Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-03-18

EdllWdy OWucIS 1aQ Df8ked Tue ~S.A<-
pact made at that time that the pres
emit strike was ordered, or at least this
Is the mems version of the AFFAIR.
Among his favorite notices are, do
nothing that will throw discredit on
your cause" Remember that the eyes
of the laboring world are on you."
Keep away from the saloons" and
''The company can end this strike the
minute 1T will agree to arbitrate."
When he conducted a strike In Salt
Lake City some years ago he had an
orderly parade organized. and In IT
were carried banners with these
legends. I'VE thank the public for it's
loyal support" "Soue OF MS have not
seen our babies awake In years. and
Bread and butter Is the issue"
There is no question Of Pratts
nerve. A strike leader is frequently in
danger not only from the other side.
but from his own. II a settlement II
effected that does not please the strfk-
ers they are not slow to make their
displeasure felt, and TRAITOR IL q
word that comes readily to their lips.
Pratt once had delegation Of these
indignant men wait on him after he
had settled strike. He was in bed at
the time and did not take the trouble
to dress, but sat up IN bed and talked
to the men earnestly for an hour, after
which they left him swearing realty.
"Close the door after you" he said as
he turned over to go to sleep.
Another prominent figure in the Phil
adeiphia situation Is John J. Murphy.
president of the Central Labor union.
the man who called the general SYM
pathetic strike. Murphy Is thirty-six
years old. Last year he was a candt-
date for city treasurer. The corrupt
political ring said, with a sneer, 'sThis
fellow is only a patternmaler." The
effect was like that when John A.
johnson was first candidate for gov
ernor Of Minnesota and his opponents
charged him with being the son Of
washerwoman. The taunt elected
Johnson 1t did not have the same ef-
feet in Murphy's case. but he ran
ahead Of his ticket, and 'tonly a pat
ternmaker" became the battiecry Of
his supporters. Murphy is both incor-
ruptihle ana fighter The political
machine has tried two or three times
to buy him or bride him with the offer
OF a place, but without success. At an
other time they tried to beat him for
election to the presidency Of the Gen.
trail Labor union and used the meth
DDS employed In political elections,
throwing out his votes and intimidat-
ing his voters. Murphy carried the
case up to the American Federation Of
Labor and was seated.
Ground Hallowed TO Liberty.
This is the type OF men fighting the
battle Of the toilers In the City Of
Brotherly Love and under the shadow
of Independence hall. 1t Is not with
out interest, by the way, that Reyburn
and Clay refused to permit the work
ingmen to assemble In front Of indie
pendence hall. where our fathers
wrought for liberty $50 years ago.
The cry Of the men has been for
arbitration. The. refusal Of the com
pany to arbitrate has been the canse Of
the sympathetic strike in the city and
is the reason Cor the threat Of nation
wide strike. It was to bring about
arbitration that the State Federation
Of Labor appealed to President Taft,
GOfCI4Ok Olu6Ab anu E9CAatOA L GIL OcO
and declared truce Of ten days await
ing the result.
The incident of locking the men out
OF the ball park, the charging Of them
by the police, the dispersal OF the
thousands marching toward the city
hall and the arrest OF the newspaper
men as strike leaders all show some
of the animus Of the street railway
companies and the laundering Of the
ring elected city officials. That there
has been violence on the other side.
however, is not to be denied. Cars
have been smashed ana motormen and
policemen mobbed. The strike leaders
say they are not responsible for this;
that they have counseled against vio-
lence, but that the mobs In their In
dignation against the company have
broken out of control
Among the historic strikes of the
past those at Chicago and Homestead
stand out In the public mind The
Chicago strike was engineered by Eu-
gene Y. Debs, then head of the Amer
lean Railway union, and lasted all
summer. President Cleveland, con-
trary to the advice Of the governor OF
Illinois, dispatched federal troops to
the scene. The Homestead strike was
not so large. but was even more
bloody. 1t left an unpleasant impress
sion In the public mind and undoubt-
edly affected the elections. Is the
Philadelphia strike TO eclipse these
former struggles? Is it to embrace
the nation and dwarf all previous con-
ficts till they appear as mere ~kir-
mishes? The decision of that question
is now hanging in the balance, and it
- one fraught with momentous conse-
quences to the American people.
Saved a Soldiers Life.