The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-10-18

THE LOCOMOTIVES ENGINEERS.

Chief Arthur, in His Annual Address, Re-
views the Recent Strike on the G., B. s. Q.
RICHMOND, Va, Oct 1.-THE twenty fifth
annual international convention OF the Brother
hood Of Locomotive Engineers was called to or
der this morning, at 9 o'clock, in Belvidere Hall
by P. NJ. Arthur, grand chief engineer. Various
committees were appointed for the purpose Of
effecting preliminary organization, after which
recess was taken until hslf-past o'clock. The
body will recouvene in the Richmond Theater,
where the public exercises will take place. They
will consist OF an address OF welcome by Mayor
Ellison, speeches from Gov Lee. Col A S. Buford
and Judge s b. Witt. and reading CT tho annual
address by Chief Arthur. The convention con-
sists Of 397 delegates, nearly all OF whom are
present About four hundred visiting engineers
are already in the city, and others are constantly
arriving.
made, and Grand Chief Arthur delise.cd his
annual address. He said thirty-two new divi-
sions had been established in the past year;
there were now s94 divisions, located from Man.
itoba to Mexico, and from NOVA Scotia to Cal,
iforna, giving total of twenty-five Thousand
members. Regarding the Brotherhoods recent
strike, Mr. Arthur said:
Uron the threshold Of year
ganzation, have witnessed the conflict in
the history OF the B-atherhood namely the strike
the Chicago, Burlington 81 Quincy system. Never,
even IN earliest days when the powers then in
existence strove to crush have met with such
stubborn resistance against simple right and justice
Every known expedent tried to bring about set
tlement between the company and the men. only 60
meet WITH tho utmost Indifference, and We were
forced to yield TO the inevitable, and sanction
a strike. Had either the president general
manager shown the slightest disposition to
treat the fairy, the managers OF other roads
have done, there would have been no strike.
Surely there goCo cause why they ought not
to pay their engineers aud hremen as much their
good class Of men there on any road-in the
county yet rather than grant the requests OF their
DID, tried and trusted men, some OF whom had grown
gray in the service. they alowrd them TO quit, aud
employed others regardless of their ability and quail
hcsons IS men or locomotive engineers paying them
higher rae of wages than asking
besides boarding and guar ding them with
Pinksccon dseective~ and virtually squsndering
over 80, 1000 600 in their mad attempt to coerce the
old men into submission. We know rule there is
nothing 20 be gained by resorting to strikes They
the bae of every organization that engages In them.
They create dsruss and suspicion engender III feel
ing, ard entail misery and suffering upon innocent
women and children It IS and has ever been, the
policy of both brotherhoods TO avoid them as much
possible. Mr.. Perkins and Mr.. Ssone are the first
railway officials have been unable to settle with
during the past eleven years We fail 10 understand
what they expected TO gain by the they pursue
large percentage or the employed
unreliable and incompetent-such
they would not employ prior 70 the strike.
IL we had made unreasonable demands. or attempted
IN any way dictate them how they should oper-
ate their road they would have been perfectly justi
fed in resisting. but wher expressed a willingness
to submit claims any three general managers
Chicago, and abide by their decision. and they
unwilling to do likewise. it showed that they kr
they in the Be it said to the credit of
our men that they acted in unison. and exhibited
throughout patience. prudence and forbearance and
at all times ready TO make sacrifice rather
than proong struggle that could scarcely end fairly
where tyranny actuated by selhshness the enemy
Mr.. Arthur said be should never regard the
c., B. 81 Q strike a failure except on the part OF
the road. 1t would serve to purge the Brother
hood OF the dangerous clemens, and to add
largely to it's numbers. 1t was extremely NOR
tifying, he said, to think that any of the MEM
bers of the organization should far forget
themselves as TO become involved in any scheme
plot to destroy lie and property. The
Brotherhood condemns all acts of lawlessness
and will punish the guilty.