The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-04-30
THE RAILWAY rELg aRAPaERs.
A Movement to Organize a Division
in Savannah.


in Savannah.
Nh Kirch, district organizer OF the
order of Railway Telegraphers of ten
of the southern states, passed through Sa-
vannah yesterday on his way to Lexington,
Ky, from tour through Southern Georgia
and Florida.
Mr.. Kirch met several of the railway
operators at the parlors OF the Screven
house and discussed the objects Of the or
paniZation and the importance OF organ-
izing. He said it is not their object to be
strong to defeat the ends of their employers,
10 crea @ st likes or countenance anything Of
a kindred nature. 1t is the aim of the or
der 70 unite on some means of adjusting
the supply to the demand. Supply and de-
mand is the operators means of uprooting
the pernicious evil of a continually decreas-
ing salary for telegraphers.
1.-THE demand for operators" Mr. Kirch
said, has never been SO great as the supply.
There are more men than places, and indif-
ferent rewards are the natural conse-
ouences. Wien railroads can pick up men
who have gained their Knowledge Of teleg-
raphy through trusted men, for half the
amount paid the trusted me-, no blame can
attach to them. The trusted men are them
selves responsible They gave the young
men the education; they equipped them with
means TO cause their own down all aud ii
they suffer it is the work Of their own
bands, and they al ne are open to censure.
There is q remedy for the evil" Mr.. Kirch
saws, "wh CHI can be ADM istered eff CT
lively by telegraphers. There are over st, 900
operators in the United States. and nearly
half of them are members of the order.
The organic ton is about three years old,
and its membership is as large as that of the
railway conductors, whic is fifteen years
old, and it has half as large membership
as the Brotherhood of Locomotive E l.
cineers, which was est blishtd over twenty
years ago. The order can be one of
strength if the rules and regulations are
carried out. Heretofore little stress
has been placed upon that section forbid
ding telegraphers, belonging to the order,
to teach office boys. "The student prac-
tice," said Mr.. Kirch, sis the greatest
evil that we have to contend with and
when it is abolished we can easily surmouut
the others, and in doing so, we adapt the
supply of men to the demand, and the ten
de cy in price will be to rise and Sc K a
normal station. Telegraphy is an art which
should be more literally rewarded. Com
petent men are seeking other
pursuits because inferior men have
stepped in and decreased the
salaries. AS a coasequa lce Of this cheap
labor, the railroads are continually in
trouble over ''buils" whicl cause them
the power of the operators to crush this
student business out, and great stress will
lie laid upon this section OF the rules Of its
order prohibiting it.
Last year, Mr.. Kirch said, there were
about 1900 miles Of railroad built in tina
United States, which brought in o service
about 1,450 telegraphers. This year there
will be over 500 miles of road built and
over 1900 Gelegraphers will be given
employment. He thought it will 9 an
easy matter, if the order takes hold Of the
matter right, TO reduce the supply of men
to 1900 competent oper ators every year.
Certainly it is large number to turn out,
Yet there viii DO demand for them.
Mr.. Kirch presented forcible arguments
in favor Of the order, and secured some
names in s vannah. He got good many
names throu ghout Florida and Solthern
Georgia. Ten members can organic a di-
vision, and it is likely that Savan. AN may
have division befor4 llng. There are be-
tween twelve and fourteen railroad teleg-
rsphers in the city, the most of whom
will probably Join. 1t is said that some
of the railroads raise objections to their men
belonging to the order of telegraphers, and
the orthern division OF the Ea i Ten see,
Virginia and Georgia railroad issued an
order requiring all its operators to with
draw from the organization, or resign their
position with the company. The order was
carried into effect. and a large number
withdrew from tue order and good many
severed their connections with the company
10 preference to giving up the organization.
The Lake Shore and Michigan Southe. n
railroad issued similar o der, and resulted
In just such a state of affairs as exist
after the issuing of the East Tennessee, Vlr-
ginia Georgia railroad order. 1t is
understood, however, that few Of the south
ern railroads forbid Gheir men joining the
order.