The San Francisco call., 1897-03-09

hood of Railway Trainmen temporary
secretary.
Chairman Pitts called the meeting to
order at 3 P. NJ, and in few well-chosen
words stated the object of the meeting
was the same as that of the two previous
meetings, VIZ: Bringing about federation
OF the five organizations representing five
different branches of the railway service,
namely: The Brotherh God of Locomotive
Engineers, Brotherhood of Locomotive
Fremen, Broth erhood of Railway Train
men. Order OF Railway Conductors and
the Order of Railroad Telegraphers.
T. NJ. Piersun, assistant grand chief OF
tho 0. r. T., who is in this section OF the
country looking after the interests OF his
organization, was first introduced and
spoke for an hour in very conservative
and interesting manner. On this occasion
he said in part:
We are assembled here to-day as representa-
tives of the fine, old established conservative
organizations commonly called labor organi-
cations, and labor organizations are at all
times subject to attack Dy the press and have
been denounced as no other institutions have
ever been. Yet, in spite OF all this we lind the
com binations OF wage-eaTnerS when properly
handled grew more prosperous from day to
day and we attribute this evidence OF vitality
to no less fact than that labor organizations
are genuine product OF the social needs OF
our people and are not only indispensable as
protest against social wrongs, but as a neces-
kity to guard the toller from such INJURY as
springs from the misadministrationo OF indus
trial government
Labor organizations have been ana still are
instruments OF progress, and through their
teachings workingmen have gained and Will
continue gaining material advantages, and
when operating under good laws and Wei
disciplined membership our organizations
not only promote the interest of workingme
by increasing their reward in dollars and
cents, but by reducing and uniforming their
lNsar,r Rf oil hNr Cn4fl
question of moral law by resorting to mob
rule or the torch. Revolutionary principles
in organlzed labor have never been the rule
that has raised the standard OF civilization in
the worlds history. Law and order are the
only rules for labor to be governed by, and
when we depart from those rules public senti-
ment will condemn upon such action.
From one end OF the continent to the other
the same great questions are being discussed
with view to discovering aud working out
some plan whereby the industrial problem
may be settled ano the result of such settle
ment viii be productive of much good to en-
ployer and employe alike. The duty OF organ
lied labor is TO assist each individual mem mber
by wise ana conservative council and in all
questions of trouble and difficulty we should
try to put ourselves in the other fellows
place, and if we would do this the question of
strikes and lockouts would be q thing of the
past logic and reason would take their place
in the settlement OF all questions that might
arise.
The question of fedora ton WAS dis
cussed at some length by. the speaker, and
much good argument was produced to
show the benefits that would accrue both
to the employer and employe II federation
was adopted. After this the following
local lem bers spoke in favor of fedora
ton: J. B. Wilson and G. w. Carroll, of
The B. Il. E.; l.. J. Bulen. E. l.. Talbot,
J. NJ. Adams. G. B. Mcclellan and George
Eames, of B. of K. T.; Harry Adams of
the B. of l.. F.. w. II. Pitts, w. F. Byers,
James Cahill and w. II. Martin, OF the o.
K. c., and others OF the several orders, of
which there was great many present.
r. w. McGarvie, who for several years
was deputy grand chief of the Order of
Railway Telegraphers and had charge of
that organizat1oE on the coast during he
American Railway Union strike in 1894
and who has always been strong adher
.ent 10 the cause of federation, was present
and made few very interesting remarks.
He said although he was not In the rail-
way service he hoped that federation
would be adopted.
BY unanimous vote ii was decided that
should be held on the first Sunday of each
month in Odd Fellows Hall, corner of
Seventh and Peralta streets, Oakland, and
a cordial invitation is extended TO all en-
poyes of the Southern Pacific Company
TO attend.
The following permanent officers were
elected 10 continue the meetings: j. b.
: Wilson of the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers, chairman; c. E. Houck of the
Order of Railway Conductors, vice-chair
man; l.. ]. Bulen of the Brotherhood of
Hallway Tralnmen, secretary; Charles