The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-08-14
TIE LABOR WORLD.
THE U. s. SENATE COMMITTEE

NosInE Around to FIad oat Few POiattrs en-
the Telegraph Sirlks-Ths Views Of aGster
Workman Campbell on the Situation sud
the CGusss That Led to the Strike.
NEw York, August 1S.-The isub. Com
mittee OF the United States Senate Com
mittee on Labor and Education, begun its
sessions to-day in the postotIice building.
The members present are Senators Blair, OF
New Hampshire, Chairman; George, of
Mississippi; Pugh, OF Alabama; Cell, OF
Florida, and Aldrich, Of Rhode Island.
The special subject for investigation is
strikes and labor movements in general,
the object being to obtain information
which may be used in securing future
legislation TO prevent them.
The fret witness to-day was Master
Workman John Campbell, Of Pittsourghi
He testified that he had been telegraph
operator for over twenty years, and had
been connected with the Knights oi Labor
and the Brotherhood Of Telegraphers tor
Two years. There were between 1900 and
10000 telegtapbes in the United States
aud Canada members ot the Brotherhood.
and the whole membership is about y, 600.
The cause Of the strike was the refusal 10
grant demand on the part OF the opera.
tols for au increased compensation, aud
decrease in hours and extra compensation
for Sunday work. Since 1870 the salaries
OF telegraph operators have been syste-
matically cut down, and the object OF the
strike was to bring the rate OF conpensa-
tion back TO the former standard. Opera.
tors are now paid fixed salary per month,
the average rate throughout the conn
try being about titty.four dollars for
commercial operators aud thirty-nine q
month for railroad operators. The aver
age rate for railroad operators in Pennsyl-
yania BY actual census il SIS S. per month.
The salaries in New York city were higher
than those in smaller cities, with the ex.
ception OF New Orleans, Memphis and
Nashville, where the scale OF wages was
about equal to that in this city. The low
est rates for commercial operators were
from $35 to $40 per month for operators at
small way stsuons. Before tho reduction
lin wages rates were 80 to 40 per cent higher
than al present. In 1870 frst.class opera
tors could make from $50 to Sl20 per
month. These rates extended back TO the
beginning OF the war, when the scale oi
wages was about the same as it is at pres
ent Tor railroad operators and that for COM
mercial men little higher.
THE WESTERN UNION COMPANY.
The Western Union Company employs
one quarter OF all the operators in the
country, aud about two-thirds are railroad
operators. The American Rapid Company
only employs about one-tifth as many
operators as the Western Union. The pro.
test OF the Brotherhood was against all
companies and all employers oil telegraph
operators. The rate oil wages was not con-
sidered sufficient to live upon, aud was
much below that OF common day laborers.
In many instances the companies we're
able to pay higher wages to their men
without increasing their rates for service
to the public. This was evident from tho
large dividends paid by the Western
Union. Besides this, the facilities for
Transmitting messages have been increased
by the invention oil duplex and quadruplex
instruments. There has been no reduction
in the tariff in consequence OF these i'm.
proyements; but, on the other hand, the
wages OF operators was cut down. The
humber OF operators had doubled since
| 1870, while the facilities Il the companies
had more than doubled. The Western
Union in that year handled 1000, COO mes
sages, and last year the number was thirty
live million. Campbell related the history
OF the strike since its beginning. There
was convention OF me Brotherhood, he
said, held in Chicago last March, at which
bill OF grievances was drawn up. This
was presented to the different local Assem-.
bIies OF the Brotherhood throughout the
United States and Canada where 1t was
unanimously ratified by the action OF the
convention. The returns TO the Executive
Board were made about two months ago,
and the committee was instructed 10
present the demands OF the operators TO the
different companies, and they were also
empowered tO arbitrate upon any PROPOSE
tions that might be made by the compa-
MES.
On the 10th oil July demands were pre-
sented to the Western Union, American
Rapid, Baltimore < Ohio, Commercial and
numerous telephone companies. The only
answer yet received is from the American
Rapid Company, which has partially ac-
ceded to the demands Of the Brotherhood.
The answer OF the Western Union Com.
pauy to the appeal Of the operators was that
1t was not known whether the committee
had authority to speak for the employees OF
the company. Mr.. Campbell said 90 per
cent OF the employees were members Of the
Brotherhood. The operators Lad fre-
quenlly presented grievances to the local
managers for an increase OF wages, but
these had been disregarded.
A SYSTEM OF BLAcX-LIsrISd.
It is generally believed the Western
Union Company had well established
system OF blsck-listiug men who made
application for an increase Of wages, and
took the first opportunity to discharge
them on some pretext or another. Favor
iteism was shown by all local managers,
aud skill was at discount, A system ot
intimidation was practiced by the officials
OF the company. Since 1870 several move.
ments had been started to organized the
operators, but all failed on account OF this
system Of intimidation. b-4 l,I
John Mcclellan, an officer Of the Broth. |
erhocd and operator Of fourteen years, said |
the direct cause OF the strike was the In.
suit offered by the Western Union Com
many to the committee OF the Brotherhood
In refusing 10 reGogniEe or treat with them. |
Until then it had not been expected a |
strike would occur. But 1t was thought |
the company would be willing 10 listen to
the demands OF the men aud come tosome |
adjustment II possible. The grievances
we're real ones, and II there bad been q
spirit OF concession on the part q the com.
pany the operators would have met them
In this spirit. II was shown that General
Eckertand other officers q Lhecompany had