The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-10-06
The Men Regard the Company as
Hostile to Them.
CHARGES OF INCONSISTENCY.
The Committee Appointed by the Union Re-
views at Length the Letter OF presi-
dent Bem;ss TO Be Reported
To The Un:o1


letter in reply to the recently published
letter of Mr.. Berniss concerning the rela-
items of his company to the union and the
beneficial club which. has bsen formed
among the employees CT the Traction Com
panv-
The following is the letter in full:
Richmond, Va, Oct 5, 1901
Mr.. E. L. Bemiss, President Richmond
Traction Company, City:
Dear Sir,--Your communication of the
ID instant, at hand and contents noted.
On behalf of the organization which we
represent, we beg TO say that your re-
ply to our request seems rather vague,
or in other words, shows a disposition TO
evade the direct question, as to whether
the Traction Company occupies a posi-
ton Of friendly neutrality towards our
Association, or is antagniZing and oppos-
ing us. It is true that in one instance
you do make a very emphatic declaration
as follows: ITO reply categorically TO
your question whether the Richmond
Ira ction Company opposes organized Ia
Dor, or the Amalgamated Association Of
Street Railway Employees. / say no..
and if taken alone this assertion might
cover the whole situation. But the main
text of your communication seems TO put
our Association upon Il plane, antagon1s-
tic to every interest of your company,
while you do assert that such antagonism
is IN the interest of Your rival, The Pas
senger and Power Company.
CHARGES OF MR.. BEMIss.
In view of these charges. as expressed
by you, viz: That the Union is being
used as a tool TO injure your com
pany: that the Union is Differed by en-
lloyes of your rival company: that your
employees are in the minority, and that
it has been the policy of those employ
es Of your rival to coerce that minority
into action against YOU and detrimental
TO Your interests. that the Union would
mean the destruction of discipline, and
the promotion Of careleSsness and dis
honesty: that as you assert, IN con-
ference with committee OF the Central
Trades ana La Dor Council, the Union
has developed the worst qualities OF the
worst men,. and in view of differences
which Your letter leads us to believe You
draw from our past business relations,
wish to ask You as practical and
honorable man. n man of business ability
and wide experience. are we not justified
in the assertion that the past actions of
your company are inconsistent with your
assurances, and that your accusations
against our organization contradict OF
themselves the assertion which you make
that you are not opposed to us?
1t seems to lis that the old adage, self
preservation is the first law of nature
very aptly applies to this situation, and
II YOU believe upon what information
You have received-and from your express
sions We are led to think that you do so
feel-tllat our organization is endeaNoring
10 iniure your company and favor the
other. would it not Ire self preservation"
on your part to take the Initiative step
and endeavor. by the disruption Of our
association, TO prevent amy such course?
RECOGNITION OF THE UNION.
For this reason. we say on behalf OF
our organization. that your reply to our.
request not only seems to show neon
sistency and contradiction. bEt branches
off upon a subject foreign in every respect
to that upon which We addressed YOU
that is TO say. The recognition of the
union. and Your unwillingness to deal
with Us in an official capacity, for the
fear that we are dominated by a hostile
majority composed of the employees OF
rival companies. who. for some malicious
purpose, desire to coerce Your employees
into some action detrimental to Your
Interests. AS to any such information
that might have been impaired to YOU.
we wish to say il must have been an h@l-
lucinaiion on the part of your informant
or infor1nants at the time of rendering
You such Information, in utter disregard
Of the truth. ana We take pleasure in
branding any such assertion as utterly
false. Ii seems TO us. as a committee.
that YOU should not have given publicity
TO any Information received from such
q source. as otherwise their would be no
objection to the officials Of either COM
pany participating in cur meetings.
NEED EXPLANATION
Upon the whole. it appears 10 us from
statements made by Nou. that an explain
alton is needed from our association in
order TO clear ourselves from these ac-
cusations OF injustice TO your COM
pany. The question Of recognition OF
the union seems TO be foremost. You
state in your letter we refused TO recog-
nize or deal with the union officially be-
cause lis bylaws. as officially explained
to me, woad take from us the control
of the business which We had created
With our capital and mean the destruc-
ton Of discipline and promotion of care
iessncss and dishonesty among our en-
ployes.'' According to those bylaws.
every dismissal We might make was sub
jcct TO review and vote by the union and
further that no matter for what offense
a member might he discharged. the pro-
prietg OF your conclusions We're to be re-
viewed by the associations Ii is true
that such laws do exist in orr bylaws
to an extent, but not 10 the extent that
every case was TO be Investigated or that
the union would uphold each or any case
on infraction of The rules of the COM
pany. Covering this discussion. we have
letter from our international president.
which was published i'm. the News OF
month ago. TO the effect that rules OF
The company must be obeyed; but il a
rule was obnoxious to The employees they
could discuss il in their meeting and a
majority of the members, feeling such
TO be the case. might ask the company
10 change IT: but there was no intention
that we We're to resort to extreme meas
ares In seeking 10 have a rule changed.
or to have any changes made in the
M " q .E,,,s .xr q =,
AS TO DISMISSAL.
Surely ii a man is dismissed for an in
fraction OF any rule. you could not just
~ accuse us Of Il desire 10 promote such
action when il is the policy and good In
tent OF the organization. as set forth also
In our bylaws. and which in our confer
encc OF July 18th. you say are commend
able; that the object Of this association
shall DC to place our occupation upon a
high plane of intelligence. efficiency and
skin. defend our rights and advance our
interests as workingr,en: TO encourage
the principle and practice of Cancellation
and arbitration in the settlement OF all
differences between labor and capital.