The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-26
THE LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS
DIR. DEPEW ADDRESSES MEMBERS or
THE BROTHHRHOOD IN NEW HAVEN.

Federation Discussed In Secret Session.
New HAVEN. May 25-The freedom of the
city has to-day been extended to over 1000
| members OF the brotherhood OF Locomotive
| Engineers who have been here to attend
| grand union meeting OF tho order. Fifty
eight divisions. extending from Portland. Me-.
to Buffalo, and from Albany to Pittsburgh,
were represented After secret meeting held
in the morning. dinner was served to visiting
members and 1000 persons crowded into the
Hyperion Theatre this afternoon to attend the
public meeting. Short addresses were made
by Lieut. Gov. S. T. Merwin for the state, and
Mayor Henry F. Peck for the city. Chas. T.
Clark President OF the New York. New Haven
and Hartford Railroad. and William II. Ste
venson OF tho Housatonic rond also made
short speeches. Grand Chief p. NJ. Arthur in
his address. gave history Of the organization,
and in referring to strikes. said:
Yes. we do have strikes hold, however,
that the method of our Brotherhood Is a just
one in dealing with the difficulties between the
employer and employed. My idea is that tho
best method OF adjustment is in the language
of the Blble Come let us reason together
Whenever officials have met with this Brother
hood ana reasoned with It strikes have never
occurred. To no one man in our brotherhood
is delegated the power to order strike or
order 1t of During the sixteen years that
have been connected with the Brotherhood all
differences have been settled except in two
cases. Those were with the Boston and Maine
and the c.. b. and =. l place the responsibility
OF both of those strikes on the heads OF the
officials, and when railroad officials will not
reason with us strikes follow. am opposed to
an alliance with any other organized body OF
laborers. Our policy in plain English to them
is. Mind your own business"
Chief Arthur also urged upon the mombers
present to maintain sobriety. truthfulness. and
morality, the fundamental principles of the
order.
After the Yale Glee Club had sung, Chauncey
NJ, Depew was introduced and among other
things lie said:
Mr. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN OF THE
BRoTHERHooD OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERs:
You have just seen in the Yale Glee Club
specimen OF the Yale student as he is. In me
you see what Yale student comes to. l will
say at the outset. and say it as President OF
the New York Central and Hudson River Rail
road that every word uttered by your Chief as
TO the purposes and intentions OF tho Brother
hood is endorsed by one. IApplause.l l am
surprised to see so many Of you looking so
young. committee CT ilremen waited ON me-
They wanted to discuss the matter of promo
tion and ono OF them, 50 years old said that
they would be 100 years old before some Of the
engineers ul6u ana gave lDeIn ID Cuduct. Inc
good conduct OF the brotherhood is such that
thew never get discharged. The brotherhood.
however. Is survival OF the o nttest; and some
never BECOME engineers l want 10 say 10
you that am not here to- make speech. but
simnbV because want to be here.
There are few things about the relations
Of ths President to the employees 9f'd raroal
salaries from the same treasury: the Presi-
dent OF the company has has his duty 70 perform
many my Of you suppose bis only duty. While he
must see to II that proper economy Is mann
se snd than Ss s a he
the best possible service, d that the men In
is his duty to march out and take by the throat
and throttle any man who. IN his brief author
ity, treads on the toes OF some one OF the men
the men in its employ realize the security Of
their employment. and it gives to them an in,
man must have intelligence: he must have
what the Yankee terms faculties or he cannot
acter, even though he works around the depot
smashing baggage lalRhterl and everybody
When. &C, back to my native village from
time to time. recall the boys Of my school
days. who were Jack. Harry. 81 H. and Chauncey.
store in the town. others hold this and that
position but some OF them are dead and their
Some time ago was looking up some matters
regard ing, the progress OF civilization. |
learned that our laws come from Great
labor had no voice in her legislation. The stat.
utes which We found are enough to make the
read them gives you such circulation Of blood
that YOU have to put put piece OF Ice on your
crime for labor to meet and combine for It's
own protection. IL Is not Tor me 70 speak OF
been T so o m
have never had a trouble with your Brother
hood which has not been settled In five min
utes. In every instance my own judgment has
coincided with yours. In no instance whore
investigation has detected q man dorelict IN
SSiy G" ssy sT rr E said
H., Your Chief here has saId that every one has
S Ii GEfq SSrfG Mfsa1f'SdP S sS%S
mat we can lie. A fellow that is too gootr.
G9"4y d0n employ IL ne ava was snS"Gted TO
difference between labor anu cnnital have been
better solved by the Brotho hood than by any
eineer came to the Lime rSiiroai President.
lie referred lE9 HIN to the od-tlme superlntend,
~ to 0yoncd nI@ce where he would not need
ITeSSldSncy Of tho New York Gcntran
emf ioyees Of I that road thai the doors Of my
Office are always oIoen 10 them. 10 trouble hns |
Tho magnetism Of the ilroad service, sup
pose creates the brotherhood and other or
ganiHatons: but the on" which impreeses me
most II all is YOUR ORGANIZATION not because |
you earn more pay but because with you lies /
ts % TSe Tee Eo f2Ss
OF some engineer whereby an accident has been
ayertcd. With mo III" word of the Bruther-
hood Is bond that cannot be broken. In your
great mission OF making lat or hOnored and 70
sp"cted, see 70 it that You preserve this Broth
erhood until the last trump makes US all broth
ers in another world
The important business was TRANSACTED In
the secret meeting. The subject Of federation
was freely discussed, Chief Arthur making tho
opening speech and being asked dozens OF
question. Federation cane nOar being adopt
ed ut the last Convention In Denver. ana it has
gained such ground since then that the East
EN- men are egnning to have doubts about
the next which meets iI Pittsburgh. Chief
Arthur is said 10 have made ono OF his strong
est speeches against alnlIaton. one of his
arguments was that the engineers in tho
brotherhood have secured better posi-
tiqns than they, would have II they had
10 hep them out OF their difficulties. The
companie- have seen that they were peace
ably inclined and not eager TO make demands,
All they had T. DO was to send q committee
usually acted squarey. During tho last few
months f0ur engineers have been laid of on
the New York Central Rairoad. After several
con lerences the company conceded that tho
engineers were not wholly to blame and that 1t
wa right to give them another trial Had the