The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-12-21
LIKE COERCION.
Chicago Street Railway En-
plOyes Fight 4-Cent Fares.
Employers Have Told Them 1t
Means Reduced Wages.
FORCE THEM TO FIGHT
Provide Carriages For En- 3
ployes to Visit Aldermen.
They Beseech Them to Recon
slider the Measure.
FORCE THEM TO FIGHT

Chicago, Dec 21--For the purpose Of
frustrating the good work already done
toward securing a reduced car fare for
Chicago the employees of every street rail-
way in Chicago are working with all their
energy to secure a reconsideration of the
vote by which the 4-cent fare ordinance
was passed last Monday night in the city
council. Committees and mass meetings
of employees have sprung up like nlush-
rooms to fight the battles of the street
railroad corporations. Under the plea Of
reduced wages the men are imploring
aldermen to recall their votes on the or
Up to the time the ordinance Of last
Monday night was passed not q word
has been heard from the street railway
employees regarding possible reduction
of wages in the event OF a reduction in
the rate of fare The newspapers an
nounced weeks ago that there was a like
lihood of such action on the part OF the
then Thursday passed without word OF
protest from the employees When il was
first announced that Mayor Swift would
sign the ordinance and not interfere in
behalf of Yerkes and the other nagnates
Investigated and found true the corpora
tions began to bestfr themselves in
effort TO defeat the measure even at this
Then it was that the meetings of the
scared employees began Friday night the
at SiXty-ffrst street 1t was heralded in a
morning paper yesterday. and the other
roads apparently Dy pletili1il eIllent De-
gan to play their parts Meetings were
held early Saturday morning IN the north
nd west side street car barns and ct the
same time DELEGATIONS were waiting on
Aldermen o Nell. Mccarthy and other
south side aldermen Later on another
meeting was held at 151 Randolph street
by the employees OF all the lines in the
CITY.
From all appearances the word has been
passed along the line that the employees
must do their share to protect the diVi-
bends of their employers, and by noon
there was q big wave of enthusiasm evil
dent. the delegation that went TO Alder
man Gallagher's residence did not RESENT
Bile the usual delegation of laboring men
who fear reduction in their wages.
They went in carriages They rode as
their employers ride. and not as they are
used to travelling in everyday life W lille
All this was going more committees
were waiting such aldermen as hap
Iened to drift into the city hail.
Aldermen Martin PIotke, Mccarthy.
o Neil. Best and half dozen others were
found by the men and their promises 10
support the cause Of the employees We're
secured IN the afternoon about 2t0 OF
the employees went to Mayor SWifts resi-
dence. The mayor could not appear OUT
side TO talk with them and committee or
about twenty was sent inside to plead for
a veto of the ordnance The mayor SAID
last night thar he declared eIuphaticalls
and positively he would not veto the or
diuance They asked him to not interfere
in the council and he gave his word thar
he would not NEEDLE in any way The