Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-13
NO NEED FOR DAVE MERCER
Strikers Declare They Gan Attend to Their
Own Affairs.
UNION PACIFIC SCHEME DENOUNCED
Representative Of Organized LaBo
Refuse TO AceePt the Mediation
Of the second district
Congreanman.


Strikers were greatly animated yesterday
over the reported plan of the Union Pa
eihc to have its trouble with the men set
tied through David II. Mercer. as published
in The Bee. The matter was discussed at the
morning meetings Of the strikers, the re-
suit being in every case a repulsion Of the
scheme. No striker could be found In Labor
Temple who felt that Mr.. Mercer's once
as emissary for organized labor in the res
toration Of peaceful relations between n
and the railroad corporation was either
necessary or desirable. II IL IL determined.
therefore. to proceed with this novel plan
the company and It's assistants no doubt
will meet with complete failure.
Thus far we have been able to attend
to our own business, both within our pri-
vate councils and in our relations with the
Union Pacific, and we have not reached that
point when II seems expedient to appeal for
or accept the services or assistance Of any
person or pepaons in the contemplation Of
. settlement Of this strike" said Vice Pres
ident Tom L. Wilson Of the international
Association Of Machinists. so far as the
alleged plan Of the Union Pacific is con
cerned II may show a very generous dis
position on the company's part to promote
Mr.. MERGERS interests by having him as
sumo the magnanImous role OF mediator
between capital and labor. hut It's a little
premature and uncalIed for. We don't ask
or need any such assistance from the Union
Pacific. All we ask Of It is to meet the
demands we originally made. That done we
viii have no further concessions to solicit.
No Need Of Third Party.
1--WE have never yet been denied a meeting
or conference with the ohicials Of the road
arA - A. - o---~k--4 A--Alt-- - -
sort. Therefore, I do not see the reason
for calling In a third party to DO what we
can DO ourselves. So far as arbitrating is
concerned, there is positively nothing to
arbitrate. This strike will be settled by
the Union Pacific granting the demands
made by the men at the outset or It will
not be settled at ALL"
Another strike leader, N Omaha man,
had this to say upon the alleged Union Pa
cihc-Mercer scheme:
w are not around looking for any way
Of helping ~re-elect Dave Mercer. We are
not in this thing for politics sake or fer
the sake Of any politician, and we do not
intend to have this strike prostituted to
illegitlmate purposes. We went into It be-
cause We were convinced that our condition
as employees Of the Union Pacific was not
what It ought to be. and we are trying to
bring sbout the state OF affairs which we
believe ought to exist. We do not propose
to be used as the plant tools Of any COR
poration or politician. and the man or men
who undertake to force us into such an un-
warranted position will find himself or
themselves confronted by an impossible
task.
Labor Underestimate Mercer.
Il think that organized labor, Of witch
great body we form a distinct part, thor
oughly understands Mr.. Mercer, and II
seems to me that Mr.. Mercer ought really
to have no misgivings about organized la
Dor and it's attitude toward him, at least in
this community. Events Of the last fort
night have served to demonstrate most en-
phaticaIIy the relations existing between
David H. Mercer and organized Iabcr in the
city OF Omaha. | have heard considerable
about this alleged scheme Of the Union Pa
cshc and Mercer's machine; It has been
going the rounds for several days and !
think there 10 q great effort being made
TO foster IL. but It certainly will meet with
a cold reception II ever proposed to the
strikers. We can attend to our own bus
mess and Mr.. Mercer. too. when the time
comes, We really look for the company to
propose some means OF settlement very
soon. but Mr.. MERGERS case is settled now,
80 far as we are concerned"
Reports from North Platte yesterday
stated that the Union Pacific has started a
movement to buy back all the e0o-series
Of locomotives II sold some time ago to the
Santa Fe. It Is said that. falling to get ita
eighty new engines from the east, the COM
pany iB compelled to increase the number
OF engines and that this is the only imme-
dlately available means OF doing this.