331.69 W69' 'H<: ii'S.:^i'.^V '■-:'-ii^-;;ci"nJ.53CVJ.''w"'.';'*j<.'.<.-';^-'.j';' The Calcium Li TUH»£8 OK BY k flAilWAT TflACKyAS L I B R.A FLY OF THL UN 1 VERS ITY or ILLl NOIS 331.89 WGSc THE CALCIUM LIGHT TURNED ON BY A RAILWAY TRACKMAN CONTAINING HISTORICAL FACTS OF GREAT VALUE TO ALL CLASSES OF RAILWAY EMPLOYES BY JOHN T. WILSON 1902 TRACKMEN'S PUBLISHING COMPANY St. Louis, Mo. S>27 CONTENTS CHAPTER T. PAGE. Negotiations Begun 1 CHAPTER II. Pheparing for Trouble ^ 13 CHAPTER III. Strike Order Issued 28 CHAPTER IV. The Struggle Begins 34 CHAPTER V. Importing Aliens 45 CHAPTER VI. Men in Train Service Become Uneasy 64 CHAPTER VII. Charles Pope 65 CHAPTER VIII. General Chairmen Take a Hand 72 CHAPTER IX. The Conciliators (!) at Work 84 CHAPTER X. The Mask Torn Off 91 CHAPTER XI. Real Conciliators Appear Upon the Scene 98 CHAPTER XII. Letters, Resolutions and Comments 107 CHAPTER XIII. Lackeys and Hypocrites and Wolves in Sheep's Clothing 125 CHAPTER XIV. Detectives 134 CHAPTER XV. Influence of Labor Unions 141 CHAPTER XVI. Free Labor and Labor Laws 147 CHAPTER XVII. Organizing the Trackmen 150 CH.^PTER XVIII. The Need of an Auxiliary — 155 CHAPTER XIX. Arbitration Recommended 161 CHAPTER XX. Direct Legislation 166 JOHN T. WILSON. INTRODUCTION The purpose for wliicli this book is published is to strongly im- press upon the minds of all niaintenance-of-way employes that if they wish to have their burdens made lighter and their lives made brighter — if they wish to have their man}- grievances properly adjusted — the remedy lies within themselves. Whining will not help them. Prayers and petitions will be alike in vain. The 0]S'LY source of relief is OimANIZATIOX. The ONLY remedy is UNITED, PER- SISTENT ACTION. Such action can only be had where the men en- gaged in it are possessed of three sterling traits of character, to wit: COURAGE, FIDELITY and FORTITUDE— courage to undertake; fidelity to continue, and fortitude to endure without murmuring the trials and deprivations incident to all great movements for the estab- lishment of better conditions, higher ideals and greater liberties for the mass of mankind. It was the possession of these noble qualities which enabled the maintenance-of-way men on the Canadian Pacific Railwa}' to win the most memorable struggle in which members of their craft were ever engaged — a contest in which the humble and unlettered trackmen were not only opposed by the Canadian Pacific Railway Company (perhaps the greatest and richest transportation company in the worldj, but also, through the General Managers' Asso- ciation, by ever}' transportation company on the North American con- tinent. The stor}- of that famous struggle is briefly told in the fol- lowing pages. Plain facts are submitted, embracing all correspond- ence between the railway officials and the maintenance-of-way men's representatives, and between said representatives and their constitu- ents, as well as other letters and press comments which are of interest in this connection because of the side lights which they shed upon the controversy. The author has not attempted to embellish the story of the C. P. strike with any literary frills or furbelows, and does not ask that this book be treasured as a literary gem; but he does hope that it will be appreciated by that much-abused and long- sutfering class of railway employes known as maintenance-of-way men, for whose benefit it is intended, and who may learn from a close perusal of its pages how to fight their own battles for better con- ditions and HOW TO WIN. Yours trulv, THE CALCIUM LIGHT TURNED ON BY A RAII.WAY TRACKMAN. CHAPTER I. NEGOTIATIONS BEGUN. In accordance with previous arrangements the men selected to confer with the management of the Canadian Pacific Railway Com- pany, for the purpose of trying to secure an agreement pertaining to wages and conditions of employment for maintenance-of-way depart- ment employes, met at the Grand Union Hotel in Montreal on the 15th of April. After formulating their grievances and preparing wage schedules, the following letter was sent by messenger to the general manager: Montreal, April 16, 1901. Mr. D. McNiooll, Second Vice-President and General Manager C. P. Ry., Dear Sir: We, Joseph Leunon, E. E. Nason, F. P^rederick, R. C. Montgom- ery, Theodore Edmundson and A. F. Stout, having been selected by the mainte- nance-of-way department employes on the C. P. Ry. and authorized to confer with you for the purpose of entering into an agreement pertaining to the terms and conditions of employment, respectfully request that you give us an audience and an opportunity to present our grievances at your earliest convenience. Yours respectfully, (Signed) JOS. LENNON, Chairman. Failing to receive a. reply by noon the next day, the following letter was addressed to the general manager: Montreal, April 17, 1901. Mr. D. McNicoll, Second-Vice-President and General Manager C. P. Ry. Dear Sir: I sent a letter to your oftice about 11 o'clocli a. m. on the 16th instant. I stated that a committee representing maintenance-of-way department employes on the C. P. Ry. desired to have an interview with the management of the company. If you made a reply it has not been received. Will you please state whether or not you will give the committee a hearing, and, if you will grant us a hearing, specify what time the committee will be received. Please send your answer to room 91, Grand Union Hotel. Yours respectfully, (Signed) JOS. LENNON, Chairman. The following reply was received the same evening: Montreal, April 17. 