Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-08-11
,cspyrighs. ,sOs. By Frederick 4. Stoke. ooJ

means! It's the company! They all
hide under its skirts. Why, they
wouldn't even say they'd open up the
shops IL we accepted their ten per
cent. cut! The papers say we mustn't
be violent, but keep quiet and have pa
thence. 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 q 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
tiers 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;
the strikers read 1t and silently ap-
plauded. Kennard saw 1t 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 q fiaring
oil torch, a wild-eyed orator was al
ready addressing q 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 l was you I'd make 'em
do It! Id make 'em know we're not
set OF lunkheads to sit around and
stare at buildings that owe US a livin'
and a damn sight better hyin' 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 a hand-drill as he
closed and the crowd roared its ap-
plause. A small boy with catapult
took a long shot at one o. the win
dows and q 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
and loud. 81 am John Kennard, lately
the owner and boss OF those shops,
and I want"
The crowd surged forward with an
cry Kisses and cat-calls.
"And want you to hear what I've
got to say!" he continued, firmly.
mo one who worked there when l was
boss will be willing to have me howled
down now. We're trying to help you
in the city"
by helping yourself!" interrupted
a voice.
Give me a chance to talk and I'll
give you the same. | say, we're try
ing to help you in the city, and are
working every day to stop this strike
and open these shops. We can't sue
/ ceed without you. Don't spoil our
chances by violence. Wait until next
week and you will have accomplished
the best work that's ever been done in
a strike, for you will have obtained
cooperation Of the stockholders them
selves. II you riot now, the cause will
be utterly hopeless and We won't be
able to help you"
Yes, wait until they get things fixed
so we can't do 'em no harm and then
they'll be friends!" sung out the
orator. "He didn't give a chirp till
We motioned to hurt him! You'll
never get anything II you don't take
it,"
! II don't know that man." Kennard
shouted back, "but / do know lots OF
men here and they know me! Ask
them II I ever lied to them. Why
should I do 1t now? You're not de-
serted. Every day you've waited here
has been noted and has done its work
You'll only harm yourselves by acting
rashly Wait a few days, say!
There isn't one Of your leaders who
won't give you the same advice. Who
are these men who are urging you tc
violence? l never saw them before
but II you'd rather trust them, and II
what we say doesn't prove to be true
and you find 1t pays better to smash
things, the necessary bricks and stones
will still be here"
"And so will the police!-
They're here now! Look"
God! He's been talking to give
'em time! Now, boys!"
With howl Of rage the mob rushed
forward and swooped upon the shops
smashing windows, scrambling on tht
roofs and hurting down tiles and chin
neys. Crash upon crash resounded al
the doors were burst open and the mol
swept through, dancing and destroy
ing. Soon flames burst from half
dozen different places and the rudd!
light revealed huddled mass of work.
men upon the embankment staring
in awed fascination at the confiagra
| ton. The great majority Of the Strik'