Daily Kennebec journal., 1883-07-21
The Telegraph Strike.

The Telegraph Strike.
The telegraph strike manifested no new
features OF Importance yesterday. The
strikers appear to be united and determined
to maintain the position assumed by them.
The Western Union company is dong all
it can to supply vacancies with new hands.
hut has not thus far succeeded very we'll.
Newspapers are without their customary
dispatches. General business moves very
slowly, though that is given the preference
over work for the newspapers, which have
to content themselves with the situation as
best they can.
The appearances are at present that the
strike will be obstinate. Preparations for
it have been long going on, and aid is
promised the strikers $50 it is reported)
by other labor organizations. One of the
leading members of the Knights of Labor
in New York is reported as saying just be-
fore the strike commenced:
''The men who will be engaged in this
strike have been organizing and preparing for
1t for the last three years. Their organiZa
ton includes some of the brightest and most
intelligent men in the labor movement. They
have accumulated during that time large
surplus fund, which will allow them to pay
all the needy members the full weekly benefit
for probably two or three weeks. When they
have exhausted their own funds they en-
titled to call on the knights of Labor for a
benefit of s. weekly for single men and $40
weekly for married men. This amount they
can draw for an indefinite time. The Knights
Of Labor have large reserve fund that is
available at any time. Under our comstitu
ton each member of the organization is taxed
small amount weekly for the benefit of the
strikers, so that the source of supply is prac-
ticaly iDexhaustible. The Knights of Labor
have a membership now of over a half mil
lion in the United States and Canada, so that
the weekly payment Of each member will be
.mall. During the cigarette strike in Roches-
ter the local assemblies in that city, fur
nished the strikers with s., 900 weekly. As
rule, we are opposed to strikes, and this
will be the first important one that have
had on our hands. should it occur. The tel
egraphers are well prepared for a fight, so
far ss money is concerned, even with the
Western Union Telegraph Company"
The reports published that the Western
Union would find no difficulty in supply
ing places left bv the strikers. with new
operators, ,are proved to be incorrect. The
embargo upon business shows that the
vacancies have not been supplied. Idle
and capable operators are not plenty.
Even inferior ones cannot be manufactured
in day or week.
Thus fer the strike has been conducted
in an orderly manner The demand of
the Executive Committee OF the Brother
hood having been refused, the operators
have ceased work. Should the strike con-
tinue violence may occur, though the in
telligence OF the class engaged in it, with
no large masses at any points, renders it
almost certain that none will ensue. As
to the duty oi the company to furnish tele-
graphic facilities for the public there can
he no doubt. 1t is considered that the
principle laid down by the courts last
summer in the case of railroad strikes
would in every respect hold good. As to
the strike, it was held that so long as
workmen committed no unlawful act. no
violence. no riot. and no unlawful inter
ference with other employees. the main
question was regarded by the court to he
the following:
Can railroad corporations refuse or neglect
to perform their public duties upon a contro-
versy with their EMPLOYEES over the cost or
expense of doing them? We think this ques-
tion admits of but one answer. The excuse
has in law no validity. The duties imposed
must be discharged, at whatever cost. They
cannot be laid down or abandoned or sus-
pended without the legally expressed consent
OF the State. The trusts are active, potential
and imperative, and must be executed until
lawfully surrendered otherwise public high
way of great utility is closed or obstructed
without any process recognized by law. This
10 something no public officer charged with
the same trusts and duties in regard to other
public highways can do without subiecting
himself to mandamus or indictment
1t is very evident that while the public
do not approve Of strikes. the sentiment
is very strongly in favor of redress of any
real grievances that the operators may
have. The Western Union is rich. pow
erful corporation. paying large dividends
to Its stockholders. and the opinion pre-
walls that it can afford and ought to pay
its employees fairly it not literally. and
use its power considerably and with all
regard to the rights and CLAIMS of ndivid-
uals and the public.
sheridan at Home.