Waterbury Democrat., 1901-05-30
THEN AND NOW.
Decoration Day, 1901, Witness
 es a Gigantic Battle
BETWEEN CAPITAL AND LABOR

Are as Determined as the Men Who
 Fought and Bled That the Union
 Might Live-No Concessions or
 Agreements Yet Reached in Water
 bury-News from Many Places En-
 courage the Local Men and They
 Think They Can See the Silver Lin
 ing in the Chicago Machinists
 Will Go Out in a Body Tomorrow.
 Forty years ago the country was en-
 gagged in an internecine conflict
 that steeped its fields and hill
 sides with the blood of it's best citi- zens. To-day itis engaged in war no
 less severe, but happily without the need of spreading sorrow and desola- ton in the homes of the participants
 The issue in the present conflict is of as much importance as was the issue in the other. For political liberty is no longer esteemed at it's proper value. In the hands of some it is used as a bludgeon, in others knife, in more 1t has ceased to bear the fruits it was fought for. Individual liberty in the field of industry. the elevation of the laboring man, is the cause that en- gages the attention of the country to- day. and those concerned in it's local phases stand as determined to fight it out as were those who bore tatters of their flag home from the conflict, on whose graves their surviving compan- ions in arms spread flowers to-day.
 In the opinion of those engaged in the local fight they see. the beginning of the end. They were greatly encour- aged this morning upon seeing in the metropolitan papers news of the ad- justment of their differences through out the country. The action taken in Hartford and other places in the state arc to them signs of the approaching end of the strike. Yesterday evening Organizer Donahue informed a report CT of this paper that good news may be expected soon, and the impression at headquarters of the strikers today was that he meant the impending ac~ tion of the Capitol city concerns which seemed determined a few days ago to stand out to the last.
 To-day the local strikers took a day on- The pickets on duty in the neigh bo-Eood of all the factories where the men are out were given a rest, except in the case of the clock shop, where the few tOOlmakers and machinists who remained behind were working, in order. it is said, to get some work ahead for the rest of the factory.
 All eyes and expectation are direct ed toward the Farrel foundry, for it is believed that if this concern signed the orr some manner amfcabIe to all interested the other concerns would follow suit.
 One concern has expressed annoy anee at the presence of the pickets. The official has stated to the men that he will not engage outside men even 1T they offered themselves. He has gone so far as to invite them to go through the shop to see for themselves that no men have taken their places; but this the men did not do.
 In Chicago the executive board of the International machinists have or dered tie-up of all the shops that have not signed their proposal. Only nve firms in Cleveland are holding out.
 Arbitration has stepped in to adjust the strike at the National cash regis ter shop in Dayton, O.
 The end of the great boycott on the goods of the Oyerman Manufacturing Co of ChicOpee Falls, Mass, has been declared of after three years, exist ence- This was the longest industrial conflict ever known in the history of The world. It began as all labor tror- bles begin, in a strike for increase of wages The Overman company man. ufactured bicycles and sporting goods. It was one of the largest firms in its line or business in the country For years it was one of the most prosper ous in the country, but it's prosperity was not shared with those who had made It so- The employees of a de partment became discontented with the wages they were paid and they struck for an increase They felt they were justified in doing so. The company re fused to allow their claims. Sympathy strikes were the result and finally the whitening and destructive boycott was declared on the goods made by the company, for scabs took the places of the men on strike. It was war to the end IL was one of the first tests of the power of the boycott in this part of the country of any note. Opinion was divided as to the result. The power or the workingman as an item of q union had seldom been tested. and it was the opinion generally expressed l-~L tAc DOlCOlI H0ulu not auect the | company. For three years the boycott lasted. Meanwhile the OYerman Co was driven out of the industfiaI field: | at all events it has ceased to exist. | whatever the cause may be. Such is the power of the blighting boycott. | though the oyerman concern. it is said. | was capitalized at S1,O00,0O0.
 All along the line outside of the state settlement of the strike is taking | place. Manufacturers whose state | nents made them appear as obstinate IS could be and who were quoted as | saying that they would never yield. | nave signed the agreement Probably he greatest victory of yesterday. if | 'uch it can be called. was the return Q work of the machinists of Cleye- and, O., and of Dunkirk, N. |. All 'ver the country manufacturers are the requests of the machin- sts, yet not hand has been raised in Waterbury either on behalf of the men IT the manufacturers.
 Yesterday in Hartford the Pope Bi- .ycle Co and the Pratt 6 Whitney Co. .mploying over 300 machinists. issued ! notice to their men announcing they 'ould return to work next Monday morning on the schedule proposed by he association of machinfsts. Tues NrVu |