Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1890-10-13
THE FEDERATION.


How the Big Railway Organization Ii
Constructed-An Important Law.
Formerly all bodies of organized crafts
usen or laborers were separate and dis
tinct. The latest development of the
labor movement is tendency to com
bine these distinct bodies
One Of the most important of these
federated organizations is composed OF
the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen,
the Brotherhood of Conductors, the
Switchmen's association and the Train
mems association. It is called the Fed
Grafton of Railway Employees. In all
ordinary matters each of these organiza-
lions acts for itself without respect tc
the others, but in the event of diff.
Guilty between the members of one body
and the corporations employing them an
order Of the chief of the federation
makes the difficulty the concern of all
the others. The arrangement greatly IA
cilitates the work of reinforcing a body
of strikers, as all the members of the
federated organizations may be ordered
out at once by vote Of the supreme
council.
The supreme council is composed of
the chief and three grand officers of each
Brotherhood. The method of determin-
ing upon course of action by the Fed
Grafton is prescribed as follows in the
constitution of the supreme council:
1.-THE three representatives of each or
ganization shall be convened separately
by their respective chief executives, and
each Of them shall prepare his ballot
with the word Approved or 'Disap-
proved written thereon. If two or more
of the representatives vote in favor of
approval such shall be the vote Of the
organization they represent, and the
chief executive shall cast said vote ac-
cordingly; and if two or more of said
representatives shall vote in favor Of
disapproval such shall be the vote of the
organization, and it shall be cast accord
ingly by the chief executive. When all
the organizations are prepared to ballot,
the council shall be reconvened. and the
secretary shall call the roll Of organiza-
tons. each of which shall be entitled to
one vote, predicated upon a majority
vote of it's representatives, and the vote
shall be announced by the chief execu-
tive. and entered upon the minutes by
the secretary. The secretary shall
then announce the result of the ballot,
and if it shall be found that all the or
CARNATIONS have cast their vote in favor
of approval, such shall be the decision of
the supreme council; but if it be found
that one or more of the organizations
have cast their vote in favor of disap-
prevail, such shall be the decision of the
body"
The chief of the Federation of Rail-
way employees is f. P. Sargent, who for
many years has been at the head of the
Firemen's Brotherhood.
The other members of the supreme
council are Chairman Howard, of the
Brotherhood of Railway Conductors;
Grand Master Sweeney, of the Switch
mems associations; Grand Master Will
kinson, of the Trainmen's association;
Eugene V. Debs, grand secretary and
treasurer of the Brotherhood of Loco
motive Firemen, Terre Haute: j. j. Han
ahan, vice grand master of the Brother
hood of Locomotive Firemen, Chicago;
William Sheehan, grand secretary and
treasurer Of the Brotherhood of Railroad
Trainmen, Gettysburg. lls.; B. 81. Nor
rissey, vice grand master of the Brother
hood of Railroad Trainmen, Peoria. Ills;
James DowneY, vice grand master of the