The daily gazette., 1877-07-30
Library Of Congressliy7s

work II he is dissatisfied with his pay, aud
l say 10 you That If you can do better else
where or In any other vocation it is injust-
Ice tos yourselves and To- your families to
remain longerin thesefvice. You ltaref of
fred the siuie wages as are paid to men
occupying similar petitions on the other
trunk roads. You are not asked to accept
one cent less than they receive, .r
3Asp this company Isl AeompelIed to~meet
those lines in competition 1t has a right to
demand that you should not interfere with
it's obtaining men to perform yonr duties
at the same, rates Of pa. TIE New York
Central and the Erie roads have resumed
operations on this basis, The Renpsyl vanis
road, l am reliably Informed, follows their
example Tonight. Is the Baltimore and
| OHIO railroad which was the first to inaug.
uraie this difficulty, to be the last to resume
operations
| therefore appeal to- you to resume
your places and to take out your traius
promptly when ordered. l destinc'ly
state to you that ID is the int fiticn n OF The
com pany TO open its road. The Cover
nor of The State demands it, this COM
munity demands it. Now I bave stated
to your committee that whatever real
grievances exist shall be redressed The
principle cause, of the trouble has un-
doubtediy been the retention of toe
many men of your class in the service
thereby lessening the ability of each
N an to earn competency. This l am
glad to say, is in fair way to ba recti-
fed from natural causes, and shall Ger.
tainly be rectified by judjcious steps
looking to that object,
/ Tne abun liant crops and the pros poets
for an increasing business justify the
reas enable anticipation that there will
be largely increased amount of work
Satisfactory arrangements will be made
to enable you to pass to and from youi
homes with the least possible delay and
without cost Of transportation.
10 concede the ten per cent. which you
demand must frankly state is not on "
entirely out OF the question, bat will re-
coil upon yourselves ina manner which
would render still harder the difficul.
ties incident to the depressed condition
Of the times. In the first place it, woulJ
be acknowledging the principle that any
small body OF dissatisfied men should
have the right to CT e. cs the company in
to measures-a principle which woulG
be utterly subversive MOI only of al
discipline, but which would entirely de
stroy the financial status of tAaHailroa6
companies. 1t would at once be cog,
nized that the president and directors
| no longer govern their own affairs, but
| they were subject to the caprice of even
| a limited percentage of the employees
Capital would take alarm, Investors
would shun this class of property. and
the result could not be otherwise than
disastrous; railway interests would soor
| languish, and the very means by which
[ ycu obtain livelihood would be seriou.-
| ly threatened.
You must recognize the impossibilitI
of the company's making any furthe
advances. IL has met you in libera
and conciliatory spirit, and expressed {
! willingness and desire to aid all in it
power 10 render you satisfied and con
tented. l therefore appeal to you to re-
sumo your positions, or il not, to inter
pose no obstacle to the movement OF tn,
company's trains. Any interference,
must be visited BY prompt and summary
action, and you may rest assured thai
the entire power of the State and tn,
general government will be exerted'' I,
maintain law and order.
The speech of Mr.. Keyser was listened
toattentively and respectfully. Some o
the parts which touched the men b!
their earnestness were applauded.
sPEEcREs OF STRIKERS.
! Mr.. q. Ii. Sheckles, one OF the com
mittee of the strikers, replied in an ad'
dress in favor of standing by the de-
mands made by the men. He stronSl!
opposed the company's proposition, re-
citing the. grievances suffered by tn.
men and the insuficiency of their pa!
for the support of their families. ii,
closed by III sing them to vote down th'
terms oifel ed by the company.
Mr.. j, II. Elder, chairman of the CON
| ,,x,& h,t. A.,N - kn
pose, and offered resolutions relating Il
the subject. A vote was taken and tn,
proposition OF the company was rejected
unanimously. Mr.. Keyser then with
drew from the meeting. ID r