The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-11-02
THE WORCESTER SPY. THURSDAY. NOVEMBER 2. 1899.

have elected petty-fogging lawyers or
representatives of capitalists to the
board De aldermen.
you workingmen take candidate
labelled republican or democrat and
swallow him whole. The men you elect
have got to serve their party or serve
you. They cannot do both. To prevent
decapitation of their political heads,
they serve their party and you are de-
luded year after year.
THE politicna comes with barrel OF
beer or some whisky to get your vote.
Wet goods fetches the votes of some
men, and fattery gets the vote Of
others There is but one way to treat
| this problem, and that is from social
standpoint. There are 100000 men idle
at all times in the United States.
Increased wages to the men beneath
help the men above. Trade unions
should look to the economic side of the
question" An objection was made to
the speaker continuing on these lines,
but Moderator Frey ruled that, mas
much as he did not know what would
| follow, the speaker would be allowed
to proceed Mr.. Abbott's eyes cleaned
and there was defiance in his attitude
as he continued: Carlisle and Blaine
realized that an extension of the mar
ket was needed to dispose of the prod
adjustments. Blaine said that in six
months the laboring classes produced
more than could be used in a year.
Carlisle argued in his speeches, but
James G. Blaine finally solved the prob
lem. He said: We will reduce the
hours of labor, and thus the republic
can party through one of it's political
gods has recognized the labor ques-
ton
A man in the body Of the hall raised
objections to- the speaker departing
from the lines of a discussion on the
eight hour law. Mr.. Abbott swelled his
chest, and in his calmest, most DELHI
crate manner said Being ignorant Of
parliamentary law is a fearful afflic
ton. You have made consummate ass
of yourself and the speaker got en-
couragement from the heehawing of the
crowd and continued: 1.-THE democratic
party always claimed to be the friend
of the workingmen, but is it?
"They call us drunkards, but Is it not
necessary under the present conditions
for a man to have something to brace
his nerves? The man who works 10
hours per day with pick and shovel is
physically in need of restoratives. The
liquor habit in the workingmen of to-
day is the natural outgrowth of eX-
cessive toll"
Moderator Frey cautioned Mr.. Abbott
against wandering from the question in
discussion. Mr.. Abbotts windup en-
braced the following: Don't plead with
the capitalist for your rights At the
ballot box you are the peer of the rich
est capitalist in the land"
Mr.. Abbott's skyrocket speech left the
town meeting attendants in high fea-
Their, and when Willie c. Higgins, for
six years a member of the republican
city committee from ward arose and
asked that, in order to show what in
terest the city employees who had petit
toned the city government for an in
crease in wages had taken in the town
meeting, all city workmen should arise,
there was excitement galore.
Hes a ward heller" yelled some one.
and in the din, John H. Jefferson moved
that the request should not be granted.
j. d. Pierce exclaimed: Getty en-
ployees are no more interested in this
question than I, and I am not city
employee. The nine hour law is farce,
and the men are forced to work IL or
13 hours. Why don't you work to better
these conditions?" He isn't working"
was the utterance of a man who fran
tically waved cane in the air and
yelled things in Mr.. Higgins direction.
THE man is evidently a middle class
capitalist, suggested Mr. Abbott.
! Moderator Frey broke the bedlam by
calling for a vote on Mr.. Pierce's reso-
lutions, and when the vote was taken
and resolutions adopted, Mr. Higgins
arose. Thomas NJ. Carpenter moved
that the meeting adjourn, and ]. D.
| Pierce seconded the motion, which was
carried
Mr.. Higgins told The Spy man that
he favored the workingmen In their de-
mand for a vote on the eight hour law
and that he asked that the men en-
| ployed in the city departments stand
because of his interest in the matter.
| J. D. Pierce said that the meeting was
satisfactory from a labor union stand
point. He scored the aldermen who
called the meeting for failing to adver-
tie it on the Mechanics hall bulletin,
but concluded-by saying. Town meet
| ing brought the result we have sought"