The Labor enquirer., 1883-08-18

The press of the country is slowly
succumbing to the influence Of corpora
ton money and intimidation, and some
Of the papers which took manly stand
for the rights of the operators at the be-
ginning of the trouble, are now arrayed
on the side of money. The Chicago
Daily News. which was q fast friend OF
the strikers up until the first Of this
week, has turned against them, and it is
known that its management has sold out
to the Western Union. The News is
beng boycotted, and it issaid that many
of the strongest business firms in the
city will withdraw their patronage from
it. The News is not alone, and it has
been stated that the Denver Republican
has been inundated into a promise to
withhold everything that may have
complexion favorable to the strikers.
a reporter of this paper, in converse
ton with gentleman on Wednesday
upon the position the Denver papers
occupied with reference to the strike, re-
marked that they didn't seem to stand
the same way two days in succession,
and it appeared that the Republican had
about forsaken the boys. The gentle
man, who is position to know what ne
was talking about, said: n
"The Republican during the present
unpleasantness has published items
which favored the strikers and which
gave the true situation of the Western
Union company. Mr.. B. R. Bates, local
superintendent of the company, has
within a few days bought the soul Of that
paper. He demanded that it publish
nothing more which would encourage
the strikers, or that might be detrimen-
tai to the interests Of the company. He
threatened to deny the paper the frank
or free use of the wires, and he carried
his point"
Taken altogether, the operators most
certainly have a hard fight ON their
hands, but if they will stand firm and
the workingmen of the country will con-
tinue to do their duty, the battle is sure
to 90 for the right. There is no doubt as
to how the workingmen of Denver feel,
and if the Office at this place takes a
hand in the game of freeze out" there
will be no lack of backing for the boys
who refuse to be the slaves of the West
ern Union monopoly.
Dispatches from New York, dated the
fifteenth, state that a committee of six
Brotherhood men called on Manager
Eckert, of the Western Union, for the
purpose of ascertaining on what terms
the company was willing to settle the
difficulty. Eckert informed the commit
tee that the strikers would have to con-
fer with the local superintendents under
whom they had formerly been employed.
The executive board of the Brotherhood
sent the following in reply: "Since our
attempts at reconciliation have proved
futile, we now desire to state that it is
the intention of the members to iguore
your ultimatum, and carry on the fight
with renewed vigor and determination
by every legitimate means in our power"
The local press finds IN the visit made
to Eckert proof positive that the Broth
erhood is weakened and about ready to-
give in to the company With charac-
teristic fairness the editors overlooked
the communication of the executive
board. Only that which might tend to
discourage the telegraphers and all or
ganized labor is considered.
The fact is, there is more cause for
feeling of confidence of ultimate success
in the actions mentioned than in any
thing which has occurred since the con-
test 9gan. To one who is conversant
with the true situation and in position
to hear both sides. it is understood that
the Brotherhood has now made its last
attempt at friendly settlement of the
trouble, and that they will now 60 in to
win the strike in the only manner it can
ever be won, There never was and
never will be any hope of the operators
securing their right by appealing to the
justice of the company or by endeavor-
ing to conciliate the message-sending
public, and if the executive board had
realized these truths three weeks ago,
they would have been victors to-day.
Asst is, let US hope that decision has