The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-09-21
Word From all Over the Country
Indicates that the Striking
Operators are Successfully
Conducting the Greatest Strike
of the Times. :. =

SSNAeNSVAAA8 VSA0 Va 00VV0U hSVA AA0
of the Times. :.
stick Is the word. With this as the
battle cry the striking commercial
telegraphers are carrying their war
into Africa" The Duluth operators
are aggressively and honorably con-
Quoting their fight for more equitable
conditions against the most powerful
monopilies in the world.
1t is an unequal fight at the best.
Usually capital can win any strike by
prolonging It, but it does not seem to
be the rule in this strike Rather than
accept the conditions demanded by the
telegraph companies the operators are
seeking work in new lines o. indeavor.
The most experienced of trade un-
ionists are looking upon the operators
with awe. Their determination and
courage has surprised the most skep-
| tical. It will require greater
| monopoly than the telegraph kind to
| break the present strike.
The local operators are conclusive
ly proving that the Duluth offices are
still using the U. S. Mail to transmit
| their messages: X
In a courteous and we'll written cir
cular they have presented TO the busi-
| mess men of Duluth clean statement
Of their position. They say:
Present Strong Claim.
I'm common justice to you we feel
! that 1t is out duty to lay before you
| the situation in the telegraph con-
! troversy in order that you may take
| such steps to protect your business as
you deem wise.
! although the justice of our claim
| has no direct bearing on the existing
conditions, we would ask your atten-
tion long enough to present our side
| Of the controversy.
"Ninety-f1ve per cent of the tele-
| graph operators are away from their
keys. Those remaining at work are
not sufficient, to keep the wires in
working order, much less handle their
| business. "A large number Of messages
| filed with the companies is being
| handled through the mails, other busi-
| ness being turned back with the notifi-
cation that 1t cannot be handled, and
a very small percentage of the busi-
| ness, sent by, wire. This small per-
centage is being handled b yincompe-
tent students from business colleges
and rendered in such an unintellig-
worse than valueless.-
Prepare for Long Seize.
| 'The operators are prepared for a
long sieze. They, have been for the
last twenty years receiving the same
salary, while every article of con-
sumption and necessity of life has in
creased In price from rs to so per
| cent. All requests for an adjustment
from US have been ignored. Petitions
have been pigeonholed, and the men,
bers of committees discharged for dar-
companies have been treating their
! employees In much the same manner
as they have treated the business pub
lie as regards prompt service, accomo-
dations, etc. The conditions became
unbearable and the telegraphers quit
work until the conditions are inn
proved.
They Will: Not Arbitrste.
"The companies say they will not
| y
they will continue the escrippled con-
dition Of ssrvice. indefinitely. This
means that. your losses and incon-
venience are not to cease until the
| companies are made to understand
that they, have obligations and duties
toward the public which must be OBJ
served. We have not said that we
would not arbitrate. The companies
fatty refuse to arbitrate or evenstreat
with their employees. We ask for
what is reasonable and just and, be-
lieve by our conduct in. this struggle
| we have the respect and good will Of
the business public. No one regrets
more than we the inconvenience and
losses caused the business people. We
had exhausted every, effort to- reach an
agreement and were left no alternative
except the step we took r.ssx
The situation throughout the coun-
try still remains in favor OF the men.
Informa tion. received from a hundred
cities indicate, that the strike will be
carried on to- a successful end. From
q large list of reports received this
week we publish the following, taken
from cities, east, west and south Of
Lus: = ~ ssSes ~ >@spFgsE g.
! Fear An Epidemic Of Smallpox.
PITTSBURG, Pa.--The bureau Of
health is watching the w u. office
closely. All the inmates Of the scab-
berys Including sayior, superintendent,
and his wife. were vac .inated. 1m-
portant repairs Will be ordered by the
public officials here. Took three from
w. G.. one from Postal. Benefit ball
game q great success. We will be able
to go along splendi idly until some kind
". disposed individual assists Colonel
| clowry to ao let go q the bears tall.
Business Dsmoraiixsd.
CLEVEl4AND, .. We are as strong
as on the f,rst day. We have lost
three to the and Sne to the
.EPostal. and have ca theiv seabs q