The record-union., 1895-09-04
UNITED AGAIN.


former grand officers, the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Firemen was precipitated into
the great strike of 1877, and as u natural con-
sequence hatred for the organization was
incurred by many railroad officials through
out the land.
AS ii means of retaliating tor the injury
sustained, they forced many OF our members
TO Withdraw from the institution, and thus
succeeded in causing the downfall OF some OF
our best lodges.
This was especially the case in the Eastern
country, where the order was almost entirely
swept from existence.
Or course this was very unjust on the part
OF the railroad officials, for they were placing
the grave RESPONSIBILITIES of the strike and its
results wnere they did not properly belong.
tor an organization the brotherhood had
nothing to do with the origin or development
OF that strike nor any other.
The Only manner IN which our brotherhood
was identified with the strike was that it had
officer at It's helm who gave II CO 4utenauce
without power or authority, anG thus brought
down upon IL as much condemnation as
though il had plotted and plannei TO give 1t
life. and then used its power IN contributing
toits support.
II is q matter of fact that the Brotherhood
of Locomotive Firemen have never yet been
directly itu pllcated in strike. They have
never destr0 fed one dollars worth OF prop
eTty, nor struck one blow at q railroad com
pany.
On the contrary, they have always coun-
s led moderation, and IN many instances
carefully guarded the property OF their cor
But deep and bitter as was the prejudice
entertained against Us by many railroad Off
cials. the asst vestige Of it has been obliter-
ated forever
Managers, Presidents and Superintendents OF
railroads in the United States and Canada,
and they speak OF Us, without exception in
the kindiieSt terms
We have been furnished with annual passes
for our travelling officers over thousands and
thousands OF miles OF road, while many com
panies who could not, consistently with their
rules, grant annual passes have generously y
offered to furnish us with trip passes when
ever we have an opportunity to use their re-
spective lines.
siye of the deepest sympathy and warmest
friendship for order and we feel free to
say that we entertain the same cordial feeling
toward them, and hope that this unison and
harmony OF thought and action between US
may never be ruined by any wave of passion
or discord.
one of the very highest officials Of the
Pennsy yivania lines writes us that our Organ
ization has his warmest personal sympathy4
while another OF the same landing politely
informs us That his road Is always at our
disposal and that he will grant us, with
pleasure, any favor within his official
capacity.
Still another who until quite recently was
bitterly opposed 10 us, has torn down the
barrier that has separated us SO long and SO
much to our disadvantage, and rendered our
grand offIcers hearty welcome, assuring
them that ne nOpeQ 10 see L1e DAY when all
the men IN MS employ would be working un-
Ger the banner OF our order.
Now that we have the friendship and CO.
operation of our superior officers let US pre-
serve them forever.
Should any difficulty arise whereby we
would feel ourselves aggrieved let us 20 to
the heads OF our respective departments, and
respectfully appeal tor u restoration OF the
lost rights. Let us go like men and we VIII
be treated as such.
There spoke Debs. the sensible editor
and level-headed officer of a ailway
brotherhood whose principal object is
uplifting and educational which seeks
not strife but amity, which hopes not to
tear down but 10 build up. But that Debs
is gone. The mouther of to-day, the
frantic seeker after notoriety, the sensa-
tional denagogue who cares nothing at
what cost he attains the prominence and
attention which have come to oe essen
tiais of his daily existence, is a different
sort of man. Now he condemns what he
formerly praised. Now he holds mon up
TO scorn and infamy for doing just what
he has told them was their first duty as
good citizens and loyal members of a
labor organization.
Ii there was wanting any proof that
Debs is an arrant demagogue the publica-
ton Of these. his true convictions. as
against his present rantings, completes
the evidence.