St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-04-26
MIR. HILLS STATEMENT.
He Gives His View Of the Situa.
fiOn

ton.
Although have been connected with
this road for fifteen years. fail to
recognize any Of the men here as en-
plOyes of this road.
Now. in the list we find two engin-
eers, two fremen, twJ conductors, two
brakemen, four switchmen, five car i'll
spectOrs and repairers, eleven shopmen,
three yardmen, two stOrehOuSe en-
ployeS, two laborers, three hostlers and
helpers, one baggageman, three agents
and operators, three clerks, one carpen-
ter, one section man and one assistant
clerk. Thirty-four Of the men give
their places of residence at st. [ aal
and Minneapolis.
The company desires always to have
its employees fairly and fully represent
ed by any men hom they may select,
either OH the company's pay rolls. or, f
they prefer, outside of the company's
pay rolls. For the benefit of some VINO
were not here this morning wonld say
that while your committee claims to
represent the employees of the Great
Northern railway, the company must
know that whOSoever represents the
men in any conference is able to bind
them and to speak for them. We have
tried to be patient through all this mat
ter; from the beginning we have de-
sired to give the men an opportunity to
be heard. either individually or through
their representatives. We are con-
tronted at the outset with the fact
that we have heretofore made agree.
ments with organizations that claim to
represent large nuNber of the men
employed on the con- pany's line, and
who have represented them in the
past. We have made agreements on
their behalf, and which agreements
have been observed 10y the men and
by the company. The representatives
of these organizations claim (and when
say their representatives mean their
former representatives on the road, and
mean the grand officers of these Or
ganizations) that they desire aud pro.
pose to continue to represent these diff
ferent classes, and that the men em-
ployed In these different classes are un-
der their organizations.
1t is claimed by the members of the
committee who were here this morning
that the committee represents every
body, and that IL represents the men
claimed 10 be represented, anu who have
heretofore been represented by the
different organizations and their COM
mittees, who have in the past agreed
with the company on behalf of the diff.
ferent classes of employment. Since
the COMMITTEES left here this morning
we have heard from these organizations
through their representatives, and they
| say unQualifiedly that the American
| Railway union does not represent them;
| that they do hot desire to have anything
| to do with them; that they are 10 be
represented by their own organizations; !;
| that they want no other organization to
represent them. They are bound by
the agreement of their organization, and
| they claim that their men are not to any
| material extent connected with the A.
r. u. Now submit to you. gentlemen.
that the makeup of this committee, On
| its face, does not bear any evidence
| whatever uf being a lair representative
committee of the different classes of the
men, concerning their Importance or in
numerical representation. AT the same
| time, if that is the committee that the
employees of this company desire to have
! represent them, we are entirely satisfied
that they shall do SO. We are met with
the contention on the part OF the repre-
sentatives of the men employed in the
various classes that the committee does
not represent them nor do they desire
to be represented by anybody except
their own committee, regularly appoint
ed, under whose direction they have
| heretofore acted, and under whose di-
| rectiOn they desire to act hereafter. In
the meantime the business of the
company is delayed, its obligations
to the public imperiled, while rival
labor organizations are undertaking to
say who shall represent the men that
the company pays for doing its busj.
| ntI 70 hi
| carefully; l want you all, If we are to
come TO a reasonable solution of this
matter, to look at it as fair-minded men,
becaure l want to say here that unless
an agreement is fairly made and fairly
understood, and unless it fairly covers
the points that the parties to the agree
mept desire to have covered, 1t Is not a
good agreement and ought not to he
made. Hew are we to proceed II our
employees say to US. 1--WE desire to
be governed by our own or
ganizations and their committees,
and their committee comes here
and claims that they are not only en-
titled from the fact that they are author.
lied by the employees to represent them,
but they are actually the representa-
tlves of the different classes. If we
should sit down and negotiate with this
committee, and arrive at a conclusion
that is satisfactory to the committee
and the company, tomorrow we would
have to deal with other men. AS AIN
Informed by the men whN are employed
by this company and disehargiRg their
obligations to the company, that If we
should make an agreement, they pro
pose to disregard it, and they propose
to be governed by their own rules. theil
own laws, and their own organizations
Now. would like 20 know or heal
how we are to proceed to consider thi:
subject Possibly Mr.. Debs can throw
some light on the subject.
During the course of Mr.. Hilrs
formal statement he thoughtfully pacet
up and down. Every word he spoke
| was intently listened to. Mr.. Debs anC
Mr.. Howard, particularly, paid stric
attention to his every utterance.
AS MIR. Debs rose to reply his face
betokened the earnestness of bis
thoughts, and he directed his remark
straight to Mr.. Hill. His tall, spare
form and his manner of speaking wei,
not unlike w. W. Erwin. Th
| closest attention and respect wer