The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1896-12-29
RailwayDirectors Denounced
By Friends Of Strikers.
The Boston Company Discharged
800 Conductors and MOtOrmen.


packed TO the doors last night by men
and women. who gathered to express
their sympathy for the 800 conductors
ard motormen Who have been dis
charged by the West End company for
participating in the strike last week.
President Little OF the street car COM
pany was invited to attend. but declined.
The meeting was called by the executive
committee of the employees union To
protest against the discharge of the
men who struck.
On the platform VICE. senators. ex-
congressman, lawyers. doctors, clergy
men, philanthropists and business men.
while In the gallery were many women.
One incident tended to mar the har-
mcny OF the gathering. and that was
while Robert Treat Paine, Sr., the
millionaire and philanthropist, was
speaking. A woman in the gallery in
terrupted the speaker and began a dia-
tribe, the drift of which could be heard
by only those around her.
Harry Lloyd, prominent labor
speaker Of this state. presided and con-
cisely stated what the meeting had been
called for in presenting j. Il. Eli,
young professor Of economies, who re-
viewed the efforts of the street railway
men, by their executive committee, tn
scure the adoption of an agreement rela-
tive To hours OF labor wages and other
matters, between the management OF
the road and it's employees for 1897.
Rev. Scott Il. Hershey of Boston spoke
next, first stating that his sympathy
and convictions were with the en-
ployes Of the road.
Hon. George Fred Williams was re-
ceived with an ovation which lasted
fully five minutes. He said Il would
show little heart for my fellowmen II
J. did not come here tonight and say
few words in their cause. What are
W. here for? To protest against
wrong. to demand the righting of
wrong or to sue for pity. have right
In the name of humanity to utter pro-
test against the wrong that has been
done these men. their wives and their
children Hard working, industrious
men. trained to the service of the pub
lie have been thrown out OF employ
ment. The people should protest against
800 proved servants Of the public being
thrown out of the service and their
places filed by green" men. The pub
lie for a generation past has been Civ
ing everything.,to property and has not
saved a vestige Of power to save her
people from injustice. Millions OF dol
hrs have been spent on our streets and
given to q private corporation for moth
ing We see this corporation having
legislature of its own. a police Of its
own. a city, as 1t were. within city.
and all this for one end only. that profit
may come to the members OF this cor
poration. and we are left I'm this position
that over 1000 human beings are without
protection from injustice. The strike
vas a short one, perhaps mistake OF
judgment, but the men came back ready
for work, acknowledging their defeat.
The discharges were not for righteous
ness, but for vengeance. 1t means that
hereafter the flesh and blood of the en-
ployes shall feel the lash of tyranny.
and that the hand of the corporation is
not flesh and blood, but is steel.
This fight is in the public interest az
well as your own. l doubt whether you
will ever accomplish the conversion of
the public business and public works
into the hands of public authorities.
We are seeing enough millions of dol
lars sunk in a subway which, when COM
pleted, will be given to this corporation.
Our only remedy is the polls
Father Field Of the Society OF st. John
the Evangelist expressed his sympathy
with the strikers and regretted that the
bishops and clergy were not better
represented. but perhaps it was that
they were afraid to trust themselves to
the mercy Of the new men on the cars in
journeying to and from ta1/hall.
Robert Treat Paine Sr.. objected TO
some of the statements of the previous
speakers. He was not pessimist; he
believed that the workingman was ad-
vancing aud that his conditions were
Improving, because God is on his side.
81 believe that III this organization had
presented their agreement to the public
before taking II To- President Little tn,
city of Boston would have supported the
me I, in Obtaining their desires" Mr..
Paines address was received with
mingled cheers and Kisses, and the
chairman had several times To inter-
fere in order that the speaker could
proceed. He was followed by Rev.
Herbert Casson. Congressman Nc
Ettrick, l.. M. Young. president Of the
union: Alderman Mahoney, Senator
Quinn and others.
IL was unanimously voted. with but
one dissentant that a,committee Of Ave
be appointed to wait on the West End
street railroad and protest against any
further discharges, the reinstatement
os the men, and to obtain conference
so that the agreement might be dis
cussed. The following were appointed
on the committees: Alderman Maboney,
senator Quinn. Robert Treat Paine. Rev.
Mr.. Alright and ex-Congressman Nc
Ettrick