New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-31
AIMS OF THE TELEGRAPHERS' BROTHER
HOOD

EdHoriatin The Chicago Tribune Of Sunday July29
The Photographers strike has brought more
conspicuOsy before the public tnan ever before the
fact that tbs evils corner and monopoly are not
confined to capital. The spectators in stocks oils,
meat. and the only persons who deal
IN FUTURES" Combination in La Dor Ia much "cor-
combination IN capital and the recent circular
prepared by the Brotherhood OF Telegraphers sent To
The telegraph operators employed by the railroads
tprnted in The tribune OF yesterday shows that the
organized operators contemplate building mp their
pacy coruerDg the market in every branch OF work
which requires special preparation and certain degree
of skill The most significant passa OF this circular
were those which relate IN the education or telegraph
rerators They propose to guard the portals of their
rfofsson suppress fraudulent telegraph colleges and
discourage the teaching OF the profession Ibey proceed
yer, Unipn 10 limit their bosses employment OF
one apprentices and other foreign trades-unions
to condemn tie trachng of apprentices altogether.
cy uronose 10 conine Instructions ipultion
telegraph instrument TO the children OF those now
engaged In tue work, aud thus transmit the monopoly
fr1 generation TO generation OF the class ia pos
session The telegraph operators are proceeding upon
premises which nj variance with all the principles OF
free government audare condemned ako by Intelligence
and fairness and public interest They have no moral
right and they Will fa IN heiraspiration forthe power TO
connne the knack OF telegraphng to some select aud
chosen circle OF who shall De Just numerous enough
to I'LL the places required ny te use OF thc telegraph
facilities and thus be able TO dictate their own ters
however eIorhitant 20 the public
IL undoubtedly true that the pay OF telegraph opera
has been deprecated by asuppy OF that class oil
labor excess OF the demand The employment being
clran fingered. gonteel kind has certain attrac
tions for young and young women which they
regard osetiing lis disadvantages In the rs place It
light and manual labor to which and
daughters OF the farmers are subject In the next place
: n a rule, and thus
granes the growing taste for urban hfe Then II Is
clean work aud does not soil shirt or wrtbard and tho
necessary skill L. acquired without the investment OF
very much 3ney and without the possession OF
any special mental abity.as prerequisite But no swo
and secret organizations OF operators by system OF
seouson exclusion can overcome or control the tend
ency of American youth TO gentee, easy, fashionable
employment OF this nature MARK Twain" In his new
book on Mississippi life gives account OF tho success
fu organization OF the river pilots to control wages, but
that effort assisted by peculiar conditions. The
know necessary TO pilot steamer the Mississippi
River compared with that necessary TO operate te
graph inst unens u cyclopedia To primer There
no longer any secret about elegraphing the Morse
dots dnses which excludes competition In that line
work Those who desire acquire tho necessary skill
will find no difficulty In doing In quite brief time.
IL may be admitted that II would be good policy on the
part the telegraph companies To discourage Inferior
operaors and encourage the best skill by refusal TO
employ the former ut any price and paying the latter
Individual or we'll managed private firm controlling tho
business IL would also he the policy OF the govern
ment control OF the telegraph under a proper Civil
Service system. But large corporations which are re-
garded their principal owners rather vehicles for
stock obng operations than AS permanent Investments
are rarely aged with view To the best service ana
the telegraph operators have not the means NJ their
command work revolution in this regard. Instead
attempting limit instruction In telegraph operating
To their relatives II will good deal wiser for them to
selves for some other y0cSt0n and Tor those now
gagged In teegraphy seek some broader field OF conf
dence sufficient ability To something Any attempt
deprive youth OF this country OF education In
in closing the doDrs of any reputable vocation against
energy and ambition. III there any danger OF IL
society would Interfere To prevent the injustice The
theory Is outrage upon modern ideas OF personal
rights aud freedom, aud tho elegraphers have commit
ted mistake in Judgment and In principle by advancing