The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1903-11-07
IN: *#s.ss Sss@ =aa+4 s.
"a III. Incident of :a Strike.

''The men at machine shop have
struck. They all walked out in a body
today at noon. Now, look out for mis-
chief! +: never thought to see this
staid, little old city :upturnad by mis-
cradle lot: of: labor agitators in this
way! Those fellows all ought to be
shot or: ridden out of town on rails.
We were all right before they came to
to stir Zip discomfort"
The speaker was well-to-do bust
ness man of middle age. and it was
number of years ago before strikes
were prevalent. He had just come to
dinner from down town, and was about
to sit down to the table with his wife,
son and daughters:
$500 they HAVE struck. have they"
I didn't think they would have the
spunk," said the son, coo1ly.
'"rhe spunk! The impudence, you
mean. Why should those men get up
a disturbance like this all at once?
they've got no new complaint and
we've got along all right for a GOOD
many years in peace and quiet, and
why. cant we keep on so?''
"Wen, I don't know that am in
terested enough to argue the matter,
or that / know enough about it; but
it strikes me that If they were doing
as well as their employers they
couldn't be stirred up to discomfort by
outsiders. I notice, too, that the COM
pany has grown rich in the last ten
years; whereas the hands have grown
DID, bent, Stiff live in the same little
old shabby houses, wear the same old
patched. clothes, eat the same old
coarse food and have nothing to
leave to their children.''
"What nonsense. Where did you get
hold of such stuff? 1t savors very
much Of turtle soup( gold spoons and
coaches and six What more does a
common working man want than to
receive his wages regularly. and they
have always got that from Nd &,
Co."
II have only been thinking a little
on the subject of simple JUSTICE
Bah! Simple ranting. ! hope you
do not go about the city talking such
rot
Don't be afraid. I kOnw it isn't
popular and I am too great coward,
thanks to my bringing up" and Frank
Weston left the table and sauntered
into the parlor.
Down at the closed machine shops
crowds were collecting and consider
able excitement prevailed A young
man who had been quite a leader
among his fellows and one Of the best
Workmen in the shop had been called
up by the managers for conference,
which had ended in his discharge with
out recommendation, and a command
never to put foot on the place again.
The original strike had been for few
cents more wages and the abolition Of
two or three obnoxious rules, and
scarcely any bitterness had entered
into the struggle. But now the men
were doubly aroused, and their de-
mands included Edwards Lanes REIN
statement. They were very angry at
the injustice dealt to their fellow
workman discharged because he had
pleaded their cause a<littleGt too earnest.
": and eloquently, and, they, gathered
in. little excited groups, talking loudly
and wildly, and it might not have been
safe for the employers to appear just
then.
Three or four days passed and the
situation did not change much, except
| that time dul1ed the. edge of the excite
ment. Then. one morning wagon
load of new workers, guarded by po-
/ licemen, drove up to the doors. The
| crowd became big and noizy; epithets
and derisive cries rose on the air,
sticks and pebbles began to fly about
| The wagon was surrounded and the
men taken in hand and talked to, The
! police ordered the crowd to dispense
| but without effect. In the few mo-
! ments the strikers had at their dis
| posal. they did some good argumenta-
| tive work. The police charged upon
them with their clubs and succeeded
! IN driving them back, but not before
they had induced most of the new mer
to go away The wagon was unloaded
! but only three or four mon entered thu
shop. Before the day was over THEY
! went away-the place did not look in.
viting and the works could not be rur
by so few.
The next morning more men arrived
and the scene was repeated, excep
that several men went inside and thu
fires started Edward Lane was yer,
busy and induced more men to gt
away than any ono else. He was al
energetic. intelligent young fellow AM
entered into whatever he did with al
his heart and soul. So he was consid
cred the most Dangerous OF them all
and it had been agreed that he shout,
be arrested If any possible pretex
presented itself.
! The next night, while the shops wer,
being guarded by special police, some
thing happened. The city was full o
| IL al t~' of
foreign workmen hunting for work
tramps. toughs. fakirs and hoodlums
who always drift to scenes like thi
and help to augment the excitemen
T. and emphasize the suppositon tina
strikers. are a. turbulent, dangerous lot
The northeast corner of the engin
was blown out and the engines rem
dered useless. No one had been seel
lurking near, or coming or going from
the place, and it was supposed to b
under strict surveillance. The affai
was wrapped in mystery.
But OF course s0roe a,,raste! ha3 +