The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1901-05-17
OFFICIAL PAPER OF ALLEN COUNTY
THE INCIDENT CLOSED
The Trouble Over the Imported Ital
ians Seems Ended and Cheap Labor
is Believed Barred.

The exciting scenes and deeds of
last week when the twenty
three Italians who came here to work
in the cement plant we're forcibly
elected from this voting precinct seem
to have permanently dropped into past
history. With the departure of the
Italians quiet was again restored and
lola people have resumed their old
peaceful occupations.
Knots of people on the streets next
night discussed the proceedings pro
and con and the consensus of senti-
ment seems to be one Of Joy that the
Italians are gone. AS one man said
the presence here of twenty might not
make any trouble, but such colony
would be pretty likely to attract others
and before long there would be
hundred or more here, taking places
in all the trades, working for half the
wages the lola workmen now accept
demorali2ing prices and at the same
time living on a fourth what the aver
age American workingman lives on
and thus sucking money from the com.
munity without giving adequate re-
turn. The workmen generally have a
feeling OF contentment that the affair
is over and hope that it settles once
for all the question of cheap imported
labor in lola.
The only spark of fire which seemed
still to glow. that night was the long
standing dislike of Sig Wing, one of
the foremen at the plant. 1t seems
that ever since work was begun on the
cement plant the men have had trouble
with Wing and the charge has been
made that he thinks and says that
workingmen are not deserving of the
treatment which Americans generally
demand as due themselves. The i'll
will has smouldered and grown until
the present incident famed it into
flame. One workman said to a REGIS
TER reporter:
THE only possible objection [ can
find to your report of the trouble is
that the company's side has been given
and not the mems side. My opinion
is that if the company would put fore
men in charge with whom the men can
get along there will not be the slight
est difficulty in securing all the work
men they want right here in lola.
From my own personal experience /
know that several men have quit there
simply on account of Mr.. Wings at
titude toward them.
A good many reports circulated last
week which have proven to be false.
There was considerable talk against
Mr.. Wing but so far as can be learned
nothing was done and no hostile
demonstrations made except when he
walked down the street with two other
cement men . crowd followed behind
him for short distance, muttering
and casting anything but loving
chances his way. In some way the
anger against Wing has showed upon
him the responsibility for bringing
the Italians here, but the company de-
MES this. Mr.. Wing is also accused
of having fired two shots "to kill"
into the crowd when it surrounded the
Italians. And this report is also
firmly denied by men who claim to
know
An interesting new feature Of the
affair as reported in the Kansas
City Star, which gives the opinion of
the Italian consul at Kansas City to
the effect that the Italian government
will investigate the matter and seek
redress. The Star says:
Kansas City, May TO- jerome