New-York tribune., 1899-07-19
SYNPA7HY IN COOPER UNION.
A MASS MEETING SIDES WITH THE
BROOKLYN STRIKERS.

IT WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE TROUBLE IN
MANHATTAN BoRoUGH-JOHN N PAR
SONS AND JOHN g CROSBY THE
CHIEF SPEAKERS.
II the matter rested with the mass meeting
which was held In Cooper Union last night 10
ventilate the grievances OF the surface raroau
men, the whole Metropolitan company's system
would be tied up within an hoir. Every sugges-
ton made of a possible strike on those lines TO
enforce compliance with the demands made was
cheered long and loudly But fortunately the
meeting IL not likely to have any direct bearing
upon the railroad situation In New-York Athoush
the hall was filed to the doors with men repre-
sentlng all branches Of organized labor. ana thor-
oughly In sympathy with organization methods
the audience did not include railroad men In uni
form There may have been some present, but II
so they were careful to screen themselves as rar
as possible from the spoilers" who. according 10
John n Parsons were sprinkled literally through
the audience.
No resolutions were presented calling for any
particular action against the railroad companies
For the most part the speakers devoted themselves
to condemning violations Of the Ten Hour law IN
this borough and in Brooklyn and to urging the
advantages OF united labor organization IN
cidentally the troubles in Brooklyn were referred
to. the Metropolitan company charged with un-
Justly treating its employees. and the support OF
organized labor asked for any movement which
might be undertaken to obtain concessions from
the corporations
THEY DO NOT LIKE THE POLICE.
From Mr.. Parsons and other labor leaders VINO
spoke the police came in for some severe denuncla-
ton for the vigorous part they have taken IN the
BROOKLYN strike. One Of the principal incidents OF
the evening was the Kisses and execrations which
broke out when Chief Deverys name was men
toned The Chief will have the opportunity OF
reading the opinions which the men conducting
the strike have formed of him generally as ne
took the precaution to send his private secretary
TO take stenographic notes Of anything that might
be said Of incendary nature He took the pre-
caution also TO have Captain Dmond and force
OF nifty policemen present Their services ho"-
ever were not required.
John n Parsons presided. and 1t required SO
much time to explain the purpose OF the meeting
that he was still his feet at eA5 O'Clock he
was only then induced to bring his opening ad-
dress to close by calls for John S. Crosby. This
meeting" he began has been called under very
trying circumstances-!n perhaps the most excit-
ing times that city has seen In years Despte
the newspaper reports that our associates In BROOK
lyn have come 10 the end Of their efforts, wouid
like to venture the prediction that they have hardy
vet begun and | thinking awfully nara that
before long some people in Brooklyn VIII be I'M
pressed with the fact that there is strike on IN
Brcokvn II the people Of Brooklyn are willing to
stand the inconvenience to which they are oeing
subjected. I think they will have t. suher all
summer. We are out to stay, and no man "ho
left his post last Sunday did so for amusement
We have no dispute with the president OF that
c6rporation He is only employed to do what he Is
doing; and II he had any sand In his composition
no would be in the organization. We would take
better care Of him than will his Board OF Directors
when he gets through with his little hasco
WHAT IS DEMANDED.
Then Mr. Parsons went to speak OF the neces-
slty OF compelling the Brooklyn and New-fork
corporations to obey the ten hour law. ne
chaeAged any street railroad company in any OF
the five boroughs to produce man VINO WORKED
only ten hours The one great question, he said,
at issue was proper observance OF this statute.
Another principle at stake was the men y rish' ''
organize. The right 10 organize ne con'ehuou,
had been denied ~ the Metropolitan company anu
some Of the best men in Its employ had oeen ois-
charged simply because they were suspected OF
having tolned a labor organization. The remedy
for this state of things he explained was not per-
hans TO be found In striking. but by laoorins men
educating themselves up to the Importance Oh t"e
issue which confronted them and then oy oppos-
ing the men who thought they owned the streets
He urged the necessity OF a general organization
OF all workingmen. so that the power OF corpora
t,ons might be broken and municipal ownership
become an accomplished fact
THE MAYORS RESPONSIBILITY.
Reverting once more to the ten hour law he inti-
mated that 1t was not enforced because tne CITY
government and the politicians were unoer vi. M
control of the corporations Where Is the Mayor!
ba asked What Is he waiting for? Is he waiting
for the shin to come in? and from all parts OF 'ne
hall came cries OF Yes! Yes! Hes waiting ior
Crokerr, "He darent do anything TIL he sees the
'boss'r' ~, n,
.rs odded .if the officers Of the law in the DID,
hortshtad borough across the river did their DUTY
The district Attorney OF Kings County has stated
that he has only unried indictment lei, asaii,s'
the railroad company and Will bet tnat Una. III
d,c,ment is for violation Of the ten hour law Inc
Metropolitan company" he said IN cosine' nus
hen Going through this town for some weeks past
NTH n chin on its houlder, and II there Is gong
10 be anything big enough ana sHors ehousn :"
knock that chip off its shoulder 1t ought 10 nave
its beginning at this meeting ana appear u sUu
and all organized labor to support and 70 nnancias
assist the railroad men in this city. who wan, 10
organize and who have beer victimlzed oy the Met
John CROSBY. who was greeted with shouts S Of
our next Mayor" tooTed Mr. r. rarsons ea,d l" '"e
There are eighteen hundred policemen over in
Brooklyn looking out Tor the interests Of M labor; y:
They are are ao1s '9sa a is the only business Gov
really 4 pa. tsh to for az to bas steps
to maintain the peace. And citizens will not keep
the unless they are able to get the en)oymsS5
iaborng men against the policy Of the strike. L
now advise them not TO strike-it tney can help IT,
But hope the time will never come when American
manhood will be sunk so low that II will not strike
when IL has been oppressed too far. You have all
seen and heard about the celebrated picture and the
poem lately written about IT, The Man with the
Hoe Men differ as TO what that man. leaning
upon his hoe, is. Some say that he is just so far
on his way up. l say he has been crushed down.
savagely with the fire OF freedom In his eye than
a dull eyed laboring man in New-York, with all the
spirit crushed out OF him.
Now. there is a law on the statute books pro-
hibting men to be worked for more than ten
hours day. We are asking that that law be en-
forced. Now. II II is enforced don't think 1t Will
behind bars AS read It. there seems TO be
nothing IN the the law As rule; those laws are
bite anybody, OF consequence you can take the
teeth out This meeting Is called to register such
warning to the men in charge OF that great
poration which Is violating the spirit Of the law
that wi m before