The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-04-17
C0MPERS Called down
Meeting He Mas Addressing Broke
Up in Disorder.
CHARGE MADE AGAINST HIM
1t Is Stated That Opposition to the
Knights Of Labor Has Led to tho
Trouble with lIackctt, Carhart
and Company OF New York.

The stormiest ward caucus the city
has ever known or even the liveiest
meeting of the departed, but not for
gotten Pttston borough council, could
not take rank with the finale of the
lecture delivered last night at the hall
over Samter's clothing store. by Samuel
Gompers, of New York, eX-president OF
the American Federation of Labor. An
| audience of about $50 men, young and
old, comprising principally members of
the local trades unions of Scranton, was
present to hear Mr.. Gompers. But there
were quite number of clothing clerks
and representatives of clothing stores
also on hand. 1t was given out that
Mr.. Gompers had come to arouse en-
| thusiasm among the unions of Scran-
ton, but the real purpose of his visit
was not down on the bills.
President James Roach, of the Cen
tral Labor union, called the assemblage
to order and briefly introduced the
| speaker Of the evening. Mr.. Gompers
possesses more of the talent of the
actor than the magnatism and fire of
an orator, but he held the close atten-
tion of his hearers, and at times thrilled
them with his flights of eloquence. He
branched out first in general remarks
on the labor question and referred in
chapters to shorten hours Of labor,
strikes and arbitration.
Is Opposed to Strikes.
He delivered really brilliant and
logical address on these topics. He dis
countenanced strikes and said he fav-
ored arbitration under certain condi-
fiDns II would In n nd =,
lamb to go arbitrating, because the lion
would wake up the next morning on
the outside of the lamb. England, when
she has any difference with Afghanis-
tan or Morocco, will proceed promptly
to lombard these nations. but when
difference arises with the United States,
England will say let us get together and
talk the matter over. Arbitration, he
said, will not solve the question until
there is organization. Experience shows
that the man who would be free must
be the one to strike the blow.
All of this talk on arbitration and or
ganiZation led up to the Introduction of
reference to the task system" and
tenement sweating SYSTEM now in
vogue among manufacturers of cloth
ing in New York City. Mr.. Gompers
told his hearers that the way to bene-
fit one another is to refuse to buy
articles of clothing, from merchants
who buy their goods from New Yorl,
sweat shops. No firm in the United
States, Mr.. Gompers said. antagonizes
the garment workers as does the house
of Hackett, Carhart & Co. The way to
strike blow at this firm is to refuse TO
t,S, 4.
their goods of Hackett, Carhart & Co.
Chairman Roach's Pointed Remarks.
Chairman Roach stood up and told
Mr.. GomDers that the firm of Hackett,
Carhart q Co. does not discriminate
against man no matter what organ-
Zation he belongs to, whether it be the
Knights of Labor or the American Fed
GRAFTON of Labor, and that that seemed
to be the greatest trouble now. The
movement against Hackett, Carhart &
Co, Mr.. Roach said, was an attempt to
deny the employees of that firm the right
to join the Knights of Labor.
The meeting at this period got to the
boiling point and Mr.. Gompers was, by
turns, hissed and cheered to the echo.
A good deal of wrangling was INDUCED
III ny lilOot III tilt
the confusion became general Henry
j. Collins, of the firm of Collins &
Hacktt, arose and told Mr.. Gompers he
would pay the expenses of any three
gentlemen In the audience as a COM
mittee to go down to New York and
investigate the charges against Carhart
& Co. Mr.. Collins told Gompers that
the diamonds he sported We're not in
keeping with his declaration as a friend
of the laboring man.
John TROUGH, of the committee of
Sam Sloan Division, Brotherhood of
Locomotive Engineers, that went to
New York to inquire about the shops
of Hackett Carhart & Co., arose to ex-
plain, but Mr. Gompers would not hear
him.
The meeting broke up in general con-
fusion, but as those present were de-
parting John ]. Collins mounted q table
and told the escaping audience that
there will be meeting at the same hall
on next Tuesday night, and T. V. Powd-
erly, ex-general master workman of
the Knights of Labor, will be present
and deliver an address.