Morning journal and courier., 1883-07-20
Friday, July 20, 1883.

THE TELEGRAPHERs' STRIKE.
 The dissatisfied telegraph operators struck yesterday at noon promptly and quietly. The manner in which the strike was prepar- cd for and carried out shows that they have strong and well-disciplined organization. They need such an organization if they are going to fight Jay Gould and his able and rich assistants
 The ultinaatpm of the operators contained the following demands: First an increase of fifteen per cent. on all salaries second, that eight hours should be days work and seven hours nights work: third, that all work on Sunday should be paid for as extra; fourth, that all extra work should be paid for on the basis of five hours for days work The company was notified that unless these demands were complied with strike would begin in forty eight hours from the time of the delivery of the demands. The ultima tum was delivered to the company by com mittee, which was not treated with distin- guished consideration. It was coolIy inform ed that it would be necessary to give the names of those for whom it professed to act before the company could pay much atten- uon to it's communication. The committee met this request with the response that it would not furnish list of those for whom it acted, thinking, doubtless, that if the com pany really desired to know it would find out in short time.
 How just the operators demands are no outsider can tell. They seem to be somewhat large. Unquestionably, however, many of the operators are overworked and most of them are underpaid. It requires long train ing and much intelligence to be good oper ator Telegraphing is exhausting work, es- pecially in the large offices. and very wear ing to the nerves. It is work that ought to be well paid. The operators know the worth of their work and they know that it has not been appreciated or properly paid. More over, they know that they have been used to enable the Western Union company to pay large dividends on enormously wstered stock. They have right to object to their treat ment, and they will have the sympathy Of 8 large part of the public.
 But whether the strike will amount to any thing, as far as the benefit of the operators is concerned, remains to be seen. The com pany is rich and powerful and evidently de- termined not to be beaten. The operators are confident and also determined. It is a pity that matters have come to such 6 pass as they have, and, in our opinion, there was no necessity for such 8 result. The wise course for each side to pursue was one of conciliation and fair dealing. Why could not arbitration have been tried? Doubtless it could have been if the company had been willing to try it. As it looks to us the com paRg has treatad the disoontaaAsd operators without much consideration
 The progress of this strike will be watched with much interest. It will affect business more or less seriously, and very seriously if the operators are as strong as they have claimed to be. Whatever It's result It will furnish an argument for those who want the government to control the telegraph lines, for with the telegraph under government control there would be no strikes and no in- terference with the business of the country.