St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-05-10
WANT BEST REINSTATED.
LATE GREAT NORTHERN S7RiXERS
DISCUSS MATTERS.
SEND STATEMENT To DEBs.

Matters With the Great Northern
Men, However, Are Quiescent
Wisconsin Central Does Not
Mean War by lts Withdrawal
From the ". r. Anew Fast
Freight.
Matters will remain In aquiescent
state as between the Great Northern
company aud its employees for the next
day or two at all events. and probably
for the future altogether. There was
nothing done yesterday. although the
men held meeting in Labor hall last
night. when the situation was discussed
and determination expressed by many
that Engineer Best must be reinstated.
Though there Is good deal of grum-
bling and murmuring because of the
alleged discharge of numbers of men
and the substitution of new hands in
their places. the pivotal point in
the present crisis, if it can
he called by so significant a
name, seems to be the case of the en-
gineer of the Eastern Minnesota who
'SSN AhSN hio CltS luC 0ltCL oAoI
ing out from the depot with q tram for
West Superior. The COMPANY and the
men look at his action from entirely diff
ferent standpointS, and it remains to
be seen whether either can be con-
vinced of the business of the others po-
sition. Mr.. Hill has personally ex-
pressed regret that Best should be
involved as he is, lnasmuch as his
record in the past was an excellent one,
aud 1t is not pleasant to feel forced to
mete out punishment to good man.
Yet circumstances sometimes demand
that this should he done.
Only few of the general conferen ce
committee are now in the city, but
others are said to be on their way here
and are expected IN day or two. A
statement of the case has been sent to
Mr.. Debs, and reply from him, setting
forth his understan ding of the agree
ment, may be expected today or to;nor-
row. 1t is not probable that MIR. D.bs
will come to st. Paul over this matter. as
the likelihood is that the trouble will be
adjusted without any necessity of seri-
oAsly threatening strike. MIR. Best
is himself at his home in st. Cloud,
where his wife is sick, but his interests
are closely watched by his brother
engineers.
No communications passed between
the men and Mr. Hill yesterday, and
the men Tor that portion of the commit
tee that is now in the city say they will
give him until Saturday to decide
whether he will restore Best or not.
The st. Paul members of the arbitra-
ton committee stated yesterday that
they have nothing whatever to do with
the question now; that they are not
judges to pass upon invidual cases that
may arise under the agreement, and
that their action on Tuesday was merely
one OF courtesy undertaken in kindly
Spirit at the request of the men.
LAST NIGHTS MEETING.
At the meeting of A. R. U. Council
1SO, held at Labor hall last evening,
only Great Northern men were present.
Before the business meeting, which
was secret, was called to order, some
fifty or more new members were en-
rolled, paid their g and received their
cards. President Mccullough was in
the chair, and Henry Gray, chairman of
the grievance committee. made a
lengthy statement of the situation
which has arisen owing to the dropping
of Engineer Best from the employ of
the road, bv whom and other employees
the A. Il. u. has determined to stand
upon the construction of the agreement
upon which the strike was declared off,
that all employees should be reinstated
without regard to the part taken by
them i'll tie tie-up of the road. Anum-
bar of motions were made and carried.
| the most significant of the series being
| one 10 the effect that the men would
take the same action as before-that is,
| s.rike-if the committee so advised.
| This was adopted by rising vote,
| every mau present getting upon his
| feet.
The resident or st. Paul members of
| the grievance Committee ale Henry
Gray. machinist, Great Northern shops !;
| James Mahoney. Great Northern fire
man. The remainder OF the committee.
| composed of representatives OF each
| division OF the road, has been summoned
70 st. Paul today 10 confer with L. w.
Foster, acting director of the A. r. u.
who Will arrive this morning from Chi
cago. The committee, with Mr. Foster,
wilt confer with the Great Northern
officials for an adjustment of the new
| question which has arisen from dissat-
isfaction with the policy of the road to-
ward leaders in the late strike.
There was no excitement in the meet
| ing last hight. but there was exhibited
firmness and harmony to insist upon
their construction of the agreement
| upon which the strike was declared off !:
that it neither contemplates nor per-
| mits any discrimination against any of
the Great Northern employees, no matter
what part they took, unless guilty of
intentionally destroying property. With
this understanding among the men the
Labor hall meeting adjourned at 1880.
having been in session three hours.
1t is said that 700 employees Of the
Great Northern are now enrolled in the
A. r. U. and that the organization has
now in st. Paul the strength of a mem
bership OF 1000.
The Great Northern officials claim
that the arbitration did not provide that
the company should re-emplOy those
who had committed acts of lawlessness
or who had abandoned mail trains,
whic is an unlawful act. They insist
that they are living up to the terms of
the agreement
"A SMASH-UP.
Weztern Freight Association Like