St. Paul daily globe., 1892-12-26
COMBINING naI1RoADERs.
a Grand Amalgamation Meeting
to Occur Today.

to Ot cur Today.
CEDAR RAPIDS, To-, Dec. 25.-All of
the railway organizations, with the ey-
ception of the switchmen, are, it is said,
to once more form themselves into an
amalgamated association. The meeting
for the perpvse Of this amalgamation
will take place here Dec. 26 and Will be
composed of the following brOtherhoodS
of railroad employees: Locomotive en-
gineers, locomotive firemen, trainmen,
conductors and telegraphers. 1t is said
that the object of this amalgamation is
to prevent any railroad strike that
might occur during the time of the
great exposition. 1t is feared that il
the various brotherhoods were left
10 their own discretion, and in veiw
of the dissatisfaction already eX-
iSting among the organizations,
strikes would enSue OH many of the
prominent roads Of the country. Such
conservative labor leaders as T. NJ.
Arthur, of the engineers, and d. q.
Ramsay, OF the teiegrapherS, who n6id
a conference on the subject short time
ago, agreed that if any organization
went out on strike during the fair,
public sentiment and prejudice would
be so strong that it would end in the
QloSOluOlOll VI GllpoC VI SlHlIdllOlS.
Every state III the Union will send
one representative from each of the five
orders. Delegates Representing brother
hoods in New York, Philadelphia, New
Jersey, Massachusetts, Delaware and
Maryland left Chicago for this city to-
night Grand Chief Arthur, of the ell
gineers and Grand Chief Ramsay, of the
telegraphers, were in the party.
TERRE HAUTE. Ind, Dec. Is. Grand
Master Sargent. of the brotherhood of
locomotive tremen, was interviewed to-
day by representative of the United
Press regarding the alleged federation
of railroad labor organizations. He
stated that conference has been called
to meet at Cedar Rapids Wednesday.
December 2S, to which the Order OF
Railway Conductors, Brotherhood of
Locomotive Engineers, Brotherhood of
Fremen, Order of Railroad TelegrapherS
and Order of Railway Switchmen have
been invited. Mr.. Sargent stated that
the conference will not be composed of
state delegates, but only Of committees
chosen by the several railway orders.
The representatives of the Brotherhood
OF Locomotive Firemen will be ID. p.
Sargent, Telre Haute; G. A. Wilson,
Jersey City, and George W. Greenwood,
WinSIow, Arizona. Mr.. Sargent says
while the meeting is called to
consider the question of federation it
cannot at that time definitely decide to
federate. 1t would, in fact, be impossi-
bic TO do this, since whatever action
may be taken at the meeting would be
under the rules Of the several organiZa-
tions, and have to be referred to thosesor-
ders for ratification. Mr.. Sargent thinks
that federation may be agreed upon
along the lines laid down at the last
meeting of the Brotherhood of Locomo-
tive Firemen at Cincinnati, which were
in effect to provide for system rather
than national federation. In other
words, the several organizations may
federate on such railway system as
have the orders working in harmony
Mr.. Sargent scouts the idea that the
likelihood of strikes during the Worlds
fair has anything to do with the Cedar
Rapids meeting. and says that while the
Socalled system federation may be agreed
upon at that time, he believes it will be
several years before an attempt will be
made at national federation. such as
fell tO OiecaS at thp hiy ttO'' strike