The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1883-08-24
NEWS OF THE WEEK.
BIZ TELEGRAPH ANp MAIL.


SGftkS anu lIdDOf investigations
session in New York Jity of the United States
Senate Subcommittee on Labor and Edu-
cation.]
On the 18th John 7. McClelland submitted
evidence in regard TO the iron-clad oaths
which employers in various industries were in
the habit Of administering to their workmen
when they received them into their service.
The Western Union Company adopted the plan
Of making operators take an oath that they
would not join union, and he could produce
employees who could prove it. Threats had
been made by many railroad companies that
they would discharge any men whom they
discovered to be members Of The Brotherhood
of Telegraphers. Among others the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad and Michigan Central COM
pany had employed this means witness also
furnished statistics regarding the strikes
which had occurred during recent years.
Since 1870 the number of strikes which oc-
Cured in Europe was 1852. The trades in
which the most frequent strikes occurred were
coal-miners and building trades.
Statistics showed that during the past ten
years 9,027 weeks work, or 54,l62 days. had
been lost by men who engaged in them, rep
reseDting wages amounting to $22,237.760. OF
the entire number Of strikes occurring, sew
enty-two were known to have been won by
wOrkmen 189 lost, and ninety-one compro-
missed leaving ABOUT Z,OUO unaccounted for,
and which in all probability had been lost by
those who engaged in them. The remedy for
securing more complete distribution of
wealth between laborer and CAPITALIST would
be that Government should take charge of
all branches Of industry as it had of the mail
carrying OF the country. This system could,
ne thought be applied to all private indus
tries as well as to the telegraphic industry.
The committee on the 18th heard the testi-
mony of Mrs. L. 7. Twitchell, Of Brooklyn.
She was formerly President Of the Working
woman's Association in San Francisco; also of
the Female shoemakers Associations she has
been a member Of various other trade organ
izations. She said there were many women,
who had been brought up in comfort, who
were unable now to make enough to
least five thousand women in New
York and Brooklyn who would be
glad to obtain work at any price. This had
been the case ever since immigration had
grown to its present proportions, and itwould
be as long as immigration was unrestricted.
The trades unions were also means of pre-
as 1t was the policy of the unions to restrict
the number OF It's members. Labor in New
York City was controlled by trades unions,
and 1t was the object Of the leaders of the
unions to create corner in labor until
they could get n place for themselves, and
then desert their followers. The Govern
ment, she thought, should assist the unem-
poyed classes TO go where they could obtain
employment. This surplus only existed in
the large crowded centers Of population in
the East, and the witness thought if they
were assisted to go to the West the pressure
would be relieved. Witness advocated tho
establishment of schools of domestic econo-
my for the benefit of poor people, and the
taking Of steps to elevate the condition of
the indolent, lazy paupers chat infest the large
cities.
In the examination of Daniel L. Robson
telegraph engineer and contractor on the 18th
he said he mad seen McClelland's estimate of
the cost of the construction of u telegraph
line of eight wires from New York to Chr
cago, wherein the latter said it could be
completed for operation for the sum of
fVDiq WitppgQf fhnlIObt W
half OF the real cost of construction.
Such line would cost at least thou
sand dollars per mile. He was not pre-
pared to give any detailed estimate of
ment. In regard to the right of way,
witness said he had known of cases where
over SlOO0 had been paid for the privi-
lege Of erecting six poles. This item was prob
ably the most important in the cost of con-
struotOn ON some routes tho cost of rights
OF way was much larger than on others The
he thought be that of line between Wash
1ngton and Boston, and the right of way be-
I wee, Masnlngton ana chicago could not be
acquired except for a large consideration.
Providing he had the right OF way pos
sessed by the Western Union Company, Robe
son asserted he would willingly undertake
in this country for S50000,000, but
would hesitate ut $30,000000. The most
valuable rights of way possessed by the West
ern Union Company were those obtained
from the railroad system of the country, and
no estimate could be formed of the cost to the
western Union Company OF acquiring these
easements The ordinary expense connected
with this item is incurred in obtaining rights
of way through cities This was usually
placed under the head of legal expenses, for
lawyers were usually employed to obtain the
privileges in these cases. Witness had been
engaged in the construction of the Mutual
Union, American Rapid and several railroad
lines.
