The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-01

Frank Abbott lato General Secretary and Treasurer,
approprang the funds Of tho ASSOCIATION for SELL
aggrandlzcmont instead or paying II 70 the widows
and orphans, as laws of the association d.
rect and he has attempted To justify himself
by stating In tho Port Jcrvis Union that he
agreed loan about eight Thousand dollars OF the
funds OF tho association bond ana mortgage
property IN Sullivan county, y. ", expecting II
to DO approved by the directors but they refusing
10 do 80 he was unable TO return tho money at
once The whole statement IS fabrication. He
offered the association any mortgages Hc
had right to loan the money the association
than no haa TO enter bank and abstract the contents
OF the sale. We paid him salary 81 800 per year
to transact the business, and 1t his duty to forward
the money TO those to whom II rs soon as he
received it. have diEressed little to make this
statement and the misrepresentatons made by
M Abbott. We paid nearly million dollars to
the Insured, and disburscd to the needy OF our
hard earnings $50 600 wc have reclaimed tho falcn
reformed tho drunkard and furnished The public and
railroad companies with better, more skilled and
trustworthy class OF engineers than they prcvious
to the inception OF tho brotherhood.
SETTLING DIFFERENCES.
Tho only change made In policy OF adjusting
differences between tho companies and their engineers
during the past thirteen years the Chief
fails in his efforts TO effect settlement Instead Of
submitting the grievances all they
are submitted 10 committee, composed Of thirteon
members, who arc elected annually selected Tor
their known ability ana judgment and IN OF q DIS
putc arising upon tho road where member OF the
committee Ia employed no Is not allowed 10 act; tho
committee appoints substitute. This Is done u
ablo the committee 10 act impartaliy Our laws re-
quirc tho members to exhaust their efforts 70
just all differences ,ha, may between them and
their employers before sending for their Grand Chief
When they send for him is his duty go and use oil
honorable In his power to prevent .
rupture between the company and engineers. II
he fails 10 effect satisfactory adjustment
he then tho committee of thirteen aud lays
tho matter before thsm II they by thirds vote,
decide the men will be justified in stopping work tho
Grand Chief notifies the committee the oil the
decision, and II they then decide quit the OF
the company they will be sustained by the whole
ganzaton. tho General Committee determining what
amount shan be paid each member while OF
work account OF a strike. We believe policy
be wise and just Que. aud by strikes have been
avertod upon thirecn different roads during past
three years. and hadthe officers OF the Central oil New
Jersey, Grand Trunk, Boston and Maine, and Phadel
phia aud Reading condescended to recognize tho
Brotherhood, evnced the spirit toward us that
VIC have invariably manifested toward them, tho
strikes would mover have occurred upon those roads.
For Daring TO resist tyranny and oppression have
been zdbnounoed in unmcasured terms. Laws
have been cnaossd In number Of States restricting
the rights am privileges OF engineers charmed
circle has been drawn around the railroad
of those ttaes absolving them from pisnce with
every law which demands recognition and obedience
from tho wolkingmcn in their humble though not less
honorable sphere. Htherc Is a rock now hidden from
the sight Of the great OF the American people
upon which the glorious Republic Is in danger OF gong
toward class legislation Liberty is rapidly becoming
q byword and Justice is almost farce from the
in which 1t s dispensed by woud-bo dictators and
autocrats assert in face OF whatever insinuations
may have been may be thrown by corporations
or their allies that the Brotherhood for object
the Improvement Of morals and tho development OF
greater proficiency among tho engineers Of the copn
try providing for sickness and death, to which
constantly exposed and tho honorable and audabie do
sire to ajust equitable compensation for tho
arduous services rendered tho corporations the dis
charge OF our duties What individual, single handed
and alone, secured concessions, justice,
from wealthy and dictatoriai corporations We are
banded together for scfprotecon and In these days.
when capital remorsclessy sets Its iron heel upon
the necks of tho laboring casses ask In the
Of God aud humanity, are VIC not justified in using
every honorable means provido for the wants Of
ourselves and fames2 II has been asserted there
was not sufficient for strike upon the Boston
and Maine road; that 1t was merely a question OF ten
cents day. little over u century ago paltry tax
few chests Of tea In Boston Harbor was deemed
Of sufficient importance to precipitate would be
ton into bloody and devastating war. Ten cents
day small matter, but the spirit Of railroad
corporations is antAmerican and
they have proclaimed 10 the world that working
men have rights which capitalists are bound
brotherhood were active participants in the
present conflict thoy the insugators OF it, which
l most emphatically deny We have alliance with
any other class OF employee We were not consulted,
and know nothing about the strikes until we read
about them in the papers; yet have hesitation in
saying that, as an organization, we are sympathy
with tho railroad men now engaged tho strikes,
ind believe, with tho exception Of the Erie road they
wcro justified in refusing To work last re-
ducton and in pcrsuading ard hiring others not to
take their places. Beyond that they had right to
no. no matter how much they ielt aggrieved; and all
those who have resortcd 10 violence have forfeited all
claim to public sympathy and looked upon and
treated outlaws. But 1t we'll for pause and
consider what has brought about state OF affairs
and endeavor to lind and apply a remedy.
FINDING ANb APPLYING REMEDY.
Tho misfortune o. day much capital In tho
hands Of ignorance, controlled by avarice and pride.
Capital in tho hands OF intelligence sustained by gem
orous sheraton for the welfare of ali men, is To- be
loved and encouraged but when USED TO pamper ndo-
lcnce, to sustain faso notions OF prdc building up
CASTE creating extremes In SOCIAL gous and domes
tic society, IL pust not only DO frowned upon but
must by we'll organized combinations o. nteloc-
.ua enlightened labor Thus The comb inatons oil labor
may, while not seeking to control capital give it bet.
direction and each will become mutually mindful
OF the othor; the employer Will respect the employee
while he in turn seeks TO advantage his employer
The system OF railway agemen, and OF payi ny
railway employees has undergone very radical change
within the past years. and to This change we can
attribute the present trouble
The financial embarrassment and bankruptcy of
many OF tho trunk lines. to say nothing Of the minor
roads, has boon occasonod by the criminal
mismana cement Of those who werc originally put INTO
Office by tho stockholders, but who have finally, by
rocans of the opportunity thus obtained. bccome