St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-01-02
CALLS THE ORDER UNJUST.
LABOR OFFICIAL cEESURES THE
RESTRAINING ORDER.
WILL AID THE INVESTIGATION

Grand Chief Clark. of Conductors
iac brotherhood, Arrives to Assist
~ in the Northern Pacific Trouble
tt --intimates Judge Jenkins
Restraining Employees From
Quitting the Service Is Unjust.
+. f. Clark, of Cedar Rapids, To-, ar
rived in the city yesterday and regis
= tered at the Merchants. He came direct
from Chicago, and is grand chief of the
Order of Railway Conductors. He ex-
poets to remain here until tonight. He
took supper last night with number of
the members of the Northern Pacific
conference committee at the Windsor.
He was seen at the latter hotel, and
asked as to what his mission is. He re-
piled:
II came to st. Paul to confer with the
members of the Northern Pacific con-
terence committee and to help in in
VeStigating the exact condition of affairs
as between them and the company. l
met with the committee today and shall
also do so tomorrow, acting in an advis-
DRY capacity and furnishing them with
data and information. desire to secure
an exact statement Of the condition of
their affairs. and am IN condition to
furnish them with information in rela-
ton to competing lines, and as to the
conditions existing in other territory.
I'VE do not believe there was any ne
ceSSity Tor the reduction in the pay of
these men. and If there did exist any
necessity for it, we do not believe there
Is the shadow Of an excuse TOR cutting
wages below figure paid by COMPETE
tors as well as further reduction as
the result of the abrogation or amend
ment of rules relating to the pay for ex-
/ ira or unusual service. When notice of
such intention on the part of the COM
pany was issued it was natural the men
should send their committees here to
protest. They came in the same spirit
as when these schedules were made. l
understand a restraining order was
issued to prevent the employees from
interfering with the company's prop
erty. This | consider entirely
uncalled for at the time. 1 believe 1T
had an irritating effect. In all my ex-
perience l have never met more rea-
sonable or intelligent. conservative. and
at the same time determined, set of
representatives. We do not believe
there is anything connected with the
administration of the affairs of these or
CARNATIONS that called for the Issuance
OF restraining order. We propose to
annflpno tC ho
line of policy that we have followed in
the past, that is to serve and protect the
interests of those we represent, so far
as it is possible for US to do, under our
and their rights, as citizens of the
country. am not prepared to state
what our line of action will be, but we
will leave no honorable effort uutried
that will bring matters to a position
that will be satisfactory to the men.
Il understand that Judge Jenkins
order enjoinS the men from leaving the
companY's service. either collectively or
individually, Oh the grounds that they
are officers or servants of the court. If
1t is good and constitutional law that
Restraints man from leaving service
which he voluntarily entered at time
when the compensation promised him
is materially reduced. because the road
is in the hands of receivers, it must be
equally good law which would
require him to remain IN
the service against his will
and after his compensation had been
reduced far below a point at which it
would furnish him living. We believe
that it Is perfectly proper for the United
States to afford protection to receivers
appointed by its courts whenever they
need it. l also believe that it is a right
guaranteed to every citizen to seek en-
ployment where he may choose. and
remain therein so long as he and his
employer can agree. and exercise the
same degree of freedom in leaving as
in entering it."
Mr.. Clark spent some time in Phila-
delphia during the recent Lehigh VAL
ley railroad troubles, and he speaks
Verv highly of the way in which the
newspaper men there used him.