The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-07-22
Says If ssScabs" Were Fired
Union Hen Would Work.
WANT TO GO BACK.
Declares Wages on Santa Fe
Were Satisfactory.
Gossip and Matters Of Interest
in Railroad Circles.

Albuquerque, N. M, July a.
Thomas L. Wilson, fourth vice presi-
dent of the International Association
of Machinists, addressed meeting
here at which quite number OF
Santa Fe striking machinists were
present
Mr.. Wilson'S address was full OF
unusual, startling. absurd and boast
full assertions which taken together
makes the position of the strike
leader appear foolish. Mr.. Wilson
calls the strike "the lockout" He
startled his audience by declaring that
a petition signed by 10000 machinists
would be sent to Washington, d. C.,
asking for the dismissal of Judge Ben
iamin S Baker as associate justice
of the supreme court of New Mexico.
This declaration, with numerous oth-
ers poking fun at Attorney r. Il.
Twitchell, Mr.. Kendrick and others OF
the Santa Fe seemed TO appear TO
the people who were present
The strike leader began his address
with the story of the organization OF
the machinists' union and taxed Ior
over an hour. He discussed the Union
Pacific strike and the San Francisco
strike of 1901, and the results OBJ
tanned in each of them. Told now
they were conducted and by whom.
Wilson was there in every instance,
and in his estimation was the Whoie
thing. He took up the machinists
strike with the Santa Fe; said that 1t
wasn't a strike, it was a lockout. What
are the machinists striking for? 1
don't know. We are not asking for
more wages; the wages the Santa F'e
pays are satisfactory.
eff the Santa Fe will put the scabs
out of the shops and open the doors
to the union, the men will all go back.
This is no strike-it is a lockout
Mr.. Kendrick wishes to destroy the
union, and he is spending some of the
santa Fe's surplus earnings trying to
do it
IT'S true the company owns the shops
and the tools, but we own the craft
Don't YOU think We have a right to set a
price on our labor; it's all we have to
Wilson then portrayed a pathetic pic
ture of the striker and his home.
The mechanic is locked out" said he.
rives on falls a lot of dirty, measly
specimens of humanity, who have come
several months. The strikers family IS
in want. The striker returns to dinner
from doing picket duty at the stockade-
around the table. The wife's clothes are
ragged and the children are thinly clad
been to school in the morning. She says
no; you know they have no shoes and
there is snow on the ground
Then he returns to picket duty with
something eating at his heart. He meets
an unfair man. fat and slick with Santa
Fe grub He himself. has wrinkle in
his stomach. The striker says: Ny man,
1 want to talk with you about the strike.
The scab says: Go along with yOu,' and
he brushes the poor striker off the side
walk. The striker can control himself no
longer and he up anad smaShes the scab,
injunction or no injunction
Claims an Offer of Money.
Il was offered $25 900 in San Francisco
and $4,000 by the Union Pacific to stop
directing strikes" said T. L. Wilson, in
addressing the mass meeting. Wilson in
simulated throughout his entire speech
- in he aT1iP
against whom he had been directing
strikes had offered to buy him out. In
fact almost his entire address was de-
voted to Wilson and the tale of the past
deeds he had accomplished.