Daily globe., 1883-07-18
Especial Telegram to the Globe. |

and their employees. The proposition is
now under advisement by the companies
officials, who will probably report to-mor-
row, either accepting or declining the |
propositions. The men all seem to feel |
sanguine that the companies will accede |
Internationally to their demands, which |
they think are no more than reasonable, |
and should have been granted by the COM
panies without the asking.
There is no truth in the report that the
telephone company was about to discharge
the ringleaders who are melting the line
men and inspectors to strike. Had the
telephone company done this, the men say
they would all have quit at once There
is not much prospect of strike. It is
stated on good authority that the trouble
between the telephone company and their
helpw be amicably settled by tomorrow.
GENERAL STRIKE PREDICTED AT NOON.
ST.. LOUIS, July 1.-THE members of
the Brotherhood of Telegraphers assert
tonight that unless the Western Union
company reply favorably before noon to-
morrow, to the memorial presented Cen
eral Manager Eckert yesterday, the execu-
tive committee will order a strike and at
II o'clock, New York time, every member
of the brotherhood in the country will stop
work and quietly abandon his post. The
telegraph officials do not seem to be wor-
ried about the matter.
New YORK, July 1.-THE Herald edito-
rally says of the threatened strike of the
Brotherhood of Telegrap phers,t that although
the petition is couched in respectable
terms, it leaves the impression of asking
too much. 1t requests that a days work
be eight hours instead of nine, and a
! nights work seven instead of eight hours.
A reduction of one-ninth in one case and
one-eighth in the other. At the same time
it wants all wages increased Is per cent,
irrespective of age, skill or position of op-
orator, besides extra compensation for
Sunday work. The real effect of these de-
mands can be best illustrated by example.
Day operators receive say So per
| month, or counting nine hours to
| day and six days to week, about thirty
| five cents an hour. Under the pro-
| posed rate monthly wages will be $S6 %
A days work will be eight hours during
| six days in week or about 45 cents per
| hour, an actual increase of more than 81
per cent. In regard to the Wheatstone
operators an increase of 65 per cent. is
| demanded for them. On the whole it may
| be doubted whether the operators have
presented strong case. That evils ex-
| ist cannot be questioned, but they will not
be remedied by the course taken. The
executive committee of the Western Union
Telegraph company will meet tomorrow,
and the petition of the operatives will
then be brought to their consideration
| One of the officers of the company said
| to-day: 1t was impossible to say what &C.
ton will be taken. The general opinion
was that the demand was excessive and
unreasonable. No action has yet been
| taken by the Mutual Union, American.
Rapid and Baltimore & Ohio companies.
The newspapers are giving considerable
space to the threatened telegraph trouble,
both in the nature of interviews and edi-
torial comments.
From the Mail and ErpresS:
''The situation is one that deserves to be
very carefully scanned and thoroughly
understood by all those directly or iEdi-
rectly interested, that is to say, by every
body. The electric wires are the nervous
system of the country. Their functions
are so vital that no corporation or associa-
tion of men would long be allowed to con-
troll them, in disregard to public interests.
The civilization and business of the
country having been developed on the
basis of universal telegraphy, that
basis must be preserved without 1nterrup-
ton. The public has rights that will some
how be enforced, and there is a limit to the
natural right of the employe to strike. II
is our belief the directors of the great
employer of telegraph operators, the
Western Union, are disposed to deal
squarely and generously with its employees
whenever they deputize any one or more
to present causes of complaint. The
danger with the newest of labor organiza.
tions, is, first, that it is secret and oath
bound, and liable to fall into the hands of
a few selfshly ambitious wire pullers, and
second, that the capacity for wholesale mis-.
chief possessed by telegraphers is liable to
turn the heads of some of the leaders
The operators cannot afford to allow a few
men with heads turned by sudden power
and opportunity to precipitate a conflict
IN which the aggressors will be outlawe6
from public favor and private considera.
ton. 1t will not be we'll for the operators
if they so lose their heads as to provoke
| Gne laSLluS OlSIdVOr OF an lnlelIlg6nG peO
pie, for recklessly using the peculiar op-
portunities given them to annoy the pub.
lie. Let them be prudent and keep an
intelligent and just public opinion on
their side, and they will get all to which
they are entitled"
From the Eue1ing Post: " That which in
terests the public most, and on which the
public can form an opinion, is the means to
which operators intend to resort in order
to enforce their demands. A strike of tel
egraphers now, when so large proportion
of the business of the country in every de-
partment is carried on by telegraph that
credit in the commercial and fnancia
world may be said to rest on it, is very
serious matter indeed. Telegraphing is &
mystery-a small mystery it is true-bu
one which nobody can master in day, o.
week, so that the telegraph operators
have it in their power to inf1ic
enormous loss and the inconvenience of
the community by refusing to do their
work until their employers comply witt
J their demands. Now the question whether
any body of men ought to be allowed, fol
any purpose, to infict this loss and incon.
venience on the public, is one of which the
growing complexity of modern society
will soon compel peremptory settlement
L oil co. oF