Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 35, Number 14, 21 November 1909 — Page 8

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B R E AKI H GUP STR IKES A Business System Backed by Large Capital. AN ARMY OF MEN ON CALL Companies Control Forcos of Workers Equipped to Fight Any of the Trade Organised to Do Business at 8hort Notice. A phase of the struggle of labor to secure a small part of the wealth It produces and one not generally known was the subject of a recent article In the Omaha World-Herald. The big street railway strike In Omaha was In full blast when the article appeared. The World-Herald said: Probably few people realize that there are now three great strike breaking corporations ; In this country, besides a multitude of smaller ones, with the capital of August Belmont and others behind them, furnishing Immense financial resources and an army of men. Two years ago the New York Herald printed a story regarding the scope of this new business, and to the public It was a startling revelation. These companies handle any kind of strike, Including that of railway switchmen, boilermakers, silversmiths, printers, street railway men and any or all classes of skilled labor and sometimes the unskilled labor strikes, although the others are the specialties of the companies. The Waddell-Mabon company, which has charge of the present strike. Is said to have 350,000 men on Its lists. The men, it is claimed by officials, are in a large measure those who quit their jobs at regular employment or get a leave of absence for thirty or sixty days to work as strike breakers when the occasion demands. There ore many who prefer this kind of work because of the love of adventure, the opportunity It affords to travel over the country and the high pay. It pays well to the Individual and also as a business. Jim Farley retired from the strike breaking business a multimillionaire. The companies are organized somewhat on the lines of a circus. They come In a night, all ready for business. on very short notice. They carry a complete commissary equipment (except when it Is not necessary In a large town), hospital, dormitory equipment and everything that can be possibly required. Special trains are chartered for jobs of any size. When a strike Is called the official of the strike breaking corporation at the head of that department uses the telegraph to get the men together, and within twenty hours they are on their way to a point ot mobilization. The business Is organized in three main departments labor, commissary and protection. The company in charge ot the Omaha strike breakers says that of Its 700 men In the protection department 80 per cent are former New York police officers drawing a pension from that city and being from fifty to sixty years old. Where their work is required they are sworn in as special police. The company has 1.000 rifles and 2.000 side arms for this department, but the strike breakers are forbidden to.caxcz Arms unless iwwrn

THE RICHMOND PALIiADHTlI AND SUN

In as special officers. The company was ready to run 6,000 men Into Chicago ten days ago for the street cars there, but the strike was settled. The average strike calls for about 500 men and costs the company about $10,000 a day. Including loss of revenues. The transportation bill to Omaha alone was $15,000. Of the men brought to Omaha 161 are from Chlcac nd the rest tne 607 came from New York. Practically all have had experience there before. All men taken by the companies on a strike are said to have to undergo an examination In their line to show that they are skilled laborers. The strike at San Francisco lasted five months and cost the company about $1,500,000. The worst strike ever experienced by the company now in Omaha was at Yonkers. N. Y., and lasted Ave days. When a strike Is settled the men hurry out immediately the next morning there being not a sign of wen or equipment in the barns wK a thev had occupied. In times of peace the company often furnishes nonunion labor. The camps during strikes are made in factories, manufacturing plants or car barns. Cooks, barbers and laundry equipment are carried. The men are kept in under strict discipline. If they were allowed to go out In a body trouble would be sure to start, and the company seeks to avoid this. Entertainment is provided the men. In a street railway strike they are out on the line, but when they are cooped up In a factory music of some kindmusicians or a phonograph Is supplied to help entertain, and there are always some good entertainers In a crowd of men. They also are supplied with card tables, newspapers and magazines. A thrifty man can be away for a month or two and not spend a cent, while drawing a good wage and pocketing perquisites. Board, transportation, laundry, everything is furnished him free. Often In car strikes in the east it has been necessary to screen the cars with heavy wire netting and carry a lot of armed guards. The men In the company here think that the people in the west have a greater regard for the laws than those in the east. The company which Is operating here has three jobs on hand now and has had thirteen at one time. Oidnt Get Her Money's Worth, Clara Why, Ethel, what makes you so blue? Ethel That fortune teller told me I would be married twice, and she told Edna she would have three husbands, and to think I paid for having both our fortunes told! DES MOINES PLAN A GREAT SUCCESS; A SUMMARY GIVEN (Continued From Page One.) Des Moines Plan. No ordinance can be passed without notice being given seven days in advance. 5th If one of our commissioners does not do right, we can put him out ot office on a petition signed by 25 per cent of the voters.

