Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1907-09-06

New york. Sepi. According TO
President ) j. Small of the Telee-
raphers' Union. the outlook for +,
settlemento fthe str,l in ravor or
the operators becomes brighter each
day
When the management of the
telegraph companies. and also of the
Associated Press. resort to issuing
private. as well as public state
ments. which on the face of them
are untrue, it is an indication of de-
feat. Our information from all parts
OF the country shows conclusively
that both the Western Union and
Postal are in more crippled condi-
tion than at any time since the first
strike was ordered in San Francisco.
June 21st last.
Notwithstanding telegraph offices
in thousands of small places are
closed. and messages for such points
are being sent by mail and further
that messages between the larger
cities are not being handled with any
degree of promptness, not even as
fast as the United States will carry
letters. the officers of these comma
nies tells us daily through the press
that they are handling business
promptly; that the board of directors
of the Western Union Telegrap Com
pany would consider only routine
business at their meeting Septem-
ber 10th, and that if a committee of
their operators contemplate coming
to New York they might as we'll save
the expense.
IF that be true. and not a blum.
then the public might as we'll make
up its mind TO dispense with the
luxury of the telegraph in this coun-
try for the reason that the teleg-
raphers of this country will not re-
turn to work under the same condi-
tions prevailing when the strike oc-
Cured.
'If the telegraph officials insist
on refusing to meet representatives
OF the operators, and continue to
hoodwink the public with statements
to the effect that they are handling
business promptly. when the contra
ry is the fact. measures will have
to be taken other than strike TO
secure justice to both the telegraph
ers and the public.
THE Associated Press is putting
out extraordinary claims as to the
efficiency of its service In a cir
cular sent out Tuesday over the
signature Of Melville r. stone. gen
eral manager, addressed to editors
and operators, and marked private
Mr.. Stone claims almost complete
restoration Of business. This we
know to be untrue No later than
Tuesday we received word from Den
yer informing us that former Chief
Operator George Allen. OF the New
York office. who had been sent to
Denver to take charge there and de-
serted the association and taken
with him Chief Operator Geistlich.
OF San Francisco. This means
more complete tieup OF the Associ-
ated Press system west of Kansas
City than was the case when the
strike was called
I'm an effort 10 induce strikers in
the east to return TO work. Mr.. Stone
has held two conferences with
committee OF strikcbroaker5 from
upstate within the pasT en days. and
will hold another when the Associ-
ated Press Board of Directors meet
September 18th. with view OF
reaching an understanding with
them, and preventing a walkout OF
the men still at work in this vicinity.
Mr. stone has offered these men
slight increase in wages. but the Of
fer has not been accepted.
I'm the statement announcing in
creases on certain circuits. Mr.. Stone
says there are certain points where
ne paper cannot bear an increased