Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-01-07
THE NEW ORDER.
A Statement By the Brother
hood Of Conductors.
WHY THEY WE'RE ORGANIZED
Their Objects Purely Protective
History OF the BOdy-Its
Purposes.

Purposes.
The following article handed to the
HERALD yesterday will be found to give
the most complete details ever published
regarding the Brotherhood of Railway
Conductors, which was organized in this
city in November last, and whose move.
ments were first chronicled in these
columns:
Los ANGELES, January 6, 1888.
"The San Francisco Chronicle of Janu-
airy 3rd, in an article referring to the new
Brotherhood of Railway Conductors,
states that the organization was created
for the purpose of making trouble, and
undoubtedly refers to q possible strike.
The article continues that the paper has
{. good authority for stating that in the
event of further trouble on the Burling-
ton the conductors in this section will
help the engineers out of their trouble if
possible, by aiding and abetting the
strikers. The Chronicles statement is
wholly false and without any foundation.
The Brotherhood of Railway Conductors
emphatically denies the assertion that
they were organized for the purpose of
creating trouble, or in promoting
any discord between themselves and
their employers. The organization
was effected in the city of
Los Angeles, CAL, on November 18th,
1888. 1t is com posed, with but one or
two exceptions, of every competent con-
ductor in Southern California at present
employed by the Southern Pacific and
the Santa Fe companies. At the first
election Of grand officers the membership
was 120 conductors, These men are
from all quarters of the United States
and are representatives from about sixty
divisions of the old Order of Railway
Conductors. Since the date of organiza-
ton the mem bership has nearly doubled.
Four delegates are now on the road Or
ganizing divisions and in other ways as
sisting the new Brotherhood in an effort
to obtain footing. The Brotherhood
has an Office at No. 1856 South Spring
street, Los Angeles, where can be found
daily the Grand Chief Conductor and
the Grand Secretary and Treasurer,
busily engaged in attending TO the i'm
mediate wants of members, and in an
correspondence. Two divisions are now
divisions are waiting for deputies
evening kilograms we're received
from as far East as Syracuse, N. Y, ask
ing for deputy to be sent to organize
divisions. Beyond the fact that the new
Brotherhood is making rapid strides and
is on firm footing, further details are
unnecessary.
IT'S OBJECT.
Now as to the object of the new Broth
erhood, it is simple protective railway
organization into which any person who
has run train the prescribed length OF
time is eligible. 1t was created for the
purpose of better protecting the interests
of the conductors. The Order of Railway
Conductors wholly fails to meet these re-
quirements; it is merelysa social organ
ization with nothing beneficial except
possibly an insurance. The organic alton
known as the Order Of Railway Con-
ductors is at present differed by three or
four interruptions, selfish men, who have
used it for purely mercsnary motives and
made it the catspaw of every railway
manager in the United States. In recog-
milton of these services these men have
been made to feel their influence by the
railway companies, and as a reward for
their treachery they now find them
selves rich and influential, and their fell
low conductors who made them their
trusted servants, are reduced to the level
OF dogs in the estimation of honest, hon
orable, upright labor. We quote the most
noticeable case in the career of any labor
how conductors have been used. At the
outbreak of the 90" strike, when the
engineers and fremen struck for
what they considered a Just cause,
the chief officers of the Order of Railway
Conductors assured the Burlington man
agement that the conductors embraced
in the Order of Railway Conductors
would stand by them and fight the engi-
neers. G. S. Wheaton, the Grand Chief
Conductor, issued circular, totally un-
warranted and unauthorized, condemn
ing the action of the 60" strikers and
calling upon the conductors to get in and
fight their own fellow trainmen. OF the
conductors the 90 "had who were mem
bers of the Order of Railway Conductors
the majority aided and helped the 90"
out by running engines, plotting green
"scab" engineers and, in the language of
to-day, made "scabs" of themselves.
What reward did they get? Let some
conductor answer, when the boycott
was declared and the brakemen and
switchmen struck and refused to handle
freight. To illustrate: The Chicago,
Milwaukee and st. Paul Railway sent
eighty conductors to Chicago to take the
places of the striking switchmen. These
conductors did 30 at the request of their
officials and by authority from G. S.
Wheaton. When the difficulty was set
tied, what did they get? The most OF
them were discharged, and what few of
them remained on passenger trains the
company put collectors aboard of same,
a direct
INSULT TO THEIR HONESTY.
It is q notorious fact that these con-
ductors were nearly all on the verge of
dismissal, but were retained and spot
ter put ON with them at the expense of
their manhood. Since then they have
got to thinking among themselves, and
have concluded that any man who will |
undertake the downfall of q fellow en-
ployee who has just cause and who un-
dertakes to obtain satisfaction from a |
corporation who are using every means |
to crush them and keep them down, is |
unworthy even of his own respect. The |
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