The labor world., 1899-05-06
rem to debase, dissatisfy and render the

rem to debase, dissatisfy and render the
condition Of the employees unbearable.
Time went on, and many men were dis
charged or left the service before they had
quite lost all self respect, until today
very few Of the well paid, competent men
that six ye1:'s ago were proud to- call
that huma nit.Srian F. S. Wardwel1, gener-
al manager are left in the employ of the
company. The reading public will remem-
ber how last summer the employees rose
in rebellion against this man Warren's
obnoxious orders and applied to the court
for protection, which, greatly to the dis
comfiture of his tool of Lowry and Gil
Hartley, was granted them by an upright
judge that dared to turn a powerful COR
poration down. II is apparent that War
ren's whole purpose has been to antagon-
ize the employees, of whom not one has a
kind word or a spark of respect for him,
and to totally disregard the most mod
crate accommo odations for the travelling
public. Instead of appreciating a COM
petent man and being desirous of retain
ing him for the welfare of the company
and the safety of the public, no sooner
had an employe reached the third and
highest grade of wages than he hunted
for a pretext to discharge him.
1--WE all know that to make an employe
feel that his position is secure so long
as he conducts himself properly will cause
him to take an interest in his work, and
to become valuable to the man or COM
pany employing him.
''The climax was not reached, however,
until early in the present year. Warren
caused men to be brought to Duluth from
all parts of the country, boarding them at
West end hotels until such time as his
plans We're ripe, and at one fell sWoop
discharged a batch of the Oldest employees
in the company's service. Warren could
give no reason for the discharge of these
men, other than that they were men
prominent in labor circles, and therefore
to him undesirable. Other dismlssals fol-
olwed in rapid succession, until today few
of the older men are left. The employees
brought action against the company in
the court for reinstatement, and were
defeated. Many of the men have entered
into other employment, a few have left
the city, and others are seeking employ
ment, and the matter was in abeyance
so far as the employees were concerned,
when the company discovered last Friday
morning that some of their feed wires
had been cut and to cover up what we
firmly believe TO be one of Warren's dirty
acts to curry public sympathy, he swore
out warrants for nine of the most prom
inent of the company's employees, charg-
ing them wttt having committed the
crime. These men were taken from their
homes on the Sabbath, and not only
lodged in all without the opportunity for
securing bail, but were further subjected,
through the connivance. Of the chief of
police, to the, treatment accorded to the
lowest order Of criminals viz, the sweat
box system. During this process the men
arrested were subjected to, the closest
questioning by Warren, Mendenhall and
Others At future time we shall ques-
ton by whose authority such lawless
proceeding was allowed. In view of the
above facts, the balance Of the men oper-
ating cars for the company decided to
lay down their work this morning, feeling
that they could no longer endure this
man Warren and his laWless, brutalizing
methods, and retain for themselves the
respect due honest men. Feeling that we
nave already encroached too long on your
indulgence, fellow citizens, we will close
this appeal for your moral support in our
struggle against un-American tyranny
and oppression with a brief statement of
our demands: ....
"Frst: We demand that the Duluth
Street Railway company fully recognize
our right to organize for our mutual well
fare and protection.
Second: That all of the discharged
employees, for whose discharge no just
cause can be given, be reinstated.
Third: That all grievances that may
in the future arise be settled by a board
of arbitration. Yours, very respectfully,
COMMITTEE STREET RAILWAY EN-
PLOYEs."
AIendenhall and Hart1ey's pretended
fear that Duluth may be injured by
organized labor is a cloak under which
they expect to stick their dishonora-
bile heads while they carry out a
scheme that is disgrace to decent
IllcH anu NOuIu ciuSt ill lLull1 w.
bacco sign to blush.
Does it benefit Duluth to import a
lot of "bums,'' "thugs," and ''cut-
throats---out of the slums of st. Louis
Ito operate the street cars Of this
city?
Does it benefit the city for the man
agement of the street railway to pay
a horde of ]ow-lived detectives-of the
Darlington stripe---to trump up
charges against honest worlingmen
OF this city?
Does it benefit Duluth to force lot
of workingmen, who own their homes
here. good citizens with their fami-
lies, into idleness and compel them
to go to other cities for employment,
while their places are filled with loaf
ers. rowdies and cut-throats from
other cities?
Does it benefit Duluth to advertise
to the world that this is union rid
den'' city, and that capital should give
it a wide berth?
Does it benefit the women and chill
dren of Duluth to ride in cars operat-
ed by low, vile, obscene, profane and
drunken loafers who are employed to
fill the positions of honest and trust
worthy citizens?
1,,Al