-
mise in the Matter of
Early Closing.
"sIx O'CLOCK OR NOTHING"
List of the Stores That Last
Night Closed At Six-others
At Seven.
.sIX O'CLOCK OR NOTHING

There is another clash between employer
and employe to be recorded in this city.
This time it is the clerks and the merchants,
and while, at present writing, there is no
actual strike, yet there is much hot talk and
the word boycott is frequently used.
The efforts of the clerks of the retail stores
to secure early closing is familiar to the
readers of The NEWS. For the past six
months the clerks nave been zealously advo-
eating their cause in a conservative manner.
The pulpit upheld their efforts and organ
lied labor rallied to their standard. Step by
step they gained Roadway, with the result
that in December most every merchant had
promised to close at six o'clock, and had dis
played in their stores signs to that effect.
Last week the first break in the march of
triumph of the clerks took place, when the
merchants held a meeting and decided to
close at seven O'Clock.
The clerks were chagrined, but determined
to fight. They issued an appeal, asking those
merchants who promised to close at six to
abide by their promise.
STORES THAT CLOSED AT SIX.
The result was made manifest last night.
A tour of the avenue showed the following
places had closed at six o'clock
BROWN O. I'LL AuSl6u ~. L. HIlC1u. ~. "
Kidd, New York Clothing Company, E. r.
Vessels, R. H. Sibley, NV. Bolan, E. Sands
and Sutton's Shoe Store.
Whether these stores will continue to close
at six in view of the action of the others re-
mains to be seen.
THE CLERKS MEETING.
The special general meeting which the
Early Closing Association held last evening
was largely attended both by members and
sympathiZers. Labor organizations were
well represented. Among those present were
District Master Workman ullam and Secre-
sary Zoller of District Assembly 1877, K. of L.
Committees appointed to take a note of all
stores open after six P. NJ. were a bit slow in
putting in an appearance, but finally by nine
O'Clock they all seemed to nave arrived,
when President Cole took the chair and call
ed the meeting to order. He addressed the
member as follows
Gentlemen, we nave to congratulate our
selves upon the great success of our move
ment. With pleasure / have noticed on my
way here that all the principal stores in this
city nave been closed at six 2. NJ. The lead
ing dry goods houses closed their doors at
six P. NJ. as did the gents furnishers. matters,
clothing, shoe store and furniture stores,
ETC., which is a proof to us beyond yea or
nav that what we call the business and re-
putable trade are with us, Notwithstanding
the one-day-notice meeting that was held last
week in the Board of Trade Rooms. 1t
now becomes our duty at this our first and
earliest opportunity to entirely ignore that
meeting, and state with one unanimous voice
that we want no compromise; we want no
seven o'clock business. We want six O'Clock
or nothing. We have been accused OF try
ing to wreck the business by asking the
stores to close at six PM, but we challenge
any merchant in this city to prove to us that
he does one dollars worth of business between
the hours of six and seven o'clock. 1t is
1,,lv 70 hoodxuin1 fho n1h1ia fhot c11oh Qccar-
lions have been made. But public opinion
has too strong a hold of our cause and knows
too well the justification of our demand, and
there remains but for us to thoroughly
educate public opinion, and victory stares US
in the face. Have we not enough proof OF
this fact already by the letters of sympathy
we have already received, both from private
individuals and from different organizations
Why, in the face of any opposition, defeat is
impossible. Now we are in the fight, let us
be in it. We haye avoided it as long as pos
sible, but it has been forced upon us. Let
every member do his part, and the pubic
will do the rest"
The first business before the meeting was
to consider the idea of distributing circulars
throughout the city advocating early
closing. A committee was appointed
to have 1000 hand-circulars and 1000 large
posters printed Immediately and attend to
their disposal. The delegates who represent
the association at the District Assembly, K.
of L., were instructed to ask for a general
conference with the eighteen local assem-
lies under their jurisdiction, with the object
of getting them to express: first, by their
expressions, and secondly, by example,
what stores in Jersey City should receive the
support of the laboring people. The meet
ing also took action in supplying, or, at least,
stocking, all the churches with circulars.
The names of all stores closed last evening at
six o'clock were then given to the Secretary,
with instructions to have them published in
the press during the week with any addi-
tional stores who fall in line, and appeal to
the public to support them. Other routine
business followed, and the meeting adjourned
until nex Thursday evening at eight P. M.