"The Cracker That Is Better"

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"6th If the city council refuses to submit a proposition to the people, the people can take the matter into their own hands by petition and submit it. Know Whom to Blame. "7th When things go wrong, we know where to place the blame. Under the ward system, we never cou'd place the blame. Everybody denied it. When things go wrong, now, we do not look up the subordinates; we look up the commissioners. "8th The commissioners, all excepting one, were opposed to the D93 Moines Plan. And excepting one, had been in some manner identified with the old style of city government. Therefore, the test in Des Moines ha not been of men, but has been of tlu plan. "ith Some people say that an7 form of city government would be good in the hands of good men. We have demonstrated that there is something in the plan as well as in the men. "10th Our new government has been in operation one year. Our streets and sidewalks are better taken care of than ever before. We have cleaner streets. Everything goes better. aiin rne tciectnc L,igbt company has just cut down its rates and th Water Company is preparing to do so. A settlement with the Street Car com pany is now in progress. These things are measureable, to be credited to the new plan. "In conclusion, I will say that I am bitterly opposed to the ward system. Legislation is a small part of the work of the city council. Our council is an executive body. We have no stump speeches in the council no talking to the galleries. "We have cut out partisan politics. We nominate at a non-partisan primary ten men. Then at the election we select five men from the ten. "Our commission system does not place any new authority in their hands. The commission has the authority that all former city governments had, except the commission selects all the subordinate officers, such as auditor, treasurer, etc. Aside from that there is no new power given. "The initiative, referendum and 'ecall, give the people more power than they ever had. "The voters are wide awake. They have their eyes on the commission all the time. The voters are vigilant and they were never so watchful before. When our commission goes wrong, the whole city is up in arms at once, and the commission recedes. "You do not need a legislative body in your city. All the legislation that you will need in a year could be done at one meeting of the council. Objections Imaginary. "All objections to the Des Moines Plan or Galveston Plan are purely imaginary. The heads of departments report to their chiefs and the chiefs only report to the public. We do not propose to hold any subordinate responsible for anything. The principals must answer. "Our people are enthusiastic for the plan. They did not secure the election of the men they wanted. But they have kept such an eye on the men they did get, that everything has gone along in good shape." For the practical purposes thesa convincing statements sum up the De3 Moines Plan far better than I can. . The ordinary citizen la looking for -- 1 ' : - x - -

- TELEGRAM, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1909.

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DC anything which will relieve him from a feeling that he has no voice in municipal affairs. Think of the franchises which have been worse than given away; think of mismanagement; think of cases that you yourself know of when you would much rather have had some way of altering the case. Corporation Opposition. Corporations will be found the bitterest enemies of any plan to leave the granting of franchises in the hands where it rightly belongs in the hand3

November is the trying month places many merchants with limited capital FACE TO FACE WITH TROUBLE, and compels them either to sacrifice their stocks to meet the demands of their insistent creditors or face the only alternative of being forced to the wall. This was the case in Scottsburg, Ind. If this Mr. Innis had staid with his business 30 days longer, he would have been forced to the wall. Knowing the conditions, it was better for him to sacrifice his stock. So he sold it to us at a great bargain, and took the cash and paid his debts. It has been our business for some time to relieve the condition of such merchants by coming to their rescue with the ready cash. From here, there and everywhere, appeals come to us for help, and under such conditions we are able to select the cream of stocks of these troubled merchants. We have secured this time a fine, new stock of dry goods, clothing and shoes, ail the best makes and brands. This stock is being arranged and marked, and will be offered to our many friends at a great sacrifice. Wattch Wednesday's Newspapers. Tfiney TeM a Big Money Saving Story.

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of the people. And yet I believe the growing tendency of corporations is away from the old conditions. If they really wish to deal honestly with the people this is much the best way and makes for better feeling in the end. The party has everything to gain b" a separation from city politics which is making more and more independent voters constantly. If politicians wish to confess that they are against the people, the easiest way to convince the people of it is to announce that they

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Better9' do not favor giving the power to the people. An Enabling Act. An enabling act must be passed by the legislature before this form of government can be secured. It would ba fairer to have it made optional with the people as to whether they will embrace it or not. There will undoubtedly be a corporation lobby against it in the legislature and one against it In every town that seeks to establish it. Even under these apparently dis

couraging propspects of opposition the plan, or something better, which la not yet on the horizon, is bound to come sooner or later. The people can have the power if they want It. To obtain it they must work for 1L . . Otherwise, it Is true that the professional politicians are correct in saying: "The people don't care, anil they deserve what they get." You know what you "get." There are also some things whlcli you do not "get."