The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-07-15
Packers and Strikers So Far
Have Been Unable to Agree
On Terms Upon Which Arbitra-
tfOn Is to Be Carried On.
RIOTING HAS BEGUN.
Number Of Collisions Between
Strikers and the officers.
Several Persons Hurt on Each
Side in the Clashes.

Chicago. July 15.-Both sides willing
TO arbitrate. but neither disposed tC
allow the other to dictate the condi-
tiOns under which arbitration should
be agreed to-such was the situation
today-the fourth day of the packing
house strike. While the conference be-
tween the packers and the strikers ad-
Journed last night without effecting a
settlement, efforts to this end were con-
tinued today. Material progress has
been made. some of the chief points
at issue having been virtually disposed
of. and the remaining differences, al
though serious, are not regarded as in
surmountable. There is no objection
TO the provision of the offer of the
packers by which all employees may
be retained The strikers say that the
nonunion men are not practical pack
ing house workers and that they soon
would be crowded out.
The principal objection made by the
union officials to the offer of toe pack
ers is the provision that they will CIV =
preference in order of application for
work" The strike leaders construe
this TO mean that each man on strike
would be employed to make indi-
vidual application
Both sides are holding themselves in
readiness for a prolonged conflict, but
hopes for an amicable adjustment has
not died out,
The proposition made by O'Donnelly
for the strikers which led to the con-
ference contains the following:
THAT all employees who struck shall
be employed in their old positions with
in three days; that the packers pay the
wage provided prior to the strike pend
ing arbitration; that the arbitration
board be composed of one representa-
tive of the packers, another of the
strikers, the two to select a third; the
three arbitratorS to be practical pack
ing house men; that the award in
wages to be made by the arbitrdtorS
shall take effect from the time OF re-
sumption in work. but that the award
snail not involve any reduction in
wages
The representatives of the packers
replied to Mr.. Donnelly as follows:
In reply to your note and your ex-
PLANTATION of what you are willing TO
arbitrate we can not accept the same.
We are willing to arDitrate the whole
matter. covering wages and working
condition of all employees out on strike,
you having the privilege of bringing be-
fore the arbitrators for decision any
question of wages or condition or any
other grievances you may think you
have; we to have like privilege and
both to abide by the decision of the
arbitrators. We will retain all now at
work and will re-emDlOy all the men
now out as fast possible. giving
preference in the order o. applics ton
at the wages received when going on
strike pending the decision of arbiIra-
tors"
The note was signed by Armour &
Co, Swift, Nelson. Morris. Schwartz
child & Sulzberger. the National Pack
ing company. Cudahy Packing COM
pany, Libby, Mcneil & Libby.
This counter proposition of the pack
ers was submitted to Members of the
executive committee for their consider
q
Prior to leaving the strike headquar-
ters at the stock yards today, to meet
Samuel Gompers and other labor chief
tains, President Michael Donnelly de-
clared the proposals made yesterday by
the packers at the close of the joint
conference at Swift & Co offices. could
not be accepted by the unions involved.
He added that he and his advisers
would prepare another communication
TO be submitted at once to the packers.
but would indicate what changes might
be made in the demands of the strik-
ers which the packers have rejected.
One thousand more non-union men
were imported into the yards this
morning making 1000 in all now at
work Every plant killed cattle. sheep
and hogs on an extensive scale. The
receipts We're larger thar those of Fri
day OF last week. consisting of 5000
cattle, 5000 sheep and 5000 hogs
The strikers made no effort to inter |
fore with deliveries of fresh meat and
the filling of local orders was uninter-
rupted. There was no sign of rioting-
The police guard in various parts of
the district was doubled and pedes- |
triaus were ordered to keep moving.
]. ogden Armour and other packers !
declined to discuss the :tTske situation. |
Strike pickets along Halstead street |
in the neighborhood of the stock yards /
caused a disturbance today and were I
dispersed by the police. Furniture driv- /
ers moving mattresses and beds from a /
boarding house were ordered by the !
pfckets to desist, the pickets believing /
that the bedding was to be taken into /
the packing houses. Police were called 1
but after the officers had departed the |
pickets returned and began throwing 4
the furniture into the street. The DO
lice were again summoned and the 1
loaded vans were escorted out of the /
The striking meat cutters and /
butcher workmen this afternoon re- |
turned an answer to the letter formu- /
lated at yesterdays joint conference |
setting forth the basis upon which the |
packers were willing to arbitrate. The |
of the reply made public by /
President Gompers of the American
Federation of Labor is a refusal by the
strikers to submit it to arbitration on
the packers terms The reply renews
q demand for reinstatement of all strik-
ing members of the unions involved |
and for a wage scale eQualling that in
The reply it was said this afternoon,
could hardly be acceptable to the pack
ers and it was feared that until some
mad been made there would /
he no further Joint conference. The I
packers however, consented to again
meet the labor leaders this afternoon.
AT Kansas City
Kansas City. NO, July 15.-Five
hacking houses operated their killing
and butchering departments on a linn
tied scale today, Schwarzschild &
sulzberger killing for the first time