Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1892-09-12
AN EMPEROR'S POWER.
RAILROAD MEN MUST SUBMIT TO
M'LEOD'S IRON RULES.

Lehigh Valley and Jersey Central EN-
ployes Are Under the Presidents Ban
A Strike Would Give Him a Chance to
Crush Their Unions-Hard on New Men.
With cunning that is rarely eaualed,
even in soulless corporations, the Read
ing management is working night and
day to give its Lehigh Valley employees
cause to strike, and, trusting to its usual
good luck in defeating strikers, it hopes
thereby to rid its entire system of orga-
nlzed labor. The Lehigh Valley men
are connected with the various railroad
brotherhoods, and Mcleod and his allies
regard with envious eyes the monthly
dues they pay into these. The Reading
Relief Association was instituted as
substitute for labor unions, and because
the railroaders of the entire system do
not take to it kindly Mcleod intends to
follow the plan which worked SO success
full on the old line in 1889.
Engineers are quietly dismissed here
and there, brakemen and conductors
suspended without cause, and even
switchmen are being placed under all
sorts OF petty restrictions likely to irr-
tate them. Every little device or scheme
ehbo w III htCD bIlC dIHOytu is
being used unstintingly, until at last the
men are forced to send committees with
grievances to headquarters. The engi-
neers are the first to take up the cues
, ton, and on Friday delegation went to
Philadelphia and called upon the EN-
perer of the Coal Regions. The confer
ence lasted an hour and a half, and from
all accounts the committee received but
little satisfaction. Mcleod told them
pretty plainly that he was running the
railroads of this part of the United
States, and intimated that those who
didn't like his orders could leave. The
men wished to have an amicable under
standing with the management, and the
Reading president condescended to
allow them to call again to-day.
The principal reason of the committee
going to Philadelphia was because they
objected to the rule compelling men to
turn over their souls and bodies to the
combine by signing paper containing
the following
Name of applicant?
Age?
Address?
Married or single?
Where last employed, how long, and
in what capacity?
Reason for leaving place of last en-
ployment?
Length of time in railroad service, on
what road and in what capacity?
DO you use Intoxicating liquors?
Full address or reference,
Can you read and write?
Are you a member of labor organiza-
tion, and if SO, which one?
If member, will you withdraw and
refuse to support or belong to any labor
organization if you take service with the
company?
Are you willing to become a member
of the Philadelphia and Reading Relief
Association?
After the conference President Nc
Leod had this to say about it:
The men have no grievance what
ever, and are perfectly satisfied with the
treatment they have received all over
the system. They want us to change
our rule in reference to the employment
of new men. We do not employ new
men unless they join the Reading Relief
Association. 1t is the best in the
country, one to which the Reading Com
pany contributes $75, 900 year. While
it is young, it will be of more benefit than
any other similar insurance company.
The other objection is that we modify
. our rules in reference to labor organiza-
tions
I'VE do not employ any new men
unless they are not and will not become
members of any labor organizations.
We have no organized labor on the
Reading lines proper. On the lines we
have leased we are only carrying out
our rule in reference to the employment
of new men. These men are requested
to sign papers stating that they are not
members of any labor organization.
aThey are also required to join the Read
. ing Relief Association In reference to
the men on the lines recently leased who
are members of any labor orga nization
nothing will be done so long as they are
faithful in the discharge of their duties.
The rules only apply to the appoint
ment of new men,"
The railroaders, however, are not dis
posed to take McLeod's word for it that
nothing VIII be done so long as they
remain faithful in the discharge of their
duties" McLeod's word on such mat
ters cannot be relied upon since he told
the consumers Of anthracite there would
be no advance in prices, yet the people
of Philadelphia are paying nearly
dollar ton more for coal This is one
of the things McLeod's considers moth
ing" and the Lehigh Valley men do not
intend to be caught in a trap by giving
him free hand in their affairs. While
there is not much danger of strike or
tie-up on the road, still the matter is
. coming to head rapidly, and something
of the kind may take place. This would
be McLeod's programme exactly, and
after giving Pennsylvania's toy soldiers
another opportunity to display their
wonderful bravery, he could fill the Le-
high Valley and Central with thousands
of unprincipaled and unorganized men,
and that would be the end of labor
unions on the Reading system.
They are Ouarantined