Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1883-08-02
THE TELEGRAPH STRIFE.


how the strike was arranged. The
public saw the operators abandon their
instruments at 4 given time, and take
up their coats and hats to leave the
office, according to preconcertcd
plan. The details were not carried in
to effect in an hour, or even in few
minutes, but wore the out-grOwth of
tho meeting of the Executive Council
held in New York last week. When
the Western Union proposed to refer
the troubles to special committee of
Directors, the Brotherhood thought the
order was to gain time, in order to pro-
cure operators from the country before
the operators could be dccd and
asked to do their worst
The Directors ignored the operators
by not calling for u conference for the
exchange Of views, and when that fact
became evident the brotherhood con
cluded it was best for their own in
tcrests to order 4 general strike and
bring the companies face to face with
the issues which had been raised. A
cipher dispatch was accordingly sent
out from New York on Wednesday
evening with an ample list of instruc-
tons how 10 act So rs To receive the
simultaneous suspension of business all
over the country. After the meeting,
which was held at Turner Hall, MIR.
Mortimer d. Shaw was presented with
an order from the Executive Council
instructing him TO notify all leaders in
offices and warn them to be prepared
for the crisis He explains the man
ner in which this was done, saving that
the Executive board determined 10 use
u regular form for giving the strike
signal to all local assemblies, tho
only difference being in the signature
which was different and distinct
word for each assembly in the United
States and Canadas. The dispatch
sent read as follows:
"Unl0sS otherwise notified, all men,
bcrs working for the Western Union
Telegraph Company, including Mutual
Union, tho American Rapid Telegraph
Company, the Baltimore and Ohio
Telegraph Company of the United
States, and tho Great Northwestern
Telegraph Company of the Dominion
Of Canada, will strike at - noon,
Washington time, Thursday, July ~.
The companies have refused to treat
with us. DO no unlawful act.
"(Slgned) -"
The signal for st. Louis was "Sar-
dine" for Kansas City, "Labrador;"
Omaha, "Padua;' Pueblo, "Ragusa;"
Topeka, "Tyrol;' St. Joe, "Sarnac."
This message was received at ST..
Louis at Il midnight, July Is, and was
handed TO Mr.. Shaw at l2;lO Il. m,
together with instructions from Pitts.
burg to furnish copy, properly signed,
to New Orleans, Galveston, Dallas,
Little Rock, Kansas City. St. Joseph,
Mo-; Omaha, Topeka, Kan; Pueblo.
Col, and other points.
Said Mr.. Shaw: 1.-The Brotherhood
IS too well systemati2ed to trust such
an important matter as ordering Il
strike to such haphaHard chances Us
tho rumor would have to run, rs it
might have reached any city
upon wire which was being manned
by nOn.membcr-the where would
our notice have been? No; we were
positively forbidden to take any action
unless this form was used Why, had
| received that message with the
wrong signature even, | would have
been compelled to obtain correction
before action was taken. The signal
agreed upon 10 quit was that when
Washington, d, c., tclegraphed St.
Louis noon time. Al that place Mr..
Sleight, the Associated Press Operator,
was to stand up and raise his right
hand and say, "brcak," " but Indianap-
oils promptly closed the key at 1l:Oj, |
st Louis time, saying, "Good-by, boys! |
God bless youl' And thus the move
ment was few moments precipitated. /
"To provide against the possibility |
of failure in receiving the Washing |
ton time as a signal to quit, it was pre-
arranged that | should be stationed
upon the street, and would communi.
cate the order to those in the office by
taking off my hat. The story that Il
big fat man appeared at the window
is not true. The truth is, it was Miss
Katie Higgins who stood there to see
the signal, which was simply to take
oll'my hat and wipe the perspiratinn
from the band with my handkerchief.
Upon seeing this signal she turned to
the operators behind her and holding
up her hand, said "broak.' Mr..
Sleight also arose from his seat at the
and did the same. The pro-
gramme was carried out exactly"
EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS.
The strike of the tecgraphers, says
tho Chicago Journal, suggests some
considerations which are apt, and
which will have to receive attention at
no distant day. Tho relations of em-
ployes and employers, especially when
the employers are vast incorporated
must inevitably before
many years require the interpostion of
a tribunal TO settle disputes and rcgrl-
late wages and terms of service in cases
where tue two parties cannot agree;
and yet how such tribunal can be
constituted appears like one of the most
hopeless problems of this advanced .
civilization. Certain starting points
must be taken for granted,
|. Tho doctrine of the commune,
that the laborer acquires an ownership
Of any legal or equitable kind in the =
which his labor creates, or !
that he shall in any way exercise con- {
-rol of the business or property of the ;
can never be admitted The }
owner of property must be secure and :
lnchallenged in its ownership and con-
,rol. The employe cannot claim any 7
partnership, unless as matter of favor +
n contract, in his employers rights, d
profits, possessions and franchises.
?. Labor organizations are not only
but they are commendable n
lgencies by which the rights of labor .
nay be protected, its interests advanc-
ID, and its elevation and improvement
provided for. But they are not iusti-
led in acts of violence, for even in
and maintaining nuisances, Il
spionages and system of terror on
hose not belonging to their societies, II
II who, If they do belong, desire to a
from the body aud act inde-
n
8. Labor should have some redress "
nd security against capital, monopoly W
nd power. But this redress is to be
ought through the ballot-box, in elect n
ng men as members OF the law-making n,
oWer who will not consent to such ~