The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-07-24
THE STRIKE,
Tho Oppressive Policy Of the Western
Union Company.

Tho Oppressive Policy Of the Western
Union Company.
[ Fom the Mo YORK. ITases Of N'iddy] |
The Western Union Telegraph Com
panv, by its cavalier treatment Of tho |
executive committee Of The Brother
ho"d Of Photographers, has succeeded !
in tnr0N ing The sympathy OF the pnh- .
lie wholly on the side OF the striking
operators. Its officers declined to en- !
tertain any proposition coming iruu ,
that committee, and left il no Nlterna-
tive hut to order II strike or appear in
an attitude of ridiculous imnOtcnce.
~ the risk Of ihjurinG its own cause
and Weakening the conti'tcncc OF tho !
operators the committee de!aynd action
twcnty-four hours to give the company
an opportunity to make ovcrtnrcs.
None were made, and the signal for
the strike was given 1T noon yesterday. |
No one can read the statement of the !
case given ont for publication by the !
executive committee without feeling !
that the operators had u very substan-
tlnl grievances. For several years the |
Western Union Company has been
striving to catablish Il virtual mOuop-
oily III the telegraph business. I has
50 far succeeded that it had Il control
transmission Of mcssaucs, but over The
wages of operators. During these
years it has employed every device to
increase it's profits, and has not only
raid liberal dividends, but has several
times inflated INC vOIumr Ur STUCK un
which they arc paid. At the same
time, 1t "pprars, the company has been
periodically scrcwing down the wages
Or IT'S employees to lower and lower
figures.
The demands made in behalf Of the
operators do not appear on the face of
them To be unreasonable. Their cm-
ih"yii"nt is one requiring skill and
hi2h degree Of intelligence, and close
application to it, is wearing upon the
mind and body. 1T ought Certainly to
be as well paid as the work Of first
class mechanics, and the confinement
and strain upon The nervous system
should lc considered in fixing the
length Of a days or nights work.
Sunday work, If person is employed
through the six weekdays, is fairly
entitled to extra compensation, and the
demand that women, if they do equal
work equally we'll with men, should
receive the same pay is absolutely just.
fut whether all the claims OF tie one
|
they had Il gricvHncn Of sufficient
wei ghl to cnti,lc ,hc,n TO considerable
attention. Thry should have been met
IL a spirit Of fairness and cuniiv, and
an attempt should have been nla,ic 10
adjust the difficulty ami,'ahlv.
Thus far The conduct Of the strikers
has been comErnlahlc, aul ii is t. be
hoped that they will avoid the mistake
of interfering with the libcralit,cS of
others or the property OF others. They
! are Stron" in their call:r and in their
union, amt it will DC ~ easy ma.:rr 10
MI their places. Meantime, the COM
ranies have their obligations e. the
| public. Under their chartered nrivi-
l"grS they arc bound to carry on the
ru>lncsSof transmitting messages, and
! We KNOW OF no reason why the un!i"u-
| ions OF common carriers should not
| legally apply to them. princihlcs Of
Law are always CAPABLE Of extension TO
whatever would logically come under
inrln, whether contemplated whru
they were established or not. The
carrying Of messages, whether bv Il
messenger on foot uc0n horseback, or
9y l,!. tcams or railroad trains, or through
pies Of Il cga11 orlig;iii5'' biisYYr Is
m" probably wonId bc juhirirrsl,'
construed to apply, if the q.r:,irn
were I" be tested. Ii is with Il view
TO TO il' II duty to the public as we'll as TO
!n3lr own interest, with which that
.,l"ccd Is inrNtricubly involved, that
'le telegraph companies should d.
M,'l' 'hlS matter. They should pnt
themselves without delay in position
'o !'r'nrm to the full the itlnclious for
Mnich '''eV are chartered by Whatever
means may be necessary.