New-York tribune., 1899-07-14
POLITICS IN STRIKE TALK
,,rw PHASES OF THE BROOKLYN RAPID
TRANSIT SITUATION.
,ers1pENT RossITER ATTACKS THE JOHN
SONS. AND SAYS HIS MEN ARE SAT-
IsFIED-LEADERs URGING
ORGANIZATION.


,,e Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company was full
~ interest yesterday. The developments were:
The Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company has
.,sae a cash offer OF 81 900 to the labor leaders
Cor temporary possession Of a certain check
which the Transit officials assert Tom L. and
Albert Johnson have given TO the labor leaders
an their efforts TO bring about strike
Under the impetus Of help from the Johnsons
N-ssrs Pines and Parsons. the labor agitators
are making tremendous efforts to organize the
enrloyes for a strike not later than August l.
And now comes the oldest phase Of any. The
labor leaders do not hesitate 10 say that Tom
7. Johnson is spending money on them for the
purpose OF bringing about general railroad
strike in Brooklyn and Manhattan. AS father Of
the strike he would pose as labor's friend by
being the principal contributor to the strike
fund. and labor's friend he would be the
most eligible Eastern man for a running mate
FOR William J. Bryan next year.
These are three new phases Of the situation
which kept railway and labor circles agitated
last night, and the end is not yet II the john
sons will spend their money literally enough
strike is possible. Whether or not II will be
general is a question. AS a matter Of fact there
I. an almost entire lack Of organization among
The men as compared with conditions at the
close Of 1894. Just how much can be done be-
tween now and August l, when. for reasons
not explained. some Of the labor leaders want
The strike begun. remains to be seen.
ROssITER ATTACKS JOHNSON.
"Ive had indsputabe proof ever since Mon
day from three Independent sources said MI
Rossiter a Tribune reporter yesterday after
noon. that Tom L. and Albert Johnson are
trying 10 bring about strike among our men,
and | am satisfied that Albert Johnson hear
ing that we had this proof. made virtue OF
necessity and came out in an interview as a
friend Of the so-caed downtrodden employees Of
the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company.
"Mr Johnson is working with a certain num-
Der OF old Nassau employees. We know who
these men are For weeks they have been
working against the Brooklyn Rapid Transit
COMPANY and when they learned that we knew
what was going on thev felt pretty sure OF
losing their Jobs. and I'm free 10 say that in
avery case where we find a man is disloyal
he'll be discharged. II is absolutely false that
We work our men overtime without paying
them. When the committee Of employees called
On me one Of them said that on one occasion he
had worked seventeen hours and been paid for
tan I asked the man when ne did IT, He said
then a friend Of his did it, l then challenged
him TO bring the and proof forward and
promised TO pay the man S. an hour for every
hour overtime that he had not been paid for.
The proof could not be produced.
"As to the statement of Mr.. Johnson, who
SAYS the Nassau men are not so we'll paid as
formerly. for several days I've been aware that
rot only had Mr. Johnson given his check for
e large sum to Master Workman James Pines
not an employe OF either the Brooklyn Rapid
Transit Company or any portion OF It's system
rut that Mr. johnson had also for the last two
weeks been holding frequent conferences with
General Master Workman Parsons and District
Master Workman Pines and had invited GER
tain employees of this company to meet him at
his Office.
TT will be remembered that the Messrs. john
son recently sold their interest In the control
OF the Nassau company to the Brooklyn Rapid
Transit Company. In view Of the conditions
which existed among the men before the john
sens sold their interest in the control OF the
Nassau property, Mr.. Johnson's activity in
other peoples affairs can hardly be attributed
p his philanthropy. as reference TO The De-
troit Free Press will show. and taken in con-
pection with other attempts which have come
70 the knowledge Of the company showing
determined effort to depress the price Of the
=
the effort 70 produce dissatisfaction among our
employees is apparent. however dscreditaole II
nav be to those connected with II.
II have said from the start that there was
40 general dissatisfaction among our employe
and the events have justified this belief; but II
is particularly gratifying TO know that the men
themselves will now recognize the selfish origin
OF the attempt TO breed dissatisfaction in the
interest Of Wall Street spectators"
SAYS HE MADE NO PROMISES.
Earlier in the day. when President Rossiter
was seen by the newspaper men ne declared un-
eouivocaIly that when the committee called on
him on July he made them no promises. and
he asserted that any Of the railway employees
who said he had made promises lied
The burning question last night was. Is troll
ley strike imminent'
Some predict that at midnight tonight. or on
Saturday or Sunday night. the dissatisfied ele-
rant u,i,i 90 ont with the hope that the strike
will spread among nearly all of the employees OF
the Rapid Transit Company.
NOT READY TO STRIKE
General Master Workman Parsons and Master
Workman Pines are apparently opposed 10
strike at this time A labor leader VINO Is IN
tir1ateiv acquainted with them told Tribune
reporter last night that neither the SITUATION
the organization nor the resources OF the men
warranted a general strike at this time He
said:
How are the employees Of the road situated
The road has between thirty-hve hundred ana
four thousand employees In ID. A. NO. 30 there
are only about one thousand members employed
by the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company. Inc
funds are low, and. indeed, there are haroiy any
at all What Of the organization itseit? Frior
10 the strike Of 1895 il was great and strong
and powerful and wealthy. Parsons and Pines'
all the labor agitators and some OF the ieaoers
among the railroad employees recognize these
FACTS and are trying TO keep certain ho'heaus
In check until the men have been thorouehiS