190V Mr. J. Lennon, Grand Union Hotel, city. Dear Sir: I am in receipt of your letter of April 16. I can meet you and the other Canadian Pacific employes mentioned in your letter at my office tomor- row, the 18th instant, at 12 o'clock noon. Yours truly. (Signed) D. McNICOLL. 2 THK CALCIUM LIGHT - At noon the following daj- the committeemen called upon the general manager, stated the object of their presence, and presented the following document: AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY COMPANY AND ITS MAINTENANCE-OF-WAY DEPARTMENT EMPLOYES. 1. In the event of troiible between the company and an employe in the maiutenance-of-way department, the said employe shall have a speedy, fair and impartial trial before his first superior officer not a party to the controversy, and shall be permitted to have a practical and experienced employe in the same department on the same division to defend him, and he shall have the right to appeal to the manager of his division for a new hearing if he believes his sus- pension or discharge to be unjust. 2. Should any maintenauce-of-way department employe be suspended or discharged without just cause he shall receive his regular salary while off duty waiting for an investigation. 3. Ten hours shall constitute a day's work for all maintenance-of-way de- partment employes (excepting switch-tenders, watchmen and pump men). Those ■^\ho are retpiired to work over ten hours a day, or on Sunday, shall receive pay for time and one-half. 4. Promotion of men in the maintenance-of-way department on the various divisions shall be governed by seniority, merit and other qualifications being equal. 5. The company shall transport free of charge, fresh meats twice a week to all points where the same cannot be purchased, and will run a supply car each wajr once a mouth between Moosejaw and Calgary on main line, and from Dunmore Junction to Kootenay Landing, and from Mattawamkeag to Megantic; the rate to be charged for delivery of supplies to maintenauce-of-way depart- ment employes will be one-half of the regular rate. 6. Section housekeepers shall be furnished transportation twice a month to the nearest points where necessary supplies can be purchased. 7. All maintenauce-of-way department employes shall be granted passes once a month to and from any point they desire to travel on the roadmaster's division where they are employed, provided that no more than one-half of the force will be absent from duty at any one time. 8. Maintenance-of-way department emj)loyes who have been in the service of the company continuously for a period of two years will be entitled to leave of absence, and transportation ouce a year to any point on the system they may desire to visit. 9. Any trackman who has a certificate showing he was employed one season by the company shall be entitled to free transportation to work the fol- lowing season, without being required to pay an employment agency fee. 10. When it is necessary to convene a general grievance committee, or a local grievance committee for the purpose of settling differences, the company shall grant leave of absence and furnish passes to the committeemen and sucli witnesses as they may desire to bring before the management for the purpose of revealing the facts in the case. 11. In cases where section foremen or men are taken away from head- quarters to work on snow or tie trains, or to do any work that will take them away from their regular ))oar(ling places, the company shall pay all expenses incurred. Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 3 12. The company shall keep all section houses in good repair, and not charge any more for rent than is being charged at the present time. 13. In case of an accident resulting from bad track, if upon investigation it is found tliat the foreman discharged his duties faithfully and that the acci- dent occurred on account of his not being allowed enough men and sufficient materia] with which to make the track safe, he will be held blameless. 14. When section foremen, or men. are required to attend to lamps before or after regular working hours they sliall receive the same rate of pay as is paid to operators and agents for the same class of work. Section foremen will not be held responsible for lamps not being lit. or going out. where they are attended to by persons not subject to their orders. 