Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-12-27


fancy they realized the Importance of
the movement they had started or the
vast influence the order would have in
the years to come. The magnitude to
which the order has grown and the
fact that through ali these years 1t
has held Its place In the front ranks
facts that 1t was founded on right prin.
ciples. sobriety, truth, justice and mo.
rality, and that they took for their
guidance the golden rule, DO unto 9TH
ers as you would they should do unto
you. But more than all this combined
1t was due to the man who for thirty
years was our leader. A man who
stood head and shoulders above any
man the world has produced as labor
leader. A man who not only preached
Its precepts. but who lived them every
day Of his life. A man to whose guild
ance and wisdom is due the success
Of our organization. The B. Of L. e.
stands before the world today as liv-
ing monument to the life work Of the
late P. M. Arthur.
1.-THE B. of L. 3. 1egislates solely for
and looks after the interests of the
locomotive engineers. Our sole aim
has been to elevate the character and
standing of our members, and give to
the railroads and the travelling public
steady, sober, reliable engineers. That
We have been successful in this is
shown by the steady growth of our or.
der, which today numbers over $4,000,
consisting of over 80 per cent of the
best engineers in the United States.
Mexico and Canada and the facts that
we have contracts with 172 railroads
including all the main trunk lines.
CAS- you no doubt are aware, the rail-
road organizations differ from the trade
unions, from the fact we have the open
snop as 1t is called. On almost every
railroad in our land we work side by
side with men who do not belong to
our organization. In our agreements
we only stipulate that regardless of
who works under it he shall work I'M
der certain conditions as to wages and
hours. Personally do not believe
any man ever made good member who
was forced to join any organization
against his will. He is simply dead
weight to carry in time of peace and
will probably prove menace in the
time Of trouble. Not only that, but
when you compel man to join an or.
ganization against his will you inter
fere with the freedom guaranteed to
him by the constitution of the United
States, and it is only one step farther
along the same line to say he must
vote certain ticket or belong to GER
tain. creed.
"The B. of l.. e. was early compelled
to form an insurance company for it's
members. This was made necessary
on account of the high rates charged
by the old line companies, due to the
hazardous calling of the locomotive en-
gineer. Today we are carrying insur
ance for our members amounting to
seventy-two m1llions Of dollars, and we
have paid out to our benef1ciaries the
handsome sum of over thirteen mil
lions of dollars. Over million and a
quarter of dollars last year. In addi-
ton to this we have given away over
a million dollars in charity to the fami-
lies of our deceased members, besides
creating pension fund whereby any
Of our old members who have no home
and no one to take care of them and
who by disease or old age are unable
to earn a living are paid stated sum
each month.
"The B. of L. E. was the father of
all the other railroad orders, yet today
we have every branch of the service
fully organized and each doing grand
and noble work in trying to elevate the
standing and efficiency of their men.
And they are succeeding because their
aim is in the right direction. In addi-
tion to this each Of the railway orders
has Ladies' Auxiliary fully organized
and each striving in every way posi-
BILE to elevate the standard of the home
and family life of the railroad men of
our land; and much of the respect and
success of our organization is due to
their untiring efforts and loyal sup
port.
"In going about the country / am Of
ten told, we admire your charity and
benevolence and the insurance features
of your organization, but we don't like
your strike policy. | want to say to
you we have no strike policy. l fully
agree with John MITCHELL the great
labor leader who is quoted as saying,
In strike, no matter which side wins
both sides get whipped and he might
have added, no matter which side wins
or loses, long suffering public pays
the freight bill.
'The B. of L. e. never have had a
difference they were not willing to
submit the whole question to arbitra-
ton, and we will pledge ourselves to
abide by the board Of arbitration's de.
cision. The B. of L. e. carries out
their contracts. and keeps them. but
when capital takes the stand that there
| is nothing to arbitrate, then the only
thing left for labor to do is to quit or
strike as it Is called.
"In the years to come. believe CAPT
tai and labor will come closer together
I believe many of the questions that
arise can be settled by the spirit of
| Come let us reas on together The
golden rule lived 1865 days in the year
would settle many of the so called
labor questions.
| "In conclusion, wish to thank you
one and all for the pleasure of being
with you tonight and having the op.
portunity of speaking to you. thank
you"
BATAVIA.