The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-26

, luayS, having returned from u tour VI
the east where he had conferences with
the executives of several of the railway
orders and other branches of organized
labor relative to what should be done
during the present session of con-
gress with reference to the la
Dor legislation. While in the east
Mr.. Clarkson attended the union meet
ing of railroad men held in Carbondale
one month ago. In an interview given
at his home Mr.. Clark says:
"One of the most interesting features
of the work now being carried forward
by men employed in the railroad-train
service Is the holding of union meet
| iEgs at central points throughout the
country. AS you know, the engineers,
firemen. tralnmen, telegraphers and
conductors are federated for mutual ad-
vantage on many important railroads
and everywhere, the similarity of their
callings and the unity OF their interests
| band them closely together. These
union meetings call the men together,
give them an opportunity to discuss
questions of general interest from their
| varying points of view and to de-
| termine upon common line OF action
to secure the ends desired. Then the
open meetings, which are always held
on such occasions, bring the people
generally to knowledge Of the upright
nish the best possible refutatiOn OF the
accusation that We seek any but law
| full means for attaining our ends"
NO DYNAMITERS WANTED.
II have just returned from Carbon
dale, Pa, where we held one OF the
most successful of a long series of SIM
liar gatherings The engineers, fire.
men, trainmen and conductors were all
represented by their grand officers. and
there was an unusually large attend
ance of the membership. The result of
this interchange of courtesies and of
ideas will be a better mutual under
standing which must be helpful to all.
| AS ] said in the course of my brief
address to the meeting, we have earned
what we have by straightforward and
honorable methods. We want no class
legislation or special privileges. There
are no dynamiters in our organizations.
and we do not wish our aims to be mis-
| understood. We have never had any
| trouble except when our inalienable
rights We're transgressed. Arbitration
has been indorsed by the American
people and that is what we ask. We
invite all to study our brOtherhoOds
and they will find nothing therein to
hurt them. l shall go east again soon
| to attend a similar meeting at Port
Jervis, N. Y.
Speaking of arbitration recalls an
other line of work upon which the same
organizations are very actively en-
| gagged. During the sessions of the Fiji
| ty-third congress and the first session
of the Fifty-fourth congress we secured
the presentation of what are now
known as the arbitration and the con-
tempt -of-court bills. The former was
passed by the house of the Fifty-third
| ,,,I I,., Iott l,,,& 81 30,
of the Fifty-fOurth. We shall con-
tinue our efforts to secure the enact
ment of these measures into law, be-
lieving there is nothing in them that
| can injure any one, while there Is al
most certainty of their proving high
| ly beneficial.
THE ARBITRATION BILL.
| This arbitration bill has been spoken
of as being compulsory. but such is not
| the case. Neither does II provide for a
| standing commission. Under it's pro-
| visions, whenever controversy arises
which interferes or threatens to inter-
| fere with interstate traffic it shall be-
come the duty of the chairman of the
| interstate commerce commission and
the national commissioner of labor to
seek, through cancellation and media
| tion. Just and amicable settlement.
| duty to suggest arbitration.
Should this arbitration be agreed to,
each party to the controversy names
| an arbitrator and these two name the
third, provided that when they fail to
agree within fOrty-eight hours the la
Dor commissioner and chairman of the
interstate commerce commission Sc
lect suitable person. This Is to pre-
vent voiding the purpose of arbitra-
tul, ,I,,t; Il.
the part of either contestant
During the recent meeting of the ex-
ecutive council of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor the executive heads
of the federated railroad bodies were in
| vited to meet with them and discuss
this measure. After we had given d
thorough presentation from our point
of view they expressed their confidence
that 1t would be heartily indOrsed by
their membership.
AS TO CONTEMPT OF COURT.
1.-THE contempt-of Of court bill does not
attack the courts nor does 1t curtail, in
any unreasonable degree. their present
privileges of powers. Under our pres
ent laws there is no appeal from the
sentence of a federal judge in contempt
cases. and we econtend that man under
sentence for contempt of court
should have the same right of appeal
as he would when convicted Of any other
O1fense. Ile bill divides contempt in
to two classes. direct and indirect. Di-
rect contempt is confined to acts
committed in the presence of the court,
when the judge may summon the Of
fender. try and sentence him, but ap-
peal shall lie from such sentences to
the supreme court. Indirect contempt
applies to acts committed outside the
presence of the court and in such the
accused may apply for a jury trial,
with the same right of appeal from the
finding of either judge or jury These
are the only material differences the
new law. would make. the division of
the Offense. the right to q new trial by
jury and the provision that an appeal
shall lie before the supreme court in
either class of cases.
I'VE had a representative in WASH
ington during the first session Of the
Fifty-fOurth congress in the person of
w. +. Haynes. of Colorado. a member
and officer of the Brotherhood of LO-
comotive Firemen. He will return with
the opening of the coming session and
will do all in his power to further the
interests of all the federal brother
hoods.
SUCCESSES OF RAILWAY ORDERS.
Men engaged in the railroad service
have felt the recent business depres-
sion as keenly as have any. but in spite
of that fact the growth of our order
has been encouraging. In round
numbers our membership has advanced
from 13, 400 in 1890 to u 200 at the present
time Our insurance department was
never in healthier or more satisfac-
tory condition during all its history.
Nom herShin has grown from 2 Q00