The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1910-10-01
STRONG RESOLUTIONS
UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED
Situation In Hattiesburg Has Become
Such That Business Interests Take
AHand.-Enthusia ;tic Meeting Last
Night.

The mass meeting of citizens and
local members of the Brotherhood of
Railway Clerks, held at the court
house last night, was well attended,
a large number Of business men being
present and paying the closest atten-
ton to the proceedings. Several ad.
dresses were delivered and the situa-
ton gone into thoroughly, with the
hope Of ascertaining, if possible, who
is right and who is wrong in the pres.
ent controversy, and, If possible, de-
vising a way by which the difficulty
might be settled in an amicable man
ner.
was the first speaker of the evening,
Mr.. Beaudeaux was the official rep
resentative of the Order of Railway
clerks. His address was remarkably
free from acrimony or anything cal
| culated to- aggravate present condi.
tions. He repeatedly stated that the
strikers have a grievance and just
cause for complaint. The demands
made by the clerks, he said, were
submitted calling for shorter hours
an increase in pay proportionate with
the increased cost of living, a reason
able amount of compensation for over
time and recognition of the order by
the railroad company.
The speaker said that the clerks
did not want to strike; after their
proposition had been submitted to the
railroad officials and had been reject.
ed by them, they asked the company
to draw up a contract of their own;
this the company's representatives re-
fused to do, refusing also treat with
the clerks as an organization. The
railroad was willing to negotiate with
the clerks as individuals but not as
an organization, Notwithstanding the
that the conductors and trainmen, that
mechanics, operators and other en-
ployes are recognized and are work
remarks were favorably received by
the audience.
Mr.. W. M. Conner was the next
speaker. Mr.. Conner complimented
the strikers on the manly and gentle
manly way in which they have deport
ed themselves, and assured them that
so long as they maintained their good
behavior they would have the respect
and confidence of all law-abiding citi
zens.
The speaker said he had known
Messrs. Curran and Flanagan for 9
, quarter of century and has always
found them fair-minded gentlemen
who can be approached by the hum
blest citizen. He was surprised thai
they had not recognized the clerks ol
treated them with a greater degree
OF respect.
Mr.. Conner stated that he did no
r know Mr.. Jones, against whom the
q strikes are said to have grievance
t and was not in position to say wheth
j er or not this grievance was a JUS
e one. In the course of his remarks
}. Mr.. Conner advanced the though
s that the railroad officials are after al
# only employees of the company, ant
+ are therefore compelled to make goo'
or lose out. On that ground, he said
i 1t might be that they could not Sc,
It their way clear to comply with th'
# clerks demands.
e Mr.. Bowen, of New Orleans, ais,
e made a short speech telling of tn
It reasons why the strike had beel
y called and informing those present o
conditions as they existed previous t
It the strike. Mr.. A. 2. AndersonSzks
9, made short talk, endeapring to ct,
y ate more friendly feeling betwe4
Il Continued on page six,)