The Labor enquirer., 1888-03-17

:
there is for them should the en-,
gineers be compelled to associate
themselves with other railroad
workers is plainly evident from
the utterances of what the associ-
ated press called "a prominent
railroad official, high up in in the
councils of management on one
Of the greatest railroad corpora
tions in the United States" This
high official in an interview-and
this interview it is very apparent
was given the press reporter SIM
ply as a cue or pointer for the
lesser lights in rail-kingdom-
when asked by the reporter "What
is the quickest way of ending the
striker" gave the following answer
which lets the cat out of the bag
and clearly proves that the rail-
roads and their press and judges
as witness the action by Judge
Gresham in favor of the engineers
are determined that the engin-
GERS shallwin the Burlington strike.
The prominent official answered
the reporter of the associated
press at Chicago in this manner:
ut could be brought to a speedy
close if the other roads would
combine and serve notice on the
Chicago. Burlington and Quincy
that they had done so for the pro.
lection of the business interests oi
the country as we'll as for the pro.
lection of their own interests. In
fact there is great danger to the
whole country in the present stu.
alton. If there should be a gen.
eral strike everything would BIZ
endangered and if the brotherhood
should be destroyed a great dan
ger would threaten the country
aUhieh perhaps tfsO haze thought OF
"For years the organization o.
the brotherhood has stood as ;
conservative element against al
agitations throughout the country
1t has denounced that most COW
ardly weapon used by the Knight.
of Labor, the boycott, and ha.
rendered in this very great ser
vice to society. Now, suppos,
the brotherhood under Chief Ar
thur is defeated in this contest
and either the radical elemen
gain permanent control or the or
ganization is broken into frag
ments, what will be the almos
certain resultl The boycottinl
organizations will gain recruit!
from the engineers and 6remer
and there wiH be no longer con
seyvative labor organization in thi.
country to resist radicalism. Iii
a question aVhebiey the either railyoa1
companies can afford 10 haze M'
Chicago, Burlington and QuineJ
succeed IN its contest. Certainly the
country is in the presence of {
great danger"
The reporter asked if there wa.
a likelihood of the companie.
combining, but the officer replied
that he could not say. If they
had the courage of their convic
tions they would do so and speed
lily settle the difficulty.
That big gun railroad officia
is compelled to give the snaE
away in this manner to the associ
ated press is a good indication
that the railroads admit the gravit,
of the situation and the far-reach
ing consequences sure to result
from the defeat of real nice
conservative organization" head
ed by such real nice, "conserva
tive old scab as P. M. Arthur
who, when he is not scabbing Z
strike for the rail kings, lives ir
one of the most elegant residences
in the city of Cleveland acquired
with other property. during the
past twelve years by his "conserv.
ative organization" business.
The big gun official says: Sup,
pose the brotherhood under Chief
Arthur with a big C) is deafeated,
what will be the almost certain re-
snlt?" (Now, mark the answer
and see how the big gun backs up
the position taken by the ENouI-
RER:) THE boycotting organiza-
tions organized labor) anil gain
recruits from the engineers and
iremen and there will be no
longer conservative (scab) } organ
ization in this country to resist
radicalism (i. e. to break strikes)."
The last line or two of the inter
view is also very significant. The
reporter asks the big gun as to the