The record-union., 1894-07-02
FEDERATED R. R. ORGANIZATIONS.
Their Attitude Toward the Company
Fully Explained.
Interview With W. V. Stafford, Head
of the Order of Railway
Conductors.
From the San Francisco chroniele.l

tions had been issued w. V. Stafford. the
General Chairman of the Order of Rail-
way Conductors, was seen by ChT0Racte
reporter and interviewed. He is the
head of the Order of Railroad Conductors
on this coast and is in a position to talk
on all matters pertaining to the order.
He said: This fight OF the American
Railway Union must end in fearful dis
aster to some if not all concerned. / know
the history of the rise of the American
Railroad Union. its aims and objects.
know the men who comprise 1t, and L
believe the programme as outlined by IL
portends disaster to all railroad labor II II
is able to carry out its plans. Inc
trouble is chiefly with shopmen, tiremen
and certain members of the Brotherhood
of Railroad Trainmen, particularly the
young and thoughtless ones, VINO nave
Joined the American Railway Union IN
defiance of their own rules and IN spite OF
the orders OF Chief Swain of the Brother
hood of Railroad Trainmen.
'Our position is peculiar one. We are
in a better condition than any other rail-
road organization in the country to-day.
We spent three weeks here year ago IN
order that some agreement might be
reached in regard 10 our schedule OF
wages We have got it. and we intend
now to strain every nerve TO keep our
side of the bargain with the Southern IA
cific Company. Onr different organlZa-
lions may not be perfection yet, but they
are OF many years. standing, they are
steadily improving in character and
growing legitimately in strength, not
only numerical strength, but IN lnf1u-
euce. If the great mass OF our member
ship should by any means be taken from
our ranks it would sweep away every
privilege we enjoy and which we nave
taken years to secure. Railroad mana
gers are human and would certainly not
tail to take advantage OF weakened or
poWerlesS condition of our organizations
TO rescind what they had previously
granted under more or less pressure
THAT the American Railway Union de-
sires TO sap our membership L have no
doubt We are not arrayed against them.
We simply say: This Pullman fight is
not ours; we nave no grievance against
the Southern Pacific Company, ana in
tend to abide by our agreement with it.
Mauv of our men have been for years
members of our organizations; they have
a deep interest, pecunlary interest IN
their maintenance. A condition OF MEM
bership is that every one must carry Il
policy of insurance in the organization OF
from 81 900 to $1,000 Now, some OF our
men are getting on in years, and to de-
stroy our organizations would certainly
leopardize these endowment policies II 1t
did not wipe them out.
when Thomas Roberts said that our
organizations were in sympathy with the
cause of the American hallway Union
and Endorsed its action, he was incorrect.
We cannot enter into the fight Of an or
ganization outside of our own, and can
not 90 into a strike except under the con-
ditions specifically set forth in the 'Artl-
cles of Federation amended January o,
1894, of which this is verbatim copy"
MIR. Stafford presented printed copy
of this important document, bearing the
signatures of the chiefs OF the different
orders and the General Chairman in this
State. Following is copy OF the paper:
ARTICLES OF FEDERATION.
AS amended IN accordance with Section 10
at Chicago, January =, 1894
Section i. on any system OF railroad the
General Grievance Committee and Boards OF
Adjustment may federate ana cooperate with
any OF the following organizations: Brother
hood OF Locomotive Engineers, Brotherhood
OF Locomotive F1remen, brotherhood OF RAIL
road Trainmen, ORDER OF ItallrOad telegraph
ers Swltchmen's Mutual Aid Association and
order OF Railway Conductors, Tor the purpose
of adjusting any grievance which may be pre-
sented in accordance with the laws OF the
organization aggrleved.
section 2 In the event of any organization
falling 10 adjust a grievance in accordance
with the laws governing their organization,
the Secretary OF the General Grievance Com
mlttee OF said organization shall, under the
direction of the cnlef executive oflcer OF said
organization. prepare a full aud complete
statement thereof, under seal and with the
signatures Of the committee attached, and
forward the same 10 tue Chairman OF the Gen
eral Grievance Committee of each organiza-
lion constituting the federation.
Section 3. The Chairman OF any General
Grievance Committee receiving statement
as provided in section from The Chairman
General
Committee, representing any organization
participating in the federation, shall forth
with answer such call in person, meeting tue
Others at such time ana place as IS designated,
and when so convened the several General
Chairmen snail constitute the general led
Grated committee of that system, and shall
proceed to organize by the election OF a Chair
man and Secretary, who shall serve until
their successors are July elected. Alter such
organization tney shall. II they approve the
grievance IN conjunction Win tnelf executive
on1cers. exert every honorable EFFORT 10 adjust
the same.
section 4, Whenever the chief executive
officer of the organization aggrieyed Is pre-
pared to approve Il strike he shall immedi-
aIely convene the chief executives of all or
ganizaUions represented III the federation,
ana III the event OF it becoming necessary to
inauglIrate a strike the same shall be author
lied only by a two-thlrdS vote OF the federated
committee and the consent OF the chief eXecu-
Iives of all the organizations represented.
Section .. Should a strike be lnaugurated
the chief executive OF the organization ag-
errieyed shall be the recognized leader and
shall have power 10 declare the strike of,
with consent OF the general federated COM
mittee together with the approval OF Lhe CHIEF
executive of the organizations embraced in
the federation, as provided in Section 4.
Section o.. The expenses incurred in the set
tlement OF any grievance tor in case of
strikel shall be paid by each organization IN
accordance with the provisions or their re-
spective constitutions and bylaws.
RSeetion :. A copy of these articles, ,duIySigned
by the authorlzeI representatives, of eacn of
the organizations represented in the federa-
tion on any system, accompanied by a certi-
fed statement from The Chairman ana Secre-
tarv of the General Grievance Committee of
esicn organization that these articles have
been adopted by 8 two-thirds vote OF the mem
berS OF the organization, the employees or that
system shall be forwarded TO the chief eXecu-
tive OF each organization and receive his ap-
proval before becoming effective and no meu-
Der OF this organization shall engage in or be
Il party TO any federation or alliance except as
herein provided.
Section s. Any organization that is q part
OF this federation. falling 10 comply with the
rules and regulations contained herein shall
not receive any support or recogniuon from
any organization embraced in this federation
on the system upon which the violation oc-
ours: but no organization Will be de prlYed of
the benefits OF this federation by reason OF the
acts OF its representatives, or It's individual
members, until such time as they have APP
proved OF the action by failing to discipline
Inc parties at fault. ana then only after proper
trial and conviction by two-thirds vote of
the Federated Board, subject to an appeal to
the executives OF the organizations, parties
thereto.
Section 9. II a federation is formed on any
system which does not include all the organl-
zalions herein named, the others shall be
eligible to membership and may file aplica-