The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1905-05-11

ance in the near future were we'll
meant but empty. The leaders worked
hard and persistently. but little could
be done, and each day saw a gloomier
and more impatient gathering on the
embankments.
In most strikes there Is more or less
activity. There Is the attempt to re-
place the strikers, the marching for
sympathy or intimidation, the nego-
tiations of delegates, the mass meet
ings or conferences. But at shops
Nos. Is and 16 there were few or none
of these diversions. A delegation did
attend at President Harkness' office,
TO ask whether all workers would be
taken back IL the reduced scale was
accepted, but no reply was returned
except a statement In writing to the
effect that supposed cases could not
be considered when any state Of facts
existed It would be dealt with. After
this negotiations ceased and monotony
reigned supreme. No one took the
slightest interest in the strikers or
their affairs-neither their former en-
DlONtiS HUI lut DuDiiNs Lay dittI uus
passed without incident or even ru-
NOR. The men emselves seemed to
be talked out, and the groups staring
at the idle buildings grew ominously
silent.
One morning, after an hour or two
of dreary waiting, stranger suddenly
rose and addressed the men about him.
His speech was as violent as It was un-
expected 1t was the outcome of long
brooding, wild in gesture, crude in
eloqucnce, vague in purpose, but It
sounded like action. 1t broke the mo-
notony and expressed the restlessness
of the hearers. In short time more
than half-a-dozen similar speeches
were made and applauded to the echo
speeches the tone Of which was fierce
and the tenor of which was action.
No definite plan was suggested in the
wild outpouring Of words. Denuncia-
tion of inaction seemed to be the main
purpose Of the speakers. But such
denunciation, IL it be at all effective.
must lead to action, and gradually
suggestion began to take shape.
why should those buildings be
barred against us?" shouted an orator.
who locks the doors and tells us TO
hunt up other homes and other labor?
The company! Is 1t Mr.. Harkness, or
Mr.. Kennard, or anybody else? BY no
means! It's the company! They all
hide under its skirts. Why they
wouldn't even say they'd open up the
shops If we accepted their ten per
cent. cut! The papers say we mustn't
be violent, but keep quiet and have pa
tience. That's all we'll have by the
time they get ready to open up! Those
buildings down there have no right
to be shut. We built them, they owe
us a living, and with Is good men be-
hind me I'd go and open 'em myself"
The rambling words meant nothing
in particular to the crowd listening
eagerly for want of something else to
do. They gave suggestion, however,
to the only newspaper man on the
spot, and he instantly telephoned his
journal a story which the city editor
Of the evening edition headed in let
ters six inches high.
TO STORM THE SHOPS!
Strikers plan to take the factories of
the >Confederated Machine Com
panies by assault!
The managers of the company saw
the statement and notified the police;
ctr Si1nnt1U
plauded. Kennard saw it and Instant
ly started for the factory.
The scene about the little flag sta
ton when he arrived surprised and
shocked him. The grass was worn
away; papers, boxes and rubbish of
all kinds-the litter of weeks-lay
scattered on the ground; the once neat
approaches were trampled into mud
and mire. and the deserted buildings
looked dreary and menacing. Near the
station, under the light Of fiaring
oil torch, wild-eyed orator was al
ready addressing great throng with
gusty eloQuence and evident purpose.
What are you waiting for?" he
howled. "The public won't take no
notice Of you unless you do something!
This sitting tight just suits the mill
lionaires! Why, since you amt
worked, they've made enough money
in Wall street. by whoopin' UP the
price of material, to build another fac
tory, and If was you I'd make 'em
do it! I'd make em know we're not
a set of lunkheads to sit around and
stare at buildings that owe us livin
and damn sight better livin' than
we ever got before! Let's leave our
mark on those walls over there with
our pencils and If they're not strong
enough to stand 'em, it'll give some
poor devils something to do to build
'em up again!"
He brandished hand-drill as he
closed and the crowd roared its ap-
plause. A small boy with a catapult
took a long shot at one of the win
dows and a pane of glass crashed. A
storm of cheers greeted this perform
ance and some enthusiasts hoisted the
boy to their shoulders, from which
perch he repeated his achievement, to
the delight of the watching multitude.
1t needed only forward movement of
some kind and the buildings would be
| attacked.
Kennard, listening at the skirts of
the crowd, realized this, and fighting
his way through the audience, he leapt
upon the platform as the agitator
stepped down.
81 want to talk to the men who used
to work in those buildings!" he ex-
claimed, and his voice, rang out clear
| I<l. lzA II.