Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1888-01-23
The Causes Of the Strike.

statement giving complete history of the
strike on the Reading R. R. and the causes
which Isd to it, 1t opens with a recital Of
the refusal of Port Richmond employees to
move certain carloads Of merchandise CON
signed to the Philadelphia Grain Compa-
ny because the latter did not employ union
men. Thereupon an order was issued to
have the cars moved, and if the men still
refused they were to be discharged. Five
crews having refused to obey the order
were discharged, whereupon the knights of
labor ordered all employees on strike. They
demanded reinstatement of the discharged
sen, but were informed that the men never
would bo renstated and their places were
wore stricken from the pay roll Dec. a. they
having refused to return to work. No COM
plant was ever made of unjust treatment or
unreasonable pay ment, and, notwithstand-
ing this $500 men left the service of the
company and the same number of new men
were engaged, who will be retained as long
as they give faithful service. The COM
pany declares it has no objection to q man
who belongs to labor organizations,
and will not permit of ostracsm because ne
either does or does not affiliate with such.
AL that is expected is that he will render
faithful service, and so doing be will be re-
tanned. The trouble on the railroad is end
ed, never to be reopened He then refers
70 the miners trouble, beginning with the
signing Of the agreement granting per
ceat. advance from September l, 1887. 10
January l, 1888, at which time it terminated.
The agreement specified that if the other
companies advanced wages the Reading
Company would adopt 40 advance equal 10
toat OF the other panies. buff no advance
bs granted by January l then the men wcse
to returo TO the rates paid up to September
The company lived up 20 it's contract 10
January l. and on December 20 the men re-
quested from the company statement Of
! what it IN ended 10 do after January l. To
this au answer WAS returned that the com:
pRDy had lived up to their part OF the con.
tract and now expected the men to do the
came after January /, which would mean
return to the old rate, inasmuch as the other
papies had not aaade any advance. A
promise was made, If tho men lived up to
their contract, to consider the question
| again and see if G more satisfactory ar
rengenent could not be made The
men, however, refused 10 work and
etruck for two reasons--for the reinstate-
ment OF the discharged railroad men and
the renewal Of the per cent advance. The
railroad question cannot enter into the min
ers' troubles, asit is forever settled; but on the
wages question the company is willing to pay
as nigh wages as any other but cannot pay
higher than their competitors, as that would
practically drive them out of business The
81 80 basis is regarded es liberal one for
the miners. For the twelve years commen
cling Jan. l, 1876, and ending Jan. l, 1888,
ths company has mined 100000 tons of
coal paid for it to the miners S57, ITO, and
has received as the net proceeds for the coal
SO mined only S44 $4,000, making an actual
loss in the mining of its coal of Si2,270,OOO
during that period. In other words, we
have distributed throughout the country
81 900 600 tons of coal, the miners have re-
ceived every dollar of net money we OBJ
raiued for it, and we lost in the operation
S12 10000 besides, and during all these
twelve years the stockholders of the rail-
road company which transported this COAL
who have paid up S40,000000 of money for
their stock, have not received one cent by
way of dividends, aud they have just been
called upon. with portion of the junior Sc
curities, to pay in, by way OF assessments,
Sl2, 100000 of fresh money to make good the
Losses of the companies. In view of all these
facts President Corbin holds that this is not
the time to pay more for labor than compe-
ting companies are doing.