The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-04-18
Large Demonstration at the Audi
forum 10 Consider the Rail-
road Strike
Speeches In Which tho Great
Northern Situation Was
Fully Discussed.
Resolutions Adopted Expressing the
sympathy Of tho Citizens with tho
Msn In Their Fight


meeting Of the Great Northern railroad
stribsrs. Prominent citizens OF Helena
had seats IN ths body Of the hall and on tho
stage. Many ladies we're In the audience.
which was one OF the most earnest and at
tsntive ever assembled there. Nearly
all Glasses Of people we're present ana
showed their appreciation and sympathy by
applau ling the sentiments uttered. The
stage was filed with the speakers and
msmbefs of the American Railway union.
some Of whom gave MP their aeata to ae-
commodats PEOPLE who came In
late. On the platform were
Mayor Curtin, Mayor-Elsct Weed. En-
Mayors Sullivan. Klsinsohmidt AM knight.
County Attorney Nolan. EE-SurVeyoT Gem
sral Ha ris. County Treasurer BardOn, City
Treasurer Garrett, Hon. A. J. Craven, IL.
b. Smith. Alderman Lissner. John huseby,
4. J. Walsh, MEX Kesslsr. A. II. Nelson.
Arthur Curtin. Frank Lang. George Child,
State Senator Goddard. OF Ysllowstous.
County Clerk Tooksr. Hsn'y Klein, Il. Is.
Reed. G. r. Connolly Dune Mcdonald.
william Hartwig, A. 4. Hswbu'y.
Dune Taylor. X. Il. Fisk. NJ.
II. Wall. A. II. wlsbsr H. NJ.
Bsadle. william Lorsy. A. s. Douglass and
the following members OF the American
Railway union: Joseph Bassett Frederick
Rodgers, William Stanton. +. +. Richard
son. Jerry Dsrriaan. william AcNerny,
John smith, Joseph Applsby. \. BassstL
4. }. Flynn, ". wilkeson, y. G. hankla.
d. EdwA ds. j. McCartg. y. d. Andrews
and r. NJ. Bingham. Mayor Curtin was
greeted with applause and cheers whea he
called the meeting 10 order and addressed
u. lie aAil:
Ladies and Gentlemen; The continuous
/ emo oachmsnts which organized and com
bined capital have In many instances made
upon the rights of tue wage worker has 90.
oasionei she necessity of labor ofganizA-
lions throughout the count "a oder 20
preserve those rights. he recent strike Of
the employes OF the Great Northern Railway
company has not only demonstrated she
perfection of those organizations, bnt
given au example TO mankind that the
/ light of an emploJe TO sever he relations
| with his employer can be exercised with
due appreciation and regard TO the rights
OF person and property, no difference how
z eat the interests Involved, the mag
nitude Of the scheme o. numer-
ioHl strength Of thoss engaged In u.
That the employees OF this z eat railroad
corporation are acting IN the utmost good
faith 10 evidenced by the fact that they
desire the community at large 10 under-
stand their grievances, 40 as TO properly
Judge of the merits of their cause. In this
they have shown a due regard for public
| sentiment, and manifested a desire D.
maintain themselves in the estimation of
the people. Under such circumstances, 10
affords me great pleasure 40 nov call this
meeting 20 0 der. in pu suanos of the pro-
gramme for the evening, aud Introduce 20
you Mr.. J. T. Riehai dson, representative
/ Of the employees, who Will state TO you the
objects Of the meeting. and ievances
sought TO be rsdrsssed BY the strike. lLoad
applause
Who has charge of ths strike at Helena.
/ Cheers aud applause welcomed him TO the
font Of the stage whore he spoke Tor his
fellow strikers. "As the representative
and on behalf" he said. "of the employees
Of the Montana Central deEi 9 to say that
the issue At stake Was not through any
fault of the men, but was TO ced upon
them. Ifitisa fault TO protect our rights
aud exercise the sacred riRht Of demanding
justice and y otesting against the iu. orta-
/ lion Of men into q community already bur
deued and sndsiinR-ths Ia the only fault
tho men are guilty Owe are not
/ asking RngthinR unreasonable. All we
ask 10 the restoration Of wages and sohed-
uIes in To-, &c pTior 20 Aug. l, 1898. 10 has
! never been she disposition OF the Great
/ No them railway 10 paw equal wages Win
4 parallel tFansoontinental lines OF tue west
| ern country. Iae smployes Of the Great
Northern railway have always been under
/ raid. The difference Of wages paid on the
1 Great Northern and thOss paid on tue
Nortne Pacific have bsen we'll expounded
4 through tho libeTaity OF the Helena Tess.
i Since Aug. l. 1898, this company has seen
NJ Go reduce wHgss a. va ious times until
on April last. when another reduction
/ was put In forco without consulting tue
msn, their tights OF wishes. or IN faet anV-
thing. There was dissatisfaeiion re-
Rsrding this last rsdaotion, and the
/ men, organizing themselves into q BODY
known as te American Railway union. be-
came aware OF tho fact that she Great
/ Northern railway Was importing this class
Of men isto this state for the purpose OF
taking vacancies that did not exist. There
has always been a sufficient Number OF men
TO handle the business OF this company IN
| all Us departments. They have never
lacked the men for this service. and the
/ fact OF the importation OF men 10 take
these places forced the nsn 90 take the
action which they did on short notice. We
are not asking anything unreasonable. All
We want 10 the restoration OF the
/ wages that were In force prior 20 Aug. l,
/ 1898 which was about enough 90 give Us a
decent living. and nothing more. We
want the compensation that will enable US
/ TO live az We wish; that will afford our chill
drsn the education they should have in
order that they NAV grow up ~ future
generations OF Anne lean citizens such az
they should be expected 90 be. Loud ap-
plause.
the different Reductions a. have said the
papers have stated our cause a. We have
gwen 10 to them. 10 10 correct and
| in line with she POSITION OF every man on
the Great Northern railway. We havs been
ready 20 move the mail trains; We don't
wish to diseomnoie the public in any
/ manner regarding tue mail. We are al
ways ready TO see that freight and bag
gage, etc, IN tue freight houses
/ a. this and other stations will be delivered 40
I al.
all TO understand that We are not 81 the
PRESENT time assisting IN moving or doing
any company business, no a'e We pre-
venting them from doing H. Applause.
/ The railroad men OF aria oity, thtnk,
have shown themselves 10 b. Law abiding
class. 10 10 our intsnton 10 be 80. and 10
will use eveiy enasuVor 20 carrJ on this
strike "a the same manner as Ws have
1 in the rAst. We are not looking for trouble.
An We wish is justice of the not aud our
/ !. ghta recognized. We al hope sincerely
/ thnt this matter will be settled speedily 60
I tae satisfaction OF oil concerned Loud
/ applause.
/ EH-Mayor Kleinsehmidt WAS then elected
Chairman and Ex-Aayor ulnvan secretary
/ OF tins meeting. Mr.. kleinachmidt said 10
bad been stated that the railway ompioYea
had been vrongsd by ths com any. aud
f hat they asked redress ~ the hsnus 81 she
management. The people Of hclsna for
tle nTst time bad seen a RAILROAD stoke,
+ aud Que OF such maguitade. Ia vas 20 ths
/ credit Of she organization that tue at.ike
+ Was being oonlucted b. the order ia most
gentl manly way, without violence; On she