The San Francisco call., 1904-04-24
Carmen Unanimously Vote to
Sustain Executive Com
mittee'S Recommendation
FIVE HUNDRED PRESENT
Meeting Has No Dissenting
Opinion Regarding Alleged
Wrongs of the Company
csso
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Five hundred Of the 23O0 employees Of
the United Railroads gathered at the
headquarters of the Carmen's Union
at 80 O'Farrell street last night and
unanimously indorsed the recommend
alton Of the executive committee OF
the organization that the terms offered
by the company for a settlement Of the
troubles between il and the union shall
not be accepted.
AS many members OF the union as
could crowd into the narrow precincts
OF the hall were present. Before the
call TO order was made the seating ca
pacity had been exhausted and every
possible inch Of standing room was oc-
cupied. On the platform were Inter
national President Mahon, local Presi-
dent Richard Cornelius and two other
officers of the organization
When the meeting had been called
20 order by Cornelius, Mahon stepped
forward without the usual introduction
and stated TO the meeting the result Of
the conferences between the represent
sives OF the union and those Of the
United Railroads. There was no ora
tory in his speech and nothing but a
dry chronicle Of the result OF the con-
1erences and the vote Of the executive
Committee. He explicitly stated that
he had no communications TO give
and merely wished the men to under
stand that the terms offered by him
were the best he could get from the
company after weeks Of pleading.
INDORSES COMMITTEE.
Outwardly he was non-committal
but between the pauses of his spoken
words it was evident that he did not
believe the company wished to deal
fairly with its employees. He made no
positive recommendations and told the
members Of the union that they should
judge fairly on the issue and vote ac-
cOrdingly, but at the close of his
speech he warmed up and gave a
strong Endorsement to the action Of the
unions executive committee in advising
a rejection Of the terms offered.
Following him came Local President
Richard Cornelius. who really indorsed
the remarks Of Mahon and refrained
from any recommendation. Various
members Of the organization spoke
thereafter and there was not one
speaker who failed TO denounce the
company for its treatment Of its en-
pioyes and counsel a strike Antag-
onism to the United Railroads met al
ways with ready applause. Toward the
close of the meeting the crowd was
cheering madly as member after mem
Der arose and expressed his belief that
the terms offered by the company
should be rejected by the men.
ALL VOTE TO REJECT.
When the vote was put by President
Cornelius most Of those in the meeting
arose TO their feet to shout Yes.
When a call for No was asked for
not single voice responded. The vote
was on the question whether or not
the union should indorse the recon-
mendation of the executive committee
that the terms Of the company should
be rejected entirely.
International President Mahon had
nothing to say last night after the
meeting adjourned. It's up to The
men, he said. "and the ballot will de-
tormine the question on Monday. The
public knows as much about it as I do.
] made no recommendation and merely
stated the facts IN the meeting to-
night None Of the officers of the or
ganization has tried 10 influence the
men in word or deed. They are to be
the soAe judges Of the issues involved.
Monday night will tell the tale"
General Manager Chapman of the
United Railroads had no news TO give
out. When he heard the result of the
vote in the meeting he asked about the
number of men present and was an
parently pleased TO know that less than
hsf thousand had attended. He said
the company had nothing to say and
would await the decision Of the men
with perfect confidence that no strike
would be voted.