Los Angeles herald., 1890-08-25
IN .STATU QUO.
The Trouble on the Wander
bilt Lines.
A General Strike Has Not Yet
Been Ordered.
The Council at Terre Haute Still
Debating the Question.
If President Depew il True to His Word
He Will Throttle Vice President
Webb.
Associated Press Dispatches. |


TERRE HAUTE, Ind, August "a
Nothing authoritative will be given out
as to tie deliberations of the supreme
council of the United Railway Employ
ees, which convention convened here
yesterday, until tomorrow at the earli-
est. 1t is among the probabilities that a
decision by the council may not be
reached for several days. Sunday saw
no converting of the council proper, but
this does not mean that agencies were
not at work. The council last night put
into the hands of Grand Secretary
Debbs of the Brotherhood of Firemen,
Vice Grand Master Morrisey, of the
Brotherhood of Trainmen, and Vice
Grand Master Downey, of the Switch
mems Mutual Aid Association, the
deliberations of the council, and they
will prepare certain propositions to be
presented to the council, which will define
the action Of the supreme body. This
committee has been in session since
8 O'Clock last evening. The members
have separated only to take what may
be strictly named, as lunches. Grand
Master Sargent, of the fremen's organi-
Eation, and president of the order of
United Railway Employees, was at his
office today, overhauling books and
papers which not only bear on the
threatened general strike on the Van
derbilt system, but he is compelled to
look over his work as regards the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen.
An Associated Press correspondent
called at Sargent's house this afternoon,
and Sargent was as frank as usual. He
had carefully read Powderly's letter to
Webb, sent out last night. While Sar-
gent would not express any opinion as
to the action the council would take
on the report OF the committee, yet he
freely expressed himself about Powder
ly's missive. He said:
81 admire Powderly's stand. Powder
ly puts Webb in the position he be-
longs, and which, when the public
thoroughly understands, will convince it
that Webb is wrong. Webb's position
is directly opposite to that taken by
Depew, his superior officer. Depey
always advocated organization.
To sustain this statement, Sargent
gave the Associated Press representa-
tive the following extracts from an adj
dress delivered by Depew at meeting
of the fremen's brotherhood, held in
Tammany hall, May Is, 1887.
Said Depew at that time: 81 believe
in organizations just like yours for pro-
lection, for charity, sobriety and indus
try. 1t is proper in these days that
there should be organization, for the
simple reason that the business of this
wav. The railroad people ought to be
able to intelligently discuss The ques-
lions of the day, and should tell the
government they do not want imported
labor.
''These expressions OF Depew," said
Sargent, =" show conclusively that he
was in favor at thattime OF organ
izsd labor. He believed in the right OF
workingmen to 60 to the polls and eX-
ercise their right of franchise.
Continuing, Sargent said: "The
Knights of Labor have taken an active
part in legislative affairs in the state of
New York during the past year. Much
OF this legislation being directly in the
interest of railway employees and
the New York Central being one of the
largest corporations that would natur-
ally be affected by such legislation, and
many OF it's employees going before the
assembly in behalf of bills presented, and
the fact that some men discharged by
the New York Central were participant
ing in this effort to bring about the pass
age of these labor bills before the New
York legislature, shows plainly that that
company is antagonizing the Knights OF
Labor in it's present action. For, had
the men been discharged for drunken
ness, breach of discipline and such
causes as are now claimed by Webb, he
would not hesitate one moment to have
an investigation. l am surprised that
men should have been in the employ of
the New York Central ten and twelve
wears, and now be dismissed on account
of character. 1t is sad commentary
on the management of the road.
In the course of an address delivered
by Depew, Sunday, May %, 1889, shortly
before he sailed for Europe, he said to
meeting of brotherhood engineers at
New Haven: There are a few things
about the relation of president to the
employees of road, which would like
to say. We both draw our salaries
from the same treasury. The pres
ident of the company has his
duty to the stockholders of the
road, but it is not, as many
of you suppose, his only duty. While
he must see to it that proper economyis
maintained, and an earning power de-
veloped, he must see that the public at
all times get the best possible service,
and that men of the company are treated
we'll. 1t is his duty to march out and
take by the throat and throttle any man
who in his brief authority treads upon
the toes of some one of the men under
him. The railroad goes on forever, and
the men in his employ realize the secur-
ity OF their employment, and it gives to
them an independence which is their
right. !,
Any one who reads these utterances OF
Depew, Understandings, cannot help
but believe that Depew, as president OF