The New York herald., 1877-07-25

tho representative Of the HERALD order TO learn
views regarding tho strike, Its csuscs, continuance and
probable result Mr. Arthur expressed himself willing
10 furnish any information in hts powor aud to
plain to the public attitude and possible action Of
the brotherhood.
. RsroErrx-They say the brotherhood is back Of the
strike. Is II connected with 1t any way?
Mr. ARrnUK-No. II is not. In the nrst place the
al ALL As an organization we are not participating in
It Ny advice to members OF tho brotherhood has
been not 10 jeopardise their lives nor to compromise
their manhood
coxxuxlsx-Bur SYMPATHY
REroRTEE-Do you aid them In any wayp
Mr. AxrHux-0t course are In sympathy with
the railroad mon who arc on a strike, but
not with communism. As to causes and uti-
matc results We, OF course, have our views
we claim that the officers Of trunk lines who
have made these last reductions not justified in
dong so by thor reports submitted TO the
public, and which also think arc the immediate
causes OF the strikes
revoke rHK ORDSR TO REDUCE WAGES.
The best way 10 settle the difficulty is to revoke tho
order making the reduction and restore the OF
wages prior to July LIST. believe tho men will novcr
unless they do and that tho interior
lines will be controlled by trunk lines. The Central
Pacific and the Union PaciAc have acoedcd the
quests Of their by rcvoking their order to take
place July lst 1t Is tho prevailing opinion among tho
that these reductions were preconccrted move
the part OF the companies and this gave dis
satisfaction to tho men, eliminating In these strikes
Here los ono source OF the trouble
RAILROAD TYRANNY.
The arbitrary OF the local officers OF of
the toward the employees and the Brotherhood
has provoked feeling OF hostility toward railroad
managera Thoy have discharged men because tbey
belonged to the Brotherhood and to the recontly
formed Trackmcn's Union For instance, Mr.. Edgely,
general master mechanic Of tho Michigan Central has
avowed openly he would destroy the Brotherhood
that road Such conduct has only tended to aggra-
walton instead OF ccncilasng and aroused feeling
Of determination among m en- 70 resist II.
TIN RIOTS MIGHT HAVE BERN PREVENTED.
II Thomas A. Scott hsd gone himself to Pittsburg,
instead OF sending the soldiers all that boodshed and
ruin would have been avertcd. Whenever the officers
OF road have mot the Brotherhood and evinced dis
position treat with have had strike. 1t is
only whom thoy refused to arbitrase with that
have had strike, the only alternative to obtain
redress.
REPoRrER-How long will this strike contnuef
Mr.. AKrHuR-Unul tho companies yield. have no
means OF knowing when that will be- In ofncinl
capacity no officer in tho brotherhood has been con.
suited by other tho companies the strikers, with
tho exception of at Newark, whore was called upon
by the cngncors for advIcc. My advice there was,
already stated put thcir lives 10 danger their
se!ircspeot in peril.
RspoRrKR-Tt Is said that President Vanderbilt has
answered the Lake Shore men that he can do noth-
ing. What will be tho result to the brotherhood II
such is tho faclf
Mr.. ARrnuR-rnnt's rather peculiar question, be.
cause the engineers cannot work during tho strike II
even they felt disposed. rho probability is that
the strike continues tho Brotherhood will have TO take
hand before long.
REPoRrgR-On all the roadsp
Mr.. AKrHuR-On thoeo whore reductions have taken
place havo never considered It just strike on one
road to punish another
THE RAILROAD rnADxs UNION.
The Broshsrhood ef Losamolyc engineers oame inss
notice at Rochester, N. T., somewhere about 1895
Tho organization originally formed ior benevolent
purposes, and contained provision in its constitution
and obligations enforcing sobriety tho part OF
members quarterly journal Of the brotherhood was
| issued 1868 from the press OF the Ilsm.nat al
Rochester announcing the purposes OF the brother
hood aud containing Inducements elicited by tho
Temperance cause" from various railway pres dents
and supcrintendens. In fact many OF these corpora
| tons encouraged in a marked manner The form
alton OF subdivisions and lodges along their
lines The organization spread very rapidly, and
catching tho spirit OF the Iron Moudcrs rather tho
English National Labor League, which wast the right
wing OF the trades unions In the ong Strike" OF 1872
1t became a brotherhood Of strikers Chief Engineer
Arthur tho head of tho brotherhood is regarded by
his followers authority. They have a chdIIkc
faith IN his ability to counteract all the movements o
Messrs Vanderbilt and Scott and Will obey hts every
dic.um promptly and unqucstlohinay.
AN IMPORTANT CHANGE
since tho brotherhood changed It's organization
from benevolent and temperance society 10 O trades
union they have adopted ritual and instituted
number OF degrees modelled upon tho degrees of o
bluo iodgc OF Masons Tho third highest degree is
conferred upon engineers aud conductors no Others
being eligible The second degree Is confined 10 nrc-
men and baggage masters, and tho third to switch
tenders and brakemcn.
| The dues about 81 per month, and from these
$4,000 600 have been accumulated. This money has
for use in of general strike
throughout the United States, which has long
been contemplated When strikes havo been
along the line Of some particular road cxtra as
scssments have been made upon m mbcrs Of from 81
TO $25 each TO sustain the strikers In relation 10 tho
Pennsylvania Railway tho engineers claim that even
since the reduction In wages they mucn better
pay than their fellows employed by the other trunk
lines cast and wcsI Tho average pay on other lines
70 engineers is $40 per month willie hs sane class Of
employ IS on the Pcnnsy vania road enrn as high az
$12s per month Again, the ton per cent reduction
does not apply 10 thosc receiving $40 por month OF
css. Those who were paid 81 arc paid 81 so pei
day, and those paid IS before now get 81 TO-
NEW YORK.
THE BLOCKADE AT ALBANy-AII. THE sHors
OF THE CENTRAL ROAD cLosED--FsEIeH1
TRAINS ALL DETAINED.