The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-03-19
HAD NO GRIEVANCES.
Argument Made Against En-
pIoyes by Roads Attorney.


St. Louis, No. March 19.-Colonei
Blodgett resumed his argument in be-
nalf of the company when the hearing
in the Wabash case was resumed this
morning. He read extracts from the
constitution of the Brotherhood Of Loco
motive Firemen to prove his contention
that there were no grievances enter
tanned against the road. inasmuch as
the brotherhood. according to his con
tention, had not proceeded in accord
ance with its own laws It's failure to
do so. he claimed. showed conclusively
that there were no grievances to be re-
dressed. He claimed further proof Of
this in his statement that the grievance
committee had neevr taken up any
alleged grievance. The whole thing lay.
he declared. in the recognition of the
union and falling Of this the defendants
had conspired to induce the employees to
stop work and otherwise inJure the
road.
/ the defendants in which it was claimed
the Wabash road had not kept good
faith with its men, Colonel Blodgetf de-
clared that there had been no instance
cited by the men in which a promise
made by President Ramsey or other OIL
/ cial of the road had not been kept In
spirit and letter. The denial Of the OH
[ Gals or the TWO bfOt0efhOO0S mat any
coercion had been employed to induce
/ the men 10 leave the Wabash road was
/ the speaker declared. not founded upon
4 fact There are, he stated, benefit funds
! in both organizations to which men pay
monthly dues. There is in the laws of
1 both organizations, he said, a rule pro-
+ viding that if any member declined to
strike when an order was issued by the
officers, he should forfeit his member
ship and pecuniary benefits, and action
4 taken under the fear of losing these
was he declared, plainly coercion.
/ Colonel Blodgett concluded his aFgu-
ment at 1880 o'clock by general re-
sumo of the evidence in which he de-
clared it was plainly shown that a con-
+ spiracy existed to tie up the road and
cripple its commerce.
He was followed by c. n. Travous
who also spoke in behalf of the rail-
road
Mr.. Travous conceded that employees
had right to combine and right TO
strike, provided that such action was
voluntarily on the part of all concerned.
was not in breach Of contract and was
F for a lawful purpose, but declared that
IN the present instance all of these ele-
ments were absent. Over one-third of
the men according to the statements of
/ the defendants were opposed to a strike,
a strike would be in violation Of con
tract, and il was, he said. an unlawful
+ conspiracy against the road.
Mr. Travous in concluding, recited the
( obligations imposed upon railways by
the interstate commerce law. a federal
statute, and urged that inasmuch as
railroads were compelled to accept and
carry freight, no matter by whom Of
fered. and were Obliged to offer equal
facilities to all connecting lines, it was
their right to have federal protection in
carrying out the provisions of the fed
eral laws.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Travous' ar
/ gument, Attorney F. n. Judson rose to
make the opening argument for the de-
PENDANTS Mr. JudsOn said that the at
torneys for the railroad had declared
that the injunction did not prevent any
man from leaving the employ of the
/ Wabash railway. He read that portion
of the injunction, which prohibits the
officers of the unions from persuadins
or cOercing the employees Of the Wabash
road to leave its service The right to
resign, he declared is the chief right
that labor has. but under the wording
of the injunction, the officers of the la
Dor organizations are prohibited from
insinuating or suggesting to an employe
of the Wabash and that he could better
his condition by quitting work, and this
he said, was an interference with the
right of men to stop work when they
chose.
There was, he said. no attempt on the
part of the brotherhoods to discriminate
against nonuniOn men and such conduct
was not foreign to the policy of the rail
way organizations. At this point in the
argument a recess was taken until :
p. m.