The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-03-04
P. H.Morrissey's Statement Con-
corning Wabash Injunction.
ROasts the Action of the q. S.
Court.
RAMSEY is SATISFIED.
Says He Thinks There VIII Be
No Strike.
Conductors and Engineers Voted
Not to Go Out.
RAMSEY is SATISFIED.

p H. Morrissey, who has been attend
ing the Santa Fe wage conference in
this city. is now in the thick of the
Wabash fight. and has given out the fol-
lowing statement concerning the in
Junction proceedings which President
Ramsey commenced Tuesday. as re-
ported i'm Tuesdays State Journal:
The Hremen and trainmen employed
on the Wabash system, by decisive
vote. authorized the committees repre-
senting them and the officers Of their
organizations to declare a strike if the
wage scales and other working condi-
tons which they had presented to the
management were not granted. This
course was decided upon only after
eaVrv OF her hgnOra BILE method to induce
the company to give them deserved con-
liberation had failed. Their determine
zion to take this step was deliberately
reached, as their personally written sig
natures Will attest They choose to haz-
ard their employment and the cOnse-
quences to themselves and their families
that might follow rather than to longer
hold the relation of the only railway en-.
ployes O- this section who could u -
meet their managing officers on terms OF
equality and be accorded equal wages
and similar treatment given employee
OF their class on other lines, Some idea
OF their situation may be conceived
y hen it is known that the division Off
Gals of the Wabash would not meet d
committee of their employees to hear or
discuss matters of complaint. There
was no question of recognition of or
ganized labor TO prejudice the issue
even though the influence of the en-
pioyes was exerted through their or
carnations, as their action could not
have been made effective or intelligently
directed through any other method.
10 prevent the men from carrying
out their determination 10 defend their
q n "
company applied to and was granted ar
injunction by Judge Adams Of the Unit-
ed States court for the eastern district
court of Missouri restraining the or
carnations, their officers the committee
and all concerned from directly or indi-
rectly saucuoning the procedure agreed
upon by the employees themselves To
inns command as law abiding citizens
and organizations. we bow in submits
Sion We VIII respect it because we rec
ogniZe that until dissolved il is the law
While we view the action of the court
as supNerSlNe OF American rights ana
privileges. and we believe contrary to
common Justice and fairness we utter
no defiance of its mandate and indulge
IN no heroics We viii, however, contest
the proceedings to the end. for if Judge
Adams order is written into the laws of
our country organization Of labor. which
is today the hope and protection of those
VINO tOii, can no longer contribute its
penencent influences in lettering the
condition Of the working people. In this
effort we believe we wsll not only have
tne support Of organized labor every
Where, but all right thinking citizens
who are lovers of human rights
AS 70 the action of President Ram
sey in this connection we leave the
public to be the Judge. For years he
mas boosted of his contempt for labor
organizations. He liked the distinction
II brought him of being the one man
aging officer in this section who could
get along without them Every pre-
Vious effort of the employees TO meet
and deal with him had proven futile
He did not fear a strike. would easily
Ii the mems places" The men refused
Co be longer bluffed or cajoied. They
told him they would strike if their re-
quests were not granted. He knew
they We're in earnest, and that he could
not handle the situation, as on preVi-
Gus occasions. Instead of meeting IT
squarely and operating his property
without the men, if he were able to do
So as he has so often said, the ability
" nich he has asserted heretofore seems
20 have deserted him and he takes ref
uge behind the injunction The men
without protest. under penalty of inn
prisonment, the working conditions
which he chooses to impose.
If ne has faith i'm his assertion that
tho purpose eff the injunction goes no
further than to prevent outsiders from
interfering with his employees if he
viii withdraw the writ the officers of
the organizations VIII agree to leave
the matter wholly to the decision of
the committee of his employees having
the matter in charge, and abide the
result.
'P. IL. MORRISSEY
Grand Master B. r. r "