The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-12-31


were demoralizingan unhealthy. disas-
| why, just look at that strike In
! Preston, England, among the cotton
spInners. There were only $50 operatives,
| but that strike, before II ended threw
! out Of employment over 1900 weavers and
| other workmen who had nothing what
| ever 10 do with the quarrel OF the 6s0
men. In the recent strike I'm the cotton
trade In Lancashire at the end OF the
first IL weeks the operatives had lost In
wages alone S500.0oO. Four strikes that
occurred In England between 1870 and
1880 involved loss I'm wages Of more than
SIS. 100000. In 22,O00 strikes investigated
lately by the national bureau of labor IL
is estimated that the employees lost about
So. 600. while the employers lost only
$50. 10000. out OF 353 strikes I'm England
between 1870 and 1880 1al were lost by the
strikers. II were gained and 9l compro-
missed, but I'm the strikes that were sue
cessful 1t took several years to regain In
wages the amount lost by the enforced
idleness OF the men"
There were enough hard thinking, sem
sible men in the audience that night to
see the force OF his argument. The ma
tority. however, were In favor of "A gen.
eral strike to gain their point in regard
10 the scale of wages. When Philip
went home. he carried with him the con-
was pending In spite of the fact that IL
was the worst possible season OF the year
for such action and in spite OF the fact
that the difference demanded by the men
was trife compared with their loss OF
wages the very first day OF dleness. there
was a determination among the leaders
that the $1,000 men i'm the mills should all
go out In the course of few days II the
demands of the men in the Ocean mill
were not granted.
What was tho surprise OF every one in
Milton therefore, the very next day
when IL was announced that every mill
In the great system had shut down and
not "A man OF the 1900 laborers who
marched 10 the buildings In the early
gray OF the winter morning found en-
trance. Statements were posted up on
the doors that the mills were shut down
until further notice. The mill owners
had stolen march on the employees. and
the big strike was on: but Il had been
started by capital, not by labor. and la
Dor went TO its tenement or congregated
In the saloon. sullen and gloomy, and as
days went by and the mills showed no
signs OF opening the great army OF the |
walked the streets of Milton |
IN growing discomfort and fast accumu- |
lating debt and poverty
Meanwhile the trial OF the man ar !
rested for shooting Philip came on, and |
Philip and his wife both appeared as
witnesses In the case. The man was |
and sentenced to 10 years |
Imprisonment. 1t has nothing special !
to do with the history OF Philip Strong, /
but may be OF interest TO the reader TO
know that In two years time he was
pardoned out and returned TO Milton to
open his old saloon. where he actually
old more than once the story of his at
empt on the preachers life.
nj ri 4
lines In Milton the trial of several OF
he men who were arrested for the as
'ault on Mr.. Winter. Philip was also
as a witness I'm these cases. |
As always. he frankly testified to what
he knew and saw. Several OF the ac-
used were convicted and sentenced to
hort terms But the mill owner prob
bly, fearing revenge on the part OF the
nen, did not push the matter, and
most Of the cases went by default for
ack OF prosecution.
Mr.. Winters manner toward Philip
Underwent change after that memo
able evening when the minister stood
y him at the peril of his own life
here was feeling OF genuine respect.
Mingled with fear. I'm his department
oward Philip. To say that they were
arm friends would be saying too much
len as widely dlfferehs as the minister
nd the Wealthy mill man do not come
,gether on that sacred ground OF friend
hin, even when one Is Indebted to the
Their for his life. man may save an
lher from hanging and still be unable to
I'VE him from selfishness And Mr. Win
r went his way and Philip went his on :
different basis so far as common greet
* went. but no nearer In the real
ling. which makes heart to heart com 4
union impossible. For the time being I
r. Winters hostility was submerged | 5
1der his indebtedness 10 Philip. He re-
rned to his own place in the church and
ntributed 10 the financial support
ITO be continued r