American Old Time Song Lyrics: 46 The Great Trolley Strike

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 46

THE GREAT TROLLEY STRIKE.
Written for Miss Gertle Gilson by Harry Mayo.
Music by Master Tommy Mayo.

Of the trolley strike I now will sing that's caused so much ado,
And try to show the both sides of the facts and story true.
Now we'll first take the monopolist with all his care and cash,
Who'll stand no arbitration, but declares the knights he'll smash;
Then next we'll take the poor man, working fourteen hours, they say,
Who asks only honest wages, two dollars and a quarter a day.
Judge for yourself-is that too much the rich man to them pays,
The men who run our trolley cars fourteen hours a day?

Chorus
They have pleasure, they have comfort, every luxury of this life,
A home that's grand, wealth at command, children and a wife;
They never give a thought at all for the poor man or his strife,
But strive to pile their riches up-I ask you, is that right?

They have used the bluff "protection," for more soldiers they have called;
The want of men, not protection, is the reason that they've crawled.
The police on steady duty they have kept them night and day,
While the poor man who is fighting right, for their protection pay.
Who causes fights and riots? No, it's not the motorman,
It's hodlume, toughs and loafers, I'm sure you understand;
And while I earn my living from the poor man just as they,
I hope to-night they'll win their fight, two dollars and a quarter a day.- Cho.