Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1906-01-28
WEARY AUDIENCE
HEARS TALKFEST
SCHMlTZ.RUEF BIG SHOW IS
, TlRESoME
Crowd Hears Much Weird Language,
but Goes Away, Wondering
What II Is All
About

Mayor schmitz of San Francisco
Dock" Houghton of the Sixth ward
Tom Fennessey, Arthur Hay, q few OF
the unemployed who entertained lurk-
ing hope that there might be a keg OF
beer on the platform and about 5000 OF
the morbidly curious, attracted by q
desire to see a man who could carry
Schmitz' reputation around and not
break down under the burden, gath
cred In Simpson auditorium last
evening.
Only Houghton and few OF his fell
low consplrators had any idea why
they were there and they wouldn't tell
They talked enough to have dissem-
mated an encyclopedia of information
but when 1t came right down to the
question of taking that large audience
into their confidence on the object of
the meeting they baked like Missouri
mules. And most of the audience had
gone to the meeting for the purpose of
learning what they had gone for.
"Dock" Occupies the Chair
Houghton was chairman of the meet
ing. In his capacity it should have
devolved on him to announce its object
He started out all right and it really
seemed as though the audience was to
learn what 1t came for at the very out
set. But it was only one of his usual
false alarms
He had to be serious. and Houghton
in IL serious mood is a being entirely
unknown to biology. The dignity of his
position weighed on him so hard 1t
nearly warped his frail frame. He
wrapped it around him like a mantle and
advanced to the pulpit. He stood on
cleared his throat and then announced
his text.
'I,adies and gentlemen" he began.
eve are here for the purpose of formu-
lating mighty protest against the
Citizens alliance"
Now" murmured the audience, eve
will know what 1t is all about"
Sounds Loud Note
But the poor audience was doomed to
disappointment. What all the protest.
ing was about Dock" failed to state.
He talked for half an hour by the
watches Of yawning hearers, but in all
that time he failed to say why and
when and how. He spoke eloquently
on the recall, although he failed to
mention how it would affect what he
was driving at He gave a resume of
the printers strike and then sounded
a loud note of warming" although the
warning lost some of it's force through
the fact that he failed to say to whom
the warning was directed and why it
was sounded.
In brief Dock" said:
1--WE have no quarrel with the Frank
lin association, an organization of mas
ter printers and journeymen for the
combined good of both. B.t we must
sound a loud n0fa nf
"a year ago the printers Of this city
got together and agreed that they
would not work more than eight hours
a day. They told their employers of
their decision, and the employers
agreed with them that the eight hours
was enough. They had promised to
sign the eight-hour schedule at the be-
ginning of this year. but this organiza-
ton, OF which the Los Angeles Times
is the sole controller, stepped between.
Talks of Coercion
From the Times Office went forth the
ukase to leading business men, If you
do not go to this and that employing
printer and tell him that If he signs
this eight-hour scale you will withdraw
your trade from him we will ruin your
business Coerced into refusing to
sign this scale the employing printers
WGuL DICK Oll LHGlT IuelT Gill
ployes with the result that a strike &C.
Cured In this city the first Of the year,
1t was the business of the printers and
their employers. What right had this
organization to step in and Illustrate
the peaceful settlement Of this trouble
Friends, there is one paper in this
town that no discerning, honest man
will read second time. A man who is
honest but not discerning may read it,
a man who is discerning but not honest
may read It, but I repeat that nc
honest, discerning man will ever read
it a second time. When you see this
paper on your neighbours doorstep that
neighbor deserves a call from you, and
little lecture on civic pride"
PIeases His Audience
This started Houghton on the Times,
and he could talk nothing but the
Times until he took his seat and gave
place to Stanley 3. Wilson, president
Of the local Typographical union.
Wilson is undoubtedly an orator of
the kind that goes with red fire and
Fourth of July. but he spoiled the effect
of his speech in the beginning by tell
ing some stories that by contrast to the
dry political talk seemed rather funny.
He made reputation for himself as a
humorist, and later when he reached
some of his most solemn passages the
audience Uttered, because 1t thought
that was what was expected of it.
Wilson opened up by getting into an
awful sweat over the Star Spangled
Banner" When he had trimmed this
UP to his satisfaction he said things
about Felix Zeehandelaar, secretary of
the Citizens alliance. 1t was evident
that Mr.. Wilson does not like Mr.. Zee
handelaar. There was something about
the thinPs he said and the unannnr. In