The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-12
LEADERS OF GREAT BODIES
MAINTENANCE OF THOROUGH
ORGANIZATIONS
TO PROMOTE THEIR INTERESTS.
Assurance Is Given That Capital
VIII Cooperate If the Work
Pursues the Right Lines.

lions connected with the railway serV-
ice in this city was held yesterday
afternoon at the Peoples church. The
gathering was under the joint aus
pices Of the Order Of Railway Conduc-
tors, Brotherhood Of Railroad Train
men, Brotherhood Of Locomotive En-
gineers, Brotherhood of Locomotive
Firemen and Order Of Railroad Tele-
graphers, and addresses were made by
prominent representatives of the orders
mentioned.
Speeches Of welcome were delivered
by Gov. D. NJ. Clough, on behalf Of the
state; Mayor Doran, for the city, and
Rev. S. G. Smith. The Masonic quar-
tette added to the programme by rem
dering number of choice musical Sc
lections The object OF the meeting,
as we'll as of an executive session of all
the orders, which was held last evening
at Odd Fellows hall, was to forward
the interests of the five orders partici-
pating.
A. W. Garrettson, Of Cedar Rapids,
To-, grand senior conductor of the Order
Of Railway Conductors, was the first
speaker. He dwelt on the progress
made by the order, and, as did the
other speakers who followed him, urged
the Importance of an increased mem
bership among those eligible. w. v.
Powell, grand chief Of the Order Of
Railroad photographers, who was down
for an address, was unavoidably de-
tanned, and his place on the programme
was taken by Senator j. T. Wyman, Of
Minneapolis, who, in a general way,
spoke of the Importance of organization
among the employees of the railroads.
T. p. Sargent, grand master of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen,
spoke briefly and to the point on the
/ subject of what was necessary to pro-
mote the best interests of railway Or
CARNATIONS
There had been, rhe said a remarkable
change in the condition of the men
who were interested in the various
railway pursuits. The place that the
men now occupied and the privileges
they enjoyed were due to the five or
CARNATIONS which now represented the
five important branches in the service.
What had been done was through or
ganiZatiOn. and the order which he
represented had in the past five years
brought the members to the position
they now occupied. The organization
had performed a most noble work, and
the future depended on the efforts put
forth by the members. Opportunities
had become greater, and it remained
for the individual members to work for
the upbuilding of the organization. The
order was not simply for the protec-
ton or wages, nor for the protection
of the rights .Of the members When
it was started, the members were in
a demoralized condition and almost
nj fGlXv nctT fsfc Ccl.. ie9x
taught and practiced, industry insisted
on, and a strict attention to duty and
rules and regulations demanded. The
men soon began to feel that they We're
doing better, and the result was that
merit brought about better pay, bet
ter hours and better conditions. St
Paul was a great railroad center, and
the order should be one of the strong
est in this section. There was not a
railroad man engaged in the work to-
day that was not enjoying privileges
which had been secured by reason OF
the brotherhood organizations. What
was needed was to bring into the or
ders those who were engaged in rail
road work, but did not belong to the
organization. There was nothing in
the principles Of the five orders which
taught men to be unfair, unjust, or
unreasonable. They had not, as some
claimed, outlived their usefulness. The
many who had been helped by them
in the hour of need, and when the ones
they depended on We're stricken down
at the post of duty showed that the
usefulness of the order had not been
outlived.
Railroad fremen were heard to say
that they had TO work harder than
fol merly. Their schedules We're gone,
they had to clean ashes and polish
brass. The organization, he said, was
not to blame for this. If every man
was actively working for the interests
of the railway men of America, these
things could be secured and the condi-
ton of all employees benefited. The
men must not expect, however, to sue
coed when they pledged today and. VIC
lated tomorrow. There should be a
coming together of the men. Mistakes
had been made, but they could be made
to become of advantage. There was no
fear of the position which the employ
ers would take. The railroad corpor-
ations were not against organizations
providing they worked on lines which
must be carried out, regardless of what
might come The work of a fireman
was the hardest in the service, but the
way to succeed was to apply closely
to business and take an interest in
the work. 1t was impossible to sue
coed if the employers did not
and every fireman should try to be the
best one on the road. The successful
managers Of railroads were those who
had the time to listen to just COM
plants of their employees. They were
successful because their employees made
it possible The thing to do was to
( have confidence, and stand together
not to coerce but against injustice, and
| the time would come when the relation
ship between employers and employees
would be such that there would be nc
strikes.
Vice Grand Master Dodge Of the
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen
spoke of the organization of the or
/ der of which he was an officer For
1 the last ten years the order had stood
before the general managers of the
railroads as the champion Of the rights
4 Of the men. The brakemen had organ
/ lied to secure what they were entitled
/ to, and were always willing to sub
/ init TO arbitration and fair dealing The
/ had been sustained by the efforts OF
\ the organizationy Men, he said, should
not be asked to work for less than
would feed and clothe them and educate
I their families. Railroads, mills, and
/ factories had all been started by COM
/ bination of capital, but any combina-
/ ton of labor had to contend against
/ the public, the press and the pulpit To
! day there were men who were not will
! ling to grant the laboring men the priv
/ ileges they were entitled to. Labor or
CARNATIONS advanced in power as the