The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-04-15
NOTING SMOOTHLY.
What Mr.. Davis Says About Labor mt the
Works.

Works.
There seems TO be little or no difference in the
condition Of the strikers az the Richmond Loco
motive and Machine Works.
General Manager Davis said yesterday to
TINES man that everything 1T the WORKS was
moving as smoothly as could De- expected anu
that they were gradually ughting themselFes-
4 disturbance occurred Yesterday between
George Manor and Charles Clarke. two OF the
strikers. and O.. ID. Darden, one Of the men VINO
was an work. The strikers cndcnNored 20 per
suade Dardon not to go 70 work words Were
passed and finally blows which resulted IN Dar-
den being knocked down Manner ana larhe
were arrested and taken to the Second station
bur were afterwards faled
The following was sent to The TINES yester-
day for publication. s.
the Locomotive and Machine Works seems sum
10 occupy their minds and instead or trying TO
obtain employment elsewhere IN oidgr 20 plo-
vide for their families. are spending lhtlI lllu'
in useless attempt To- influence others anu pre-
vent them from going 10 work Tor com
with whom they have voluntarily severed thelr
connection, the writer asks leave 20 Elte tIe
suits OF his Observations from llAil' iui"I sl.t
and unbiased standpoint. having no connection
with the works or their owners, desiring "hll lg
forward what ] consider the - lhl.IT,.s III
tho men. the owners, and our cltN ethefalif.
!. That the men while employed or the Loco
motive Works took an unWarranied ann "
rancal notion of wha: they called their rights
and made demand on The company 70 BlNc
them the "sO-called right TO dictate 90 them
who should run their machines.
,. Tire company declined through lnelr 'n D,,i
ager 10 accode 10 this demand, because II con
iiIcted with their personal freedom OF action
10 do as they thought best with their own prop
erty and could not allow any interference
with the Introduction of methods ana means 70
effect such economies as were IN full plai no an
other locomotive shops.
3. When thi. refusal was received the men
lost their head, and went into mean aud CON
tcmpube ATTACK ON the management, when
anyone with ordinary common sense cQuid rtc
was intended 60 uudf rmlnr the confidence OF
the owner, ln SAID maua4c mcut.
public statement IN which Tho management was
fully and righfcou-ly sustained 80,
D. The men seeing this, AMI knowing thai the
owners who signed the statement were, every
one OF them. citizens OF high rcpufD having
ihe very lest interests OF ihe citl az near.
they appointed committee 60 walt ON one or
TWO OF the owners. who secuto have given Tue
committee good advice. ending WIN an iuii ma
tiOn that the company could not sWcrFe nom
the position they had taken
Now. Mr. Editor. RhHf can lie the outcome or
RMS matter. brt the acceptance ot the COM
pauys view of it on the purt 81 the men, AMI
resumption OF work by. them either az ihese
vigilance commlttecs. with their attempt. ai
coercion and intimidation can ouly result lh
making n impossible f0r the management over
to think OF taking them ua'h in "a body, CONF
mon regard for their sCll-rcspect would most
likely preclude auy such possibility
Looking on inns matter rom another stuhu-
%, thc.f men made iulOn tue company io sur
render into fhc hands ~ fhoii employees thr ri-ht
to Io what 10 thor Judgment "a. best 100 all
matters appartaininr to lh,r hi, ihr'' 'hoNib
prevail. our err, must lii farewell o. amy cou-
sqirous development of mechanical enterprises
In her midst.
who are making public app ais through the
press fur subscription, to stock. in order to
Iru- mere Whtf fhtf claim are hr,' -clh'- maui
ufacturIuE tutrrprl-'-, both Of which Np now
NJ fhoy are running, and viii have 90 continue
20 employ. Iu large numbers, Just -uch hands
as the machfnl-ts object fo.
biz being the case. ~ j. easy FOB lma-inc what
kind of % reply such gentlemen a- VI .-sr- iIiEg.
Gintcr. Bryan. Montague anil IutOrd VIII make
When asked 60 invest in such 'nt"Iri-e,
II would also seem tO thc writer fhtf lf -uch
an attempt AS these men are making fo force
urou tlr company such 1000 unfair unt tfr4uiil-
cal yoke -hould obtain. ~ would sooner or later
entirely stop the wheels 1f progress and make DO
impossible 60 compete with other shops u the
binding OF locomotive ENGINES or for That mat
ter any mechanical establishment mar h1+
adopted modern shop practice, and attained fhe
success that our capitalists have in view noih
for thcm,,lrc, aui ihc workmtii oi orr cry.
in conclusion tle writer would say mar ne
hola mp theu heads IN thls c9l4inlnity, OF i'ph
their " i've, ali children aud fellow-cltIens I'M
tAs face. 10 they submit 20 amy such Illuminating
and tynnuical demand as thor former tnl-
piOyes ma lc upon thrm. and who are now. AL
though paid of u full. amt having no further
connection with the company or dts affairs
li NIl Naf arc HiINiI'ilila iAlf .Ali' 900 I'D I+ir
ly c0erclvc and other questionable mean, to
hamper and DESTROY The company business.
In fact. they are doing their very best 10 xii the
goose that hui land for thcm their golden
eggs. while the COMPANY hy their stafcmDu t.
have not received "a dollar ou their investment.
A fhirty-hye years experience and knowledge
OF the question: 10 i. sue leads m8 20 hope that
the men will have fhc good SENSE 20 stop trying
To- haul tho company over 20 their way OF think
ing by any such rope If sand as they seem 90
have chosen aud that they will az once go 20
work somewhere anywhere So as 20 support
aui maintain tine Wlve. and children that are
dcpcnirnf ON them for support.
The owners ami managers so far as the writer
can learn. have not. and do not, propose 70 put
"a straw in the way Of any 0f their late employees
ia their efforts 90 gum employment anywhere
they choose In lact. instances are known where
the manager has actually gone - the trouble OF
trying TO get some Of the men places elsewhere,
-o that they could ind Out DIS cXperlcuce what
serious and untenaDle demand they had made
on thu company.
How different is thc action of The men no inn
partial observer can fail % -cc. and 10 Is the
writer opinion that II the demands OF the men
we're allowed 30 would lead. and that very soon,
to closing OF the works, and would set back
fhc mechanical and commercial progress OF our
cifr az least zen VparH.