The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1883-07-17
TELEGRAPHERS' TALK.
TELEGRAPHERS' TALK.
What Sedalia Operators Say
Regarding the Contem-
plated Strike.
A Bazoo Reporter Interviews q
Couple of Brotherhood
Members.

Meeting an operator employed in tn,
| Western Uuion Telegraph Office in thi
city, yesterday morning, BAzoO reporter
hurled at him the following interrogation
What about the strike that the Broth
erhood have been talking of inauguratins
Tomorrow"
Il am not at liberty to saw" responded
the party addressed, "but should a strike
be ordered il would not effect Sedalia"
"You are Brotherhood man, are you
not p
EYES,"
SLOW many are there in Sedalia belong
ing TO the order?"
Not less than ten"
"Why would the business not be inter.
fered with in Sedalia, then?'
simply because the operators in the
Western Union Office in Sedalia have no
grievances. Shonld strike occur, which
do not now anticipate, it would not ex-
tend beyond the large cities, where the
men are overworked and poorly paid.
hence have just cause for complaint"
"YOu know Of no dissatisfaction existing
among the craft in Sedalia, you say?"
81 can speak for myself positively in the
negative, and if any of my co-laborers have
grievances / never heard of it."
SHOULD there be strike in st. Louis,
would not the Western Union company
call on operators in the small towns to fill
the places vacated?"
"They probably would; but calling a
Liam out does not always insure his doing
IS directed"
"Would you not be violating an obliga-
ton as Brotherhood man by so doing?"
eyes, and for that reason but few would
respond. If strike should be ordered it
would pl ace the Western Union company
in bad situation."
"Do you think a strike would end in
good-that is, that it would insure fewer
b. urs' labor and better pay to those inter
ested?"
at certainly would. There is a great
difference between holding situation in the
Western Union cfice here and one in st.
Louis. In the latter city the operator
takes his seat in the morning and never
leaves it for five hours, no matter how
weary he becomes. Here, though, it is
different. We have reliefs, and when tired
can strOoll about the streets and seek the
needed rest. Give me country situation
every time"
Leaving the Western Union man, the
BAzoo next hunted up an operator who
holds responsible position in one of the
railroad offices and is a member of the
Brotherhood. When Intercepted regard.
ing the contemplated strike he said:
Il hope TO God il will Occur!"
"Why SOP" queried the reporter.
at will have salutary efect-now
mark my words"
I'm what respect ?"
"a strike is certain to be successfully
carried, and it will result in wedding out
hundreds of plug operators and putting in
their stead better men,"
"Will it not require the different COM
panies to pay better salaries?'
ayes, indeed. There are many opera |
tors employed by the Western Union COM
pany who do not get over $40 Per month,
and they are not worth even that. 1t is
this class that would be thrown out and
good men would take their places, to
whom salaries ranging from $50 to $50
per month would have to be paid. And, |
by the way, it would be a good thing for
the newspapers, as they would then have
operators to take press report. |
You can rest assured j am in favor of q !
strike"
"But will there be one?"
"As to that cannot say. The Brother |
hood will probably do what they think for |
the best" and so saying be walked of,
leaving the reporter no wiser than when |
be began the interview.
In this connection, the following special |
dispatch from New York City to the ST. |
Louis Republican of yesterday will prove |
of more than usual interest:
"Do you think there will be strike? ?"
was asked to-day of Mr.. John Mitchell,
one of the publishers of the Telegrsphers'
and a member of the Telegraph |
ers' Brotherhood.
81 do not believe there will be-" he said
but 1 do not know definitely. None of us
know anything about it. The whole mat
ter is in the hands of the executive COM !
mittee. They are not In the city, but they |
are considering the matter together. do |
not believe ahat the company want strike |
any more than the men do. All that is |
aeked is simple justice, and that the COM |
pany will probably grant at the asking"
"What hopes have the men of success ?"
"Tbe Brotherhood includes three-fourths |
Of all the operators in the country. There |
are 5000 of us. The majority of those |
who do not belong to the Brotherhood are
the graduates of the so-called colleges, and |
DO not know anything of the business, and
probably never will. 1t is safe to say that |
nins-tenths of the practical operators of
the country belong to the Brotherhood, and
will step out when the word comes"
"The Brotherhood, as it now exists, has |
not been long in existence. has it?'
about two years. You can imagine |
what our rate of growth has been. We
are branch of the Knights of Labor, an
organization that has initiated 1000, 900 !,
members. We are probably the strongest |
L.l - k.n W. Lauo alraua non