New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-03
THE STRIKE.
WHAT THE STRIKERS THEMSELVES HAVE
TO SAY.

COMPANIES TO PAY THE OH
WHAT THEY OWE IT.
70 the EdStor or The Tribune.
Sir: When 5000 men engaged in the same occupation
in the same city, with 5000 families oepehuehs Ior
bread upon their daily earnings, deoiaro iorns"S "u
wfh practical unanimity that they arc Doing unuer
paid TO point next door starvation that they arc
n,aa. N work under conditions that expose them to
avery extremity Of weather for twelve hours ont OF
txcntx-fopr thaE thar are subjected to dishonest
system Of fines which, oftcntmes Without iault OF
their own robs them of whole weeks wages and
that they are generally oppressed and wronged by
smn,overs who VIGOROUSLY grow rich and pay largo
dvidsnds on the proceeds of the labor thus exacted
when 5000 unto in such allegations as these
II would be worse than erimo for public opinion
TO condemn them without hearing. This Is tho
case presented by the streetcar employees IN the pend
ing strike. 1t may be exaggerated. but at least It
demands attention and conscientious adjudication
In the High Court OF Public Opinion The pride Of
Americans Is the regn Of Public Opinion 1t Is our
National boast and, az the boast Is practically true
our National glory as well, that tho highest law
among Is the law of an intelligent ana Informed
public conscience Certainly, II there Is subject
to which the conscience Of the community should
sincerely and sympatheiicslly direct ITSELF 1t Is TO tho
welfare Of that largest but helpless class among
It, which has resource except Its manual dexterty
which is compelled TO live day by day whatever
day by day it earn, and which In every effort
10 increase its earnings and to improve It's condition
Is weakened by the sheer force Of its own numbers
Ten hours constituted bS the last Legislature
legal working day. The chief cause Of this strike
the effort Of the to secure the enforcement
Of the new law. They demanded also an increase
Of wages from 81 as day to So, and relaxation
Of the grcvous system Of fines under which they
claim TO have suffered heavy and constant Injustice
Nevertheless 1t is true that the strike procipated
now through sympathy with the Brooklyn strike
Thnr ad fl,aiu llama Ne fr H.
tract between employer and employed, which they
asked the companies TO accept The companies held
meeting, in which each was represented and they
ali agreed to resist the mems demands Each company
said & We VIII treat with our own men, We viii listen
to their grievances, but we win not
have any outsiders coming IN and try
ing to run our business for us We win
not be bullicd by any of your grand worthy masters
We propose to attend to affairs in our own
way. Let our worhmen to US and state
their case. Then well what dos
The American public IS sensitive the walking dol
egatc' question. II has strong and healthy prejudice
against labor dlctators, and they may be suspected
Of calculating not unwisely ths; IN resting their
on tho ground Of resentment against the inter-
ference Of an irresponsible board OF agitators they
were drawing the wind of popular favor to Cier
support
Many people Suppose that the District Exec.
u'ive Board composed Of Magce Hamilton,
Giennoo, Carly AMI Smith ordered the strike Of
tEeir oSn mutton, and ia trc operation Of power
delegated u then. That notion Is absolutely err
rcneoGs They Could ne 1"-e order the strike than
you or / could. Tbe employees OF each separate
company organized into separate assembly.
Wien tho Executive Board, having pc;itoned the
companies for the recognition Of the terhour Law and
= for other reforms, told that their
petition denied, they reported that
fact to the local assemblies with request for In
structions. There was much debate and evident
desire for strike. This being apparent, special
meeting Of each assembly was called for certain
night, and report Of the situation submitted, to
which was appended tho question, Shall general
strife be orarcdl 70 Upon this question secret
ballot was taken in each assembly, the members
voting On paper-yes or no-and the ballots being
deposited In a box ard counted. Tho vote In each
assembly favored the strike by moro than three
fourths majority, and in cases 1t was almost
entirely unanimous. Thereupon the District Board,
as the executive arm of the assemblies ordered the
strike. 1t was decided, therefore, the principle
of universal suffrage, which feet dsposes at once Of
the notion that MAGGIE and his four colleagues ex-
ercised any arbitrary authority in the matter.
This Msgee IS, undoubtedly great power among
the men. Much has been said about his record.
Magee, within the limits that are obviously to be
placed tho intellectual capacity Of street
car conductor is man Of decided ability.
He employed in the postonicc for fifteen years
and he convicted of wlfully OBTAINING maimstter
and confined nine months in Ludlow Street jail Rob
bling the mails is felony but that was not the offence
Of which he was accused. His explanation satisfied
the Court that his crime minor one and minor
plea was accepted Until that hour his record had
been good, 1t has been since, far report says
The Hghth-ave. company gave him place as a con-
ductor and he has held It for three years. until he
went out with the rest Of the strikers His relations
with the company are entirely good now That
Is, there ia especial feeling against him Magee
Is not brutal nor Incorporate. nor passionate,
"a intel -haa
witted man, rather handsome to look at with frank
face, buoyant manner, big blue eyes, light blond
mus:ache, and persuasive, amiablc tone OF voice.
He can talk WELL and the have unbouDdcd faith in
him. Indeed of al the labor leaders brought out by
recent events in this city Sc Is undoubtedly true that
none has so largely taken hold Of the condolences of
wotnnen as Magce. Good, bad or indifferent they
stand by him. and they warmly resent the imputation
TO him Of any dishonorable motives
He and bis colleagues are all worldngnen, and all
actually engaged conductors drivers on the sur
face roads, There companies In this city which,
before tho union was perfected. made their men
work sixteen and seventeen hours day. and there
those that now to-day by their system Of fines,
hitting large percentage Of their employees 10
less than OIL 26. A employed the Belt Line
told me that he had been paid by the trip PLAN
and while being on hand for work fourteen hours
every day, had been allowed to make average
of only OF cents q day for the last SIX months
He said on one occasion he was fined s., moro than
his whole weeks wages, for scratches made, he didn't
know how OF by whom, upon his car. Some little
scamp Of a small boy probably drew nah or stone
across IT. No rejecting, fair-minded man think
of this situation without feeling strong sympathy
with the strikers.
There is another phase Of tho question that de-
mands consideration The streetcar companies arc
VIGOROUSLY the most insoent ant dishonest of all
corporations In their treatment OF the city. i use
these words advisedly. They have cheated the pub
lie treasury disgracefu,ly. They the city to-day
In accrued taxes more than 81 100000 they did
owe it until recently 81 e1s,214 90, and the sum Of
s3Is754 81 Is all that the Corporation Counsel and
the Controller have been able to screw out Of them