The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-07-10
co BACK TO
 THEIR JOBS Freight Handlers to Re-
 turn to Work. FAILED TO GAIN POINT Original Terms of Railroads
 are Accepted. President of the Union Agreed to Settlement Because His Men Were Going Back on Him."
 He Said.

Chicago, H., July 9.-The strike of the freight handlers is virtually settled Meetings of the strikers will be held to- morrow to ratify the action taken to- night. according to President Curran of the order, but, as he stated tonight after a conference with the general managers of the railroads, that he had agreed to their terms because the majority of his men were going back on him. there Is little doubt that the terms will be accept ed by the mass meeting of the strikers tomorrow.
 By the terms of the settlement, the strikers accept the schedule of wages off, fered them by the railroads July 1. This schedule was emphatically refused by the strikers at the time it was made. It off, fered an average increase of 20 per cent. for all classes of labor connected with the Freight Handlers Union. The de- mands of the men would have made an average increase of about 30 per cent. The railroads at the time offering the in- crease said that under no circumstances W would they recognize the union Of the freight handlers to the extent of allowing the officers of the organization to make terms for the men with the officers Of the railroads This was one of the chief reasons for the strike, the men insisting that the union should be fully recognized. The railroads have won complete vic- tory on this point.
 Attitude of Railroads.
 The attitude of the roads toward the Freight Handlers Union is the same as that maintained toward all local organi-
 cations of railroad men, The freight
 handlers demanded something that no other organization or company in Chi caKo has asked, and the managers an- nounced that under no circumstances would they agree to this.
 The settlement of the strike came un- expectedly The meeting during the day of the various committees with the gen. eral managers of the railroads did not produce much result, neither side making concessions. When the committees had reported hack to the Executive Council of the strikers, a meeting of that body was held. The officers of the federation used every means to induce the strikers to accept the terms offered them. but without avail. The meeting was at times acrimonious and there was a sharp ex- change of words between President Bow man of the Federation of Labor and Pres ident Curran of the freight handlers in which the former was accused of play ing politics" at the expense of the freight handlers
 The proposition finally was made that the matter of an agreement with the rail- roads should be left with Presidents Cur ran and Bowman with full power to act. meeting was then arranged with a committee of the general managers of the railroads and the result was that Presi- dent Curran agreed to accept the basis of increase offered by the railroads July l.
 The action of the teamsters was a po- tent factor in settling the strike. They took strong issue with the freight hand lers and intimated very plainly that no assistance could be expected from them, inasmuch as the freight handlers had struck against the advice of the Chicago Federation of Labor