The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-19
A BLOW TO SCHENECTADY.
ACTION OF UNIONS MAY CHECK
INDUSTRIAL GROWTH.
Few Found Who Approve the Treatment
Accorded Potter-Boycott Of Street
Railway Not Declared on Owing
10 the Trlibustcring Of Q Minority.

= SCHENECTADY, n. Y. Nov. IS -Theore,ic-
| ally. the boycott declared by the Science
tady Trades Assembly against the Schenec-
tady Street Railway Company is still in
force. Actually II had no existence. for
/ the men who were directed not to ride on
the trolley cars paid no attention to the
order to-day. except in isolated cases.
| The result was that the various lines Of
the company did about their normal bust
ness, and tho falling of In receipts was
scarcely largo enough to be noticeable.
Reports from all the terminals were to the
effect that the boycott was being disre-
garded generally by all classes Of citizens,
union men as well as those not Inflated
with labor organizations, and that there
was absolutely no trouble or disorder of
any kind,
] A special meeting Of the Trades Assem-
bly, was held this evening TO discuss the
| differences between the Schenectady
Street Railway Company and that body.
| Owing TO the absolute failure Of the boycott :,
II was thought that the leaders, who brought
| IL on for reasons which appealed to no one
except loud -mouthed Socialists, would be
forced to call It of. The meeting, however,
| ended without any definite action being
| taken on the matter
The meeting was held behind closed doors
| and was turbulent ono from start TO III 18Th.
At its conclusion the delegates burst from
| the door, talking in loud and angry tones.
From what they said before a muzzle was
| put on them il looks as though the matter
| would end in the disruption or total annihila-
| ton of the Trades Assembly.
/, has been felt all along that this body
did not represent in any way The true and
| conservative sentiment of the labor union
| lists of Schenectady. Many of the latter,
who are both intelligent and industrious,
and who have property interests in this
| city. feel kecnly the false position in which
they have been placed by the demagogues
and agita,ors who seem TO have full sway
lust now.
Al the meeting to-ngh, it was estimated
that fully two-,hirds Of the delegates present
| were strongly in favor of lifting the boy
colt, but they were prevented from taking
| action by the filibustering tactics Of the
| minority. The point was raised by the
| latter that as the boycott resolution was
passed at regular meeting It could not
be- rescinded al any but "A regular meet
| ing, except by unanimous consent.
l PRESIDENT JaCkSOn, WHO WdS III 'il' tilHii =,
| declined TO entertain any motion except
for ad iournment. There were many hot
| and bitter speeches, but the chairman's
| ruling prevailed, and the meeting ad-
| journed without accomplishing its purpose.
| The next regular meeting will be one
week from Tomorrow evening. IL there
is anything left Of the boycott by thea il
| will surely be wiped out Of existence. In
the meantime. many of the individual
| unions are expected to repudate the boy
colt Action Of this kind has already been
| taken by the masons union and the local
| typographical Union il likely TO follow
suit,
But one individual union thus far has
| Endorsed the boycott. At meeting OF
| Carpenters Union, No. lac. last evening II
| was decided To impose fines on all members
found riding on the trolley cars. The fine
was fixed AT 81 for the first offence and s.
for the second offence A third offence
means expulsion from the union II was
| for the employment of non-union carpenters
| on the new car barn that the boycott was
declared.
| The cold truth is TINT the boycott is de-
cidedly unpopular with the vast majority
of the citizens Of Schenectady. This is not
an expression Of opinion, but conviction
resulting from conversation with hundreds
of men Reporters have made diigent
efforts but outside a few members Of the
Trades Assembly they could not find a
single person who looked with favor upon
the boycott
Henry V Jackson president Of the Trades
Assembly, positively denies having made
the assert ions ascribed 10 him, in which he
l. quoted as declaring emphatically that
| the boycott would be declared of
| Il have never made such an assertion.
said Mr. Jackson this morning.
| There l. not the slightest doubt that the
action Of the local painters union in ex-
polling William Potter on account OF his
| connection with the National Guard has
had much 70 do with the failure Of the
| boycott.
| The treatment of Potter by this union
has aroused the whole city against trades
| unionism. II has given Schenectady an
| unenyiable no, oriety throughout the Unite
States and the business men and property
| owners here fear that it will seriously dam
age the future prosperity Of the town.
Heretofore Schenectady has borne ar
| excellent reputation as an industrial cen.
| ire, despite tho very great strength OF
| trades unionism here Although the ex.
| pulsion of Potter has not been sanct Toned
by labor men generally. the impression
has gone forth that this radical step l.
typical of the spirit Of the vast army OF
| organized workingmen employed in the
| General Electric and the American Loco.
motive plants.
II is known that both of these concerns
have made plans for enormous increases
in their works. Fear is expressed now
that the plansl will not be carried ont
and that other plants belonging to the two
great corporal ions will be enlarged instead
Both have extensive interests in Other
cities, but the tendency was to concentrate
all their energies in this place.
The recent labor disturbances have
shaken their confidence in the indus, ria
stability of the town. and IL sonnet hing
| Is not done TO restore II the remarkable
prosperity now AZ it's full tide may receive
severe check.
II il safe 10 say that no more men will
be expelled from unions here on accoun,
Of their membership in the National Guard
The storm of adverse comment aroused
by the painters treatment Of Potter has
frightened oven the radicals and II IL now
| nlmos, impossible to find any man In the