The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-03-06
HOT WORDS
Drives Straight From
the Shoulder.
THE MASS MEETING
In Marlboro Largely Atten-
ded Yesterday.

Marlboro, March 5.-Tomorrow the
strikers commence the seventeenth
week Of their struggle against the free
snop system apparently as determined
10 stand for their principles as they see
them as when the fight commenced.
This afternoon the strikers gave evil
dence that they were still in the fight,
by holding a largely attended mass
meeting IN the city hall. The speakers
were Representative James F. Carey Of
HaverhiH and John H. Murray, one Of
the leaders Of the strike. Besides the
speakers several prominent members Of
the unions occupied seats on the plat
form.
Mr.. Murray was loudly applauded. He
said in part: Fellow snoewOrkers. we
are starting upon the seventeenth week
Of the strike. d struggle that has been
forced upon US. Your presence here this
afternoon shows that the factories are
not filed with the good shoeworkers Of
Marlboro. There is q. man in the finish
sng department OF the Middlesex fac
tory VINO does 45 cases Of shoes per day
for $3.50 Before the strike the man on
that job received S3I5 for the same
amount OF work
1 ask any fair-minded man. is that
a cutdown? Still they win tell
you that there is no reduction
an wages. They tell YOU that the fac
tories are filing up. I have been home
the past week and l had a chance TO
see the class Of people who are filing
up the factories, ana / say to YOU nov,
mat in all the shops there are not over
go bona fde shoe workers. The agents
OF the manufacturers can go 10 Lowell
or any place they want, but they can
not replace the Marlboro shOeworkers
an five years"
They are as fast and good as any in
me United States, and that is what
brought the reduction upon you.
Ihsy rewarded your good work with
Tree shop notices. At the hearing be-
Tore the committee from the legislature
Hon. 5. II. Howe stated that orders
That formerly went TO him were going
10 other places, and that on account OF
competition in Maine, New Hampshire
was making goods that his factories
turned out
Seven years ago Mr.. Howe had two
factories, now he has four. II Mr..
Howe has been losing orders, how is Il
that he has bought two more factories
and has largely increased the produc-
ton Of shoes in his factories since that
time?
We know the state board Of arbitra-
ton is fair II Mr.. Howe's competitors
are paying as much as he is he knows
that he would not receive a reduction.
We are willing and always have been
willing to refer this matter to the state
board Of arbitration A week ago a
mass meeting was held IN this hail. I
was not here, but / read in the papers
that great many things were said.
Now don't believe in mud throwing.
Abuse is not argument. a certain cler-
gynan has just the same as said that
the right kind of people are not in
Marlboro. Was it the manufacturers
that made it possible for that clergy
man TO be in Marlboro? Who was it
built up this city? The people who
have their families, homes and inter
ests here are in this fight.
They are sacrificing their homes, I
am sorry TO say, TO win this fight.
There was never anything won without
q sacrifice. l don't believe in war. I
don't believe in strikes. When the SOL
diers were fighting for the dear OLD flag
in the last war, they suffered in the
trenches at Santiago and other places
where they had 10 fight the foe. I
challenge anybody TO say that I threat
ened any one who kept & scab boarding
house or did anything Of a like ma
ture.
Mr.. Murray went on to say that II
had been said when he was away, that
he would be jailed when he came back.
because Of such an action. He denied
that he had done so, and cited proof
TO sustain his statement. Continuing,
he said he had been abused because he
remained at the head Of the labor or
down.
Mr.. Murray said: Il am pleased TO
BAY that the chairman Of the legislative
committee on labor thanked the large
audience at the hearing last week for
its good behavior. We are law-abfd-
ing citizens, determined to sustain our
rights"
Mr., Murray then told about the ac-
ton Of the manufacturers in having
a lawyer appear for them before the
legislative committee, and said that be-
FORE the hearing is closed, the manu-
facturers will give reasons why they
locked out 5000 shoemakers He re-
fsrred to the increase in wages granted
working people in FAN River. Bfdde-
ford and other places. The speaker
contrasted the action Of a clergyman
IN Biddeford, saying that while he was
there Sunday. d clergyman notified his
congregation that there would be a
meeting OF the unions Monday evening
70 take action towards aiding the poor
Marlboro strikers
The speaker predicted that the clar-
gyman who had spoken against the
strikers would be sorry that he referred
in the manner in which he did to people
who were here before he came to this
city and made possible that he can
walk to his home without getting his
feet wet.
Representative Carey then spoke
saying, among other things, that the
first time he addressed the strikers they
were out a few days, and he was told
that rumors were flying around that
they were going back Several weeks
later he came and the same rumors
were In circulation Today, said the
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