Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-05-25
THE RAILWAY UNION
FULL TEXT OF THE PLATFORM OF
THE NEW ORGANIZATION.

Leading Men of the Older Railroad
Brotherhoods Interested.
Uncommon interest is felt in the new
organization of railway employees re-
Gently perfected in Chicago Among the
prominent railway men who are taking
an active part in the new union are:
Eugene V. Debs, ex-grand secretary and
treasurer of the Brotherhood of Locomo-
tive Firemen, Terre Haute, Ind; L. w,
Rogers, editor of The Age of Labor; Gen.
eral w. III. Sebring of the Qder of Rail
road Conductors, Memphis F. w. Ar
mold, grand secretary and treasurer Of
the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen;
James A. Clark, ex-grand senior of the
brotherhood Of Railroad Telegraphers;
G. W. Howard, ex-grand chief conductor
of the Brotherhood of Railroad Conduct
ors; W. S. Missemer, grand chief car
man of the Brotherhood of Railroad Car
Men, st. Joseph, Mo-; S. Kelliher, grand
secretary and treasurer of the Brother
hood of Railroad Car Men; Henry Wal
ton, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engi-
neers.
The title Of the new organization is
The American Railway union, and the
officers elected for the year are: e. v.
Debs, president; George w. Howard, first
vice president; w. S. Missemer, second
vice PRESIDENT; s. Kelliher, secretary, and
an executive board of nine members.
Following is the manifesto of the new
union, and though very lengthy docu-
ment it is well worth close perusal by
all persons interested in labor organiza-
tons:
In the creation of O new organization of rail
way employees certain reasons prompting the
movement are demanded and should be set
forth with becoming candor.
The number of employees now in the service
OF the railroads of America has been variously
estimated from 10000 to 100000. 1t is safe
to assume that this vast army of employees is
at the present time not less than 100000.
Accepting the highest claims of the various
railway organizations as n basis of calculation,
| less than 10000 of these employees are men,
bers Of such organization, leaving more than
$4,000 who are not enrolled In the ranks of Or
ganized labor.
To state the proposition concisely, organiza-
tion is union. 1t is a self evident truth that in
union there is strength" )" and conversely with
out union weakness prevails. Therefore the
central benefit to be derived from organization
is strength power to accomplish that which de-
| fies individual effort.
| DEFECTS IN ORGANIZATION.
Experience, the great teacher, whose lessons
sooner or later must be needed, points out with
unerring certainty the defects and demon
strates the inef1ciency of the organizations as
| they now exist.
First-They do not provide for all classes of
employees, 1t being shown that $4,000 of them,
or So per cent Of the whole number, remain IN
organized. These may be divided into three
general classes, Ql those who are eligible, but
| decline to join, (2) those who have been expelled
because of their inability or refusal to bear the
financial burdens which membership imposes,
and (3) the multiplied thousands in various de-
| partments of the service who are totally ineli-
| gible, there being no provision for their admis-
sion.
These facts, In the light of 90 years of organi-
cation, establish beyond all controversy the
truth of the declarations herein set forth and
| emphasize the demand for an order in which
| there shall be room and protection for all
! whose hearts throb responsive to union senti-
ments, and whose desire it Is to march under
union banners in the great struggle for the tri-
umph of union principles.
| Second-The existing organizations, designed
| to promote and preserve harmonious relations
between employer and employee, have met
| with only limited success, If indeed 1t can be
shown that any progress in that direction has
been made. Never has there existed that mu-
tual confidence without which it were mislead-
ing to assume that peace anity and goodwill
between employer and employee has been lit
tie better than an enforced compliance with
conditions rarely satisfactory to either party.
Third-What must be said of organizations
which have failed to establish friendship and
goodwill even among themselves? From the
first there have existed antagonisms and jeal-
ousies, eliminating in warning factions, In
stead OF q harmonious whole Organization
has been pitted against organization, bringing
upon themselves not only disaster, but lasting
reproach.
PROTECTION THE CARDINAL PRINCIPLE.
Fourth-Protection Is the cardinal principle
Of the present organizations, but they do not
protect. Since ian injury to one is the concern
Of all, failure to protect all is an exhibition
OF purpose without the power to enforce 1t,
and this fact emphasizes the necessity of the
federation of organizations, but which under
existing conditions is impracticable if not i'm
possible.
Fifth-It Is universally conceded that one Of
the most serious objections to the existing
ganiZations Is their excessive cost TO the mem
bership, the sum totals of which, were the
facts known, would amaze the labor world.
| So enormous have they become that tens of
thousands, unable to bear the burden, have
been forced back into the ranks of the unor-
ganized.
Sixth-Another defect in existing organize
tons is their secrecy, as for instance the secret
ballot, by virtue of which thousands of worthy
applicants have been excluded. Tho air of mys-
terry surrounding their proceedings is not cal
culated to inspire confidence. On the contrary,
In the relations between employer and en-
ployee In carrying forward great enterprises In
which the people at large are profoundly in
terested, mystery Is not required and is produc-
tive of suspicion and distrust. Open, fearless
and above board work is far more In conso-
nance with the spirit of independence and free
institutions.
Seventh-The tremendous power conferred
upon chief officers has been a source of wide
spread dissatisfaction. The mere dictum of an
individual determines whether O strike involy-
ing thousands of employees and millions OF
dollars shall or shall not occur. He is in this
sense an absolute monarch. From his decision
there is no appeal. The unanimous vote of the
organization cannot prevail against 1t. Such
autocratic power vested in single person is
not only dangerous to degree that defles ex-
aggeration but Is at war with the American
idea Of government, in which the one man rule
has no place. Tho responsibility often involved
in q final decision is too great and too grave to
rest upon any one man, however sturdy his in
tegrity or unerring his judgment.
GRIEVANCES AND PETTY COMPLAINTS.
Eighth-The subject of grievances and griev.
ance committees has itself become a grievance