The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-28
GUARDS AGAINST A STRIKE
NORTHERN PACIFIC SENDS WEST A
BODY OF CLERKS WHO CAN
TELEGRAPH
pRECAUTIoN IS UNNECESSARY
So Declares Press Agent Hampton
for the Committee of the Rail-
way photographers Now
Sitting Here.

''No: in my mind there IS no. the slight
est indication or danger of strike on the
Northern Pacific by its operators. L nave
never during our visit to St. Paul. con-
sidered such a termination of our trans
actions with the company imminent, ara
l do not now anticipate 1t.
Asked if he considered strike by the
Northern Pacific biographies imminent,
Mr.. Hampton, press representative of the
committee of telegraphers, made the
above statement to the u e lale
yesterday afternoon. The fact that the
Northern Pacific management had sent
thirty or forty operators to the west
within the past two days gave rise to
story that the operators contemplated
strike in the near future, and that the
company, being aware of this had taken
time by the forelock and placed men on
the ground ready to seize the keys When
they were deserted by the old teleg-
rapheTs Mr.. Hampton desired to be
quoted as saying that he had not enter
tanned a thought of an Impending strike
among his men, nor did he wish TO pc
understood as condemning the action of
the company in sending these men out.
''These men are sent from the auditor
office and many of them are perhaps not
fully equipped for taking up the work
incumbent On a station operator, but for
the most part they may, if occasion re-
CURED, show themselves very competent.
But that is, In my Judgment, unneces-
sary to consider, since do not regard
strike possible AS for the companys
sending these men out, that Is merely
precautionary act on their part, for
which they are, 50 far as l can see, PEI
fectIy justifab!e. I VIII say, however,
that in the absence OF any syn OF
strike it does appear little extravagant
to send such a large army Of men 50
CT nothing RJIt II the
company wants its st. Paul employees to
get acquainted with the grizzly West and
wishes to treat them to a vacation out
there where life is always a Joy, then
see wisdom in their course, said MIR.
Hampton.
Have any OF your associates been dis
charged or informed that they would be
discharged, or have any of them volun-
tarily given up their posidons?" was
asked Mr. Hampton. mo, not one of
them has left his job, SO far as my
knowledge extends" he said. He de-
claTed that they had received no word
from the committee which would indicate
to them that a readiness upon their
part to vacate is necessary. They have
been appTised of the move by the COM
pany in sending out this number CT men,
as they have bcen informed of every
transl elton that has taken place since the
committee came to st. Paul. Each day
the operators are advised Of the exact
state of affairs by w.re, SO that, VIII e
not present themselves, they are kept in
close touch with everything that is going
on. Nj. Hampton said that since the
company had no grounds for believing
that the operators intended to STRIKE
they would in his mind, have occasion to
regret their recent action, Which, how
ever, he said, had not created any ILL
feeling on the part of the operators for
the company.
I'VE came here" said Mr.. Hampton,
ito have a mutual understanding upon
matters, and with not the slightest IN
tention or feeling that we would have
trouble with our employers. We have not
been disappointed or surpl ised yet and
do not expect to be. We held a confer
encc today with the management, and
got through without any unpleasantness
We expect to have mere such con 'erences
and expect the same sort of results. Our
discussions now are upon the rules which
the company submitted to US few days
ago. They do not involve wages
Mr.. Hampton stated that he could MT
tell exactly how long it would take for
their protracted meetings to come to a
close, but said that he expected to eat
New Years dinner in ST Paul.
Northern Pacific officials decline to
state why they sent the company of
telegraphers west, or to enter into dis
cussion of any part of the subject.