The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-07-19
TELEGRAPHIC
The Telegraphers.


decision is approaching. One OF the
highest officers IN the order said, tonight,
'tIf the Western Union Company does
not make the concession asked for IN
the bill of grievances by noon to- morrow,
the telegraph keys in all the offices will
be closed, and the saunders will not
click until Ee come back to the offices
with victory resting on our banners. we
will accept no compromise. We nave
made exceedingly moderate demands,
ard if the company does not wish TO give
Us our rights, they will be responsible for
the strike. II the demands embodied 10
the bi of grlvsnces are not acceded
to at noon on Wednesday,
and q strike ensnes, our present
bill OF grievances, asking for sn advance
in wages of Is per cent, will be with
drawn from the consideration of the
officials OF the Western Union Tele
graph Company, and the original bill
Of grievance, prepared one year ago, will
be presented IS our ultimstum."
HWhat does the original bill Of griev-
ances contain?" inquired the reporter.
1T contains a section which reads:
tibet 3 universal increase OF % per cent.
in all the salaries now paid be granted;
that all extra work, including Sunday
WORK, shall be paid for on the basis OF
FIVE hours per full working day. During
the past year the operators have besn
reduced % per cent. It had been origin
ally intended by tina brotherhood to ask
for the restoration of this reduction of Is
per cent, which was made at different
times; but il was decided to be more
moderate ard, as a result, the present
bill of grievances was formulated. This
bill was not presented with the expecta-
ton Of securing compromise at q middle
figure between the representatives of the
salaries and our figures, but as an ulti.
m tum in which matters could be amic-
ably adjusted. In case 1t does not meet
with the approval OF the officials
Of the Western Union Company, then
We will strike, and the basis Of the settle
ment of the strike will be an advance Of
twenty-five per cent. on all salaries
There is thorough and complete under
standing amongst the subsiding branches
Of the brotherhoo3 all over ths country,
and 5very man and woman in the order
will be ready to act when the hour comes
for action. Reports received from all
the leading cities show that the operators
are enthusiastic, but they have hitherto
held back. They are now coming in
msnfully."
Chicago, 1S.-One of The officials Of
Western Union said, yesterday, that if
the men understood the new rules they
would not be dissatisfied. According to
the new rates, man receiving salary
of $50 per month may make an income
Of S1S4 per month by working four hours
over time each day. By the shortening
Of hours be declared the salaries are vir-
tuslly increased about ten per cent. per
month.
The manager operating this depart
ment ssid that ten men on the May pay
roll drew SIPS each during that month.
The same work, under the new rule,
would bring something over $l36.
''The telegraphers will find themselves
in different state from what they are
now" said sn official of one of the COM
panies yesterday, when they are stand
ing out on the curbstones and chewing
their cud in bitter meditation. The man
who is part OF a big machine is apt to-
appropriate some of the importance Of
the machine to himself. There are men
like that in newspapers As long as they
have the privilege of saying what they
choose in the press regarding their friends
and Furnishing their enemies, they feel
pretty big; but put these same fellows out
on tie sidewalk, and deprive them of all
their lights and privileges in the press,
and what would they amount to? It is
something the same way in this telegraph
business. So long ss the strikers can
have the use of our wires, aud eommu-
4. Oh TT,fn rcf
messages addressed to other people, they
ara strong and powerful, Blu. The moment
they leave their desks they will begin to
go to pieces. 1t always has been so 10
telegrsphlc siris e5, and it always will be.
There is sort of poetic justice in it, too.
The strikers seek to inconvenience the
public by tying up the wires, but they
cannot do this without disorganizing
their own forces. TIE telegrsphers'
brotherhood is spread out over an i'm
menss territory, and works everywhere
except 10 few large cities. They have
only been able to keep an efficient organ
izstion by the use of our wires. The
moment they are deprived OF these, AID
have no chance for consultation or for
stiffening up the weak members, they
will begin to loss ground and break Up.
That's the experience we had at the time
OF the last airike, and if the operators go
out again, assure you that the first thing
the company will do will be to bounce
out every man whose fidelity ia suspected.
We do not propose to have our enemies
to fight US wi h our own weapons and
ammunition y
"Do you think it likely that there will
be much suffarin among the opersto,s?"
Il csn't say how that will be. Men
say they are better provided with funds
than they tver were before; but know
that, as q rule, the more turbulent and
violent spirits among them are impro-
viGei Hardly ons Of them has
cent laid By for rainy day.
at the time of the lsst Strike q good
mary q them were glad, before it was
over, TO have the privilege of travelling q
| free lunch route. Some of them came
back half starved, and begged, with tea
in their eyes, to be permitted to 60 to
work st half their Old pay. But the
hardest thing eff all was when thu women
and children began to come to the Office
Iind beg TO have the men reinstatet. Il
ia women and children ihs. always suff5i
most from these strike=."
The managers of the telephone con-
psnies had secret me' ting Yeater ay
which nc 81 The gentlemen p a.en! pro-
nouccts of no importance. 1hey came
to the conclusion that the contemplated