The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-08-30
M MUVINd
FOR STRIKE
Clerks Insist on
Proceeding in
Order.
WILL NOT .MAKE
| DEMANDS AT ALL
Plan is to Invite Employers t
Meet With Them at Their
Next Session.

Employers will be invited to attend
the next meeting of the retail clerks. to
be held Tuesday next, and exchange
views with their employees as to the
holiday proposition now being agitated
This was in effect the only result of
the meeting held last evening at the
Y. NJ. c. A. hall, which was but poorly
attended. The meeting was devoid Of
excitement until one clerk had the te-
merity to suggest that the clerks should
demand their rights, and insist that
they be given shorter hours, whereupon
he was promptly sat upon by half
dozen clerks, who said that they were
ating a strike.
The man who caused all the excite
ment was a quiet young clerk named
Harrison, who during lull in the
speechmaking got the floor and pro-
ceeded to ask questions. He wanted to
know what the meeting was for, wheth-
er it was to secure shorter hours, and
how they were going to get them. He
said all they must do would be to tell
their employers what time they should
open in the morning, and when to close
He continued to ask questions which no
one answered for time until he began
to talk about demanding their rights"
when a half-dozen clerks arose at the
same moment to object. They said they
had no intention of striking or demand
ing anything; that the meeting was
simply for the purpose of discussing the
matter of securing a half-holiday and
an amicable arrangement would be
made with their employers, as it was
not the purpose of the clerks to force
anyone to act.
The disturber refused to be silenced
until the chairman of the meeting called
him to order with a request to be seat
ed, as his remarks were entirely out of
order.
The subject of a f-holiday was
generally discussed, and it appeared to
be the consensus of opinion that the
Saturday closing agitation should be
abandoned, and efforts conferred upon
either a Wednesday or Friday holiday.
Another idea suggested was that the
holiday agitation be entirely abandoned
and the fight made for shorter hours.
Several of the clerks thought if the
merchants would open at s o'clock and
close at five, it would serve the purpose
as much as a half-holiday. G.. Ste
phens, who presided, said that the
clerks were compelled to be at work by
7 or 1880 o'clock, and often didn't have
time to dress properly and eat their
breakfast. Mr.. Fleming didn't believe
the clerks could get enough sleep, when
they We're compelled to go to work so
early. and favored shorter hours
though he was not adverse to the holi-
day proposition.
M. ]. Cabral favored a Friday holi-
day, as he thought it would be most
cheerfully granted by the merchants.
A resolution offered to appoint COM
mittee to see the merchants and obtain
their views was not adopted, as it was
thought best to first form an organiza-
ton which the committee could repre-
sent.
Only about fifty clerks were present,
and on thai account final action was
deferred until next Tuesday evening,
when mass meeting is to be held, to
which the employers are invited A
general discussion of the subject will
take place at this time, and both the
employers and employees will present
their views, and suggest a method by
which the interests of both will be
best conserved.
The attendance of such small num-
Der of clerks was a cause of much re-
greet, and one view expressed that I'M |
less they took more interest in the |
movement in the future the matter
should be dropped was heartily ap-
plauded.
In the meantime an effort will be
made to interest the Merchants Asso-
citation or the Chamber of Commerce in
the movement. G. Stephens presided
as chairman and e. j. Hooke acted as
secretary of the meafjnr