Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1903-05-03
When They Attempt it Commissions
Brcatoh Says Hands Off"
UNION LABOR MEN QUIT HALL IN DISCUS
Socialists and Bengontes Take Possession
Wien They Leave.
FRIENDS OF aooRES ARE HowLED down
Andrew ROsewater Braves the Jeers
of Benson Boomers ana Has
His Say in spite of
Them.

union labor, called at Washington hall !
last night, was disrupted by w. J. Brostch !
in conjunction with the police stationed at |
the hall, presumably to preserve order. |
The only active member Of a labor or
ganization who attempted to address the |
meeting was forced by police inaction to |
cease talking and after the meeting had |
been turned over to the socialists and the !
union men Ct the city driven from active |
participation ih the meeting, E. A. Benson !
came to the hall with a gang OF hoodums |
headed by Vic Walker, and howled down |
| every speaker who attempted TO speak in |
! the interests of Frank f. Moores.
| 1t was one of the most tumutuous gather. !
! ings ever assembled in Omaha and the |
| police professed 20 be poweTless to do any |
! thing TO preserve order
The committee having the meeting in |
| charge placed Peter Kiewiz a member of |
the leather workers union, in the chair !
and arranged to have speaking by volunteer
members OF labor organizations the object !
being to have the laboring people make an
expression as to favorite candidates for
| once the various tickets. 1t became evil |
/ dent from the start that the meeting would
not be harmonious, as about 300 socialists
| had come to the hall and taken seats to-
gether, and trouble was expected.
The first speaker was John Chubbick a |
member of the cigar makers union, who
| briefly announced that the meeting had
been called to discuss pending municipal
questions as they would affect the labor
! ing people, and he asked for harmonious
action.
BensOnite Starts Trouble.
Mr.. Chubblck was followed by Joseph
Scheidt, member of the boiler makers
union. Mr. Scheidt had Just stepped to the
front Of the stage when Robert Houghton.
Sixth ward politician ana a member of
the Benson campaign committee, attempted
to silence him by denoupcing the chairman
and calling for the selection OF a new
chairman. In this he was seconded by Bob
Baldwin. who in the days when w. j.
Broatch held unrestricted sway at the city
hail was a sort % keeper Of the royal per-
son. The black Bob was not quite as loud,
but no less determined than the white Bob,
but the latter from his more prominent To-
cation created the greater noise. Vainly
the chair tried to call him to order and
appealed to a policeman to make the dis
turber sit down. The policeman was inter-
cepted by w. ]. Broatch, who was present
from the opening of the meeting, and the
officer was ordered by him to call other
policemen from the station. After he had
made the call for men he went to Bob
Houghton and requested him to be silent
This settled the statesman from the Sixth
ward for a short time and In the lull Mr.
Scheidt said in part:
81 am one of the men who a year ago
went out on a strike against the exactions
of a large corporation which maintains
shops in Omaha and now desire to thank
the people who have so nobly stood by US
do not speak one OF the labor leaders
but as a member OF the rank and file who
has done his best. l am not here to assure
any candidate that / carry S5 per ceut of
the labor vote In my vest pocket, as some
others have done, nor that / express the
views Of every member Of organized labor.
express my own sentiments. which con-
} eide with the sentiments OF some other
members Of organized labor.
Purpose of Organization.
''We have heard much about the May day
strike aud the business mems association.
In regard to this organization: If l am
} informed correctly, it was planned secretly
a short time after the defeat Of Mercer for
: congress. The principal work OF organiza-
tion was done by men identified with the
, railroad companies and other large cor
porations. 1t was. in my opinion formed
: for the purpose Of depriving the Union
Pacific strikers of the support they have
been receiving from the people OF Omaha
= ITedSurleB
the international unions are large and thar
the union men can fight for a long time:
they know that the unskilled laborers or
. helpers have no international union and
that they must be supported by contribu-
tions from friends and fellow workmen II
this support is not forthcoming they may
be driven into the shops and the company
can treat them Just as It chooses, therefore
the Omaha Business Mems association was
Y organized with the desire to have all Union
. men out on a strike May l. Then a aRbt
y would be made upon organized labor in the
transmissouri valley. I regret TO say that
a large number of the members OF the
Business Mems association did not realize
that fact, but some Of them, believe, are
! seeing It,
Now It would not be out Of place TO
! speak Of the treatment accorded to union
labor in Omaha. Being one OF the strikers
= | was in a position TO know what was done
: by the Omaha Board OF Fire and Police
: commissioners as organized al the time the
/ strike occurred. When we FIRST went on A
: strike the men in authority sent to the
shops of the company policemen who pre-
e served peace and order, all OF the rights
" OF every citizen were respected and the
g only complaint that was heard was from
e the Union Pacific company and II only said
that II there were greater numbers Of no.
licemen furnished by the city the company
s would not have TO maintain at its own ex-
pense so large a number OF guards As
the old Fire and Police commission re-
spected and protected everybody's rIghtf
1t is only fair 10 give the devil his due and
commend the man in charge Of It, IL all
that has been said against the head Of the
, Fire and Police commission OF that time I,
: true It does not change the situation on,
:, !0ta.
; New Hoard Makes Chsnses.
n "since the new Fire and Police hos--
In came in our rights were not resnectod ",
n were not allowed N walk The strsetg-
d we're thrown into TAIL, given hours 10 Ieav,
'e trwr. until a British subject was arrest =
sr He appealed 10 the British consul and ther.
CONTINUED on Second Pass.)