The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-10-03
Want TO SETTLE.
Santa Fe Machinists Ready to
Compromise.
Vice President BuckaleW Makes
the Announcement.
NOT BONUS SYSTEM.
Says That Strikers viii Not
Accept 1t.
Also That Machinists Are Ready
to Continue Strike.

Propositions are to be made in the
near future to the officers of the Atch-
ison. Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
company by the members of the ex-
ecutiVe board of the International As
ISOLATION of Machfnists looking towards
a settlement of the machinists' strike
in the Santa Fe shops which has been
on since May. 1904. The machinists'
executive board is to ask the officers
of the road for a conference. or con-
ferences, on the question Of settling
the strike. but they will not entertain
any propositions for a settlement that
does not include the adjustment of the
bonus system in the shops. Vice
President Kendrick of the Santa Fe
has declared emphatically that the
bonus system is in the shops to stay,
so the chances are that if conferences
are held they will come to naught.
Information that the officials of the
International Association of Machin-
lists were inclined to reopen negotia-
tions for settlement of the strike was
brought to Topeka today by J. D.
Buckalew, third vice president of the
order. This organization has conclud-
ed recently its annual convention
which was held in Boston and lasted
for eleven days. The Santa SLIlke
7 a
the delegates at this convention and
after the pros and cons of the s1tua-
ton had been discussed at length, II
was decided by an unanimous vote TO
continue the strike indefinitely or un-
til il was settled. After arriving at
this decision it was the sense OF the
| delegates present that another efLort
! should be made to secure a settlement
| of the strike and the executive board IS
to take ND the matter with the ofhcerS
/ of the road.
eve are financially better able to
keen up the strike now than We ever
were before said Mr.. uckaleW TO
# dav "and it certainly will be MAIN
tanned with the usual vigor If the ofi1-
GERS of the road show no inclination
4 to make a settlement The executive
/ board will make proposals to the road
for. conferences looking towards set
/ tlement of the strike for We all feel
I that it would be better for all con-
cerned If the strike could be settled.
/ There viii be no settlement, however
unless the bonus system Is done away
with and we are mchneo 70 liiillN -.
that the officers of the road may re-
cede from their position on TINS ques-
ton A bonus system in shop Uends
to decrease the efficiency OF the men,
and it eventually means that the men
will not be able to make as much
money as under a standard scale of
aAs I said before. we are in fine
financial shape to continue the strike
and are in a position to pay the SIT < =
ers their usual strike benefits indefi-
nitely Plans have been made 20
finance the strike throughout the
coming winter. end if the officers OF
| tI7e road show no inclination co meet
/ the executive board in the propositions
that are to be made soon, We feel that
after the Santa Fe has gone through
one more winter with the bad ma
chinery that they have now because
/ of the conditions in the shops, they
will be willing to settle the strike next
/ spring on almost any terms
Mr.. Buckalew is to make his head
/ quarters in Topeka for the rest of the
year at least. and will direct the strike
from this point and tend to the
financing of it.
Speaking of the convention of his
organization in Boston, he safd that
more business for the benefit of the
order was transacted at this conven-
ton than at any other in the history of
/ the organization The per capita tax
i on members was increased 5 cents a
month to 55 cents. This is the larg-
est per. CAPITA tax in existence in any
/ of the labor organizations and it viii
! give the order not only a surplus OF
/ funds to carry on its work, but will
| provide ample funds to carry on the
| strike benefits.
incidents developed at the con-
| vention'' said Mr.. Buckalew, "to
snow IfldL LlS llaCulDiSlS dIC AetSt
gaining ground in eastern territory.
and during the last year many con-
tracts were entered into between ma
chinists' unions and employers. There
is better feeling among the en-
pIoyer and the employe in the east
/ than ever before. While we We're in
convention a contract was entered
into between our organization and the
Baltimore & Ohio railroad whereby
our men in the shops of that road s8re
to get an increase in pay of 10 pei
cent. Machinists in the Rock Island
shops were given a substantial IL
crease in pay on September J. ano
taken all in all the outlook for the
nachinists throughout the country is
brighter now than it ever has been il
the history of oUr organization"
There were ar officers and dVle-
gates of the association present at the
convention.