Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-07-23
From the Sunday Herald.
STRIKING TELEGRAPHERS.
The Companies Claim to be All Right

There is no disputing the fact that the tele-
graphers have found substantial cause for
encouragement during the past "a hours.
The telegraph companies, especially the
Western Union. also claim that yesterday
was a healthy and progressive day in their
offices throughout the country. This may be
true as far Ms it applies to Boston and New
York and most of the intermediate offices.
but in Chicago and some other western,
as well as in some of the southern cities. the
public telegraph service is pretty thoroughly
| out of gear. The members of the brother
| hood who went cut on Thursday are not only
holding together in manner worthy of the
| cause which they have at heart, but they are
hourly receiving acquisitions to their ranks
| all over the country. If the writing of the
wrongs of the underpaid and overworked
telegraph operators depended upon their own
loyalty, the public sympathy, and clear
dispensation of even-handed justice. there
would be no question of the outcome of the
pending differences with the various COM
panies. Though the suffering public may
| depreciate the bold step which has been
| taken, yet there are none to be found who
will deny that the majority of Western Union
employees engaged in the movement have
been burdened with grievances for many
years. The operators have shown this to the
A
manner that the feeling of public sympathy
has been involuntary and spontaneous.
| Under the encouragement which the COM
passion of an enlightened community engen-
ders, with their ranks growing more solid
every hour, and with hardly desertion in
any section of the country, it is not strange
that the members of the brotherhood are en-
thusiastic and jubilent Under the inspira-
ton of the justice of their cause, coupled
with the consciousness of the losses which
the companies are suffering daily, together
with the popular indignation which is being
aroused. the operators reason that it is only
question of a few days when their demands
will be granted. They do not overestimate
their necessity for the proper transaction of
the telegraph business of the country when
they claim that it will take years instead of
months to supply their places with corps of
operators equally trained and skilled. The
officials of the Western Union Telegraph
company, though fully aware of all these
points against them, are nevertheless firm in
their determination not to yield the fraction
of degree to the demands which have been
made by the brotherhood. They argue that
| if single concession was made it would be a
| recognition of an organization which they
have resolved to contemptuousiy ignore. If
any of the operators desire to return, they
say they must make applications as individ,
uals if they expect consideration and employ
ment. This, in brief, explains the situation
as it stands today. Each of the contending
forces is as determined in purpose as it is
confident in the result. The course of the
| Western Union in the conflict seems to have
been guide for all the other companies. and
so long as the most powerful corporation
holds out it is not likely that any of the
| others will listen to terms of compromise.
1t has been limited that the American Rapid
company might possibly consider its action
of refusal and grant the demands of the broth
hood, but on inquiry at the executive Office
yesterday afternoon, revealed the fact that no
such question had been considered. Said one
of the striking operators on this point yester
day: 1.-The Rapid folks have lost golden
opportunity for reaping golden harvest, bat
unfortunately for themselves and us, they
could not see it. If they would only accede
to the claims of the operators they would be
flooded with business, and there are score $
of good men who would gladly work for
them without pay, if for no other reason
than to cripple the Western Union" There
is much truth in this observation of the
brotherhood men, and it is one of the incom.
prehensible features of the strike that the
Rapid company did not embrace the oppor
tunity to build up good business for itself
at the expense of its powerful rival. The
fact that it has failed to do this has excited a
suspicion in some quarters that the American
Rapid is already one of the acquisitions of
jay Gould and Mr.. Field.