Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-03-28
MANAGERS OF A NUMBER OF THE
WESTERN RAILROADS DECIDE
AGAINST DEMANDS
in FAVOR OF STRIKE
5000 Employees coneerned-A Con.
ference to be Held Today With Com.
pany officiaIs-Means Increase CT
se,ooo,ooo.

Chicago, March 2s.-The general
managers Of the western railroads
and representatives of the Brother
hood of Railway Trainmen and the
Order of Railway Conductors, COM
menced today what promises to be "a
hnal conference regarding the de-
mands for an increase of pay and a
working day of nine hours.
For several weeks the men belong
ing to the two organizations have been
voting on the question of striking If
their demands we're not complied
with, and although the vote was not an
nounced today prior to the commence
ment of the conference, it is under
stood to be overwhelmingly in favor
OF strike if such step should become
necessary.
Chicago, March 26-Demands Of So
600 employees of more than forty west
ern railroads for an increase III wages
Will be rejected as a result of a confer
ence of railroad managers in Chicago
Yesterday. Demands of the men. who
have voted in favor of a strike If they
are not granted, will be presented to
the railroads.
Tho intention Of the railroad officials,
1t is said. is to place leaders Of the I'M
ions In the position of rejecting sub
stantial wage advance, already ten
dered by the railroads, and thereby los
ing the sympathy of the public in case
of a strike
This was the attitude Of the man
ayers, as announced officially. Repre-
0f he n 10
accept 1t as the true position of the
railroads. They said they expect to
receive a further wage increase, al
though 1T may not be granted until d.
plomacy on both sides has been ex-
hausted IN the conferences. Negotia-
lions, the men hope, will last several
days.
Leave Question With Chiefs.
At the Masonic temple in the after
noon committees representing the con-
ductors and trainmen held long ses-
sion, formulated their demands. and
placed entire charge of their side Of
the controversy in the hands of Chief
Morrissey and Chief Garretson Of the
two brotherhoods.
| Specifically, the men will ask wage
advance of IL per cent per cent
more than offered by the roads-and a
nine hour day. The latter demand is
said to be less of stumbling block in
the way Of compromise settlement
than the question of wages. 1t has
been pointed out by railroad officials
that the reduction Of hours will be
equivalent to 10 per cent wage adj
vance in itself. 1t is believed employees
are willing to waive it.
Means Increase Of $6,OO0,000.
Roughly estimated, the increase de-
manded would amount. to $6,O00,0O0 a
year. IL is this large figure in addi-
tional operating expenses which has
caused the stand of the rail managers.
eff the wages of the trainmen and
conductors should be raised" said one
manager, it is lair to suppose that the
roads would have to meet the same
demands all along the line. There are
$4,000 men employed on the roads in
terested. The annual pay roll on these
/ lines is $320000,000 annually. The to.
tai amount of a 10 per cent advance
would be close to $4O,O00OOO. Proper.
\ tionately, this would represent an ad
ded capitalization of almost $780, OO,.
i 000"
Another reason cited by railroad off
Gals in defense Of their position was
the general wave Of legislative action
antagonistic to the railroads. In this
connection the passage of 2 cent pas
senger rate laws by ten western states
was pointed to. A further argument
against granting the demands was the
condition of the stock market and the
recent decline of railroad stocks.
Feel Advance Offered Sufficient.
| Railroads feel they have already
rendered wage advance to trainmer
, and conductors which is equal to thai
given other classes OF labor" was the
statement of another official Nobody
: is counting q strike of such paralyzins
force rs this would be. But the fac
remains that the roads have gone tt
the limit of their resources"
One thing discovered by the man
ayers which tended to make them more
firm in their opposition to the men!
: demands was that the wording of tn,
strike ballot was ambiguous. 1t wa
supposed that the proposition votet
, upon contained some reference to tn.
| acceptance or rejection Of the offe
1 made by the railroads. 1t Is said. how
ever that no such clause was included
and that, consequently, union official
may interpret the effect Of the vote il
any way they choose.
The text of the ballot sent to tn
employees was substantially as follows
Gin the event that we, the committee
are unable to effect satisfactory sci
Element with the railroad companies