New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-15
u1sJyFORM1TTON BY WHOLEs1LI

The testimony given thus far before the
Senate Committee on Education and Labor IL
valuable chiefly as an indication of the kind
of information that is accepted by labor organ
izatious as the basis of their action For in
stance. the following statement was seriously
made by Mr.. McClelland, Master Workman
of the Knights of Labor:
The next day there was a statement that the COM
many could find room for thousand Of the men. Now,
II they really need these men, as zoe knop they DO each
of whom could send 300 day. IL Is evident on
that statement that the company is sending 100000
messages a day less than it did before the strike
The truth is that the Western Union has
never sent more than about 39,OOO,OOO mes
sages in year, and that is only about one
third of 100000 messages day." The wit
ness ought to have known, and doubtless did
know. that very few of the operators needed
are kept so busy that they send 300 messages
daily, His wild and random statement would
be of no importance or interest, however,
were it not evidence of the sort of calculations
upon which the labor organizations are too
apt to depend. Another witness, Distinct
Master Workman Campbell, of Pittsburs, tes-
tilted that every often the men who were re-
"garded as agitatOrs were dismissed, and their
thames put on the black list which was
"sent all over the country" When reminded
by the chairman that this was serious charge
which ought to be supported by ample details.
| if made at ALL the witness was able to name
lust two persons who had been dismissed, ana,
he said, "blacklisted.n but gave no evidence
that any such list had been "sent all over the
country" The same witness testified that
"tbe capital stock of the Western Union and
Mutual Union at the present time is about
"SlOO 900, 600" which will be news to the
officers of those companies, and went on to
give statements az to the alleged watering
of telegraph stock which do not agree with
any information attainable anywhere else
The difficulty with these witnesses, as with
the leading men of the labor organizations
generally, is that they mistake vague impress
s,ous for established facts. The country does
not stand in need of any more instrumentation.
The Knights of Labor, and other labor organ
izatOns, are particularly in need oil accurate
knowledge as to the corporations with which
they have to deal. But they are not likely to
| get il from the recognized leaders OF their
organizations, who blnnder so remarkably IN
the simplest matters. The notion that the
capital of n telegraph company ought to rep
resent only the actual cost of wires and poles
u as absurd as if one should say Tat profit
able newspaper was worth no more than the
old type and presses in its office. The patents
held by n telegraph company, and the estab-
lished business and good will which it has
under and in addition TO its contracts with
various corporations, are much the most inn
portant part of its property, but Of this part
the labor organic ttions seem to have no idea
whatever. 1t can hardly be expected that
these organizations will be prepared to advise
their members wisely until they acquire some
little knowledge of the corporations with
which they have to deal.