The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-06-14
STREET CAR MPLOYEES
PROPOSE TO STAND PAT
Enthusiastic Meeting Held at
Early Hour This
Morning.

Hope and good cheer. coupled with the
determination to stand by each other and
the union, characterized the open meet
ing at l:30 o'clock this morning, OF car
men in the employ of the Utah Light and
Railway company. at Electrical Work
crs' hall.
Fully 200 men, or more than two-thirds
of the entire working force of the COM
psny. were in attendance When num-
Der of minor officials appeared they were
greeted with ringing cheers. and every
man did his best toward instilling feel
ing OF strength In the other.
Dcafenlng applause was granted = -.
international Executive Board OF the
Amalgamated Association Of street ana
Electric Railway Employees OF America;
as he made his appearance In the hall
shortly before the meeting was called 10
order
]. NJ Lamont presided at the meeting.
Charles Wilcox vice-president of the
local union; Allen Burt. recording secre-
tary, and Thomas Gray, financial secre-
tary also ofnciated. In few we'll
chosen words. President kamont intro
duced the national representative 10 the
rem. In part Mr., Pratt said
Il am sent here to YOU merely as an
advisor. ANY action that you take VIII
be done entirely. on your own responsi-
biiity. All that I can assure you is that.
In case OF need. the international organ
ization Will stand by you
action arc the only and the surest means
TO settle this trouble Nothing Will be
gained by rash movements The sym
pathy Of the public is yours now, but II
Will not take much 20 change that SYM
pathy TO enmity should your action so
change II.
Existing conditions between yourselves
and the management OF the company are
serious. II appears that the company VIII
not listen even to your arguments that
II VIII not treat with YOU as a body and
that when II treats with YOU as indi-
viduals, the individual usually gets the
worst OF II.
II am sure, however. that the officials
OF the company can be made to see the
justice In the stand YOU are taking can
be so induced to grant You such de-
mands as VIII make for harmony be-
tween yourselves and the company, can
be made 10 see that what you ask is not
unjust TO 1t or detrimental to It's well
fare.
THE question, as It presents itself at
this stage, is plainly up TO the company
II the officials refuse TO listen TO your ap-
peals 1t practically declares a lockout
against YOU, and in that event peace will
be- impossible
The speaker was frequently interrupted
by loud cheering and hand -clapping as
his remarks struck home. His advocacy
OF peaceful settlement met with general
approval, and IT Is unlikely that n strike
will be called. II seems to be the sense
OF the men that the officials can be led to
sec that the grievance of the men arc
just and that In no event Will the men
take the initiative In calling of negotia
tlons
c. o. Pratt has an international rep
utation as an arbiter OF struggles be-
tween labor and capital. il was he who
settled the great street railway strike In
Chicago some years ago. and II was
mainly through his efforts that the men
at that time won the battle He is a
slight, dark man with force of charac-
ter which evinces Itself in ordinary con-
NerSation
An executive session was held befor.
Gray took part. Another executive ses-
sion was held after the meeting in which
these three men. together with p C
Dukes. w, Cooking. A. II. Burt. w,
Randall. John Jones. Fred Hilton. Henry
Scheutter and John Mccarthy took part
At both executive sessions plans were
suggested and discussed for the presenta-
Mr.. Pratt said that In all experience
in handling differences between street
railway employees and companies that
the latter as a rule conceded whatever
concessions were demanded by the men.
and that rarely was a strike called eX-
cept by absolute refusal on the part OF
companies to treat with the men
Butte street railway men,, said he.
receive SO 1-3 cents an hour for the first
six months, BY cents an hour for tho
next six months, and 20 cents an hour
thereafter This is greatly In excess OF
the scale demanded by local street rail-
way men
Two-thirds Of the men must vote for
declaring a strike before such an action
becomes effective The majority OF those
in attendance at the meeting seemed to
favor n peaceful settlement and a strike
is unlikely. All differences are expected
to DC settled within the next few days