Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-09-17
A WISE LABOR LEADER.


work is credit to himself and to his
craft is Warren S. Stone, grand chief
of the Brotherhood Of Locomotive En-.
gineers. a man whom Wapello county
claims as her own. Mr.. Stone, though
born near Ainsworth in Washington
county, was for several years resi-.
dent of Eldon and employed on the
Rock Island railroad as an engineer.
Mr.. Stone was one of the best en-
gineers on the southwest division of
the Rock Island and when he assumed
the duties of the highest office in the
union of his craft, he soon made him
self known as one of the best and
wisest labor leaders in the entire land.
What he does he does well and that
he Is doing a great deal is evidenced
by the splendid condition of the Broth
erhood of Locomotive Engineers and
the marked lack of differences be-
tween the organization and the rail
road companies.
Mr.. Stone only few days ago, an
nounced that there would be no strike
among the employees of the elevated
roadA in New York city, the reason for
the fact being that through Stones eff
forts the motormen in the subway are
to be paid $3.50 per day, the wages
for which they were asking and for
which the strike might have been call
ed but for Stones good work. That he
did not go about the task of securing
the advance in wages with threat as
a club is shown by the fact that the
company conceded fifty cents per day
and the men conceded one hour each
day, accepting $3.50 for ten hour
days work.
Arbitration is becoming more and
more to be regarded as the rational
and sensible way of settling labor diff
ficulties. A compromise without refer
ence to arbitrators is indicative of still
more advance. This was the plan of
Mr.. Stone Without calling in outside
parties to settle the matter of the New
York motormen, he took it up in a
businesslike manner with the repre-
sentatives of the companies and after
a thorough discussion from a business
standpoint they came. to an amicable
and agreeable settlement.
A New York paper in speaking of
the settlement of the wage question,
had the following compliment for the
former Eldon man:
'.The man who led the. union forces
to this notable victory is Warren S.
Stone. the grand chief of the Brother
hood of Locomotive Engineers and
successor of the great Chief Arthur.
There is little doubt that but for his
patience and mastery hand a general
tie-up of the elevated roads in this city
would be on now with all the public in
convenience which such an event
would have entailed. He has been con-
sistently for peace at the start and
has withstood counsel that has not al
ways encouraged him in his effort to
avert a strike 1t was his argument
that brought about the result of yes
terday. The success of his policy has
proved him to be fit successor to
the great leader. Arthur"
"The great leader Arthur" who died
at his post. was an admirable leader,
and no one ever had a harder task cut
out for him than did W. S. Stone when
he took up the work where Arthur
laid it down. He followed one of the
ablest labor leaders the country had
ever known. The Brotherhood of 10.
connective Engineers had gained repu-
tation far and wide as sane labor or.
ganization, largely through Arthurs
work, and it remained for Stone to
keep up that reputation. That he has
done it well is fact of which his
many friends in Wapello county are
proud