The Saint Paul globe., 1900-12-17

HELD D.z4THEIR ANNUAL BANQUET
YESTERDAY AT METs-
CHANTS HOTEL
NATIONAL MEETING IN MAY
1t Will Be, One of. tie Most Inn
portant of the Conventions
I'd VisfY 3s5a TaaI This

''Knights of the Punch jolly, ro. al
good fellows, members of the St Paul
Division No. 40, of the. Order of Railroad
Conductors, partook of their annual Gill
ner last evening att the Merchants hotei,
it following a spirited meeting at Bowlby
hall, where officers forsstlfe year were
elected.
The gathering, numbering nearly $50
deft manipulators of the punch, were as
sembled at the hotel by the chief con-
ductorc I'D. GoRdit, and uRder his guild
ance they and the invited representatives
of the trade organizations, and also a
number of the city officials, were escort
ed to the dining hall.
The menu, azchoice= ONE, quickly disaD-
peared under the onslaught of the husky
"cons," .ands-Raitlassthesiig of cigars
came the toasts, informal in nature, but
sufficiently numerous and entertaining
in character as to compensate for their
brevity. j. D. Condit presided in the ca
pacitX. Of .toastmaster, and senHvened the
occasion greatly with his sallies of VIII
and pointed remarks.
J. J. McCardy, as comptroller of the
city of ST. Paul. and the representative
of the Commercial club, made happy ref
erence to the recognized standard OF the
conductors. organiza ton in st. Paul and
the United States, and spoke of the feel
ing of pleasure by the members of the
Commercial club in being able next May
to welcome the national organization,
which would gather in st. Paul on that
date 'I like to be the guest of men, said
Mr.. NcCardy, t-Who obey orders. A body
of men like this have great possibilities
before them. You are not viewed in the
light of railroad magnates, but I assure
you your work is of greater value and
your worth to the travelling public of
much more Importance. My hope is that
your path through life will be a happy
one, and when you reach that great
celestial union depot, that no red lights
will be there to say halt
Howard Wheeler spoke for the city Off
cialS present and added his voice in eX-
tending a welcome to the national con-
Vention of railroad conductors to be held
in St. Paul next May. He assured them
that the city officials would not be lack
ing in their effort to make the stay of the
visitors a happy one. 80
OF the national officers present, E. E.
Clark, grand chief conductor, led in
prominence, and during the evenings
pleasure he was the guest of honor
Called upon for aSpeech Mr.. Clark said:
'tIt gives me great pleasure to attend a
St Paul gathering. such as this, and GSDe-
cially when the invitation comes from
the members of No. 40 I watch for it's
annual dinner with eageEEess and, If
possible, never fail to be there. It is a
part and parcel of the best Dor organi-
zation the country has today, something
l am sure, those who have had dealings
with us will attest to- In olden times
the railway conductor was a heWer of
wood and drawer of water, but thanks
to organization, they are now the peer of
all Our aims are to elevate, to educate,
and. in the end, to work for the welfare
of both employe and employer. Labor
organizations We're at one time aSSo-
ciated with everything that was disTep-
utable,. but happily the ,public mind has
been. removed Of that delusion, and I
think the Order of Railway Conductors
have been instrumental in bringing this
about. We work for our members while
they are alive. Each draws from the
other something of good, and thus we as
sist in making our calling one that
no one can discredit. We work for the
highest possible pay consistent with the
greatest amount Of good service, and, as
an organization, insist that each of
our brothers shall be rewarded.
We give in return value receiV-
ed. Small errors found in all
lines, are accepted as matter OF
course but the world does not forget
an error where. lives, are .jeopardized and
perhaps esnuffed out without warning.
These are the things our organization
| makes ali effort to reduce to the mini
NAAeAl 10 why 1l6il VI OllIy hIlOWn
| strict habits and experience are to be
found in its ranks. Our Organization is
perhaps not known as it should be, but
! 1t will. We are trying to accomplish good
| and the world will yet@know us We
| carry the banner of unionism and are
/ fast invading the Soudan of non-union-
| ism. The very essence of a railroad en-
ploye is loyalty, and It is one of the com
| ponent parts of our organization. That
/ is one reason why the railroad service
in the United States is tunequaled in the
world. We work for the interests of oul
employers and the travelling public, but
while we are giving that service we are
not backward IN exacting what it is
| worth. Our laws are an open book
| They are not secret. They are built or
! right and honof.sand for. the protection
of all. [ believe in protection, prepara-
ton for warfare if necessary. The indi
vidual has the same right as a nation
| If his rights are trampled on That: is one
| of our policies, but / am glad to say we
have not had to put that policy in prac
| tice.- The hest~of -6eeIaRg and good will