Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-02-04
: SATURDAY.. FEnRUARY 4, 1898.
Only a Hairs Breadth

A impasse apparently has becn reached
"A in the negotiations for settlement Of
the street car strike. Hopes for an amicable
adjustment ran high. only TO be dashed yes
terday upon the determination OF The COM
pany not to promise accomplishment OF all
its old employees, but To accept only such
number as might he needed TO fill its quota;
and upon the equally stern determination of
the striking carmen not to return to their
posts except on the companys guaranty
that all who applied within reasonable
time" would he taken back and their senior
ity respected determination rejected in
their refusal OF the second proposal sub
mitted by the Board OF Aldermen which was
accepted by the company
There rthe transportation matter rests.
Since neither company nor men are inclined
to yield on the moot point, transporta ion
Ill RichmOnd thrca ems to he dcmOraliZcd
indefinitely. Yet. while the next move is
uncertain as TO form. time and source. The
public hesitates To believe that the dead
lock cannot be broken. All differences save
the one have been swept away through the
enorts OF the Board Of Aldermen There
is no longer any controversy as to wages
the compromise scale having been declared
satisfactory by company and men There
ostensibly is no difference on the question OF
ingiy TO the company's stand on this matter
Indeed. il has been the contention of The mon
from the inception of the difficulty that on
tnelr part at least. this question has not
6een at Issue. All other tangcs have
been Strengthened out and employer and
employees are separated only bv = hairs
breadth. With both asserting that they have
the interests of the city at heart. il is hard
~ conceivable that IA way ont OF the dead
lock will not be found, and that right speed
lily.
After all, the difference that separates tho
company from its former employees seems to
De largely technical one. and In the pres
eh' transportation cXigcncy, the public
"o"lu "eicnhs Vie waving Of the finer ar
gumentative puAlts no matter how legiti
mate they may seem to either side In his
connection. certain figures are Interesting
ana eniightening. There were $50 EMPLOYEES
VINO lett the service of the company II Tho
'oihpah! olcr were accepted 300 OF these
men could be put back on their old Jobs
III ely, according 10 statements made
Yesterday before the Board of Aldermen
AL ieast l25 of the strikers, IL is stated nm
omclally have LEFT the city or procnred
other employment. That leaves l55 tn bc
taken care OF II was further said YES
= leroa!' SUI unotlcally. that these l55 could
->',''N'' s"'N vi ny the COMPANY within
thirty hays, which would come within ,bn
reasonable length of time" stimulated nv
+ the mems offer OF settlement Actuauv
then, the result would be the same whc,hcr
the company's offer or that of the men were
accepted as the final formula. Either WAY
transportation would be restored AT once n
norman, and within month all the CORNER
ehpioSes would be back AT work
Richmond still is suffering heavily from
the effects Of the strike. 1t has suffered in
patence and In comparative silence IN,
lts patience is not inexliaustible and il I,
sees this opportunity for settlement sli,
past after being within easy grasp. lis NJ,
tlence may give way. Certainly, so close
are company and men together that netho,
one VIII lose the vantage of position nv con
ceoing the part OF an inch that Will brine
ABOUT restoration OF amcable relations
IN the meantime the Board of Alderme,
I having displayed commendabe activity i,
Z attempting to bring the contendmg interest,
Z together. and solid Judgment I'm refusin,
10 be swept from its feet by conflicting de
Is mands. the Council will do well TO procee,
3 cautiously lest the good work already ac
4 complished be undone.
"a. ~