Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-08-11
CHAPTER XXXII.

SA4NAA . A@4e ~~~~'
The strike at the Confederate Ma
chine Companies had been blazoned on
the front page Of every newspaper the
moment It was announced. Special
reporters were assigned to interview
employers and employed, and every
word they youchsafed was elaborately
reported for fully three days. When
the story netted two columns, II even
earned editorial notice in most OF the
great dailies. This advised the strik-
ers to maintain order, and assured
them that violence would ALLEVIATE the
sympathy of the public. The situation
was described as involving another
move on the great chess-board Of busi-
ness" There were also references to
1.-The iron law of supply and demand"
and "the great partnership of labor and
capital phrases at once familiar and
comprehensive, IL not conclusive. The
advice was apparently needed, for no
violence of any kind was attempted.
But the news Immediately dwindled
from two columns to half column,
from half a column to a paragraph,
from a paragraph to a 'trade-note."
The editorial comment ceased long
before this disappearing point was
reached. The pawns on the great
chess-board were left to move or be
taken unnoticed. Public interest In
the game died when 1t failed to fur
nish sensation.
But If public interest in the Confed.
Grated strike soon died out. private in
terest In 1t remained undiminished.
Day after day the men congregated on
the railroad embankments above Ken
nard's factory (now ConIederated
Companies shops Nos. Is and 16). and
stood about In groups or sat upon the
grass watching the buildings below
them. There was not much to see.
Not fire was lighted, not q window
was open. The few watchmen pa
trolling the shops furnished the only
evidences of life. No one tried to per-
suade the workers to return, no COM
munication whatsoever came to them
from their employers. 1t was a strike
turned into locknut-a somewhat
wearisome move in the great game,
because there are only three moves
for the pawns, two Of which are gen.
orally impossible. They can find work
elsewhere, remain idle. or accept what
Is offered them. But they must not
prevent outsiders from taking their
places by means, direct or indirect.
That is against the rules of the game.
Il ia merely q question Of demand and
supply, but there must be no artificial
regulation of the supply. The demand
may, of course. be increased or d.
minished by crushing out competition
or by closing down this shop and
opening that one; but to govern the
supply in any such way is plainly ille-
gal (say the injunctions) and as long
as It is illegal 1t must not be done.
But the question Is, how long can the
game continue under these rules?
Surely, not very long.
AS the days wore on. the loiterers on
the railroad emban' ment grew more
restless. They were Joined by many
locked-out workers from the city, for
headquarters had been established at
Kennard's to avoid the influences and
temptations Of the town. To the head
quarters came all the idle riff-raff that
sympathizes with any movement prom
ising disorder. The leaders soon had
all they could attend to. A village de-
pendent upon a daily wage cannot live
very long on credit. II the butcher
and baker are willing to wait, the
packing companies and the -four COM
panies are not, and halt must be
called sooner or later. Want soon
made itself felt in the village-want
which the contributions from affiliated
labor associations could not supply.
Strike wages were paid as long as the
funds held out, but the ready money
available for this purpose was wholly
inadequate, and the promises OF assist
ance in the near future were well
meant but empty. The leaders worked
hard and persistently, but little could
be done, and each day saw q 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' ONCE,
to ask whether all workers would be
taken back If the reduced scale was
accepted, but no reply was returned
except q statement in writing to the
effect that supposed cases could not
be considered; when any state OF facts
existed II 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-
ployers nor the public. Day after day
passed without incident or even ru-
NOR. The men themselves 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 1t was un-
expected 1t was the outcome OF long
brooding, wild in gesture, crude In
eloquence. vague in purpose. but II
sounded like action. II broke the mo-
notony and expressed the restlessness
Of the hearers. In short time more
than half-a-dozen similar speech es
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-
ton Of inaction seemed to be the main
purpose Of the speakers. But such
denunciation, II 1t be at all effective
must lead to action, and gradually 9
suggestion began to take shape.
why should those buildings be
horrad oooipSt no pn shouted an orator