The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1903-05-08

rFrom Grand Forks Daily Herald,
Wednesday morning, April 10th, 1903,
editorial column
The Matter of Strikes.
To strike or not to strike seems to
SO the question to be decided by the
Great Northern trainmen. 1t is con-
ooded that this is the matter on which
: vote is now being taken all over the
evstem. and the result will be awaited
with not a little interest throughout
the Northwest.
The particular matter of disagree
roant at This time is the compensation
"a ne paid trainmen for work On dOu-
he.header trains. After a long on
s.ropce in which all the subjects in
controversy were thoroughly gone
oxer agreement was reached on every
noint except this, and on this both the
committees representing the employees
and the general manager OF the road
,emained firm. The conference was
therefore broken off. and the men are
now voting on whether they will ac-
cent the situation as it now is or not.
General Manager Ward has issued
q namDhlet in which the proceedings
at the conference are reported, and
the of the contents of that
namphlet. so far as they apply to the
ouestion at issue, is given in another
column. Still more briefly stated. the
controversy resolves itself into this:
The trainmen claim that the com
many, by running trains with two en-
eines and only one train crew, is i'm
posing work on the single train crew
that would ordinarily be performed
BY two, with a proportionate increase
Of responsibility. The idea seems to
be that any train too heavy for one
engine is too heavy for one train
crew. They demand. therefore, either
that the practice of double-heading
shall be discontinued or that the train
crews employed on this work shall re-
ceive double pay.
The company claims that there is
practically no double-heading done on
the road except on the mountain d.
visions, where an additional engine is
sometimes employed TO help heavy
trains over the steep grades, and that
the company is expanding large sums
of money to avoid even this. Mr.. Ward
admits that the men have a right to a
voice In the decision of questions af-
fecting their comfort, wages and con
ditions of work, but denies that any
Of these elements enter into the ques-
ton Of double-heading on the Great
Northern road. He says tnat the
company cannot permit the emf, .yes
to dictate as to the makeup of trains.
as that is solely an administrative
matter.
AS in all questions of this kind.
there is a third party which is in
tensely interested in the question. the
general public. The public is inter
ested primarily in the regular running
OF trains, that business may be car
red on with the least possible delay
and inconvenience. For that reason
the public is always injured by a
strike. At the same time the public
Is Interested in the fair compensation
OF all who serve 1t, whether as owners
OF railroads or as employees thereon.
A strike is an act of war. War is
sometimes j%ustifable. There are times
when it is the only means left for the
prevention Of abuse or the accom-
pllshment of reforms. But for n wal to
90 j%ustifiable there must be an ade-
quate cause. 1t would be ~ineXcus-
able for nations to appeal to force for
tne settlement of a trivial question.
similarly the precipitation of a strike
Without sufficient cause would not be
viewed patiently by the great ship
ping and travelling public which must
suffer the inconvenience and eventu-
ally pay the bills. In the present
case there does not appear to be any
hlng OF real value to either OF the
parties involved in the controversy.
~ does not appear that the question is
VI sufficient Importance to warrant re-
eort TO extreme measures.
Preparations are beng maze Tor a
erdnd celebration at Bonesteei on July
IL Is expected that at least $500
VIII De raised within thirty days. The
ioseDud Sioux Indians of the Ponca
district are being addressed and it is
expected that they will be out in
. Nice' The Indians will entertain the
spec.ators with. exhibitions of dances,
"unaio hunting and old-time Indian
customs. The White river cattle
.oundup will be there at that time and
.oplns and riding bronchos will be one
" the features of the entertainment.
Dolesteel will endeavor to secure spe,
Sai rates over the Northwestern rail,
.oau ior the occasion and it is expect,
ina many from Sioux City and
0maha viii be in attendance.
muci' interest is being taken at Yer
hoh Ia the next state meeting Of
hremen at Chamberlain on June
Inc locals have not decided
Aether or not they will send a team
contest for purses, but several will