The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1894-04-28
NEIHART. MONTANA, APRIL %, 1894.

AS"iJ o"SSoSe .hchooiNeS, IL Woulu
not be consistent for us to meet you
without being accompanied by such
a committee. If this meets with
your approval, kindly name time and
place of meeting, and oblige.
EUGENE V. DEBs, President;
G. w. HOWARD, Vice e-President.
Sr. PAUL, Mimi, April 49,
Messrs. Eugene V. Debs and G. w.
Howard, St. Paul, Minn. Gentle
men: Replying to your favor of
this date, just received, l beg to say
that your understanding of my
meaning is not correct. The COM
pany is ready to receive the men in
its employ or their representatives.
This includes all the men on the
company's pay-rolls. The company
can have no knowledge as to who
will represent its employees, except
as they themselves may designate.
Yours truly,
JAS. J. HILL, President.
The report came from Debs, the
company refused to give any of it
until it was complete. 1t now ap-
pears that the announcement was
trifle premature on the part of the
American Railway union Officials.
President Hill's offer to see Debs
personally" would make it appear
that he does not intend to receive
him in an official capacity.
1t will be noticed that Debs, in
his first letter asks if committee
representing the American Railway
union will be received in order to
adjust the difficulties between the
Great Northern road and it's en-
ployes. President Hill does not say
that he will recognize the American
Railway union. In fact he seems to
carefully avoid giving any impress
sion that he will. He does say:
"The company is ready to receive
the men in its employ or their
representatives. This presumably
referring to the representatives, in
cludes all the men on the company's
pay rolls. The company can have
no knowledge as to who will repre-
sent its employees, except as they
themselves may designate.''
1t would be interesting to know
exactly what is meant by the remarks
Just quoted. 1t is certain that nei-
ther Debs, Howard nor Hogan are
in the employ of the company, there
fore they will not be eligible for a
conference. AS stated in the Trib-
une yesterday, telegraphic dispatches
indicate that the leaders of the strike
in many places are not actual en-
ployes of the road or were not on the
pay roll at the time Of the strike
Such persons while they may be
members of the A. r. T., would
hardly come within the limits defined
by President Hill. A prominent
brotherhood man offered the follow
ing theory:
"The brotherhood committees have
been designated by the employees a:
their representatives and would
thus be within the limits mentioned
by President Hill. The brotherhood
committees have not yet been offic
tally instructed by their men to ask
for conference. Probably Presi
dent Hill means that he would NEE
with committee from the depart
ments of the service not connected
with the brotherhoods. They coult
, get together and make known thei
grievances. It is a we'll known fac
that trackmen, laborers and other.
are seriously affected by the variou
cuts and ! believe they would get
raise if they would send their repre-
sentatives direct to hill"
There was rumor that the Grea
Northern management intends t
make some changes in the schedule
and pay special attention to those re
celving the lowest wages. Thi
could not be officially verified, how
ever.
President Debs, when informe
that the papers would in the mornin
publish all the correspondence tn;
. has passed between President Hi
and the officers of the America
Railway union, said: 'sPresider
:. Hill has shown disposition that
extremely creditable to himself an
. to the company. We fully apprec