The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-18

granted to give so important matter due
consideration. In the opinion OF a high
official OF the company the pay OF operators
should be advanced on the basis Of merit,
and nine hours should constitute fair days
work, with extra remuneration for all extra
labor 1t was his opinion, as well as the
opinion of the officials generally, that, owing
to the sliding-scale reduction made some
time ago, the best operators were underpald.
AT the same time the company would never
consent to a universal advance OF 10 per
cent. on salaries without regard to the quail
fcations of the operators; nor could favora-
BILE consideration be given to any demands
that were made in so positive and perempto-
ry manner.
The policy of the company. in the event
of strike is this: Should it be found inn
possible to retain sufficient number OF men
to carry on business as before, the main
offices of the company will be closed. and all
business will be refused. This is thought 10
be the only course which would be just TO
the patrons OF the company and to the pub
llc at large. When a strike occurred in St.
Louis, some time ago, an effort was made to
carry on business as usual, but the dispatches
accumulated so rapidly that many could not
be sent until three days after they had been
filed. Most of them would have reached
their destination sooner ii they had been
sent by mail. Hence the management OF the
Western Union in this city is in favor Of
oIOllAllS u y as SOOil as IES SlIlh6 OGCtIGS anu
OF waiting until the operators are induced
by the force OF public opinion to take an
equitable view OF the situation.
The next step of the company it is said,
will be to discharge every ybody, as by getting
rid OF the payroll they will escape their
greatest expense. After this general dis
charge they will establish supplementary
payroll, on which they will put the names
OF those who desire to remain with the COM
pany, and also OF such strikers as may choose
to come back within reasonable time The
men who are retained on this supplementary
roll will receive their former salaries at least,
and probably small advance, whereas those
who nave obstinately refused to work if they
are ever taken back, will be received on the
company's own terms
The company will take advantage of the
opportunity afforded by the strike to reor-
ganize its force, and is determined to dis
criminate in favor of those who are loyal
and against those who desert it in its hour of
need.
With reference to the press the officials of
the company say they will do their utmost
to give the newspapers the best possible serv-
Ice IN the emergency. Much will depend,
however, on the number of striking opera-
tors, and also on their willingness to make
reasonable concessions or to suspend the
strike in part so far some of the newspa-
pers are concerned. Experience has shown
that the press is of the utmost advantage to
both sides in an emergency of this kind, and
the general public has but little sympathy
with any combination which results in de-
prIving the people OF the news
In the opinion of the management the op-
orators will find themselves mistaken if they
count on the sympathy of the public after
submitting, on SO short notice, demands both
arbitrary and offensive Busiuss men will
conclude, the officials think, that several of
the demands are on their face unreasonable,
and that all have been made in an improper
manner