Omaha daily bee., 1888-07-12
Biunders of the go" Manager.


II Is the boast OF Chauncey M. Depew
that no general strike has occurred on
the New York Central railroad since he
has been at It's head. The amicablc re-
lations that have for years prevailed
between the great Vanderbilt road and
its army of employees is chiefly, If
not wholly, due to the broad
minded course and conciliatory pol
icy pursued by its managers.
AS a natural result of this harmony be-
tween the owners and managers OF the
New York Central and the railroad
men in its employ, the service OF the
road has been efficient in all depart
ments and its patronage has steadily
grown.
In striking contrast to the New York
Central the Burlington system has been
dominated bya general manager who
lacks all the essential qualities that go
to make up a sagacious, prudent and
popular executive. 1t is a matter of
history that the conflict between
the Brotherhood Of Locomotive
engineers and the Burlington road
might have been arrested but for Cen
eral Manager Stones imperious dis
position TO repcl all attempts to arrive
at an amicable settlemento Of differences.
The contemptuous, inSolent and insult
ing treatment Of the engineers who APP
preached Mr.. Stone literally forced the
men. as matter of self respect, to re-
sort to the only weapon which organ
lied labor can WELD when driven to the
wall by arrogant capital. A brainy
man like Depew at the head OF the
road would have treated the engineers
courteously and by a conciliatory
discussion of their grievances
averted contest certain to be disas-
trous to the road, damaging to its pat
rons, and costly to the engineers. Mr..
Stone wanted test Of strength, re-
sources and endurance. Hence he
spurned all efforts at. compromise and
demands for concession.
His policy has cost tho. owners
of the road over five millions of
| dollars in decreased earnings and dam
age to rolling stock by reason of acci-
dents, chiefly brought about by un-
skilled and Incorporate men employed
since the strike. While this enormous
| loss has fallen upon the stockholders,
| the public have also suffered by
| this warfare. But whom the gods
| wish to destroy they first make mad.
| Having resumed traffic after a pro-
tracted struggle, the manager of the
Burlington road reopens the old sore
! hp 1urn III N Or a vinlipt 81
campaign of revenge and retaliation.
| A story about dynamite conspiracy,
trumped up by Pinkerton detec-
tives, is followed by arrests Of
officers of the brotherhood of
engineers on charge of issuing sedi-
tious circulars advising the use of
chemicals during the strike to disable
the company's locomotives. This, if
anything, is more stupid blunder than
Mr.. Stones refusal to arbitrate while
the Burlington. system was paralyzed
| by the strike, under pretense
that "there was nothing to arbitrate. "
| What is the Burlington road to gain by
these prosecutions? No rational person
| believes. that members of the Brother
hood of Locomotive Engineers would
engage in dynamite plots. But if any
man, or set of men, can be con-
victed on evidence of somebody besides
| detectives of questionable character
they will receive no sympathy from any
| quarter. The attempt to embrOil the
whole brotherhood of engineers in a
| dynamite conspiracy by coupling some
of its officers with upholding the prac-
tice of "killing" engines, which pre-
walls in nearly all engineer and fire.
men strikes, is stupid. Even
if the proofs are overwhelming,
the prosecutions instituted by the Bur-
lington managers have arrayed not only
! every individual member of the brother
hood of engineers against them, but
| will arouse intense and bitter resent
ment among all elements of organized
labor. Such hostility is not likely to
restore to the road it's lost prestige. On
the contrary it is sure to provoke an un-
friendly feeling among all classes OF
| people along its lines. Nothing but
the most reckless disregard Of
| the material interests of COR
poration could prompt its managers
| to such foolhardy course, in which
there is everything to lose and nothing
to gain. Even the late H. M. Hoxie,
who had a most bilious temper, did not
| dare venture on arrests and conspiracy
prosecutions, after the great Missouri
| Pacific strike, in which more lawless-
ness was committed in three days than
there has been on the Burlington in
| five months.