The record-union., 1891-12-16
ALL QUIET HERE.
Railroad TeIegraphers Not Interested
in the Strike.
The Veteran Operators Hero Do Not
Belong to the Order Which Has
Called Out Its Men.

There has been some curiosity mani
tested by the public as to what effect the
strike by telegraph operators on a portion
OF the Southern Pacific system might
have, if any. upon the Sacramento and
Oregon Divisions.
n RECORD UNION reporter called on
Assistant Division Superintendent T. r.
Jones yesterday and asked him if any eff
feets OF the strike had been felt here.
Not in the slightest degree,'' replied
Mr. Jones. Indeed, if it were not for
what we read in the newspapers daily we
would not know that there was anv such
trouble in progress. There are no mem
Oers OF the Order of Railroad Telegraph
ers among the employees on these di-
visions, and therefore our operators are
III no way concerned in the matter. Cop-
les OF the circular ordering its men out
have been received here, but nobody has
paIC any attention to it''
IN an interview with Mr.. Jones, pub
nsned III the Bee, that gentleman further
says:
1t is not question of compensation
Tor services rendered. 1t has been stated,
understand, that the difficulty grew out
OF an alleged reduction in wages of the
operators, but that is not correct. At
many oi the stations of the company the
wages OF the operators who also act as
agents, are regulated by the receipts of
such station. II is quite possible, there
lore, that there may have been Il reduc-
tion III the pay OF some particular agent,
% Du1 on me WnoIe the wages have been
raised rather than lowered.
ne real cause of trouble exists in a
regtIatloh of the order which practically
siluts out the boys OF this coast from
etl'SIjhS the cOnlpany's service as oper-
atotS The order arrOgateS to itself the
II2hG 10 dictate 10 the company how many
stuuehts' are to be permitted in our
oilces, and this has the effect virtually of
shutting out California bows. The or
ganiZatlon IS Of Eastern origin, and il
| seems that its purpoSeis to give Eastern
operators the exclusive privilege to work
Tor the company. Myself and many
others employed III the offices here
entered the service of the company as
boys, and have never worked off this
division. Would it appear right for us to
say that no other boys should have SINH
lar opportunities?
w hen the officials of the road objected
to this regulation OF the order, instruc-
tions were issued to all members to say.
when applying for employment, that
they were not affiliated with it. Quite
naturally the company did not care to
4 I' y - A'S AhPtog liiCIl WuO WOuiu u6-
liberately lie, and thereupon the rule was
established that no man should be en-
ployed unless he would sign an affidavit
that he was not then nor would he be-
come member of the Order of Railway
/ Telegraphers. Those who declined to do
| so were refused employment, and those
who declined to withdraw from the as
SoclatlOn were relieved.
! 1T must not be understood that the
I company has any preiudiceS or allows
any discrimination against Eastern oper-
ators, but simply insists that it has the
! privilege OF employing competent per-
sons, wherever they may be from, and
! especially that it may educate boys in it's
own offices to perform services for it,"