The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-03-06
IGate City Leased Wire service.]


PHILADELPHIA, March 5,-The
first dav of Philadelphias general
strike. the first in the history OF an
American commonwealth, closed to-
night, with both sides claiming victory
after day OF excitement.
Strike leaders claim that they have
$4,000 men out and that. before Mon
day morning 125,o0o or more organized
and unorganized laborers will have re-
sponded
The street car strike has paled INTO
insignificance compared to the generai
walkout it caused.
JJnionism is ON trial for its lie ana
is making the bitterest war 1t knows.
@Our whole cause throughout the
United States in on trial, tonight de-
clared C. o. Pratt. national organizer
of the carmen and virtual head OF the
general strike.
That the general strike will have a
nationwide effect is prophesied by the
b strike leaders. That a national strike
i may follow as logical sequence Is
shinted at by some of the urhonlsts.
.All these men are not unionlzed'
hut they recognize that we are lighting
( for our right and that they are Will
ing to aid US, declared John Il. Mur'
phy of the central labor union
4 to the United Press tonight.
Those figures are untrue nos
more than $4,000 men are out
and majority of them Will re
turn to work Monday morning, was
the equally positive declaration OF tne
city officials who have had the police
canvass the entire city.
eve are preparing to deal with any
eventuality." declared Mayor Reyburn
I'VE do not believe the genera
strike will be serious"
That Il city is prepared to cope
with mobs was proven today Tel
thousand policemen, regular and spe
cial. afoot and mounted, patrollet
every section of the city, putting dow
disorder with stern force. The rio
act was in effect and it gave thu
police almost the powers of MARTA
law.
Mounted police rode their horses
rough-shod over the crowds that con
gregated in front of newspaper offices
+. "a read the bulletins. No gathering
were allowed. The throwing of ;
brick was the signal for the clubbin:
Of every man in sight. Dozens Q
cars were stoned by individuals, bu
collected mobs did little
- A me nj pur NJ, nil
faced general strike, strike il
which the unions are striving with al
their might to get every laborer to la.
down the implements of his trade, un
I'll the demands of organized labor arr
granted.
1--WE shall fight with the weapons
left us,'' said c. o. Pratt, tonight. The.
denied us the right to boycott. The!
took away from us the right to picket
They refused us arbitration. They de
ny us the right to gather together
they take away the right to free speech
What is then left for us to do but t.
withdraw from capital the very thing
which made that capital--our dali.
toll"
1--WE are in this fight to break 9
win he continued. "We shall win
If this general strike in Philadelphi
IS insufficient, we have pledges Q
moral and financial support from ott
er sections of the country. othe
strikes may follow. We have sough
peace throughout and it was denie
us. We were forced into this striiS
and we are in it to the very end. TIL
transit company refused to arbitrate
refused evrything. !,
This general strike is costing Philt
ielphia, 1t is estimated. s3,0Oo.00O T