Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1906-10-11
STEAMBOAT sT1E-UP.


well as pecuniary loss. And, there
seems to be little or no present
chance Of breaking the blockade ex-
cept through the slow and uncer-
tain medium OF sail-vessels. The
situation, however, affords rare
chance for Washington and Alexan-
dria to profit at the expense Of Bal
timore by running steamer down
the Potomac and thus diverting the
trade from Baltimore. And we are
told that Charles King q Son, OF
Alexandria, have taken the inItia-
tive in this move and will send q
steamer down the river. There is o
growing tendeny 10 deal with these
cities anyhow. for right or wrong
many Of our people believe we would
have long agohad railroad but for
Baltimore opposition. Retributive
, justice may now have It's innings.
We append statements OF parties
to the controversy:
CAPT. THoMpsoN's STATEMENT.
Vice President and General Man
ager OF tie Baltimore, Chesapeak a.
Atlantic Railway Company and the
Maryland, Delaware q virginla Rail-
way Company, before the Maryland
Bureau OF Statistics and Information,
October 9th. 1906.
May itplease your honorable body:
In response to 3 summons to up
pear before this Bureau. beg 70
state that the companies which / re-
present are very happy, indeed. "
have this opportunity to present 70
you, and though you 70 the press
and public, full statement Of their
position In the present. crisis. We
feel confident that o full and fair OK.
animation OF the facts as they are
will make your honorable body real.
ize that the position which We are
taking In this matter Is the only pos
sible one consistent with our duty
TO our patrons and to the public gen
orally.
In the first place, let me assure
you that we are not s.ubbornly re-
fusing to grant en- increase In wages
TO our men. In fact. / am free 70
state that we should be very glad 10
make some readjustment Of the
wages Of our men, and 70 discuss
- $50. .
freely. We should be very glad.
indeed, to hear their views OF the
matter, and TO know precisely What
il is that they want and the reason
for their demands. We shall then
be in position to balance the varI.
GUS claims that may be made, and 10
explain 70 our men what We can do
for them. We believe that our man
are the only ones competent 20 dIa.
cuss this question with us, and sba.
they are best qualified TO under.
stand whatever we may have 10 sav
70 them concerning our position II
the matter.
COMPANIES NOT OPPOSED no UErors.
Nor is this fight against union
labor. We have never made anv
objection to the subordinates 10 orr
employ joining labor unions. and our
relations with labor unions have been
uniformly agreeable. II has bean
our policy, however, for q period
approaching twenty years, when
any body OF our men desired q read.
justment Of wages, to take the sub
ject up with committee from their
own number. Even SO recently AZ
last Spring our conductors, brake
men and other railway employees
made plea for increased wages.
and although all OF these men are
members Of national unions, their
plea was presented TO us by q COM
mittee from their own number. We
were thus In q position TO discuss
the matter fully and frankly with
them, and readiustment was reach. |
cd without difficulty. This method
Of dealing with such cases has been |
found uniformly satisfactory and We |
can see no reason why different
policy should be puraued ID the |
instance.
No DISPUTE IN REGARD 10 WA0Ks.
In appearing before your honorable
body we must again state that We
know ONO dispute between ourselves
and our employees in regard sol
wages, II there be such question. |
we will take If up now, or al any |
other time, with any Of our men in
dividually, or with commigtee Of
our men collectively. and We do not
doubt that we can arrive at a settle
ment.
4