The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-06
GRIEVANCES OF THE MEN.
COUNSEL for the Strikers Makes a State
rnAnt
Special Dispatch to The Times,

81
NORFOLK. VA. March 5.-Mr. Hugh
Gordon Miller. attorney far the striking,
railway men, to-day made the following
statement OF their grievances as seen
from their standpoint:
You ask ma why my clients object
10 the bond. IL you think for Il moment
you will See its purpose. In the first
place it requires all mctormen to tie
bonded. The motorman, OF course han
dies no money. It is inpt ssihle for hin.
10 steal anything. unless lie steals the
t:.r. So it is evident shat the co.nrany
has another motive. Tl.l men claim
that the main object is 10 destroy the
Union and the effect is 10 place their
positions and their regulations y for-
rsty in the ha::,is Of the alien inspectors
OF u distant bend company, Y h.sc inter
est it is to drop as many cd mon as
possible ;snd put on new, because for
every lew man a new bonding fee must
be paid. The Company is interested in
tic same process peGa use of the scale
CT wages, the short time men getting
much less than the long time men. So
you see this creates an cns.less chain,
which it is to the interest OF both bcrd
company AMI car company to keep go
Ing, i'll Il financial way, to say nothing
Of :..c breaking un Of the labor or
:rnizattor,.
A new man Will say when approached
&c join the union. You cannot help me
10 set on, OF if discharged. YOU cannot
lleln ne II. "At lark. This bond COM
.,any in New York is my master II
DC company desires to discharge a man
aad has no sufficient cause, its officers
'4a give the bond insp scto. tho tip he
can report against the employee. The:bo
company. refusing to give bond, he is
not permitted to apply to any, other bond
company: he is branded eS-parte @as a
thief: his reputation is ruined; he can
get employment from no other railroad
in the country: and he thus finds HIM
self ruined: his family in want, and all
without u trial by a jury OF his peers, or
any other impartial tribunal, and he has
no redress on earth. My clients are will
ing to give hond for honesty, where they
handle any money. but demand the right
to give bond In any good company, or
q good individual bond with Individual
security. thus breaking this endless chain
and the endless bonds as we'll as bond
ing of this one company acting in con-
cert with the railroad company.
These unions exist throughout the
country. They are recognized and treat
ed With by all reasonable and tactful en-
ployers. The predecessor of the present
general manager of the Norfolk Railway
and Light Company recognized and ueat-
cd with this union. and as a consequence.
he had the good viii of.hss employees, and
fe had no such unfortunate trouble as
this.
lou or Il as professional men would
take time to consider a proposition to give
aIs5kind OF a bond Is itsrny more UNI
reasonable that these men whose char
ecters and regulations for all time were
involved. and were placed in the control
ef a lot of out Of town tools. should
ask time to consider and consult TO
post a notice to-lsw that such bond
must be given by naotormen and con-
ductors alike. and at once. without any
explanation. was to my mind arbitrary
and unreasonable.
- ask you to remember. too. thatina
spirit OF compromise and concession,
these Hsa, in order to avoid this unfor-
tnialte tie up- agreed to all demands:
even this obnoxious bond and prepared
TO go back to work. but tin6ing an adj
ditionai order from the gene,nl manager
that the companF would take back such
EAaa thar cl;cssa .sl:lais na IA sax aa,di1ianx