The San Francisco call., 1896-06-04
About Five Thousand Men Are
Affected by This Change
of Heart.
HOW THE A. r. Q. MEN VIEW 1T
They See 1t in the Light of a Polti.
cal Play and a Measure of
Necessity.

SOm paHy, Iue consent OF ". L. GuHtluS-
ton and the good-heartedness of Manager
]. A. Fillmore about 5000 honest working
men have been granted the privilege OF
again toiling for a livelihood.
Two years ago, lacking a month, what
has gone into history as the ''big strike"
occurred on the lines of the Southern
Pacific Company and as a result between
5000 and 1000 men voluntarily left the
employ OF the company in support of what
they considered principle of unionism.
When the height of the storm of trouble
experienced by the railroad corporation
during this period had passed, these men
found themselves placed on what the rail-
road company calls its discharged list, "
but which the strikers designate the
"bIack list" No man whose name ap-
peared on this list, whatever its true ap-
pellation, could secure employment either
with the Southern Pacific Company or
with any other railroad corporation. In
fact, wherever the influence of the rail
road company extended the strikers
claimed that it was impossible for a
striker to earn living, however great his
need or in what dire distress those de-
pending upon him might be in.
Here and there few were taken back,
but very few, and those who had spent
their best years, perhaps, in the employ
of the railroad company were forced tC
seek other avenues for wage-earnIng.
Within the past few days, howe yer, g
change of heart has come over the corpor-
ton and with it change of policy. This
con version is attributed among the rail
road people to the natural good-hearted-
ness of Manager j. A. Fillmore.
This philanthropic freak took concrete
shape in a circular issued by Manager Fill
m ore to the different division superinten-
dents, which instructed them TO make out
a list of those on the "discharged list' who
had not taken an active and hostile part in
the strike against the Southern Pacific
Company. In this list were to be included
only those who had not taken prominent
parts as leaders in the meetings of the
strikers those who had not directly and
openly endeavored TO induce men to go
out, and those who had not taken part in
destroying or damaging the property of
the company during the strike.
This list they were Instructed to forward
TO Manager Fillmore, and from it are to
be selected all future re-enforcements TO
the working force of the Southern Pacific
Company.
Manager Fillmore, speaking of the
matter yesterday, said:
For the past six or eight weeks we have
been in receipt OF requests from our divi-
sion superintendents and superintendent
of motive power asking that certain names
be taken from the discharge list that now
tand on that list as strikers, and it has
cen done in every case where, after care
full and thorough investigation, it was
found that the man was not engaged in
any way in the strike except to leave our
service.
''As nearly two years have now elapsed
since the strike, I issued a circular on
Monday to our superintendents, asking
them to take up with the heads of the
various departments under their ]urisdlc
tion, viz: division master mechanics,
resident engineers .foremen of car-repair-
ers, roadmasters, etc., this list of names,
and to go over it very carefully ,and to send
me the names OF all those who were found
not to have committed any overt act.
These will be taken from the discharge
list, ana the men thereby be placed in
good standing, when our superintend ents
will be at liberty to employ them when
ever additional men are required in any
branch of the service.
81 have asked the superintendents to be
very careful in their investigations, to the
END that no ones name be put on the list
of active strikers except they have posi-
tive proof to that effect; in other words,
in passing upon any individual case, if
there is any question of doubt, the man
should have the benefit OF the doubt.
Regarding the direct motive which
prompted the company to take this &C tion
Mr.. Fillmore said:
1--WE were induced to take this course
because of the frequent requests from our
superintendent in individual cases, and
the fact that many good men left the
service of the company at the time of the
strike, not of their own yolition but be-
cause they were induced to do so in some
way, and that they are now regretting
their action exceedingly.
Many OF them are men of family, and
1t is the wives and children who have had
to suffer in many instances through the
heads of families having followed the die
tates of the strike leaders. BY reinstating
these men it enables them to get employ
ment again with the comps when their
services are required and thereby relieve
the distress of many families, and we trust
that in so doing we will be holding out an
lnducement to them TO be 10y al to. the in
terests they serve hereafter"
This action will not only afford the "for-
given" strikers an opportunity to return
to the service of the Southern Pacific Com
pany, but will also open the railroad
field OF the United States to them, and it
it Is probable that other railroad lines will
now follow the conciliatory policy of the
California corporation.
About five thousand men who were
formerly In the employ of the Southern
Paclhc Company will be effected by the
ed1ct. vi the original number who went
out some have been taken back and others
Will remain on the discharged list"