The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-25

among the people 10 lhe street-raHWay COM
pany may have had something to do with en-
couraging the workmen to strike. Anyhow,
President Mahon OF the Amalgamated Asso-
citation of Street-railway employees. came
on here 10 personally conduct the struggle.
OF the eleven demands made by the men
only four were vital-increase of pay from
IS TO 20 cents an hour. an eight-hour day for
power-house employees. the adoption OF arbi-
ira ton as a rule OF procedure in disputes be-
tween company and men and inferentialiy
complete recognition of the union. The COM
and, while it believed in arbitration. it could
not consent to consulting all its employees
whenever IL wanted TO discharge a man or
the strike began Monday, May 4, the same
day of the week and month that saw the be-
ginning of the big strike IN 1886
The strike itself has been picturesque in a
way. Probably the. company would have
made concessions had II believed more than
half its employees would quit. The men might
nave nave hesitateu M nau tays a oenevea sne.r bs
$50 men working for the company on the
lines. in the barns and in the power-housees,
only about half a dozen remained at work
and not more than a score have gone back.
On the side Of the company there was prac-
ticaly not a single car wheel turning the
second day. BY the end of the week. though,
the company had practically resumed serv-
ice on all lines. The only days on which
day and the preceding Sunday, when it was
deemed wise 10 keep the rolling stock of the
hated monopoly out of the way Of big labor
LITTLE VIOLENCE.
This complete tie-up OF 12S miles of street
railway, and the gradual resumption OF traf-
fic were characterized. strange as 1t may
seem, by an almost total lack Of violence.
A few cars have been stoned in out-of-the-
way places, a few eggs thrown, and a few
trolley wires cut. Tie egg. by the way, good
and bad alike, has been the favorite missile.
for even the young and tender egg is no ad-
dition to personal comfort or adornment
when It's shell has been broken. Henry B.
Payne says the company will present bill
TO the city for $4,000 for damages done, bur,
with the memory OF 1886 still clear. Milwau-
keeans think there has been almost no vio-
lence during this strike. Although the state
ment may seem paradoxical the weakness
OF the police force-only 220 active men. sup
plemented by about eighty special officers
has undoubtedly contributed TO the general
lack OF lawlessness. Policemen were not
numerous enough TO notice little acts, so the
danger of angering the crowds by what they
might regard as blue-coated oficiousness
was eliminated. I'm the beginning" Chief
Jansen says. some of our men thought We
ought to be friendly 10 the strikers, instead
OF impartially preserving order, so some OF
them winked at offenses. But / jerked them
up short-Mayor Rauschenberger stood by
me-and they have been faithfully doing
their duty. We have been able 10 handle the
little riots 50 far precipitated. and we can
take care OF any that may arise"
The nIorts bny 10 set settle & the strike and ward off
second day OF the tienp the men have been
willing to go back to work If they could be
taken ia tbs oack sod IN BODY with fun recognition
the Council tried It's gentle hand with a
mediation committee composed of aldermen
citizens and strikers. This effort originate
a chance to manufacture a big stock OF
campaign material. The Council held a spe-
cial meeting and sat around all one after
noon to hear a report from that committee.
1t came-a report of failure. Two volunteer
citizens committees went the same road
The State Board of Arbitration was appealed
TO. 1t came, saw and went away, after re-
porting that the strike seemed to be ill-ad-
vised, and that arbitration probably would
have prevented 1t, IL tried during the week
fourth citizens committee, composed of
solid men and Republicans like Horace w.
Rublee the veteran editor of the Sentinel;
tried its hand Its reception so angered
George Koeppen, editor of the Germania,
and one of the committee that he went back
to his office and hurled editorial spears at
Henry B. Payne until the strike question
looked, in his columns, like a living CAM
paign issue paramount with the money
problem. Minor. propositions like that OF
Ex-Governor Peck to send all the new men
home by popular subscription and thus make
room for all the old men, came 10 naught.
The company would not arbitrate and would
not go back on the new men, who had come
to its assistance.
BEGINNING OF THE BOYCOTT
Then came the boycott. AT first it was di-
rected only against the street cars out OF
sympathy for the men who had gone on
strike. The first note came from the Liquor
Dealers Protective Association on the night
of the day the strike began. The next day
the federated unions commanded their mem
bers to refrain from patronizing the street
cars. ALI the unions separately followed suit
Miscellaneous societies then wheeled into
line. Every day since has brought forth It's
quota OF resolutions of sympathy for the
strikers and. inferentially.. enmity to the
street-raiway company and its course. Be-
girning with the Liquor Dealers Associa-
ton, these utterances came from secret or.
ders turner societies. singing societies: the
Society," the American Social Club, and
sewing circles. AS a consequence, everybody
too impatient for a slow ramshackle bus has
been walking or riding wheel. The bicy-
Gle business is the only one which has moi
been injured by the boycott. That has beer
booming.
But the business boycott-there is the shoe
which pinches the conglomerated Milwaukee,
foot. 1t cropped out first in suggestion
at public meeting the second week Of the
to be boycotted, because It's president, +. G
Bigelow, was a director Of the street-rail
way company. The boycott took effect i'm
doing much business with wage-earners i
would have been ruined. Then Charie!
Pfister's big hotel was banned. Finally
just a week ago to-day, the town awok,
to the fact that a boycott was in effect
II has remained ever since, and Its sphere
has widened steadily until the milwaukee,
business world is throttled. No word ha.
come from any source TO indicate that Ii Il
the operation Of any concerted plan. The
strikers disclaim any responsibility for II, as
serting that they are concerned only in keep
ing patronage from the street cars. Blu
for all that. Kong Boycott has well or
ganized government and a detective servic'
that would astanish the Car OF Russia. 1t
agents are everywhere and all-seeing. Two
thirds of Milwaukees population belong t.
the wage-earning class 1t Is strong trade
small tradesmen. although not all member
of unions, are for the most part synpa
thizers of trades unionists. Their laten
syrnpathies are now active. Among the NIL
waukeeans not arTayed by union ties or b.
sympathy against the street railway com
In some way on Milwaukee patronage IL
business. They cannot afford to fly in tn
face of the people, so they quietly submit
or seek TO encourage the boycott and viii
trade from a rival Thus the boycott ha
not been born, but, Ike Topsy, has "jes
growed." A few Illustrations tell best nov
1t operates.
WORKINGS OF THE BOYCOTT.
The street-railway company is boardin
and lodging its new men in the power
houses and barns. Supplies were bough
from William Steinmayer. word wa
dropped in his ear. Now the supplies ar
bought in Chicago. The new men must hav
new uniforms. but no tailor in Milwaukee
will make them The laundry work {