New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-19
BOYCOTT'S UTTER FAILURE
SCHENECTADY PEOPLE IGNORE EFF
FORTS OF TRADES ASSEMBLY To
INTIMIDATE THEM
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE

lb4 AELEGhAPa TRIBUNE.I
Schenectady, N Y. Nov 1S-There is no boy
cort IN fact against the Schenectady Street
Railway, although the Trades Assembly in the
last two days has pretended to maintain such
an embargo. The order TO keep off the cars of
the company was regarded by only a few Of the
trades unionists of this city, the vast majority
availing themselves of the service OF the rail-
way as before the boycott The attempt to
cripple the railway has died in the excess of
zeal manifested by the element Of the Trades
Assembly which fostered and engineered it,
and now that there is a reaction there is reason
TO believe that the thinking men in the unions
Will step to the front taking control out Of the
hands Of those now running labor affairs here.
The utter failure Of the boycott has revealed
the fact that the great body of workingmen Of
Schenectady. $1,000 of whom are organized, do
/ not countenance the recent actions of the Trades
Assembly
No one seemed to pay any attention to
the boycott this afternoon when the two
great plants of the General Electric Company
and the American Locomotive Company closed
for the day, and the usual number of cars were
IN service and all were full the union men even
hanging onto the supports on the outside of the
platforms as the cars whizzed homeward. Not
union committeeman appeared to prevent this
disregard OF the action Of the Trades Assembly.
All day long, too, the cars were well patronized-
The families Of the union men used the cars as
usual
The unpopularfty OF the boycott has been
emphasized by the fact that the brickayers'
union and the masons union have denounced it
by resolutions The carpenters union alone
has supported it, but many Of the members
have gone right ahead and used the cars.
The end Of the boycott, it is acknowledged
in union circles, means the end OF the regime Of
the present officials OF the Trades Assembly.
They have been the targets for general abuse
and censure since the Potter case developed.
and the boycott has been the finishing touch.
The merchants have utterly ignored the boy
colt throughout, although they have been
threatened with ruin.
The people in control Of the Trades Assembly
| have made the name OF labor unions a laughing
stock and a reproach throughout the country"
said leading officer OF the typographical union
to The Tribune correspondent this evening, and
were going to put them out Of business"
Henry V. Jackson, the president Of the Trades
Assembly, who is generally credited with the
responsibility for the action Of that body. de-
clares in an interview that the boycott is fall
ure because the time is not ripe for such
step" He is further quoted as saying that the
boycott was observed by only 70 per cent of the
trades unionists. This figure is different from
that indicated by Secretary Carr Of the railway
throughout the city was only 3 per cent.
The Trades Assembly held long and stormy
meeting tonight at which a resolution was Of
Tered 10 reconsider the resolution ordering the
boycott, but a forgotten clause in the constitu-
ton, 10 the effect that any action taken al
regular meeting could not be reconsdered at
special meeting. was produced, and so no action
was taken. From those present II was learned
that the meeting almost a riot. When
resolution offered that the boycott be re-
considered. the representatives Of the Metal Pol
ishers' Union yelled that If IL declared off
the body would withdraw from the Trades As
sembly. Delegates from the Moulders' Union
the assembly, announced that they would with
draw II the boycott we're continued. The repre-
sentatives of the rnachinists' unions announced
that they would side with tho mouldeFs. Cries
OF Traitor" and ''Scab"' greeted every con
sentative speech, while the advocates OF con-
tinuance drowned each others voices in their
efforts TO be heard.
3 crowd Of three hundred four hundred
workingnen, many with dinner pals in their
hands. standing outside the hall waiting
for the decision When the delegates came out
and told what done, the crowd Kissed and
groaned, indicating Enthusiastically what is the
general feeling of the toward the boycott
Prominent members Of the Trades Assembly
stated after the meeting that the disintegratton
Of the Trades Assembly is inevitable. The
moulders' and machinists leaders state that
thew know organized labor is not in sympathy
with either the expulsion Of Potter or the boy
colt and il is necessary to form new body 10
rid themselves Of the leaders who have put
them into this position. The typogra phical and
other unions state that they VIII denouuce the
boycott at their next meeting