Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1903-05-01
G. N. MATTERS.
Both Sides of the Labor Troubles Given
the Public.

the Public.
In the differences between the
Great Northern officials and the men
the following statements were pub
lished by The st. Paul Dispatch:
GREAT NORTHERN's SAY.
General Manager Ward gives the
position Of the Great Northern:
Sat a conference held today be-
tween the grand officers of the Rail-
way Brotherhood, the general com
mittee of conductors and trainmen
and myself, IN agreement was reach
ed upon all points at issue except the
so-called double header question.
"The demand Of the men is that
double pay be granted for double
header trains Of more than thirty
cars, or as an alternative that the
company agree not to run any double
header trains.
"The Great Northern runs practi-
cally no double-headers except in
mountain districts, where helper en-
gines are used to help trains over
heavy grades.
"The men do not object to such use
of helpers, and there is, therefore,
no question at issue between us and
our men except their demand that a
clause be inserted in our schedule
agreeing to pay double pay or abolish
double heading.
"The reason the company objects
to inserting such a clause in train
mems shedule is that it permits the
employees to dictate in a matter not
affecting any interests of theirs and in
a way that nay very seriously affect
the corapany's ability to economically
operate*its property.
sit is not a matter Of any onse-
quence to any trainman how many
engines pull a given tonnage.
"To pay a man in Montana twice
as much for a given days work as a
man in Minnesota because the Mon
tana man rides on a train hauled by
two engines and the Minnesota maj
on a train hauled by one engine
would be a rank injustice to the Min
nesota man and would arbitrarily in
crease the company's already high ex-
pense because of the topography Of
the country.
"The men make no claim that the
work on a double-header is worth
twice as much as the work On a train
hauled by n engine.
"They frankly admit that it is
their desire to prescribe rules that
will make it necessary for the rail
ways to employ the largest number
possible of train crews.
"The fact that this concession has
been granted on other lines, where
double heading is a common practice,
is not a good reason why it should be
granted on the Great Northern, where
practically no double heading is done.
"The Great Northern has spent
many millions of dollars in purchas-
ing heavy power and in reducing its
grades 50 that double headers would
not be required and large.trains could
be hauled by n engine, and it il
still spending large sums for the same
purpose.
"The demand of the men is for the
right to dictate the makeup of trains.
"This is a matter that the com
pany reserves the right to handle.
"The matter has now gone to vote
Of the men on the line.
81 am satisfied that they will vote
against a strike on an issue where
neither their wages nor conditions Of
service are affected, and where to wiz
is to lose, for if they strike and win
they lose the time it takes to win tn
strike, and after it is won, they 'hav'
no material thing not already grantee
to them. IF. E. Ward.
. STATEMENT OF THE,,MEN.:. Pc
Messrs. Garretson and Newman
furnished The Dispatch with a signe
paper this morning, in which severa
of the statements in Mr.. Ward
summary are discussed.
eff the history of the effort Of me
to better their conditions is followed
it simply becomes a history of con
tention on the part of the employe
againet the admittance of the men t
partnership in fixing the conditions q
we'll as the rates of wages that sha]
govern their employment. And thi
is always true of any new contentio
that may arise, introducing a practic
that has not obtained before, and til
assertion is always put forward t
justify opposition OF the part of til
employer that he would be perfect
willing to pay the amount involved
but that he cannot surrender primo
pie.
"The agreements that are in efe'
today between. these organization
t1e Brotherhood of Railroad Trai1