The record-union., 1894-07-03

assuming TO address you | indulge very
earnest desire 10 meet the real issues
candidly, and consider them thought
fully as we'll as secure at your hands ana
through you at the hands of thespubllc,
like judicial examination OF the question.
''It cannot too often be repeated that no
difficulty exists between the Southern
Pacific Company and its employees, nor,
indeed, between any Of the railroads and
their employees involved IN this boycott.
The Central Pacific Railroad Company
and the Southern Pacific Company have
a record in the treatment of their em-
plOyeS of which they have q right to De
proud. It is the universal testimony OF
the railroads of the United States that the
employees of the company which l have
the honor to represent in this communi-
ton have been treated with consideration
as to their equal rights, with fairness IN
the redress of all grievances complained
OF, and with liberaiity as to the wages
paid and hours of service demanded at
their hands l desire to emphasize this
fact. because it lies at the foundation of
all just consideration of matters at issue.
1.-The policy sought to be established
by the American Railway Union brings
all this amicable relation between the
corporation l represent and its employees
to naught. To what avail has been the
reasonable consideration, the fair treat
ment and liberal wage, if difficulty be-
tween an outsider and his employees IS to
disturb these relations? What induce
ment remains to any employer IN the
United States to treat his employees With
fairness and liberality, if a controversy to
which be or they are not parties is 10 dis
turb that relation? For thirty years the
railroads of the Pacific Coast have en-
ployed a vast industrial army, and the
relation between the employer and en-
ployed has been amlcable. The fact bears
upon its face the irrelragable argument in
favor OF fairness on the one side and rea-
sonableness on the other.
1.-The record stands unimpeached and
unimpeachable that the Southern Pacific
Company has been considerate Of the
rights OF its employees, mindful OF their
manhood as individual citizens and So
licitous as TO their rights as workmen and
wage -earners. Thirty years OF amicable
relation is proof conclusive of Just and
honorable treatment. The most preju
diced antagonist of this company must
admit the force of the testimony Of which
this record is conclusive evidence.
81 appeal in all sincerity to the sober
thought of the community in answering
the questions: w hat has disturbed this
relation? Why have amicable relations
been broken OFF? Why have the thirty
years of mutual forbearance and mutual
good understanding been suddenly ar
restedY
mo member of the community is in
terested in selt-deception, and in view Of
the far-reaching consequences which may
ensue, l may lie permitted to assume that
thoughtful and respectful presentation
of the railroad side of this controversy
will be received III like spirit of thought
fulness and candor.
The Southern Pacific Company has
been criticised because it did not concede
Il a 81
Union for q cessation of the Pullman
service. 1t has been contended that the
ordinary train and mail service might
have been pursued without reference to
the Pullman service To many minds
this appears to be reasonable, but when
viewed from the standpoint of the princi-
pies involved, it is wholly untenabIe. To
have conceded this point would have been
to make concession as broad as the prIn-
ciples underlying the controversy.
"It happened IN this instance that the
demand made related to the Pullman
cars; that was a mere incident of the con-
troversy. The principle involved should
| have clearer dehnition in the minds of
the public. The American Railway Union
| is seeking to establish policy that the
transportation interests of the country
shall be made parties % any controversy
between any manufacturing company
and its employees. The logic of this
policy. as set forth in my former COM
munication, is that no rolling stock pur-
| chased by a railroad company and owned
| by it shall be used on the line Of the road
or in the service of transportation, unless
the labor employed in the manufacturing
of other rolling stock shall be satisfied
with its rate of wages or it's hours of
work.
1T may be freely admitted that a train
service and mail service could have been
performed without the Pullman cars.
None of the railroad managers OF the
country would contend otherwise for
moment. But to have conceded this de-
mand would have accomplished the in
PRODUCTION OF principle in transporta-
| ton which would have been governing
and controlling factor in all future time.
The American Railway Union. by It's de-
mand, practically formulated this new
principle in transportation. 1t plainly
declared in effect, If not in language, as
follows:
"The use of rolling stock and motive power
of the railroads OF the United States shall be
| discontinued if the relation between the man.
ufacturers OF such rolling stock and motive
power and the members of this organization
! employed by them is unsatisfactory; the ma
chinery manufactured by foundry shall not
| be transported unless the labor employed by
such foundry is satisfied with its rate of wages
or hours OF labor; the commodities produced
| by any manufacturer in the United States
shall be denied transportation as q weaponry
| in the settlement OF difficulties between the
manufacturer and his employees; merchandise
shall not be carried TO store where the labor
EN- plOyed by the store is IN q state of revolt
against the hours of service or the schedule of
reward. In short, transportation as q factor
in commerce and the cOnSefVatOr OF industry
shall be arrested where its arrest will coerce
the railroads of the country, or every individ-
ual member OF the community, by enlisting
their selfish interests on the side OF diScon-
tented labor
$40 concede one of these things means
to concede them ALL The concession
asked for. therefore, would have estab-
lished policy changing every aspect of
transportation. In the case under con-
sideration, it is mere incident of the
controversy that the Pullman cars are
the objects of hostility. Concession to
unreasonable demand forever invites un-
reasonable aggression. Concession in
this instance could have been pleaded
with proprlety as a precedent for future
action.
''The people Of the United States should
rise to the full level OF the magnitude of
this demand, and / invoke the value Of
repetition by again declaring that the
American Hallway Union, by the de-
mand it has made, is seeking to establish
a policy which forces every employer
and all employed men in the United
States to become parties to every contro-
versy between every employer and his
| employe i'll the country. The policy will
deny to employers the right to that ami
cable relation which should be the fruit
Of proper treatment of their own people.
It jeopardizes the amicable relation be-
tween every employer and his employees,
and places his relation with those whom
he has diligently sought to treat fairly and
/ honora bly, at the hazard of disagreements
/ between people over whom he has no
control, and to whose quarreis he is in
no sense a party.
II have no fault to find with those con-
Ill