Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-17
sTAeNATloN ENDS AND ACTIVITY RULES
Immense Quantities Of Freight Rushed Out
by the Wholesale ksrchants
BUSINESS MEN ARE GENERALLY HAPPY
Strike Expensive to Them, Estimated Cost
Being Slo,oOo,ooo.
RAILROADS WIN A COMPLETE VICTORY
Men May Now Ask the Managers
Through Committees for the COn-
cessiOns They Hoped to
obtain by Striking.

CHICAGO, July 1s.-Renewed activity on
the part OF Chicago business men followed
the settlement OF the freight handlers and
the teamsters' strike today and at the close
of business hours tonight thousands of
tons Of freight had been sent to and from
the various freight depots Every one Of
the $4,000 strikers who could obtain employ
ment had returned to work by o'clock
in the afternoon. The strike, II is esti-
mated, cost the business men Of Chicago
t10O 900 and in order to guard against
contingency in the future they are prepar-
ing to inaugurate an educational campaign
IN opposition to the sympathetic strike.
The labor unions will be asked to forego
the use OF this impotent weapon. Business
interests which suffered during the strike
will join in pledging themselves, 1t Is said,
not to sign union agreements which do not
guard them against these strikes.
On the other hand the labor unions are
hghting to secure the right to abrogate
agreements for the purpose of ordering
sympathetic strikes.
The freight handlers blame the national
officers of the teamsters for the loss OF
the strike. They declare that the strike
shows the necessity for Incorporating in
all agreements a reservation which will
permit strikes.
Arbitration Causes Settlement.
Credit for the settlement rests with tho
State Board Of Arbitration. II was the adop-
tion of the suggestion of that board which
led to the action OF the freight handlers
union in declaring the struggle with the
railroads at an end.
At the same time 1t is probable that even
had the state board not made its sugges-
tions. the fight would have been practically
over tomorrow, as the majority Of the
freight handlers had returned to their work
before the mass meeting at which the strike
was called on oficially had convened. 1t
was a knowledge of this fact that had much
TO do with the action taken by the union.
However. the proposition made by the State
Board Of Arbitration enabled the freight
handlers to retire gracefully from the field.
After ten days of strife the Chicago
freight handlers .strike Terminated today
In an unqualified victory for the railroads.
A meeting Of the strikers. presided over by
President Curran, resulted In an almost
unanimous vote to return to work, leaving
the wage scale and other questions for
settlement between the men and their re-
spectivo roads.
At the conclusion OF the meeting the
houses to apply for their old positions, and
the teamsters who have remained out in
sympathy again took up their reins. BY
noon immense quantities OF freight which
had been held back for days was being
rushed to the railroads or taken from ware
houses and cars Where stagnation had
ruled, commercial activity again reigned.
Chicago merchants express unbounded re-
lief at the termination of hostilities, but
they are scarcely less happy than the men
themselves, although the strike is esti-
mated to have cost them 10000. 900, to say
nothing OF the trade that had been per-
manently lost to them.
Hall Crowded to sunOcation.
The little hall where the meeting of the
strikers took place was jammed to suffoca-
tlon and thousands were unable to effect
an entrance. 1t was a brief meeting, only
long enough for an angry speech by Curran
and the vote which followed.
Mr.. curran. in the course of his ad-
dress to the men. said:
Il am going to organize the freight
handlers all over the country, and when
we decide to tight again 1t will not be a
struggle between the freight handlers I'm
Chicago and the railroads, but between
the freight handlers and the railroads all
over the country"
Men, said Curran, I'VE came out like
men; we have acted like men, and we
should not go back like sheep, but there
has been treachery IN our camp. Yesterday
when ! was about to use the telephone the
wire got crossed and I heard one Of the
members of our executive committee talk
ing with railroad manager. He was en-
couraging the manager to hold out. for he
told him that the strike was about broken.
d a. Il 49, H.. N.Ns 49, -
kept with me. The oflcials OF the Truck
Drivers union have not kept faith either,
and It is useless to keep up the strike any
longer Shall we so back and ask for our
old jobs2"
Vote IL Unanimous.
In this simple form the matter was put
TO a vote and almost Immediately a great
chorus OF ayes had brought to a peaceful
end one OF Chicag0is most serious and
threatening labor situations. 1t Is believed
the roads generally will allow the truckers
~ cents an hour and minor concessions
granted by the proposition Of July /.
The proposition accepted by the men was
in efieot given to President Curran by the
State Board Of Arbitration earlier in the
day. although the proposition in It's proper
form was not placed before the men.
The railroad managers when told Of ths
vote 70 return 70 work said that wherever
possible the old men would be taken back
A small percentage Of the new men, how
ever, will be retained for a time at least
Nowhere was the news OF the settlement
received with more pleasure than at the
warehouses, where thousands OF men gath
cred from other points on the various road
TO take the place of strikers were longing
to return to their homes. They had beer
well fed ana given good sleeping quarters
but the big majority OF them. being aeeus
toned TO the comfort Of their homes. wer,
tired Of being herded."
spend an Anxious Morning.
'win today see the end OF the disastrous
freight handlers strike? This question
was asked in the minds OF thousands O.
business men this morning and all eye
were turned On Wostas hall. where tn,