Jasper County Democrat, Volume 7, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 September 1904 — CHICAGO STRIKE IS GIVEN NEW LIFE [ARTICLE]

CHICAGO STRIKE IS GIVEN NEW LIFE

Donnelly Orders a Walk-Out In the Plants of Independent Packers. AFFECTS THE WHOLE COUNTRY Brings Into the Ranks of the Idle 15,000 More Employes. Apparent Object Is to Create an Absolute Meat Famine Twelve Thousand Men on the “Picket Line" at , 7 u. Chicago. Chicago, Sept. I.—President Donnelly’s last card, which he is now playing was revealed, the packers declare, when he called out the COO live stock handlers of tha Union Stock Yards

company and all the butchers of the independent plant#, who could not be consistent with union principles if they remained at work killing cattle distributed by non-union handlers. The packers say It Is Donnelly's aim to create a meat famine, which, he calculates, will arouse the public to such a pitch of indignation that the packers will be forced to arbitration. Fifteen thousand butchers who have remained at work in independent plants throughout the United States are affected by the strike order, and all told LSOO live stock handlers walked out at 10 a. m, the appointed hour. Donnelly Announces His Plans. President Donnelly said: “We are in this fight to win. in spite of the misleading reports that our organizations are weakened and disheartened. In fact, the real struggle may now be said to have only begun. From this time we will be able to completely tie np the packing plants of the country sod we will be backed by every labor union of the United States. The teamsters are pledged not to handle a pound of •unfair’ meat. We have been badly treated by the employers and they most realize sooner or later that our requests are too reasonable to be passed over. Tbs public must also realise that there is to be no surrender rod that fair treatment most be aeooaded tbe army of workers now out.” Switchmen Betas* to MU It was announced by President Donnelly that he had made arrangom—fa for a strike at tbe ssrftehmen on the rsHnurts doing bustncaa in the stock yard& and that in q abort time

the packers would find it impossible to ship out their product. The switchmen, however, have refused to strike. After a long meeting which was attended jointly by members of the Switchmen’s Union and members of the Brotherhood of Railway 'Trainmen it was decided that the members of both organizations would remain at work. The Switchman’s union was willing, but the Brotherhood was not, so neither will strike. OPINION OF THE 810 PACKERS Donnelly Attempting the Impossible Army of ‘‘Pickets’’ Established. “Donnelly is undertaking the impossible,” said a representative of one of the packers. “All our branch houses are well stocked with meats. We shall attempt to make no city deliveries in wagons. It may be news to Donnelly that we have been doing three-fourths of the city trade during the last three weeks, but such is the fact. The places of the live stock handled will be taken by non-union men. We shall continue to ship meats to these city branch houses and there is little chance of the public suffering a meat famine.” Donnelly is making war preparations with vigor. He threw out an army of 12,000 union pickets early yesterday morning. A picket line, ft is understood, will be extended for blocks in various portions of the city where .the packers have branch houses. By keeping the line stretched out in thin, open order, the labor leaders expect to shut off the supply to the retailers and thereby cause a meat famine. The pickets are said to be well drilled. A thousand or more will do "duty” in the vicinity of Packlngtown. The intention is to make it impossible for “strike-breakers” to go to and from their work. At the present time a majority of the 23JXK) men employed in the yards does not sleep on the premises. The men are conveyed to and from tbeir work by trains on the Lake Shore road. Captain Clancy say# he will pnt an additional guard on each train if it becomes necessary. niOT AT EAST ST. LOUIS Carload at Non-Union Men Attached and Beaten by a MobEast St Lcmta, Sept. I,—Several persons were seriously injured In a riot that was precipitated by the arrival at the Vandalia crossing at the first street car bound for the stock yards with noo-oniou men aboard. crowd surrounded the car and began assaulting the passengers, who fled for tbeir lives in every direction. James Johnson, one of the was struck on the bead with a stone and bis skull fractured. Ha was taken to the Henrietta hospital. "Doc'’ Murphy, a negro, was badly beaten by members of tbs mob, bis left ear being almost torn off. He was taken to St Mary’s infirmary.

Another negro was knocked senseless and several more passengers were badly beaten before they got away. Several of the non-union men were pursued and a pistol battle ensued. A fusillade of shots was fired behind the lead works near the Vandalia crossing but none was struck. One negro was chased through Pennsylvania avenue, the fashionable thoroughfore of East St Louis, and considerable excitement resulted.