The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-08-27
KLINE GIVES
LABOR'S SIDE
President Of sIacksmlths Says Rail.
roads Were Not Taken
Unaware OF the
Trouble.
HOW CAPITAL
Labor and Capital Started Even But
the One While Sitting
Idly BY Reaps
Fruls.
[Gate City Leased Wire Service

CHICAGO, Aug. 26.-Charging that
the railroads. by their refusal to ac-
cord their employees the right to or
ganize system declarations, are seek
ing to reduce the latter to condi-
ton of industrial slavery, President
j. W. Kline of the International
Blacksmiths, leader Of the big rail
strike movement, tonight declared
that the opportunity had been seized
by the financiers as an opportunity
to plunge the country into the Gus
tomary prediction panic, in order to
coerce the masses into electing the
candidate who can be relied upon TO
serve the moneyed interests
This statement was given to the
United Press tonight:
by j. w. Kline, President Interna-
tional Blacksmiths, copyrighted 1911,
by the United Press.
That element of the press which is
the recognized organ of big business
tends to lead the public to believe
that the serious conditions existing
on the Hartman lines were brought
about by the declarations of the vari.
Gus mechanical crafts without no.
tice, and so suddenly that the man.
ayers We're given no time to consider
them. This is an error A convention
OF the committees of lines was held in
Salt Lake City The committee re-
quested the railroad managers to
grant them a joint conference. The
requests We're Systematically refused.
about the same time and in the Same
manner, proving that con4Srted ac-
ton had been taken. After repeated
futile efforts the COMMITTEES turned
the matter over to the international
officers of the crafts involved, and
they have made special efforts to
bring about conference with the
Hartman manager.
Almost three months have elapsed.
The managers cannot say they have
been taken by surprise, nor that we
have adopted any new tactics, for at
the present time the same conditions
obtain on the Gould lines, the Finley
lines, the New York, New Haven &
Hartford Canadian Pacific. Canadian
Northern, and various smaller roads.
and we cannot understand why such
strenuous opposition should be made
to the trades unions acting jointly,
just as the general managers transact
their business.
Mr.. Mellen of the New York, New
Haven and Hartford line, says re
duction of the working forces will
be made, Mr.. Morgan, on being con
suited Immediately upon his arrival
from Europe. where he went on a
pleasure trip is quoted as saying the
railroads are not making enough for
the stockholders now and cannot af-
ford any more for the men, | pre-
sumo not ii Mr. Morgan buys many
souvenirs at $4,000 each and pre-
sents them to royal personages in
Europe, as he did lately.
The position of labor is indie
feasible. Labor and capital began in
America on even terms. Labor did
not ask all of its product to which it
is Justly entitled, but a share suf
hclent to support it in comfort. Cap
ltal got its railroad start in different
franchises, free right of way and do.
nations of land and money. AS the
country developed labor cleared for
ests, laid tracks, built equipment, in
vented block signals, improved cars,
high power locomotives, and built
vast terminals. Capital sat idly by.
watching it's investment grow and
gathered the fruit
The system federation is labor's
demand for a fairer share of the
wealth - creates, and not all the
forces of private capital, of political
parties; aye even of the government
itself can thwart it's extension in the
United States, Europe and elsewhere
tSigned) ]. W. KLINE,
International President
President Kline will leave tomor-
row for Cheyenne, Wyo., to meet the
other heads OF the system federation
for a continuous conference during
the rest of their journey to San Fran.
cisco, where they will meet Vice
President Kruttschnitt to receive the
final answer of the Hartman manage
ment. Up to a late hour tonight
Kline sent kilograms urging union
officers along the lines to hold the
men in check until after the confer
ence Many leaders fear they will be
unable to do this.