The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1896-08-26
BITTER ANSWERS.

Chiefs Arthur and Sargent Reply In
Strong Terms to Cr.tIcgsms Of their Re
spective Brotherhoods.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind, Aug, 24-The
union meeting Of the brotherhoods
Sunday was made sensational by rea-
son of the fact that the local trades
unions declined the invitation TO at
tend and did so in such terms as to
cause Chief Arthur, of the engineers
and Grand Master Sargent OF the fire.
men, to make bitter replies TO the as
saults on the old brotherhoods L. v.
Debs, president of the A. L. U, is the
admired leader here at his home and
what Arthur and Sargent, especially
the former, said yesterday is accepted
as replies to the statement often made
by Debs that the old class orEaniza-
tions had passed their usefulness.
There were four or five hundred rail-
road men present, many accompanied
by women members of their families,
The Terre Haute trades union men
were not represented by as many as
dozen.
Sargent showed his feeling in the
intense way in which he defended his
organization from the implication that
it had not been fraternal in it's rela-
tions with trade unions and that it is
an aristocratic labor organization. The
Central Labor union had said in reso-
luton that the brotherhoods had beld
aloof from the other labor organiza-
tions and that Chief Arthur had said
the engineers organizations is not
labor union, Sargent said the fire.
mems brotherhood takes no exception
to the views of oUhers in regard to
labor, but it will not permit TO go un-
challenged the assertion that it is
dying and in disgrace. Referring to
the political issues Of tha year, he said
the men should discuss the issues
among themselves without regard to
party. They must not wait until some
one in authority over them told them
how to vote. st"
Chief Arthur followed Sargent, be-
ginning with the assertion that he was
there 10 defend the engineers He had
seen the statement that he had said the
brotherhood is not labor organization
and he wanted TO brand 1t wicked
falsehood. lie had always said it was
a labor organization composed of men
representing a branch Of labor he con
sidered to be skilled labor. |. is true
it is confined to one class Of labor If
all classes of labor were thoroughly or
ganized in their respective classes
there would be no difficulty in each Sc.
curing its demands. If all fremen
were in the organization and there
should be occasioi for all the hremen
on one road toquit work, the company
would be unable to get men to take
their places. In closing he said:
Iwaat to say that I cjmnedce1 o. a wiper
and was promoted TO 10 fireman and then
| engineer, always knpw ,Gly place would
| ADVISE men to shla saloons ami gaulbiiaF dens.
II that is preaching ar.stocracy l az an arls-
| tocrst II had my Way would close nll tho
saloons and there would be no eceesity for q
Keeley institute. The workingmen are their
own worst enemies, but the brotherhood Gre
/ making better men 0f the men In The train
7 service It Is said chat the!caEinegrl Drother-
hood has failedtn give protection &c its mep-
pers, Where IL has so failed II has been be-
cause Of the perfdy and treacheTy Of the mem
bors themselves ol'lh rpal where the griov-
I ance existed He challenged auyoh Ia truth
fully contradict this stutelheat H.l lHtH
This was in reference-to the statement by
| Debs recently that 30 engineers had been dis
charged from the Plant system as part OF the
policy Of the managersof that syst ~ to drive
/ no. al l,rr thn md. .