Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-03-05

I i.
Lct none imagine that Il was pfompic,
from spirit 81 mere wanton. resides,
aggression or without calm, deliberate
consideration Of the cost, consequences
and y thorough realization Of The ~acrl.
nccs Incident AND Inevitably attendant on
such recourse. Our men weiahcd we'll
tnv issues, tho sacrifices, the privatiOas.
me eunerings Implied Tor themselves and
families dependent; but whom the sad.
solemn, stern necessity confronted them
OF choosing between poverty. priyationa
Rnu euneflng or sacrillrng right, liberty
and mnIhood, the decision was prompt
and unanimous.
chAH0iNo 4 nRRscli on fAsJg.
HE men dir city Involved were the nnes
who decltscu on the course ~ action.
NO outside aicllon was offered, any a..
sertiou 70 The contrary Is false. ON The
lbth OF March. 1883, The railroad officials
entered intNnn agreement with the en-.
ployvs, the provisions aud stipnlntions Of
which were 10 be faithfully observed hy
hoih parties, II WAS ratified and signed
by The railroad officials ana thr represent.
ativcs ~ the employees. some VI tho mn.
visions have heon time after time vlo.
lated, Others have mover been complied
with by thc.faiiroad onlclal~, somc cases
utterly ignoring their solemn pledges and
IN others constituting every clause In tho
Rgfccment NJ would hest serve their uWi,
interest. We happ patiently submitted 90
thls rather tlan lN'ccipitate trouble, until
The officials presnming upon our forhnaf.
ancc judged that they could with tmpunl.
W set aside The whole agreement and r..
sort 10 the old.time arbi.
trafy metllods and measuros.
They discharged u stcndy, ibtelilpcni
aud palnstaling employee az Marshall 30.
cause lo attended Knights Of Labor
convention, and presumably because no
dared be a member OF tho order. The
conflicting and palpably untrue reasons
which they give for disoharplpn him
prove this, AT frat thcy said Il was be.
cause he absented himsalfiwithout Der.
mission, whom In fact he asked and was
given PERMISSION 90 attend tho Meeting.
Then they said Incompetence was tho
cause. Long service aud the fact that
The books OF the company would proye
that he had more work done at lesa OK.
pense than any othormah who preceded
him In the position show concluslyoly
that tho excuse given waB untrue. This
act Is not only striking NJ the right, dip.
nifty and existence Of the Knights oi la.
Dor, but AZ the worry basis OF American
liberty. This employee IN only one
man, Ahe wrong IL indiyid.
ual but the principle violated h.
universal, ana IN an order which has for
ltn motto ian injury done one h the con.
Germ OF all, p" each feels the outrage as frco.
ly ~ the person directly attacked, win 90
rs iar TO resent and sacrifice as much 10
force redress aud PREPARATION
RIGHTS AND NIGHTS
But II viii be said elias not the com,
pany the right 10 employ aud discharge
whom II pleasosP Ia Il not dletation 10
attempt 70 Interfere with the manage.
mcnt OF the road This has nothing 10
do with the management OF the road II
has simply To do with tho treatment of
the men employed on the road and as ta6i.
Must the employees submit like dumb
brntes 10 tne absolute dlctatlon Of the
officials, and tamoly submit to the cur.
tailmont Of their libcrtlosg oh yes, they
have the right OF quitting aud OF going
and acting the part OF dumb brutos under
the diciati0n OF some other corporation
or employer. Wonderful privilege !
Glorious prcrogailyol Blessed boon Of
American frce-born citizenship W. do
not propose 10 encroach on the rights OF
others, nor will we allow our rights 10
be tramplod upon. The time IN passed
on American soil when men would
scrvilely submit 10 wrongs like beasts OF
burden until intolerable and then resort
10 mob violence 10 redress them, They
now propose that hencoiorth reason and
right shall rule, We do not propose TO
dictate TO employer, capitalist, or cor.
poratlon, nor VIII we allow employer,
capitalist, or corporation TO act tho die.
intor, tyrant or bully over us. We know
our rights, and III maintaining them,
willingly concedo TO others tb6ir's Only
the slave by Instinct IL the tyrnnt on op.
portunlty We will no more assume TO
be iyrants than submit 90 BIO slaves.
A SALARY ISSUE,
The trackmcn now receive only sll5
per day No man can support family
aud supply them with the nocoasarIes OF
HE on such pittance. We demand that
their wages be raised 10 VI 30 per day
The work and the duties OF the trackman
are Just unnecessary 10 the safe and proper
running Of the road as are those OF the
superintendent, We do not ask that hc
receive rs much pay, but we ask that he
shall receive at least sufficient 70 live
with tho simple docenCies and comforts
OF life
coofIE sERFDoM
In It's most Odlous form exists on tho
Texas & Pacific railroad. This system of
slavery, 80 Vicious and yiilainous Ia ia
nature, 80 degrading to labor, 80 repua.
nant TO the spirit OF our Institutions and
constitution Of our country, must be- re-
moved. Every principle Of humanity,
justice aud civilization emphasizes that
demand. Had we Il government by man
hood, lnotend Of Mammon, We would
never have been driven 20 tho necessity
Of rosortlng 70 this means 70 wipe out
this diegrace 10 our country, II would
never have been permitted % exist.
Again, the brutalizlng, dcm0IallziDR
system OF
CONVICT LABOR
is In operation on soni0 of these
roads. by this all labor IA degraded,
business depressed, and savagery onailod.
Ia the name and interest Of our com.
mon humanity We demand rs removal,
We cannot, VIC viii not, permit ourselves
70 continue az either an appondago 70 o.
a complement Of coolio serfdom or con.
Wet slavery,
We have repeatedly presented our
grievances 20 the proper officials, hat we
have been treatsdt with contempt We
have offered 10 submit the whole matter
-. A