Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-07-09
LOOKS FOR VICTORY
President 00onnell Of MachiniSts Unisn
Predicts Ultimate Success
STRIKE MAY LAST MANY LONG MONTHS
Union Will Never Abandon Fight or Give
Up Its Object.
SAYS NO SYMPATHY STRIKE is LIKELY
Men Do Net Want to Involve Other UniSns
in Difficulty.
SAYS NO SYMPATHY STRIKE is LIKELY
LITTLE CHANGE NOTED IN SITUATION
Men still CONFIDENT, while Company
omciaIs Say More skilled Work.
men from Abroad Are Ready
90 Go to Work.

President James oConnell of the Inter
national Association OF Machinists and
Fourth Vice President Wilson met Presl-
dent Burt, General Manager Dickinson
and Superintendent OF Motive Power
McKeen OF the Union Pacific in confer
ence over the shopmen's strike yesterday
evening. very pleasant feeling prevailed
at the meeting. but no change in the strike
situation resulted. Each side was con-
vinced OF the justice and equity Of Its po-
sition and nothing was done to alter these
convictions.
The union mems chief object in the
conference was to seek some concession
from the officials on the piecework propo-
sition, which is the prime cause of the
strike. President Burt expressed the be-
lief that the system would operate to the
advantage Of the machinists and urged that
the men give 1t trial for a period Of one
year, and IL at the end OF that time they
found, as they now hold. that It is not
fair system, the company would offer con-
cessions. But without thorough test he
was not willing to throw the piecework
proposition aside and give In completely to
the shopmen.
PiecewOrk Proposition Paramount.
President o'Connell asked that the COM
pany set aside the enforcement Of the
piecework scale for the present and let a
settlement be made upon other matters at
issue, but this did not meet the approval of
the railroad oficials. They considered the
piecewofk proposition Of primary and par
amount Importance and wanted 1t disposed
of entirely before anything else was
taken up.
President oconnell said after the con-
ference:
while we secured no proposition or offer
from President Burt upon which We can
base any hopes Of a settlement, and while
I'VE are as far apart now as ever, we had
q very pleasant and friendly conference.
Each side was so certain Of its own
rectness that settlement or compromise
was out Of tho question"
Mr.. oConnell left last night for Den
yer, from which city he will proceed to San
Francisco, stopping at various Union Pa
9ihc towns along the road. He will attend
the meeting Of the executive council OF
the American Federation OF Labor In San
Francisco,
Imported Men Desert.
Fourteen men reached the Union Pacific
shops yesterday afternoon at about s
o'clock from Chicago. where they had
been engaged by an agent Of the Union
FACluCs soon dIleT lnelF hIIlNdl nine re-
fused to go to work at the shops with a
strike in progress and left the yards.
Some Of them we're seen at Labor temple
last night by a reporter for The Bee and
said;
1--WE were hired by a man In Chicago.
who told us the strike difhculty had been
settled and that all but half dozen men
had gone back to work that We would not
be 'scablng' and would not be incurring
any liabilities Of trouble to go out to
Omaha and go to work. We were to get
80 cents an hour and our board. Several
of us are union men and when we got here
and learned that the strike was going on
we refused to work and walked out"
Most of the fourteen are blacksmiths.
They said that the companys agent had
engaged thirty-four others, of whom they
knew, who would be here by today or to-
morrow.
The strikers say the union is making no
terms for these men to desert the Union
Pacific upon their arrival and that II offers
them NO financial support whatever
Mr.. O'Connell arrived yesterday morning
from Chicago and addressed the machinists
early yesterday afternoon at Labor temple.
President o'Connell is well pleased with
the outlook on the Union Pacific system.
He thinks the strikers have nothing to dis
tOufaBc AuCtu anu everything over MllCn TO
be hopeful. In discussing the affairs he
said:
''The situation certainly looks bright from
our standpoint. As a matter OF fact. nc
strike Is desirable we regret the necessity
Tor such a movement as much as the rail-
road possibly can, but since It had to come
we are satisfied with the progress It is
making.
Clean, Quiet Fight.
eve have tried thus far and will contlnu,
to strive for a clean, quiet night, devoid o
any semblance OF violence. We want 4
win the contest upon its merits and beltev,
We can. II any Of our men engage In Co
vert acts OF violence they win not be up
held by the central organization. Organ
lied labor does not have to depend upor
brutal force or lawlessness to gain its right
or settle controversies with employers
Thus far scarcely consider that a strlk
Is really on, for We are Just now at tha
stage where you might say the proposition
Is pending, hearings with the company hav
scarcely closed and we are but beginning
our struggle; there has been no test o
strength on either side yet However. evel
thus far there has been no violence and W,
have demonstrated our intention TO wage
peaeeable night"
Mr.. O'Connell was asked this question:
''If this strike runs along for a year Of
more and the company shows no signs o
yielding, will the machinists, In order Il
win, accept piecework. If all other thingi
are equalf"
Opposed 10 PiecewOrk.
Positively not. We are unalterably op
posed TO plecework. Our constitution for
bids II and the very essence OF unionisn
Is against II. We will never accept piece
work even II the strike should run 10
nve years. Pieeework is one OF tn
things which the maehinists' union will no
stand for. The system Is wrong from hrs