St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-10-26

situation at this time is due to the pub
lie. that our position may not be mis-
judged or unjustly criticised by reason
of misleading or conflicting reports of
the true situation. We wish to state at
the outset. however. that no one depre-
Gates being forced to meet TINS issue,
and no one will more directly or
keenly feel Its i'll effects, than will
our company. 1t would naturally
occur to any fair minded indiyid-
ual that the large army of men whom
we regularly employ, with steady and
agreeable work, we'll paid, would
thoughtfulIy take into consideration
the general demoraIized condition of
the commercial interests of our country
and the fact that thousands of unem-
ployed are praying for an opportunity,
at the very Threshold of cold
winter, to earn enough to keep their
families from want, aud would hesitate
to force upon Us the settlement of any
issue, especially one so unreasonable.
pany, without solicitation, coercion or
Intimidation, and at the beginning of a
general financial stringency and COM
mercial depression, voluntarily increased
the wages of the trainmen of our COM
panies in Minneapolis and St.PauI; and.
while the subsent condition Of business
and the actions of many of our men
have not justified maintaining this
voluntary increase, we have made no
reduction i'll the wages thus increased
We had hoped that the result of this
increase in pay would insure a greater
degree of efficiency in the services rem
dered, and above and with ali spirit of
cOntentment, coupled with an increased
desire TO better serve the interest of the
public. About the time of this increase,
or Z short time thereafter, few of the
trainmen of the two cities began to form
union. Our company has not, neither
will 1t interpose any objection to
tue formation of an organization with
proper motives; on the contrary, we are
willing TO encourage an organization for
the moral and mental advancement of
our men. We believe that men have
the right to organize for their mutual
benefit. and can see where an organiza-
ton. properly conducted by honest men.
might be of great mutual benefit, but
such an organization should not inter
fere with the personal rights of those
who do not see fit to affiliate with or
support it.
a large percentage of the trainmen of
the two cities, for reasons best known
to themselves, have not seen fit to be-
come members of the So-called union:
and, as q result, there has arisen feel
ing of animosity between the union and
non-unlOn men in our employ, which
has worked to the detrlment of the best
interests of themselves. the public and
the company. We have been very re-
luctant to assert our rights at a time
when our own as well as the CONNER
ciat interests of the city would be
greatly embarrassed, and have permitted
our rules to be grossly violated. and our
organization, so essential to good service
and public safety, TO become sadly de-
moraliZed.
We have always accorded to the vari-
Gus committees. appointed by our en-
DIoyes to confer with our company,
full and speedy conference. Their prin-
cipal grievances nave always been the
outgrowth of an aggrieved feeling of
diSloyalty and diStruSt between them
selves suspicious of and impugning the
motives of one another, alleging that we
were e0nniving against the interests OF
the union. In all these conferences we
have maintained that we would
show no preference. but in
the future, as in the past.
would require honesty, integrity and
loyalty to the mutual interests of the
company and its employees. This was
accepted as satisfactory. and the men,
through their committees, agreed that
! they would work in harmony with all
our employees. How we'll they have
kept their promises, and how unreason-
able they are in their demands, is
| shown by the following notice served
upon our company at a late hour Friday
night, Oct. 20, in which they make an
unconditional declaration that they
would, Sunday, Oct. %, or within
! twenty-four hours from the date of said
notice, refuse to remain in employment
with, work or check with any and ali men
in the train service of this company who
| are non-union men. This part of their
declaration they have carried cut. re-
fusing to affiliate or Cooperate with the
non-union men in the performance of
their duties. This they dbl without
seeking conference or giving the COM
pany an opportunity to confer with
them before they had submitted to US
their proposed written contract. Their
declaration, which reads as follows:
Thus we have two forces, like unto
two armies, and there must then, when
both are fully organized and equipped,
either be war or peace, or an armistIce
period" indicates that they are deter
mined to force the issue at all hazards.
The company will retain in its en-
ploy, and defend to Its utmost capacity,
any efficient employe, regardless of
whether he is ''union" or ''nsn-union ="
We herewith submit the written.
communications received from our en-
plOyes in connection with the present
difficulty; also the circular this day sent
by the company to its trainmen.
In conclusion, we promise loyalty to
the best interests of the Twin Cities.
and just and liberal treatment of our
mployeS. Respectfully submitted,
THOMAS LOWRY, President.
DEMAND OF THE EMPLOYEES
Submitted to the Street Car Com
pany Last Week.
DIV. 27. A. A. 5. E. E. OF a, ST.
PAUL. Mimi, Oct. 10, 1s93.-To the
President of the Twin City Rapid
Transit Company and to All Whom 1t