Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-10
STRIKE OF SHORT DURATION
Trouble Of the Freight Handlers is Virtually
Settled at Conference.
AGREE TO TERMS OF THE RAILROADS
strikers Accept Scale Of Wages Of
fered Them July 1 and which
Was EmphatIcaIIy Refused
at the Time.

CHICAGO, July 9.--The strike OF the
freight handlers is virtually settled. Meet
ings of the strikers will be held tomorrow
ratlfy the action taken tonight by Pres
Curran Of the order, but inasmuch
lated tonight after a conference
VIZ general managers Of the railroads.
that mad agreed to their terms because
the majority Of his men were going back"
on him. there is little doubt that the terms
will be accepted by the mass meeting.
BY the terms Of the settlement the
strikers accept the scale of wages offered
them by the railroads July 1. This sched-
ule was emphaticallv refused by the
strikers at the time 1t was made. 1t Of
fered an average increase OF 20 per cent
for all classes Of the freight union. The
demands OF the men would have made an
average increase of 30 per cent The
railroads at the time of Offering the in
crease on July / said that under no cir
cumstances 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 off,
GERS Of the railroads by which they were
employed. This was one Of the chief rea-
sons for the strike, the men insisting that
the union should be fully recognized. The
this point.
Attitude of Railroads Unchanged.
The attitude Of the roads toward the
freight handlers union is the same as that
maintained toward all local organiza-
tions Of railroad men. The freight handlers
demanded something that no other organi-
zation Of railroad employees in Chicago had
asked and the managers answered that
under no circumstances would they agree
to this. President Curran Of the freight
handlers union said, after the meeting with
the general managers tonight, that he prac-
tically had been compelled by his own men
to accept the terms Of the roads.
Two thirds of them would have gone to
work In the morning anyhow" he said,
"and II was simply a question Of doing the
best possible under the circumstances. The
railroads agree to take back all the strik-
ers who will apply for their old positions
by noon tomorrow"
The settlement OF the strike came unex-
pectedly. The meetings during the day Of
the various committees with the general
managers Of the railroads did not produce
much result, neither side making conces-
sions.
When the committees had reported back
to the executive council of the strikers a
meeting of that body was held. Several
of the Chicago Federation OF Labor, includ-
ing President Bowman, were present. The
officers OF the federation used every means
to induce the strikers to accept the terms
offered them, but without avail. Twelve
members Aof the executive council spoke
against the acceptance of the terms and
three were in favor OF It. The meeting was
at times acrimonious and there was a sharp
exchange Of words between President Bow
man OF the Federation Of Labor and Presi-
dent Curran Of the freight handlers union
in which the former was accused OF "play-
ing politics" at the expense OF the freight
handlers.
President Curran Accepts.
The proposition finally was made that
the matter of an agreement with the rail-
roads should be left with President Cur
ran and President Bowman of the fedora
tion with full power to act. A meeting
was then arranged with a committee of
the general managers OF the railroads, who
had full power OF settlement on their side.
The result was that President Curran
agreed to accept the basis Of increase Of
fered by the railroads July 1.
The action of the teamsters was a po-
tent factor In settling the strike. They
tOOh oNTOuB ISSUE Win Nut lIelbnl HhuuieTs
and intimated very plainly that no as
sistance could be expected from them, in
asmuch as the freight handlers had struck
against the advise of the Chicago Fedora
tion Of Labor.
The session Of the executive council
came to a sudden termination and Presi-
dents Curran and Bowman left for the
meeting with the general managers. When
he left this meeting President Curran was
surrounded by crowds of the strikers, who
had been waiting to hear the result Of the
meeting, and there was great dissatisfac-
tion when II was announced that no set
tlement had been reached, but that meet
ings would be held Thursday morning, at
which the results Of the meeting with the
managers would be made known. The
displeasure Of the men had a marked effect
in bringing about the settlement Of the
strike
The agreement reached by President Cur
ran with the managers tonight must be
ratified by the men tomorrow, but there is
| only a very small probability that this will