The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-02
POPULAR CLAMOR
FOR ARBITRATION
Fear of General Strike
Stirs Business Men
to Action.
COMPANY REFUSES
TO DEAL WITH MEN
Big Spread in Concerted Move
aent to Force Peaceful Settle
/ ment of Controversy-State
/ Troops Withdrawn and
/ Day Passes Without
/ Any Disorder.

Philadelphia. Pa. Match With
the withdrawal to-day OF the last de-
!. tachment or state police on duty here.
and the discharge from further strike
service of the state Fencibles this |
city gave up the evidence of anything |
resembling martial rule which has ex
I listed here since the carmen's strike |
began eleven days ago
To all the place OF the state troop !
ers. a special cavalry force was or
ganized by the city authorities. These |
men have not yet been given chance
to demonstrate their effectiveness. Up
until late hour tonight not an &C,
OF disorder has peen reported to-day
in any section of the city.
Interest centred to-day in the ef-
forts OF business men. ministers and
others to induce the Philadelphia Rap
Id Transit Company TO listen to pro-
.posais Of arbitration. After special
meeting of the board Of directors tho
company again announced that Their.
would be no arbitration.
c. o. Pratt the leader of the strik-
ding trolleymen. says. however. he still
hopes for satisfactory settlement of
tho differences before the sympathe
tic strike becomes effective on Satur-
day.
Plans are being arranged for large
mass meeting in favor of the strikers
10 be held tomorrow night in the CEN
tral part OF the city.
shots Fired Near Mayors Office.
AT II o'clock tonight six shots were
ared directly opposite the office OF
Mayor Reyburn by some one who rode
up in an automobile.
The automobile. q big black touring
car. came out Market street. and as
the office OF the Mayor, man leaned
from the automobile and fired six
shots. II Is not known whether the
shooting was done by some practicE
Joker or some person OF serious In
tent.
A detective jumped into .a1icab
and gave chase. but the automobile had
gained a big lead and was soon lost
sight OF.
Following conference OF the Rapid
Transit directors this afternoon. PEesi-
dent C. o. Kruger reiterated the re-
fusal of the company TO consider ar
bitration IN any shape or form.
Our position has not changed" he
said. "and nothing will in any manner
change It,"
According to statement given out
at the Rapid Transit Company's ofiices'
12O old employees sought employment at
the car barns this morning. me num-
Der of cars in operation this afternoon
is given as s29. which exceeds that Oh
yesterday.
Director Clay. of the Department OF
public SAFETY. announced tonight that
he would he fully prepared to protect
thc city in the event of general
strike on Saturday
city Director Earle and Mayor Rey-
burn might possibly be influenced by
the popular clamor presently II me
hulk OF the directors refuse to aroi :
trate in the long run 1T may put the
company in a bad fiN, since then the
strikers would have real and strong
popuar support back of them. and the
company would not collect so many
fares as II does even now.
Popular Cinmor for Peace.
such a strong popular demand has
snrung up since the threat of gen
era1 strike was made last Sunday fol
strike arbitration that 1t looks as II
Clarence o. Pratt and the labor leaders
who threatened the sympathetic strike
knew their business. The most power
ful business men In Philadelphia may
think that the general strike talk is
huff, but not so with the smaller bus
mess men and the great mass OF peo
pie.
Yesterday there We're development
l .
showing a big spread in the concerted
movement to force The traction com
pany to- arbitrate its troubles with tn
strikers, and to-day there are NOR
developments along the same ilne
Among other meetings one OF the lipis
copal ministers of Philadelphla 70 urs
arbitration was scheduled for thl
morning.
Yesterday three important calls t
arbitrate were made upon the transl
company. The chief of them came frol
the Market Street Merchants Assocla
ton. A committee of the ASSOCIATION
formed of Ellis A. Gimbel and samut
d. Lit, two of the largest Phliadeiphl
storekeepers, called upon the director
of the transit COMPANY YESTERDAY aitel .,
noon and told them that the health
the shopping trade of Phladephi
needed an early dose of arbitratio
treatment, so that normal bushes
might be resumed on Market street
The directors heard the demand
a special meeting. They stuck 10 the
decision to have nothing further TO
with the striking men.
trhe Lutheran ministers and 7!
Methodist ministes, in sepaate NEE
ings, framed up recommendations
arbitration for presentation to II
board Of directors of the transit con
pany.
Labor Leaders on Hand to Help.
a number of national leaders are
town to help Pratt and his associate
in the matter of the general strik
John Mitchell is expected in town, al
half a dozen national presidents
trade unions are here or coming.
If the general strike proposition.
a bluff Pratt knows enough at lea
to make 1T good hard one. AS
result, while the. opinion of the be
Informed men has not undergone mu
change, there is a rapid growth in t
popular panic over the prospect Of I
suspension of all union labor.
The several locals of the Brothe
-7 -IC,nn4 Inued on Second Pagel M