Arizona weekly citizen., 1883-09-01
OVERRIDING THE THING

Dr. Norvin Green, President of tn, Western Union Telegraph Company holds peculiar ideas about the late strike On his arrival nome from Europe h,
 said: ''I sympathize with the strikers fo
 the sad mistake they have made, ana
 there will be no punishment meted out
 to them" So fur Dr. Green talked fair
 but in the very next breath be is re
 ported to have said:
 As 1 told General Eckert this after.
 noon, the several hundreds of thousands
 of dollars which have been lost in the
 strike l regard to be the very best finan- clal investment made by the company.
 Hereafter General Eckert tells me that he will get one-third more work out of a man for a days services, and the econ omy of such step will retrieve the loss Tn less than SIX months.
 Now, this statement shows either one of two things: the Western Union Com pany was greatly imposed upon by the operators previous to the strike, or the company now purposes imposing excess l sive duties upon the recalcitrant opera tors, which, as he says, will more than pay for all the losses the company has sustained in less than six months. From all that could be learned during the progress of the strike, and Iron. the eyi- dence given in before the Senate Labor Committee, the operators were doing fair work before the strike. If their la- bors are to be increased by one-third more in time, or expedition of the work to be performed, it would seem that too great burden will be laid upon them, and one that cannot long be borne, and will furnish the Brotherhood better grounds for a successful strike than they hitherto have had. During the late strike the Brotherhood did not make out a very strong case. They did not show that they were overworked or under paid, while their demands were unrea- sonable, consequently they did not gain much sympathy from the people or the press. But if the Western Union should now take advantage of the defeated op- orators to impose upon them, then both the people and the press will rally to their support and force fair and honor able adjustment of the differences. The ! people of this country will never sanc- tion a great wrong, let 1t come from what source it may; and when once con- Tinced that d wrong has been perpe- l trated either upon labor or capital they l will not rest until 1t is righted.
 Nor is this the only way they seek to | and fortify their position. Every operator taken back is required to sign an agreement which reads as follows:
 l-..-........, Ot..........., in con- sideratiou of my present unemployment by ,le Western Union Telegraph Com pany, hereby promise and agree to and with the sad company that 1 will forth with abandon any and all membership, CT affihatlon with any organ ization or society, whether secret or open, which in anywise attempts to reg uiate the conditions of my service or the uayment therefor, while In the em- ployment now undertaken.
 And l do hereby further agree that I will, while in the employ of said con- pany, render good and faithful service to the best of my ability and will not in anywlse renew or re-enter upon any re- lstions or membership whatsoever in or with any such organization or society.
 Dated. ...-.-..--.., lSo5.
 Signed. ...-...- s..---a
 SEAL. Address. .l-----..--..---
 Accepted TOT the westera U.-so- Tel egrsph Company.
 ...-..... Superintendent.
 While the CITIZEN is opposed to strikes, and does not believe that, upon the whole, any good comes from them, 1t also does not belleve in forcing employees to sign such an agreement as the above. It takes away q mans liberty of acton and of speech; those who sign such paper are, during the continuation of such contract, bound down to certain contrary to the spirit Of our free institutions. While We recognize | the right of every corporation or lndl- vidual to manage their or his own af- fairs according to their or his liking, so long as they do not interfere with the | rights of others, yet We believe ln ex- tending the same rights to every man who labors In our opinion, the best | way for artisans and labOrers to do when | they are dissatisfied with the work or the wages they receive, is to go to their employer and lay their grievances before him, and ask for fair adjustment of the differences. If such readlustment is not granted, then let him seek a more congenial place, one where his services are more appreciated and better paid for. No man ever really gained a poInt by force, or taking undue advantage of circumstances; he may succeed for a time. but the very first opportunity that offers. he above all others is the first one whose services are dispensed with and in the end he is the loser.