La Junta tribune., 1904-04-16
Sat. :. s.,,.. s.,., j. u. A,,.

taiWaV system IS stiil IN the alr.
Local employees think there will
be no trouble. at least they seem
to hope that there will not be, the
wish probably being father to the
thought. The Santa Fe has re-
fused to grant the demands OF un-
ion machinIsts for the discharge
Of all non union machinists in the
employ of the road; that the wa
cancies be filled by union men;
that the handy men be abolished;.
that machinists be not requested
to contribute toward the mantle
nance OF any hospital association
unless they have one OF their own
men as a representative on the
management; that after working
five days a machinist shall be en-.
titled to pass for his family over
the Santa Fe system and rates over
foreign roads to the place where
he is employed; after six months
service to pass, and one every
six months thereafter.
The company has intimate ! that
ii the machinists desired to con.
tinue the negotiations they must
do SO through other men than
those who have represented them
thus far in the controversy. The
chairman of the machinists' com.
mittee, T. J. Wilson, is said to be
particularly Objectionable to the
officials Of the road.
In some Of the shops :he ma
chinists are SO strongly organized
that a strike would close them
temporarily. In others, notably
Topeka, the largest OF the system,
less than IS per cent are unionized.
All told there are about LOCO ma
chinists in the various shops, of
whom less than 1000 voted to
strike for the enforcement OF the
union demands.
Pending the threatened strike
the railroad company has had Sc
cret agents at work, and it is said
that plot for the wholesale des-
truction Of the company's property
in Colorado has been unearthed.
This work Of destruction is to be
done by certain hot heads, who are
working independent OF the organ
ization. and who have been among
the most active to promote and
bring on the strike.
A circular, drawn up by ]. w.
kendrick, has been posted at all
the shops on the system warning
"all members OF the International
Association of Machinists and all
other persons who aid or abet
them in carrying on the strike,
will be held jointly, severally and
personally liable as co.conspira-
tors for all damages done to per-
sons, property or business by rea.
son Of any unlawful acts or dam.
age done by any person or persons
in the furtberance Of or in CARRYING
on such strike, whether such mem
Der or other person participates or
CO operates in doing such unlaw-
full act or personally sanctions the
same or not"
Local employees resent in very
terms the insinuation
that there is a plan or scheme to
destroy or harm the company's
property in any manner, and claim
that it is simply a bugaboo that
probably originated in the fertile
imagination Of some over Jealous
secret agent. The employees in
La unta do not want to have any
and hope as sincerely as
any0one that there will be none.
The latest news is to the effect
that while the referendum vote ia
ken on the sssike question by the
has not yet been count
ed. the danger of a tieup of the
road is said to have passed away.
Dissension among the machinists'
Unions OF the country and the be
Lief on the part Of the officials of