Idaho Springs siftings., 1904-09-03
ATTACKS RAILWAY UNIONS.

tituco OF the Western Federation Of
Miners toward the railway labor or
ganizations. which are conseTy alive.
and opposed TO sympathetic strikes.
President Moyer whote the chiefs of the
railway labor unions asking that they
refuse TO handle cars loaded with ore
or freight destined to the Colorado
City mills, where the western fedora
;ion was conducting strike. The
chiefs Of the three great railway or
ganizatIons replied that they were op-
posed to the sympathetic strike upon
principle, that II was contrary to the
laws OF their organizations and that
they could not comply with Ar.
Meyers request
Mr.. Meyers reply In which he bit
terry attacks the railway labor lead
ers, questioning their honesty. was
published in the official journal OF the
Brotherhood Of Railroad Trainmen.
and also In the official journal Of the
Order Of Railway Conductors and
reads as follows.
Denver. Colorado. April s. 1903.
p NJ Arthur. @. c. E. Brotherhood OF
Locomotive Engineers.
Ny Dear Brofh.r-I received your In
spring letter OF March 2sth. and /
must say that its contents revealed 20
me a conservation In the organization
Of which you are the grand chief that
should meet with the Iaudatory eneo-
T.f "A
corporation in the United States. The
isolation OF your organization from ey-
cry other department Of labor VIII
commend Itself 10 Gould, HlIl, Harri-
man. Vanderbilt and even ]. Pterpont
Morgan could raise no serious obJec-
tions to labor organization that
stands alone and refuses 10 cooperate
with the vassala OF oppression who re-
bel against Industrial serfdom- You
can present the constitution and by
laws ef your organization 10 the Econ
omic League and Civic Federation. and
the capitaiistie members OF both organ
nations. with all their mental power
Of penetration. viii scarcely detect
contemplated invasion upon the divine
right Of employers 20 rexel IN the TN
brldief license OF treating their slaves
In manner that Is most conducive to
prodt
have frequently heard. in the years
gone by that the railroad corporations
were delighted to furnish YOU trans
portation without money and without
price and that even the Pullman Car
Company. that secured federal artii-
lery to slaughter strikers In 1884. felt
honored when you accepted compli-
mentAry 10 travel In their moving pal
aces
have heard that your position as
grand chief engineer OF the Brother
hood Of Locomotive Engineers has en-
sbled you to shine In the real estate
world in the city OF Cleveland, Ohio.
aud that your rent roll is worth tso.oeo
per annun.
You tell me In your letter that pol
ley OF the brotherhood OF Locomotive
Engineers has been when other organ
tzatiouz have been engaged IN a con-
rict 20 remain neutral Further on in
your letter you say The members OF
the D. ot l. Z know fgIi well what
they can and can not do and receive
the sanction OF the grand chief. or. in
other words, the grand officer OF the
Brotherhood According to that state
msnt. your position Is as autocratic as
the crowned head OF Russia. whose alb
soiute despotlsm populated Siberia
with men 2nd women who failed to
merit his royal sanction" For years
you hav. been the Commanding figure
in your organization. You have been a
powerful factor tn moulding the iegis-
iatien that governs your organization
Have you ard the coterie in whose
hands this destiny ot the organization
has been placed been responsible for
drafting a constitution and statutory
enactments that lock in a prison the
Individuality % the rank aud hle Of the
organiza;ion7 Did yoe submit, for the
consideration Of your members con-
stitutlon that makes you the infaiIi-
bic paragon whose eaict FAUST COM
mand obediencee II the brotherhood
OF Locomotive Engineers transferred
into your hands their collective power,
then must eKeiain. in the Language
OF the Christ God forgive them. for
they know not what they do
You remain neutral while humanity
Is battling for better conditions to
live. as long as the weight OF the cor
porate hand IS not felt BY the members
OF your organization. When you and
your organization are Involved In a
life-and-dssth struggle. when the sky
viii be black AID not star can be
seen by the Brotherhood OF Locomotive
Enginesrs- ! viii expect to hear your
resonant voice reverberatiag In clarion
tones above the storm and clash Of
war. commanding tie toiiing millions
of America. Hands OF. remain neu-
tralr'
/ have received from E Z Clark.
grand conductor OF the Order Of Rail
way Conductors Of America. an answer
to my letter that is almost facsimile
in substance to your eplstle. but as
Mr.. Clark has been lately associating
with men OF celebrity In Washington as
. member Of the strike commission. and
as the politicians IN the Republican
party behold in this model young man
q representative Of labor worthy of be-
ing rewarded with a federal plum. /
could not expect to receive much con-
alteration at his hands for the cause of