Daily globe., 1883-07-19
NO. 200.

on him to present memorial on Monday
last, and that his letter to Col. Clcwry, of
Chicago, outlining the position and re-
| sources of the company, and calling atten-
tion to the exhorbitant demands of that
committee, was likewise discussed and
warmly approved. The meeting did not
take cognizance, in fact. of the petition,
since it was held that whatever complaint
the employees of the company might have
to make must be made directly by them
selves to the company's offices. The sub
committee is not empowered, except to,
make report next week, Wednesday,
when the full committee meets again.
The composition of the committee is of
some interest as bearing on the temper of
the meeting and its future action. Glen
denim, one of the members, is president of
the Acadia Coal company, which has ex-
tensive mines in Picton, Nova Scotia. The
miners there have been a turbulent com
munity, and have FREQ uently indulged in
strikes. Clendenin has always manageta
these crisises and never yielded to the de-
mands made through the medium of a
strike. Ex-Gov. Cornell and Terry are also
said to be opposed to strike as means
of settling wage difficulties.
The wheatstone is a system Of rapid
transmission Of messages and news. 1t
has been in use many years in England.
but is a paratively new thing in this
country. The instrument will do nearly
ten times the work that can be done over
an ordinary wire. Should the wheatstone.
operators remain and the other operators
strike, the telegraph company would have
considerable advantage through the use of
this system.
GEN. ECKERT's VIEWS OF THE DEMAND.
NEW YORK, July 18.-The following tele-
gram from Gen. Eckert, general manager
of the Western Union Telegraph company,
explains itself:
New York, July 17.-R. G. CIowry, Gen
eral superintendent, Chicago: 4 commit
tee OF six persons called upon me yester--
day and presented memorial addressed to
the Western Union Telegraph company
and signed by themselves as members of
the executive committee of thirteen of
telegra piers OF the United States and
Canada.
This memorial calls upon the company
for certain concessions in regard to nours
and rates of pay substantially in accord
ance with the programme with which you
have been familiar since their March
meeting in Chicago. The party were asked
if they represented the employees of this
company and upon replying aftirmatively
they we're requested to furnish
list of such employees This
they said they were not able to do, stating
that it would require long time to pre-
pare list and they were here on expen
They we're told that the company did
know the committee or whether its mem
bers had authority from the Western
NH IN ;s 1,Nl0 IN cnTaf
any demand, and that we could not deal
with outside parties aside from the ques-
tionable manner of presenting such me-
MORALS.
One demand is that both sexes shall re-
ceive equal pay for equal work, and anoth-
er is for Is per cent. increase on all
salaries An operator now receiving a
salary of $50 would by this plan get a
larger percentage of increase than one re-
ceiYing $50 or 800, thus widening the
difference now existing.
An $50 operator at present working
nine hours daily, twentysix days Pr
m0nth-equal to 81 Is 100 cents per hour
under the schedule in the memorial the
same operator would receive S92 per
month for eight hours daily, equal 10 about
80 per cent. increase IN addition 10 ne
Sunday allowance Just granted IN
der the new rule. This is the smallest IL
crease demanded. In case Of q Wheat
stone operator receiving $50 per month
for twenty-six working days equal to
q and 36-1O0 cents per hour, the pro-
| posed schedule would give him II and 46-
100 cents per hour, an increase OF over 81
| per cent. Another demand is thar inc
men shall be allowed two days, pay Tor
/ Sunday work and that sos shall De lhe
lowest rate of pay regardless OF location
or Importance of service and that 4h9
duties of Hnemen shall be confined 10
| legitimate work.
Nothing is mentioned about the duties
of other classes being restricted to their
/ particular line of employment, but If sach
concession were allowed one class, there
is no reason for Withholding II from
J others and why Iinemen should have help
ers is not understood. Again double pay
for Sunday work would offer temp p.atl0n
to the men to slight their Saturday dlty
to create necessity for Sunday work.
The demand that both sexes shall BE-
paid the same for like service looks 10 he
driving of women labor from the ranks, as
were the company to conceds it. Il HCnld
be to the company's interest TO prefer men.
operators, who can be availed OF for a
] x
orators who may be equally capable for
general duty.
In published interview with a mem Der
of the committee he stated that since the
organization of the league petty w-e
troubles and mistakes in messages have
practically ceased, and that business has
been greatly facilitated, these results being
attributed directly to the fact OF the or
ganization. The reverse is the case. Op-
orators declining to join the organization
have been interfered with in their duties,
wires have been thrown out of working
condition. and in numerous oases
the official business of the officers of the,
company has been mutilated and seriously
delayed. A strike of American District
| linemen (members of the organiza-
tom took place in this city recently, since
which time the strikers have been en-aged
IN cutting the wires daily, one man now
being under arrest and indictmec: fer
| such lawless work.
| With thousands of able-bodied men out
of employment all over the country, mapy
of them applying to Us for work, such a
demand is remarkable. It is known t1at