The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1903-06-18
HILL ON LABOR
TALKS OF WALKING DELEGATES
AND BUSINESS AGENTS.
Quicker Employers and Emploves
Get Together Without Inferno
diaries the Better 1t Will pa
for Both Sides--Need of Ret,a.
Understanding Is Apparent.

st. Paul, June II President Jameo
J. Hill. of the Northern Securities Com.
pany, is rarely given to lending exnres.
sion to general views on the problems
lying between labor and capital. and
his expressions on the question Of
bringing about closer relations between
the employer and the wage Garner. DIV.
en- on the platform of Pullman Just
before he left for New York on a busi.
ness trip, are considered, therefore. Of
special significance.
"You know what think OF these in.
termeidarv agencies between an employ.
er and his men," be said. "Tbev
should be done away with. WALKING
delegates, business agents and all 9th.
ers who obstruct the personal relations
that should exist should be eliminated
1t is a good sign when employees realize
this necessity and voice it,
Mr.. Hill had just been shown a tele.
gram from New York announcing the
decision of powerful association of
employees of that city to propose Joint
arbitration board to act as their sole
representative in dealings with employ.
ers. In referring to business agents and
walking delegates, Mr.. Hill referred
more to the broad views of the labor
question than to those representatives
specifically, indicating in this express
sion on the question his belief that un-
der the close personal relations be
thinks should exist, and which he con.
siders possibility of the future, that
the necessity for such intermediates
will disappear.
Further commenting on the newer
aspects of the progress towards better
understanding between the men who
work for wages and those who employ
them, Mr.. Hill indicated his belief that
when employees can be brought to feel
that their employers have direct per-
sonal interest in them, and that the
man and his employers are simply part
of a close organization working for COM
mon end and interest, bitter animosi-
ties, long drawn out strikes and other
factional strife will disappear.
"You know what the attitude of the
Great Northern road is on this ques-
tion," he said. 81 don't need to tell
you that We favor the closest possible
relations with our men. We want no
more Intermediary negotiations than
possible-we prefer to deal directly
wherever possible"
With regard to the movement, indi-
cations of which have sprung up at va
rious points, towards better under
standing between employees and employ
ers, Mr.. Hill said:
1.-The need is apparent, when one re-
views the countless number of strikes
during the past few years. A strike is
a bad proposition-bad for employer
and emplove alike. The men frequent
ly lose more than they gain, and bad
feeling is engendered. No one who en-
ploys labor. can help but hope the day
will come when differences will lend
themselves to ready and immediate ad-
Justment, without recourse to strikes
or other violent means Pacific negoti-
ations, pursued with the idea of bring
ing an early settlement, backed by
strong desire to preserve friendly rela-
tions on both sides, and by desire to
serve the common good by avoiding in
terruptions of business, ought to replace
the more violent and disastrous meth
DDS of settling difficulties"