Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-06-18

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Mr.. Collier said he would ADVISE ;he
girls to hold out II there were anything
TO hold out for, but he could not see thst
anything was TO be gained ~ prolonging
the strike.
IL was stated by some Of the guis pres
ent that there were other grievances be-
sides those reduced TO writing on Friday.
The ministers said they would see MT
Whitlock again and try and have THESE
removed, but the strikers must hrst re-
turn to work The meeting had no prac-
tical result.
THE AFTERNOON MASS-MEET1NG.
At 3 o'clock in the afternoon a meet
ing was to have been held In Corcoran
Hall, under the auspices OF the kich-
mond Stove Mounters' Union. but II was
nearly O'Clock before ii was called TO
order Between $50 and 300 girls were
present. and almost as many men, tho
latter finding places in the gallery and
back OF the hall. and taking keen IN
terest in the strikers and their cause.
The committee in charge OF the meet
ing was composed of Messrs. W. J.
Stricken, W. ]. Osborne, j. Duke. +. w.
Palmer, NJ. Moran, W. Whitehurst, and
]. j. Doyle. They wore bright yellow
and white ribbons.
Rev. r. b. Collier, one of the commit
tee OF arbitrators. who perhaps came
nearest to expressing the views OF the
girls at the meeting in the morning, en-
tered the hall, and was loudly applauded.
The meeting was opened by the singing
of the long-metre doXolOgy and with
prayer by Rev. Mr.. Collier. MY Coun-
try, IT'S of Thee" was the next musical
selection, and Mr.. W. A. Striclller. who
presided over the meeting, introduced
Rev. S. r. Maxwell, pastor Of the Third
Christian church.
REV. MR.. MAXWELL IN SYMPATHY
Mr. Maxwell said he was not in full
possession Of the facts. but he desired
to say he was in full sympathy with what
Is known as organized labor-first. be-
cause nothing could be accomplished with
out organization, and secondly, because
the Declaration of Independence would
never have been made an accomplished
fact but for the force of patriots be-
hind il. There was a great contest go
ing on all over the world; on the one
side there was organized capital. and on
the other there ought to be organized
labor. How can We fight organized
greed" he said, unless organized labor
goes out and fights it," Labor ought TO
fight for its rights and he understood
that In this particular case the rights
Of the girls had been ,rampled upon and
shamefully abused He hoped the
unions would help these young women.
The time is coming. he said, when there
will be a battle TO the finish between
capital and labor. He believed the Golden
Rule had been shamefully violated in this
instance. He did not believe that force
should be used unless its use was com
PEELED. "Christianity does not demand
that you shall get down and let any one
wipe their feet Oh you he said. Il
can stand a good deal from white man.
but l can't stand half an insult from
eolored man." This statement was
loudly cheered. Il sincerely hope you'll
gain this fight" he said. in conclusion.
MAY God bless you. You meet with my
hearty support"
SPEECH OF NJ. MULLEN.
After the singing Of the hymn, "Blest
Be the Tie That Binds" Mr.. w. III. Null
len was introduced Il don't know
whether to congratulate you that you are
out on strike or not" he said, IF /
were TO speak as 1 feel, | should con-
graduate you most heartily. believe
YOU are contending for what is right, and
in doing this you are eXemplfying the
highest type Of American womanh0od'
1t was not a misfortune that the dlIu-
Guilty came" he continued, 1t was IN
eyitable. for they could not permit their
rights TO be trampled upon. He had
been amused at the printed interviews be-
tween the ministers and Mr.. Whltlock,
and particularly at the concessions By the
ministers to Mr.. WhitlOck of the reason
ableness OF the weight Of the packages Of
cheroots that have TO be carried by the
girls. 1.-THE question with the ministers
ne said, should have been, Would nave
allowed my daughter TO have carried those
blocks? That is u fair standard by which
to measure the matter Great APP
plause) A man who is willing to I'M
/ pose a burden on another mans child
that he would not impose upon his own
IS not an honest man"
Continuing. MI Mullen said that Mr.
| Whitlock represented corporation that
has no respect for anybody. lie maze
some very uncomplimentary remarks
about Mr. Wh!tlock, and referred in his
remarks to a statement attributed TO MT.
Whitlock in regard to the cheroots given
eyav bv his employees. This statement
was supposed to have been made during
the conference held on Friday, but Rev.
Mr.. Collier rose and said that Mr.. Whit
! lock had made no such statement.
AN INsINUATION DENIED.
Mr. Mullen said he had been asked 10
address the ladies, and 1t mad not Oc-
Cured 10 him before that Mr.. Whitlock
might have an agent present. MT. Col-
lier rose and Indignantly refuted the III
| einuation amid cries Of put him out"
which came from the rear Of the hail.
and were aimed at the minister. Mr.. COL
Iier did not mlnce matters at ALL and
called upon the girls to say whether or
not he had been their friend throughout
the trouble. and whether he mad not
snoken In their favor at Leigh-Street
church in the morning. They replied that
he had. and after things had cooled down
somewhat Mr.. Mullen brought his speech
IN y close He advised the girls TO form
y union. and frame their own rules 10 De
| adopted bv the Whitlock factory lie ue'
nounced the system which compels the
girIs TO make extra cheroots for poor and
rejected work as robbery. He had been
mortified TO hear Of the utterances OF one
NJ the ministers at Lelgh-Sueet church
in the morning in regard to labor unions.
| Tho minister was evidently taking
throueh his hat. and had made state
ments that were erroneous. such uoc-
trines he said, emptied churches. ana dlu
more harm than Ingersol could 90. MT
| Mullen's attack upon the ministers was
vituperative. He advised conference
with the employees, but cautioned tne
strikers against making any CONCESSIONS
ONE OF THE STRIKERS SPEAKS.
Another hymn was sung at'er VIM
one OF the fair strikers addressed .ne
meeting. "I am afraid me sirls "on
stand by US" she said. III thfy So
we should pull through all Iisn' -.
oononIained OF the quality OF the stock
' -. ,he girls 10 work, and OF the