The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-03
He Is Now In
Marlboro.
CRISIS TODAY.
viii Confer With Mr.. Howe
STRIKERS Score Governor.


president of the American Federation of
Labor, is here in an attempt to settle
the big strike of the shoe workers. He,
IN company with President John F.
Tobin, will hold conference with Hon.
S. II. Howe this morning with that end
in view
George Fred Williams has announced
his intention of defending in the courts
any striker who shall hereafter get
into trouble.
This afternoon the strikers made one
last decisive stand. anticipatory TO the
opening of Howe's three mills tomor-
row.
A stormy and enthusiastic meeting
was held in the theater, at which. res
buttons were passed condemning the
action of the governor in sending the
state police before the city reserve
force was called out.
Many vigorous and impassioned
speeches were made by leading labor
union officials, urging the strikers to
stand firm and continue the fight.
That is the situation in Marlboro as
it exists tonight. Every one feels that
the strike has reached a crisis. The
developments Vi luS next lew hours VIII
decide the issue of the great contest
between capital and labor, which has
been going on since August 18th. Should
a large number of workmen return to
work tomorrow, at the opening of the
three factories, it is felt that the strike
will be over, and the victory will belong
to the manufacturers.
The strike leaders are confident that
no such thing will come to pass. When
the manufacturers see that the strikers
are not fuckine to the opened mills, say
the labor leaders, they will be only too
glad to treat With Gompers. At all
events, il is thought something definite
will result in the next day or two.
GOp'y'rS himself is confident he will
be able to restore harmony. With his
position as head of the highest known
labor organl2a ton, and with his wide
experience III the matter of adjusting
strikes ne is likely to succeed where
others have failed. He will direct all
troubled waters of dscorG, hoping to
bring about arbitration between the
opposing clements. He will not con-
Germ himself IN the least trying to ar
range terms and conditions That, he
says, IS beyond his province.
What he proposes to do is to lead the
way toward an amicable conference be-
tween the two parties. When once ne
gOtiationS are started on the right
track, he is of opinion that satisfactory
terms will soon be forthcoming. 1t is
evident that the strikers are looking
forward with great interest to the out
come Of the labor leaders, efforts They
are evidently pinning most of their
hopes for success upon him. Gompers
is their trump card, and now they think
is the time to play it.
CAt,,narg
this afternoon. His arrival was unex-
pected and a surprise to all but a few
OF the strikers. Tomorrow morning at
10 O'Clock he will confer with the Hon
). ii. Howe. Tomorrow afternoon at 3
O'Clock he will address another mass
meeting of strikers He promises to
have another official announcement of
great Importance TO make at this meet
ing. He will announce the result of his
endeaVors, and his speech will contain
either tidings Of great joy or the news
of failure. In either case. he will ex-
press freely his views on the Marlboro
strike. The address is awaited with
much interest.
Some weeks ago Gompars wrote Mr..
Howe asking if he would receive a
representative of the American FEEDER
atlon OF Labor. Mr.. Howe agreed to do
So Later it became necessary for
Gompers to postpone MS visit. and
When he proposed a new date, Mr.
Howe refused to see MIN. But on sec
ond thought, it was agreed that he
would receive Gompers not as an Off
clal representative, hit personally"
The conference tomorrow will there
fore be strictly personal"
SECOND only in Importance to the ar
rival OF GomDers in the eyes of the
strikers was the promise of George Fred
Nllnams TO appear as counsel for any
striker who SHOULD get into legal diff
cultles during any labor disturbance in
Marlboro. Although the manufacturers
have not yet evinced terror on learnine.
that the oft-defeated democratic candi-
date for gubernatorial honors has lea :
gued himself with the strikers, it cannot
be denied that the strikers themselves
are elated at the news. When the tele-
gram from Williams offering his aid
was read at the mass meeting it was
greeted with an outburst of applause.
1t was plain that the great democrat
had gained a few votes.
The sending of the state police to
Marlboro was the text of the greater
number of speeches made yesterday,
Nearly every speaker denounced what
they termed an outrage and insult to
the fair name of the city. The outgoing
city officials received the greater part
VI the DldlDS LOT lne occurrence. II was
said thar the action was unprece-
dented and ineXcusable, in view of the
fact that the city still had % reserve
police. who had not yet been ordered
out. Finally the foundations crystal
lied in a set of resolutions, introduced
by ]. ]. Dalton, secretary of the MARI
boro Central Labor Union. The res
olutions were passed unanimously, and
are as follows:
Whereas, The factory laws of our
state are and have been practically
a dead letter on our statutes, be-
cause of the reinforcement of the
same by the constituted authorities,
the state police, and
Whereas, the late city government
has, by its action in sending for the
state police, besmirched the good
name of our city and it's citizens,
heralded to the world by said act,
that our city is in a state of riot
and our citizens law breakers
While at the same time they re-
fused permission to the city mar
shall to use all of our home police
force in the enforcement Of law
and order, out of So policemen and
constables, only Is were on duty,
and
Whereas, the state police could be
used to better advantage in enforce