The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-06-08
AGAINST CHIEF ARTHUR.

There is trouble in the camp Of the order
known as the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers. and the Trouble is of a character
TO reflect discredit on those who are ere
atins IT, A new chief is soon to be elected,
and Mr. p NJ. ARTHUR, who has so long
held the place, is candidate for the office.
He is opposed by a good many of the en-
gineers on the ground that he is opposed to
strikes. He is blamed for his conserva-
tism, and an effort will be made to defeat
him and choose a leader VINO is more radi-
cal and pugilistic in his ideas.
The engineers who are engaged in this
movement are not friends of the order and
they are little less than enemies to them
selves. We don't know how many years
Mr.. ARTHUR has stood at the head Of the
Brotherhood. but he has been there almost,
if not quite, from the organization, and to
him more than to any hundred men in the
society is due the fact that the association
stands so highly as a labor organization.
He has been conservative and reasonable.
He has fought radicalism on all occasions,
and has held the order aloOf from alliances
which might destroy its independence and
has opposed strikes, proclaiming against
them as the worst enemies to the wage
worker and exposing the evils which almost
invariably result from that method of coer-
eion. His theory has been that if arbitra-
ton will not succeed the strike will fail.
The theory is correct, for the most the
strike ever accomplished was to bring tenn
porary relief, the victory in the end being
almost certain TO lie against the strikers.
Mr.. ARTHUR also believes that half loaf
is better than no bread He favors high
wages. and insists upon getting the most
possible. but he reasons that it is better for
men to work at low pay, than not to work
at all. Another thing which the chief has
tried to impress upon the order is that the
men are not the gamers if they
lose half a million in bringing a
million dollar loss to an employer. 1t does
not he p the men in the least II they bank
rupt an employer, and bring themselves to
want.
Two years ago Chief ARTHUR was pre-
vailed upon to sanction a strike. 1t was in
the case of the Chicago, Burlington &
Quincy railway, which had been operated
under rules which were not regarded as
fair and equitable by the engineers. Arbi-
tration was attempted, but failed. the com
pany insisting upon its right to manage its
o,yn affairs in its own way, without dict;-
ton by its employees. The pressure was
treat and all efforts to bring about a com
nromise failing. Chief ARTHUR yielded, and
The order went in with will and determ-
nation. The story of the contest is fresh
IN the minds of the public. The fight was
ono of the most persistent ever engaged in
nv employer and employees. The strikers
Id the sympathy and the material sup
n now of the powerful order throughout the
mon Members of the Brotherhood in
vermont. in Oregon, in Utah, IN every state
nd territory, cheerfully contributed por-
,A1 of +bei. earnings to support the strik-
W. S,o- week after week passed, month after
, n,o, went by; the strike continued and
, nnoI bovcott was maintained. But the 20,
'ne D to Weld. It kept its lines open and