Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-02-20
tervals was somewhat exciting.

ment the congress adopted the fol-
lowing resolution addressed TO the
Rock Island city council, and pre-
scented by q. z. Morgan, respectfully
demanding that in the name of the
congress and the people 1T large that
no extension of the street car COM
PAWS franchise be made unless: l.
That o hours he made n DAYS work
for all employees in all departments
and without a reduction in paw. =.
That provision be inserted in the
ordinance reserying to the city the
right to a reduced fare when the term
for which the present franchise was
granted shall have expired. ). That
the company agree as condition pre-
cedent that no effort will be made
to prevent or defeat an attempt to
perfect an organization among the
company's employees, and that any
differences arising he referred to ar
bitration. (. That the company
agree to bear at least one-half the eX-
pense of maintaining the bridges along
its lines.
Resolved. That we ask the council
TO refuse an extension unless these
features are incorporated in the ordi-
nance and pledge our influence to sup
port that policy whether this request
be granted or not.
Dir. Casanaugh's Protest.
The meeting was largely attended,
there being a numb OF visitors. j.
W. Cavanau@h reiterated his protest
made at a previous meeting against
the manner in which the congress was
handling the franchise question. n
question, he said. not of the import
ance some of the delegates tried to
make it ont to he. If there was any
thing unreasonable or detrimental TO
the welfare of the general public in
the grants sought by the street car
company" continued Mr.. Cavanaugh,
there would have been mass meetings
held in the three cities long before
this. Other people are not bothering
their heads about il, while we are sit
ting up here like a whole lot of stool
pigeons TO be laughed at by the COM
munity. We can make requests, but
that Is a far as we can go. We can
not dictate. If my ideas had been car
ried out and the committee appointed
by the congress had gone before the
street railway representatives and the
city council and asked certain con-
cessions, got what it could. and re-
ported back to this body, we would
now be in the proper light before the
people. ! can't understand this mode
of procedure. 1t Is ridiculous to me.
Or, if we went to the company and
asked an improvement of the condi-
ton of its employees, we would then
stand before the community, as we
should, as a monument OF prOtec-
ton for labor" Mr.. Cavanaugh said
that instead of commanding the coop
Grafton and good Offices of the alder
men the congress was ->antagOnizing
them.
An unsigned communication pur-
porting to he from employees of the
street railway company was read.
1t asked that the congress assist in
securing for the men Il reduction in
hours of labor and help them to or
game. On motion the communication
was received and the PRAYER contained
therein granted. and committee
consisting of John Norton and l.. o.
Jahns, of Moline, j. +. Larkin and
j. w. Cavanaugh, of Rock Island,
and +. w. Betcher, of Davenport, APP
pointed to make an effort to organize
the street railway employees.
j. l.. Larkin asked how the congress
knew the communication was from
the source it purported 60 be. NJ. Y.
Concannon was of the opinion there
was Il .'nigger in the wood pile +.
a. Andrews said the PRAYER should be
granted on humanitarian grounds.
W. p. Gordon and j. p. Dromgoolc
stated that efforts had often been
made to organize the street railway
William Swallow complained against
the charging of double fares after II
o 'clOck at night.
When the discussion of the fran
chise in Rock Island was begun y. II.
Nelson moved that the city council
here he requested to act on the street
railway ordinance before election. An
by j. W. Cavanaugh that
the motion he laid on the table was
carried.
j. +. Larkin said the congress could
never expect to get concessions from
the company unless they were sought
in the proper spirit.
NJ. V. ConcannOn thought the city
council was made up OF lulclil@ehL
men. who would act fairly and con-
on the franchise.
G.. +. Morgan criticised the failure
of the Rock Island council to reserve
the right to control railway extern
.ionS.
w. =. Gordon thought the congress
hail gone about the whole matter
wrong.
Lower Fares. Lower Wages.
john Mack, of South Moline, in re-
plying to the argument for reduced
b. res snid that reduced fires MnnII