Ottumwa weekly courier., 1877-08-08
THE BRoTHERHOoD.
Grand Chief Arthur Explains the
Position.

prepared for the Inter Ocean
lengthy statement Of the origin and
designs of his order, embracing vari-
GUS points having an important bear
ing on the great strike. Arthur says:
eve are banded together for self
protection, and, in these days when
capital so mercilessly sets its iron
heel upon the necks Of the laboring
classes, we ask,
IN THE NAME OF GOD AND OF HUMANITY,
are we not justified in using every
honorable means to provide for the
daily wants of ourselves and families ?
Ten cents q day is a small matter, but
the spirit of some hardened corpora
tions, so anti-American and so un-
democratic, has proclaimed to the
world that the workingmen have no
rights which capitalists are bound to
respect.
IT is THIS SPIRIT
which has brought about the present
state of affairs. 1t has been asserted
that, although the brotherhood were
not active participants in the present
conflict, they are the instigators Of it,
which | most emphatically deny. We
have no alliance with any other class
of employees, were not consulted, and
knew nothing about the strike on the
Baltimore & Ohio until we read it in
the papers. Yet I have no hesitation
in saying that as an organization we
ARE IN SYMPATHY WITH THE RAILROAD
MEN NOW ENGAGED IN THE STRIKE
and believe, with the exception Of the
Erie road, that they were justified in
refusing to work under the last re-
duction, and in persuading and hir-
ing others not to take their places
Beyond that we had no right to go,
no matter how much VIC felt aggriev-
ed. Those
FEITED ALL CLAIM
to public sympathy, and are looked
on and will be treated as outcasts.
But is well for us to pause and con-
slider what has brought about this
state, and apply the remedy. The
misfortune Of our day is too much
capital
TROLLED ny AyARICE AND PRIDE.
Capital, in the hands of intelligence,
sustained by generous consideration
for the welfare of all men, is to be
encouraged but when used to PAM
per ind0lence, etc., must not only be
f'rowned on, but met by organized
combinations of intellectual, enlight-
ened labor. Thus combination of Ia
Dor may give capital better direction,
and both become mutually mindful
of each other.
THE SYSTEM OF RAILWAY MANAGEMENT
and the paying of employees has un-
dergone radical change within ten
years, to which attribute the present
trouble. The financial embarrass-
ment and bankruptcy of many of the
trunk lines, to say nothing of the
smaller roads, has been occasioned by
the mismanagement of those who
were originally put into Office by the
stockholders, but who finally, by
means of opportunities obtained, be-
came themselves practical owners of
property. Originally employed al
stated salaries TO give exclusive at.
tention to the details and general
management of stockholders proper.
ty, they had no better right to engage
in outside transactions than their
humblest of employees. Had such
railway managers given their time
and attention exclusively to the wlrk
they engaged to perform, not one oil
them to-day, from his legitimate in
come of salary, could honestly lay
claim to more than a modest $lOO, 600
What are the facts? These managers
known as presidents, first, second
third and fourth vice presidents, gen
eral managers, and assistants genera
managers, have taken advantage O
their official and controlling position
TO DIVERT MEANS JUSTLY BELONGING II
THE EMPLOYERS (THE sTocKHoLDERs)
into their own pockets. Let them re
fund to the various railroad corpora
tions these diverted revenues, ant
there will be no necessity of takin,
/ 10 and 20 per cent. off poor cmploye
to pay interest ON railway bonds il
foreign countries to keep them out O
the sheriff's hands,"
u Arthur continues: "What hav
these great magnates done with tn
; millions Of diverted railroad revc
J nues? They have manipulated stock
of corporations whose interests the
were originally employed to protec,
: to make themselves absolute owner
of the railroads. Where are tn
, stockholders that can now oust tn
/ ko al r..
] the trunk lines? Minor stockholder
: have no more control than switchmen
There has grown up
HPURsE-PRoUD RAILROAD ARIsToCRAC'
which, having the technical form o
law on their side, snap their finger
in the faces of the general communi
ty, and successfully defy opposition
r Well may these original employees
but finally owners Of the railroads
,, stand by and see few millions o
property destroyed, when they still
have in reserve many millions. Thes
men have diverted the revenue
through the channels of fast freight
/, express companies, sleeping car com
E panies, railroad hotels and eating
! houses, passenger insurance compa
> MES, telegraph companies, etc. Ur
: til these managing rings are broke
/ up, and practical, competent, homes
n men substituted, we shall continue
! have trouble. l do not wish to /
!; understood as claiming
l. ALL RAILROAD MANAGERS ARE DIsHOl
= EST,
= as I am personally acquainted with
number who are gentlemen in Il
= strict sense of the term, whose col
:, duct during the recent conflict was
!, marked contrast with that Of Ga
> rett, Scott and Vanderbilt. The lc
= ter says: Where we run eighv
trains per day year ago we are rul
: ming only thirty now. Still we ei
= ploy as many men as before Th
= leaves the impression that he il pa
J. ing 9 large force of hands that he h
= no work for.
~ THE TRUTH Is
i that it costs him no more to keep /
- engineers than it does fifty, and 1
= Same applies to all train men. TIL
;S receive no pay unless they run, al
70 70 there is NO road in the country whe
a. SO much dissatisfaction exists amo
=, employees
In AS ON THE NEW YORK CENTRAL, A
n. VANDERBILT KNOWS 1T,
" complaint after complaint havi
ty been made to him. The last time
T. committee Of engineers went to /
er him he positively refused audien
be and ten Of them, ON their return
m West Albany, were discharg,
Good engineers on that line ha