National Republican., 1883-08-16
SIGNS OF SHAKINESS.
A Committee Of TelegrapherS Ask Gen. Eckert
10 Make Terms With Them.
He Advises Them to Make Application
to the Local Managers,
A Sharp Letter from Master Workman Campbell
CriticSing This Rebuff
An Abstract OF the Views Presented TO the
Senate Committee.

committee Of six, being striking operators,
formerly employed by the Western Union
Telegraph company, waited on Gen. Eckert,
and asked for an interview, which was
granted. The committee said they repre-
sented the Morse operators, the Wheatstone
operators, and the linemen in the employ of
the Western Union, but that their call was
not to bo considered as weakening ON the
part of the brotherhood. Their purpose was
to inquire on what terms tho men would be
taken back into the service.
Gen. Eckert said he would recommend that
those now out should apply to their respec-
tive superintendents as to the terms for re-
sumption Of work.
The executive committee Of the Western
Union Telegraph company met to-day. Among
those present were Jay Could George Gould,
Russell Sage, Cyrus Field, Harrison Durkee,
and Con. Eckert. Routine business only was
transacted, and no reference was made to the
strike. After the meeting the committee
held an informal conference in regard to the
application of tho committee of strikers to
Gen. Eckert, and heartily indorsed his action
in referring them to their superintendents
for information as TO the terms upon which
they will be taken back.
Tho following letter was brought to the
associated press Office this afternoon dated
Manhattan hotel, and addressed to the asso-
ciated press:
NEW YORK, Aug. 15--MR THOMAS I. EcKERT,
General Manager and Acting President Of the
Western Union Telegraph Company-ST; On the
sixteenth of July the executive board Of the
Brotherhood of Telegraphers waited on you and
presented petition on behalf the employees OF
your company, requesting your consideration of
grievances which they desired 10 have redressed
You stated at that time that you could not reoog-
niZe the right of that board to speak for your EN-
poyes, and have since repeatedly asserted your
Willingness to receive committee composed
g ,1gNrAu AE thn ONNT md NAT NFn.
senting any organization. believing that you
were sincere in your desire so to act ON in
men, representing your employees in
three of the most important cities, called on you
to-day for the purpose 81 ERECTING an amlcanle
of the committee, 10 say the least, was arrogant and
decidedly disrespectiul, and there was no eyi-
dence on your part of a desire to treat with the
gentlemen W no waited on you. Your action to-
day will readily show to the public that the com
employees or the public, and it wifi be
still further apparent that in your ayowed
desire to treat with the employees indiyld.
than to break up the brotherhood, thereby deny
ing the right of the workingmen to combine for
mutual protection, and in order TO discriminate
against those whom you may be pleased to regard
as leaders in the movement. -,,,-.,...
Since all our attempts to effect reconciliation
have proved futile, we desire TO state that it
is the Intention OF the brotherhood to ignore your
ultimatum, and carry on the fight with renewed
vigor and determination by every legitimate
means III our power.
BY order OF the executive board.
Respectfully yours, JOHN CAMPBELL.
Although this document came in an irregu-
lar way, was characterized by some erratiC
spelling, and was written in q cramped hand,
entirely unlike the free and usually hand
some chirography peculiar to the operator,
there is little doubt that IL Is authentic. u
The Western Union officials said this morn
ing that everythingi is remarkably quiet; tnat
the wires were not tampered with last night
and that consequently there was no delay il
getting to work this morning. They also
stated that business was increasing every day
and they were able to handle it promptly, not
withstanding all reports to the contrary. The
attitude of the Western Union company re-
mains unchanged with regard to the strike
and there is now very little prospect that
the brotherhood will obtain what it has de-
manded. 1t is said that there are many
among the striking operators who have
begun to feel that it is useless to continue
the fight any longer, and they predict
that failure of the strike will
be the death of the Brotherhood
of Telegraphers, as it was of the league thir'
teen years ago. The gold and stock telegraph
wires were all in working order this morn
ing, the injuries of yesterday having beer
fully repaired. 1t is thought that the re-
doubled vigilance on the part of the police in
consequence of yesterdays .order prevented
the wire cutters from carrying out theii
usual programme last night.
l1OBOkEN, IN. d., aug lO'-I uO WlIO Cul'
tors renewed their operations again last NIGH
in this city. None of the telegraph compa
mics were molested, but the trunk line of the
New York and New Jersey Telephone com
pany was again sufferer. The cutting was
done at an isolated spot on Grand street, al
the corner of Eighth street, where nineteen
wires were severed.
NEW YORK, Aug. 15.-The United States
senatorial committee on labor and education
continued its inquiry to-day regarding thu
telegraph strike. The examination OF John
S. McClelland was resumed. lie submitted in
accordance with the request of the committee
aquantty of the evidence which he had pre-.
pared in regard to the ronclad Oaths which
employers in various industries were in the
habit of administering to their workmen
when they received them into theil
service The list included the pottery madn'
tacturers of East Liverpool, Ohio, last year
which was administered in consequence ol
n lockout and which was an agreement on the
part of the workmen in thNir employ not tC
connect themselves with any labor organiza
tion. The witness said that the Western Union
company adopted u similar plan, and hC
could produce employees who could prove it
Threats had been made by many railroad
companies that they would discharge any
men whom they discovered TO be members Of
the Brotherhood of Telegraphers. Among
others the Pennsylvania railway and the
Michigan Central company had employed
this means Other instances of the means
taken by capital to enslave the workingmer
were given by the witness, Among these wa,
the contract of lease executed by the Hanks
Nut Coal company, of Ansted, West Virginia
and its employees for tho rent of houses upor
the property Of the company the conditions
upon which the employees of Kimball
& Co., cigarette manufacturers, of Roches
ter, N. y, We're received back int
the employ of the company aftel
some trouble in regard to wages a circular
issued recently by w. S. Rogers & Co., shot
manufacturers of Cincinnati, and sent Il
various firms in the same business in tha
vicinity, requesting them not to employ Ger
tain persons discharged by Rogers Il Co. be
cause they refused 10 abandon the union o
which they were members, and the discharge
of 100 employees of the firm of IT, p, d y. S
Smith, shoe manufacturers of Burlington, n
j., because they refused to give up thei
union. The witness also furnished statistic
regarding strikes which had occurred durinl
recent years. Since 1870 the number Of re
corded strikes which occurred in Europe wa
2,352. The trade in which the most frequen
strikes occurred was the coal miner. Tit
building trades came next in order.
The statistics showed that during the tei
years 9,027 weeks or 81, 1862 days had been los
by the men who engaged in them, represent
ing wages amounting to S2223I75O, or th'
entire number Of strikes occurring y wor
known TO have beon won by the workmen
$50 lost, and 81 compromised, leaving abou
Q000 unaecnunted for which, in all prOba