Newsboys’ Strike Still Firm.

Kid Blink Asserts His Leadership—Plans for To-night’s Parade.

Kid Blink, who has apparently been cleared of the charge of treason which was brought against him yesterday, on what grounds it is not explained, went round this morning wearing a new serge suit and straw hat and bright blue cravat, denying the reports which were printed about him yesterday.

“All de papers gone an’ lied about me ‘trough de doin’s of young Monix an’ Joe Meyers, an’ young Fisher,” he said. “I got ter go ter de papers an’ git dem rumers right.”

“Dave Simons, he come back ter de strikers,” continued Blink. “He come back yistyday afternoon, an’ he’s wid us good now. You’se kin say dat I’m de head uv dis strike, an’ de committee, Jim Scaborch, Broken Leg Morris, an’ young Harney, is wid me.”

“Yesterday at two o’clock,” said one of the strikers, “we went to see the publishers an’ dey offeyed us de papers at 55 cents de hundred, but, says we, if you’se kin do it at that, take off de extry five cents an’ call her square. We’se goin’ ter stan’ fer our rights, an’ we’se ain’t got no time fer wit, you’se kin say yes or no, an’ let us git out’n here.”

The Journal men were undecided, according to the boys’ version, and offer a promise to think the matter over. They set another meeting for two o’clock this afternoon.

“Sez Harris ter me,” said Leader Blink, “‘Blink, wha’cher mean by lettin’ dem boys dear up de 20,000 Journals what was tored up yistyday?’ I telled him,” added Blink, “Mr. Harris, I ain’t able ter stop dem boys from a doin’ it. Dey wants deir rights, dem boys does, an’ dey’s down on scabs.”

There is to be an heroic effort made to get a permit from the Mayor in order that plans for a parade may be carried out. Charles Bacigalupo has presented the boys with a banner, on which is inscribed “The Newsboys’ Friend,” and several of the papers, according to the reports of the boys, have presented them with similar banners.

In case the conference with the Journal, slated for this afternoon, falls through, there will be an effort made to secure Cooper Union for a mass meeting after the parade to-night.

Since the boys agreed to “No violence, but a strike on de square,” the wages offered by the boycotted journals have attracted a large number of unemployed men and boys who can now sell the papers without fear of personal violence, for the newsboys have held steadfast to their pledge so far. This morning Frankfort Street was filled with a crowd of “scabs” seeking employment as newsboys from the World and Journal. The strikers stood at one side and watched them, occasionally yelling “scab” and other epithets at them. Several policemen patrolled the street persistently telling the boys to “move one.” When the wagons, bringing editions of the other newspapers appeared, the strikers apparently ignored the “green” newsboys and swarmed about the wagons for papers to sell.

“Young” Monix, who is generally acknowledged the moving genius in the strike, is always to be found about Newspaper Row. He said to-day that the boys would extend their boycott to the morning editions of the World and Journal, if their demands were not allowed.

Source: “Newsboys’ Strike Still Firm.” Evening Post, 27 July 1899, p. 8.