New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-01
Broader than His Time, He
Is Told as Guest of
Labor Men.
REGRET HE is NO
LONGER WITH THEM
81 Will Lead and Help You If
Called" He Says to B.
& M. Employees.
[By Telegraph to The Tribune. J


! Boston, Nov. 30-Describing Charles 8.
Mellen as "a master mind, a construc-
tive force and the last word in compre-
hensive railroadng in New England"
! Thomas j. Fardy, jr. of the law depart
men Of the Boston g. Maine Railroad
presented the former president OF the road
with an engrossed set of resolutions OF
esteem on behalf Of his former employees
at dinner rendered him to-day at the
| American House.
| Mr.. Fardy declared that Mr.. Mellen
has proved himself broader than his
| time, and linked his name with those OF
Lincoln and Grant as a man who has
been misunderstood"
Representatives Of seventeen OF the
/ labor organizations Of the railroad ex-
pressed regret that Mr.. Mellen is no
longer with them, and referred to his
monthly meetings with employees for the
settlement of grievances as an instance
of his interest in them.
1T is a fine thing to be the old man
OF such organizations as yours" said Mr..
Mellen in reply. IL would rather have
your good will than all the salaries cor
porations could pay me.
"It is unique thing, l think, for a
railroad president, who has been called
a human iceberg and whose doorknob Is
said TO be covered with frost, TO receive
such a testimonial from the labor or
CARNATIONS among his former employees.
Can you think 1 don't appreciate It?
Don't you think it melts the ice little?'
When 1 first went TO the Boston &
Maine knew that there was friction be-
tween the officials and employees. One day
l was sked IL l would meet some Of the
boys, who had matter they wished set
tied. / said, Certainly. send them into
the directors ROOM Well, L am pretty
cool under certain circumstances. When I
went into the room they were all looking
at Inc out OF the corners OF their eyes.
one of them looked at me as though he
were saying to himself: I wonder what
, he is going to try and put over on us
now. / think that meeting was fairly
successful.
But We did not seem to get together
much for the first few meetings. l no.
| ticed that relations between members OF
the different organizations were rather
strained, so l got them together and told
| them they must stand together and keep
their eyes on the main chance; that IL
was better for them to compromise than
| TO fight"
| Mr. Melen said that he had established
the monthly meetings with employees as
an experiment, which he had hoped would
result eventually in a precedent for the
settlement Of difficulties between railroad
| officials and employees. He advised his
hearers OF the powers they have as or
CARNATIONS and warned them against dis
| loyalty and impotence.
Mr. Mellen referred TO the tremendous
| latent power in the labor organizations
| and said that the reason It did not re-
| ceive greater reward was because OF
| jealousy between the different bodies and
lack of loyalty to the common cause.
Exercise your power with prudence
he said, and remember that haste makes
waste Be fair. be prudent, be sure, but
be steadfast one TO the other. You have
the power, and others must pay the price.
II would like to lead. advise and help
you. The time will come possibly, and
when you call I will not be found want
ing" he concluded amid cheers.
Besides Mr.. Fardy the following en-
ployes spoke in praise Of Mr.. Mellen and
expressed their regret at his retirement:
Albert r. Smith. general chairman OF the
railroad Clerks Thomas J. Halloran, OF
the conductors; Joseph b. Bode, OF the
telegraphers; Clarence j. Mitchell, Of tho
locomotive engineers; Thomas Donovan
of the trainmen; Thomas a. Condor, Of
the car workers; p. ]. Coyle. of the static
employees; A. A. Farnsworth, OF the ma
chinists. and Amos Brown, conductor
OF fifty years experience. who said he
had served under nine railroad presidents
Mr.. Mellen was visiby moved by the
expressions OF esteem from his former
employees, and when he rose 10 reply said
that he would not attempt to make the
speech he had prepared, but would ad-
dress the men off-hand.