The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-03-31

committee of the Central Labor union,
the delegates to that body, at yester-
days meeting. refused to endorse the
proposition which the committee Sc
cured from the Scranton Railway COM
pany and which it has been vainly
urging the striking employees of that
corporation to accept during the past
week.
The victory of the strikers executive
committee was complete, as was freely
admitted by the Central Labor union
committeeman last night. Immediately
after the Central Labor union ad-
journed it's five and Il half hours
stormy session, the striking street car
men went into session in the same hall.
The meeting was fairly under way at
8 o'clock, but at o'clock this morning
there was no prospect of adjournment,
though the probabilities seemed to
point to the submission of a counter
proposition asking for an assurance
that If the strikers return to work they
will receive full time within sixty days.
One thing is certain, and that is that
a large percentage of the men We're in
favor of accepting the proposition, and
declaring the strike off. The unanimity
of feeling against the acceptance of the
proposition which prevailed at last
Thursday nights meeting was con-
spicuous by it's absence. The session
was stormy, and there was almost open
disorder at times.
One of the reasons for the prolonga-
ton of last nights session was the ver-
bal communication from the company,
conveyed through the Central Labor
union committee, that the company
would not take back a part of the men
under the terms proposed The propo-
sition was made with the understand
ing that it was to effect a settlement
of the strike and the raising of the boy
colt. If it accomplished anything less
than this, the company would not be
bound by it, This stipulation resulted
in making those of the strikers who
favored accepting the proposition fight
vigorously to have it accepted, and de-
tered them from boiling the meeting
with threats to go back to work.
A LONG MEETING.
The meeting of the Central Labor
union was the longest in it's history,
lasting from 2.30 O'clock in the after
noon until after s o'clock at night.
The fight made by the executive COM
mittee for an endorsement of it's strike
settlement proposition was a hard but
losing one. The members of the COM
mittee went into the meeting confident
that only slight objection would mani
fest itself and We're unprepared for the
overwhelming opposition which devel-
oped They fought to the last ditch
however, and only gave up when COM
PEELED to.
The objection to an endorsement of
the railway company's proposition was
principally based on two grounds.
The principal point raised against it
was that it contained no assurance
whatever that its terms would be con-
tinued in force for any given period of
time. In other words, a majority of
the delegates seemed to think that the
strikers are justified in insisting upon
a yearly contract, and believed in up
holding this demand. 1t was pointed
out that the conditions agreed to in
the company's proposition might be
continued in force for only IA few weeks
unless the company specifically prom
ised to keep them in force for Il given
time.
The other objection was raised
against the second proposition. in real
ity an amendment to the first, which
was secured by the executive commit
tee on Saturday, and which was be-
lieVed by that body to meet objections
raised by the strikers to the original
proposition. This second proposition
was as follows:
10 reinstate or give opportunity for reinstle-
ment to all men on ITS pay rolls September 80
1901, at once, the time, however, to be equally
divided among the men reinStated -
Wages-ro advance all conductors and MOTOR
men in its employ September 80, 1901, receiving
at that time II cents or less per hour toi l71a
cents per hour Those receiving II to rs cents
at that time 10 receive 10 Gems. Those recev'
ing ovel Is cents to 10 cents an hour, at that
time, to receive 1919 cents
No new persons 10 be employed until all old
men have positions
DIRECTIONS TO PROPOSITION.
The objection to the original PROPOSE
ton on the part of the strikers was
that only 100 men were to be taken
back at once, the others 10 be taken
back within sixty days. They wanted
all the men taken back at once. The
company, in its second proposition,
agrees to do this, but does not agree
to give all the men taken back regu-
lar, full-time runs. 1t is agreed that
each man shall receive an equal
amount of work
1t was argued at yesterdays meet
ing that this practically means that the
imports and returned strikers who are
now operating the cars would get all
the regular runs, while the rag-tag
and bob-tail of the work would be
divided. up among the union men who
so back,
1t was argued that, under this sec
ond proposition, this condition of af-
fairs might continue indefinitely, as
there is no assurance that even after
the sixty-day limit originally fixed has
expired. that the old men would be