Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1895-06-18


and walking delegates, y for humanity
confronts no evil more appalling than
the pitiless edict which goes forth that
the breadwinner shall not toll, and his
women and children shall be martyrs to
the Great Cause Of Labor versus Capital.
Down in the dust fall the devotees Of
reform and the juggernautic car of
demagogism brushes them to powder.
Only one little month of four weeks
has elapsed since the shadow of evil
fell upon the shipyards, and see what
changes it has wrought Mems very
natures seem twisted from their normal
beings from the passions which stir
within them.
And poor Joe Observation-Disclosures
young friend, who had just carried him
the evil tidings-as honest young fell
low as ever welded an adze, was one
of the first victims of the unreasoning
hatred of wealth-wrecking everything,
even to Alice Palmer's love, for the
bright ''saleslady" was betrothed to
him.
The shipbuilders, driven to exaspera-
ton by the unreasonable demands of
the union on Moore & Marston, had
voted general lockout" and two
thousand heads of families in the CITY
of Chicago were out of employment.
Men gathered at the street corners,
crowded the great labor halls, paraded
with bands and flags, or cheered in
mass meetings Schlossinger's fierce de-
nunciations of the bloated bond
holders.
Meanwhile supplies from the labor
league were served with tolerable reg
ularity, and all felt that right must
triumph over might.
Two months passed, and the subsidies
from the central committee became
less frequent. Still the masters stood
firm; the men solid. Then went the
startling whisper abroad that one hun
dred French Canadian skilled mechan-
les had been hired in the place of the
strikers, and that work would be re-
sumed, under protection of big patrols
of police, at Moore & Marston's yard
on the following Monday.
Meanwhile how Jared it with the
Harlands? But badly. The insurance
policy has lapsed, the upholsterer has
taken away the parlor furniture, though
it was nearly paid for, the sewing ma
chine has been replevied, and Nellie's
pretty volumes have been seized under
"cutthroat contract" by the book agent
1t is not question of luxuries with
them, but of bare subsistence.
An empty cupboard! 1t is difficult
for one living In this land of plenty
to realize what that means-what it
means to see ones loved ones in want
and lack the means of relieving them.
In vain Alice Palmer humbly APP
pealed to Cohen for unemployment; the
strike had hurt business, she was told,
and she was not wanted.
Grey meanwhile was busy. He had
spoken at one or two meetings and per-
haps had done more harm to the cause
of order than Schlossinger could ac-
complish in his widest flights of bla-
tant fury, for this young enthusiast
brought forward batteries of strong ar
gument that appealed to the reason
rather than the emotion of men and
made him converts of the cooler,
steadierhands, who had but laughed at
their comrades frenzies. Grey was in
tense, earnest, ready to lay down his
life for the cause.
Now, when the Monday morning
came on which it was announced that
Moore & Marston's yard would be in
full blast" again, George Harland,
who had all along declared that no
union in free country should stop him
from working when work was to be
got, started from his home with his
dinner pail in his hand.
"Do not be fool; you are risl1ing
your life" had been Grey's advice, net
tied at the obstinacy of the man who
would not acknowledge that the few
must suffer for the benefit of the many.
''Do not gor' Alice cried, clinging
tearfully on his arm.
"Pshaw, grill" he replied roughly.
Il never drew a cent of the unions
and I've always declared that
would take the first job that came
along. No man shall dictate to me
/ work or lie idle"
So George Harland went to his doom.
The day passed YEARLY for the
NOAnSu. NlSuO CdIuc Oh, anu WIN
anxiety they waited the
coming of the breadwinner. George
S late" Nell said, nervously; II do
wish he would come"
''Oh, he will be here before long,
Alice replied, with assumed cheerful
ness.
"Hark!" the young wife screamed as
The few to the door: "What is that
loise in the street?"
Grey, attracted by the tumult, few
downstairs and joined the trembling
What sight met their gaze! Their
Ieorge-the idol of this humble home
With blood-stained face and torn clothes
his AK over his head and
battling for his life against hundred
ierce assailants In vain dozen po-
icemen rally round him. They are