The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-08-22
STRIKES AND THEIR CAUSE
Meeting of the Senate Sub-COmn
tee on Education and Labor
TO INvESTIGAT LABOR MOyEyr,
AND THE TELEGRAPHIC TROuBle

AN III AAsAslfN AAAA ~ ~ lhNI hAIA l. II
| New YORK, August 19.-Tbe Il
committee of the United States sem
Committee on Labor aud Educ,6 w
began its sessions to-day in the M ~
Office building, the members present
ing Senator Blair, of New Hamp,h, M
Chairman; George, of Mississippi; Pui
of Alabama; Call, of Florida, and Y
rich, of Rhode Island
The special subject of investigation n
strikes and labor movements in gensn %
the objects being to obtain iniormsa ID
which may be used in securing luh n
legislation to prevent them. a.
The first witness to-day was Msas N
Workman John Campbell, of Pittbuu
He testified that he had been ID ~
graph operator over twenty years
been connected with the knights Of
Dor and Brotherhood of TelegapAsi III
two years. There were between lsR
and $4,000 photographers in the Units ;,
States and Canada members Of u
Brotherhood, and the whole membenA I.
was about $4,000.
The cause of the strike was the rel ~
sal to grant the demand on the part NJ
the operators for increased compnu ae
ton, decrease in hours and extra mu K
pensation for Sunday. Since 1870 d \
salaries of telegraph operators had be
systematically cut down, and the obe
Of the strike was to bring the rate
compensation back TO its former STAN II
ard. Operators were now paid a fTs W
salary per month, the average nj y
throughout the country being about !,
for commercial operators, and S39 q
month for railroad operators. The
age rate for railroad operators 10 Pea1 u
sylvania, by actual census, is SSS.S5 p ~
month. The rate of wages for frstti
commercial operators now ranged iud ui
$50 to SS5 per month. The salaries ,
New York City were higher than tho
in the smaller cities, with the eXeephd Z
of New Orleans, Memphis and NNi
vile, where the scale of wages was abOl
equal to that in this city. The love- d
rates for commercial operators vsr ~
from $50 to $40 per month for operated
at all way stations. Before the reduc
ton in wages the rates were from thli
ty-fiye to forty per cent. higher thl
at present. In 1870 frst-class open
tor could make from $50 10 $l2O ~
month. n
These rates extended back 20 the timt
OF the beginning of the war, when ID 4
scale was about the same as at presen
for railroad operators, and that for CON
mercial men little higher The West >
ern Union Company employs quartz q
of all the operators in the country, an 2
about two-thirds are railroad operators
The American Rapid Company only en-
ploys about one-fifth as many operators \.
as the Western Union. The protest o.
the Brotherhood was against all con-
panies and all employers Of TELEGRAPH
operators. The rate of wages was no
to be sufficient to live on ana
was much below that of common "a!
laborers in many instances. The CON
panies were able to pay higher wages 70
their men without increasing their faV'
Tor service to the public. This was e'r
lent from the large dividends pad "
he Western Union, besides their iaclH
les for transmitting messages had DSeh
increased by the invention OF duPa
md quadruplex instruments, Ihss M
has been no reduction in tariff in cons
Iuence Of these Improvements, but o.
he other hand, the wages Of oPeratoI
The number of operators nAl
doubled since 1870, while the facilhg
i companies had more than douDleJ
The Western Union in that year -.
Iandled 100000 messages, and "'
ear the number was 3j.000,OOo. -.
Campbell recited the histop-f.'sl .
trike since it began. There was coz
ention- OF It's Brotherhood, he sad
ED in Chicago last March, at which
Ill of grievances was drawn up. lbs
as presented to the different local =
of the Brotherhood through01 y
he United States and Canada, E6
unanimously ratified the action Of y
Returns to the ExecuuN
GARD were made out two months As
I'D committee was instructed toEs
mt the demands of the operators 70 Y.
herent companies, and they were -
npOwered 70 arbitrate upon all prop
tons that might be made by the Con
mics.
On the 10th of July demands Wes
resented to the Western Union, Amer
n, Rapid, Baltimore, and Ohio lcon
erciaD and numerous telephone egl
mics. The only answer yet received
e from the American Rapid Company
hIch has partially acceded TO the W
ands Of the Brotherhood.
The answer of the Western Univ
'mpany to the appeal of the oPerA,SSn
Is that il was not known whether ~
mmittee had authority to SPEAK "
g employees of the company. OAmE
II said that ninety per cent Of tns -
Oyees were members of the brotne
cd. Operators had frequently PIs
nted grievances to local Managers y.
increase Of wages, but these haG 80
'regarded. It was generally beLlsnssSI
It the Western Union Company -
veil established system Of black-ls1lnt
"a who made application Tor 81 =
sase Of wages, and took the first vPPS,
nifty 70 discharge them upon some ~
Z or another. Favoritism was sno's
local managers, and skill wa, ~
Mount. The system Of intimiqsa...SS..
3 practiced by the officials q -
npany Since 1870 several NOV
nts had been started 10 organile ~
'Fators, but al failed on account y
S system az Intimidation.