On the 18th Samuel Gompers, President of
A
this city, was before the subcommittee.
During his examination he claimed that
the increased industrial product of England
was traceable to reduction in the hours of
labor, and in this country, where the hours of
labor were restricted, as in the case of Mas
sachusetts, where there was a Ten-Hour
law governing all textile industries, sta
tistics showed the productivity was much
greater than in other States, where the en-
ployers could work their men for any time.
lie SAID that the factories of Massachusetts
produced more yarn to the spindle and more
cloth TO the loom than in Rhode Island or Con-
neoucut. The witness said that, although
many OF the strikes which have taken place
during the recent years in this and other coun-
tries had resulted in victory for the employ
ers, because of insufficient organization and
FAULTY or inexperienced management, he
claimed that, although failures they could not
be characterized as injurious to the
strikers. On the contrary, as a general
rule, they had, in the great majority of
cases, been VT great benefit to the laboring
classes. The statistics of strikes in this coun-
try showed that in majority of cases the
strikers had been successful. During the
last two years there had been one hundred
and sixty strikes, and all were won or COM
promised except twenty, which were lost or
unaocounted for In the Cigarmakers' Union
II was customary to make an eQuaiza-
ton of the funds OF each society every
six months. The recent telegraphers' strike
had failed us the first attempt of all
trade organizations did; but the experience
nnInN1 would rENfnl n in f11fr
movements. Gompers denied that the social
istic element had gained control of all labor
ORGANIZATIONS in this country. 1t might be
the case with few of the smaller ones, but
the object OF the great unions was only to
secure benefits for their members, by mutual
combinations and legitimate means. To rem
forcement of a National Eight-Hour law and
an act TO legali1e the incorporation OF trade
unions throughout the country.
Mrs. Charlotte Smith, of Washington, Presi
dent of the Womans Industrial League, was
the first witness on the goth. This organiza-
ton, witness stated, was formed in Washing
ton year ago, in consequence of the refusal
OF Secretary Teller to employ women in the
department under his control The member
ship now includes women in every branch of
industry throughout the country. Mrs. Smith
said that among female telegraph operators
many are in a condition of want. Pecuniary
distress forced them to surrender in the
strike. Mrs. Smith promised to furnish the
VOnltnlVt0S Wllh SUAUSucS IN regard to woman
workers in the country.
A. H. Seymour, a telegraph operator Of
thirty years experience, was recalled. He
favored the establishment of a Governments
telegraph system under the control of the
Civl-Seryice reform rule, or else the adoption
of law similar to the one adopted in Penn
sylvania in 1875 prohibiting the lease or con-
solidation by one telegraph company of any
competing line. The witness cited figures to
show progress in the telegraphic business in
England since it came under the control of
the Government; he also claimed that all adj
ditional facilities obtained from new inven-
tons there directly benefited the public
while in this country they only benefited the
corporations. He then gave a listof the num-
Der of telegraph companies absorbed by the
Western Union Company, and claimed to
show by figures that the capital stock of that
company had been greatly inflated.
Mr.. w. ii. Forster, Secretary of the Anal
eamated Trade and Labor Unions, testified
that one effect of trades-unions was to name
the hours of labor without corresponding
reduction of compensation. A certificate of
membership was also looked upon in most
unions us a certificate of competency as a
workman. The witness concluded his testi-
mony by giving a description of the condi-
ton of the working classes = Cincinnati
He said that about five per cent. of that class
was In very impoverished condition, and the
general feeling between the employee and en-
ployer was one of distrust
Conrad Carl, for thirty years a tailor in New
York City, said that nearly 1000 persons were
working in the city at that trade alone. and
that they were cOTnOalad tI1,.Y1 ONT +,oe !,