The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-10
Delay in the Hearing of the Company's
Complaint Before Judge Gresham.
Chief Arthur Again Announces that the
Brothsrhoods Are Ready to Submit the
Matter to Disinterested Arbitrators.
The Company, in Semi-0fficial Way,
Saws There Is Nothing to Arbitrate,
And an Unauthorized Peace-M Maker is Told
Advice Is Not Wanted-Threats to Tie Up
Lines Accepting Burlington Cars.
Law AND ARBITRATION.


Eostponement of Legal Proceedings-The
BrotherhOods willing TO Arbftrate.
CHICAGO March AL court proceedings by
the Burlington railroad against Chief Arthur
and the Wabash railroad were brought to a sud
den halt by Judge Gresham this afternoon. He
announced that the whole matter had been
postponed until Monday. The reason for delay
is ostensibly, to give the attorneys for the
Wabash time to prepare answer. but the Bur-
liDgton company did not particularly oppose the
postponement To an Associated Press reporter
Judge Gresham explained that Robert T. Lin
coin. the counsel for the Wabash company, had
said he had been in consultation all the morning
with Receiver McNulta, endeayoring to wade
through the mass OF documents filed by the
Burlington and prepare a suitable answer.
They had found it i'm possible in short time,
they said. Judge Gresham, therefore, in the
absence of any serious opposition to delay by
the Burlington, decided to let the whole matter
wait until Monday.
''The attitude of the Brotherhood at this
juncture,p said Chief Arthur, this afternoon,
when, some time subsequent to Judge Gresh-
ans postponement of action, he was asked to
define his position, '.is practically identical with
this statement. which has appeared most oppor-
tunely.7 Mr.. Arthur held in his hand the fol-
lowing, clipped from this mornings issue Of the
Chicago Tribune, which paper has heretofore
opposed the stand taken by the Burlington
gineers:
engineers and the Burlington road extending to other
lines and inhctin9 untold injury the commerce of
entire difficulty cannot be speedily. fairly and peace
ably settled by arbitration The locomotive engineers
CLAIM that the question in issue relates mainly to the
payment the Burlington line of wages allowed
other frstcfass lines for like services while the rail-
points relate to the discipline and control
Of the employees If the question is simply
Burlington road with its great business and profits
should not pay its engineers tor equal services as
much any other line similarly situated. On the
other hand If the system of classification and graded
pay contributes in any degree to reward individual
skill and capacity, it should be retained. The ques-
1on. then, is this; Does the issue between the Broth
discipline of the servicel That certainly is fair
question for arbitration and it be determined
Just to both parties Let a be made arbitra
tion and the injury to business be averted. Some
jury inflicted by railroad strikes and blockades.
Nov" said Mr.. Arthur, ''the point is that
the Brotherhood is, and has been, ready to sub
init the whole matter to three disinterested per-
sons for settlement
But Mr.. Paul Morton, speaking to-day for
the company, claimed there is nothing to arbi-
t-ate."
THAT is question of fact" said Mr. Arthur
dryly, a.of which we must allow the people to
be the judge. If Mr. Morton's clair is correct,
how is 1t that the Burlington company. with the
hundreds of miles of country dependent upon it.
IS not doing 30 per cent of the business it was
when the strike began9 The position is mani
testify absurd. Not only in own interest,
but in the interest of the public. who. so far,
have been the principal sufferers we say that
there is ample ground for arbitration. l want
il to 60 record before the public that are
now. as we have been. willing and ready to arbi-
trate"
In a statement issued to-day Chief Arthur
says:
The real question at issue is wages. Mr. Stone and
various leased lines in their letter to the engineers
and hremen, clearly recognize the main issues, and
be governed by the miles rum and increase of the
existing rate. and the abolition of classification based
upon length of service. BY combining their reply to
these three points the representatives of the
practically admit the justice of the other demands Of
the men consider them of trihing importance. It
has been said that the action of the men was hasty
and did not give the officials of the road oppor-
tunty to fully consider their demand but the fact is
by their own admission, the demands were placed be-
fore the company the 18th of February, aud
managers of all the lines comprs the system of the
O. b. & o. and that the strike did not occur until Eve
advised by Messrs- Arthur and Sargent and had re-
piled, practically, that Mr. Stone the man with
After receiving Mr.. Perkins's telegram. Messrs. Ar
thur and Sargent again called on Mr. Stone and at
tempted to discuss the grievances for a second
third time They got along to Article 3, which deals
with the wages question and were again compelled to
stop. they could cot agree. There other
left FOR the but to submit to the demands
of the company strike. All this is practically ad-
itted by the company IN the circular issued by then
and conclusively that of settle
Erent exhausted before the str Ike ordered.
In regard to the statement of General Man
ager Stone that .'the road is willing pay much
its neighbours" the document gives the various
rates of wages paid by competing roads, and main
tans that the rate paid by the Burlington
less than three cents mile, which IS decidedly
lower rate than that of the other roads The claim
of the Burlington that the mileage system would work
unfairly to the branch lines is met by the
question Why does the Milwaukee & ST. Paul road.
WITH as many or more b. anches, make complaint
Their former arguments against the grading of
engineers repeated and referring the claim OF
the company THAT the placing of all engineers
equality would tend TO produce 'castel the circular
says 'fhe fact is the present system is much more
likely TO produce tramps by its frequent changes of
engineers IN order to keep as many possible the
pay or the first and second years. There is
plausible for this system of gradings the i
railroad companies know il, and majority of them
have acknowledged 1t by consentin9 TO abandon
znent." In conclusion. the circular says.
The Brotherhoods of Locomotive Engineers and
Eiremen engaged in life aud death struggle
War has been declared between them and the Chica-
60, Burlington a. Quincy railroad The Brotherhood
recede from their demands the wages aues-
ton and maintain their selfrespect their orraniza
ton. They must win or die. They only respect
They must and viii exhaust every honorable
win the fight
A Peace Maker COolIy Received.
CHICAGO. March 9.-ManY rnmors were afoat
to-day that there had been or was to be, con-
ference OF the Western railway presidents and
general managers for the purpose of bringing |