15. Track walkers on the entire system shall receive a day's pay at the usual rate for walking track on Sunday. 16. Watchmen on duty twelve hours or more out of each twenty-four shall be entitled to leave of absence two weeks each year without loss of pay. 17. At all places where water is to be transported for use by section gangs, suitable underground tanks shall be provided by the company, and good water fui'nished twice a week with proper quantities of ice. SCHEDULE OF RATES FOR MAINTENANCE OF-WAY DEPARTMENT EMPLOYES ON THE ATLANTIC DIVISION. (a) Yard foremen at terminal and divisional points shall be paid $2.25 per day. (b) Extra gang foremen shall be paid $3.00 per day. (c) Section foremen shall be paid $2.00 per day. (d) Section men shall be paid $1.50 per day. (e) All foremen of snow ploughs and flangers on the entire system shall be paid $3.00 per day and expenses. (f) Section men working on snow ploughs and flangers shall be paid $2.00 per day and expenses. SCHEDULE OF RATES FOR MAINTENANCE-OF-WAY DEPARTMENT EMRLOYES ON THE O. & Q. DIVISION. (a) Yard foremen at terminal and divisional points shall be paid $2.25 per day. (b) Extra gang foremen shall be paid $3.00 per day, (c) Section foremen shall be paid $2.00 per day. (d) Section men shall be paid $1.50 per day. ISCHEDULE OF RATES FOR MAINTENANCE-OF-WAY DEPARTMENT EMPLOYES ON THE EASTERN DIVISION. (a) Yard foremen at terminal and divisional points shall be paid $2.50 per day. (b) Extra gang foremen shall be paid $3.00 per day. (c) Assistant yard foremen in Montreal yards shall be paid $2.00 per nay. (d) Section foremen from Montreal to Cartier and Sault Ste. Marie shall be paid $2.00 per day. (e) Section foremen from Cartiei* to Port Arthur shall be paid $2.25 per day. 4 THE CALCIUM LIGHT (f) Section men from Montreal to Cartier and Sault Ste. Marie sliall be paid $1.50 per day. (g) Section men from Cartier to Port Arthur sliall be paid $1.65 per day. SCHEDULE OF RATES FOR MAINTENAXCE-OF-WAY DEPARTMENT EMPLOYES ON THE WESTERN DIVISION. (a) Yard foremen at terminal or divisional points shall be paid $70.00 per month. (b) Extra gang foremen shall be paid $80.00 per mouth. (c) Section foremen shall be paid $65.00 per month. (d) Section men shall be paid $1.65 per day. (e) Pump men at terminal and divisional points shall be paid $60.00 per month. (f) Pump men looking after more than one pump shall be paid $55.00 per month. (g) Pump men looking after one pump shall be paid $50.00 per month. (h) No pump man shall be required to look after more than three pumps, (i) Boarding housekeepers may charge a maximum of $4.00 per week for board. SCHEDULE OF RATES FOR MAINTENANCE-OF-WAY DEPARTMENT EMPLOYES ON PACIFIC DIVISION. (a) Yard foremen in charge of yards having twenty-five or more switches, or at terminal points, shall be paid $75.00 per month. (b) Extra gang foremen shall be paid $3.50 per day. (c) Section foremen shall be paid $65.00 per month. (d) Section men shall be paid $1.75 per day. (e) Extra gang men shall be paid $1.75 per day, (f) Bridge foremen shall be paid $4.00 per day. (g) Bridge men shall be paid $2.75 and $3.00 per day. (h) Bridge watchmen shall be paid $60.00 per month, (i) Track watchmen shall be paid $55.00 per month. (j) Switch tenders in charge of safety ewitches Nos. 1, 2 and 3 on the "Kicking Horse" grade shall be paid $50.00 per month each for services from 7 to 19 o'clock, and 20 cents for the first call, and 10 cents for each call thereafter during the next twelve hours. 1. The company shall make arrangements to have its cheques cashed with- out inconvenience or expense to maintenance-of-way depai'tment employes. 2. No maintenance-of-way department employe shall be discriminated against, suspended or discharged on account of serving on a grievance com- mittee. 3. There shall be no discrimination against members of the Brotherhood of Railway Trackmen now employed or in employing new men on account of their holding membership in said organization. 4. The Canadian Pacific Railway Company on its part, and the mainte- nance-of-way department employes on their part, do hereby agree that they will perform their several duties and stipulations provided for in this agree- ment, until sixty days' notice have been given by either party to the other requesting a change of the same. Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 5 It is further agreed that these rules shall uut take away any privileges that are uow iu effect with maiuteuauce-of-way departmeut employes. This agreement shall take efteet on the day of 1901. (Signed General Manager. For the Railway Company. Committee. For the maintenance-of-way department employes of the Ry. Co. The manager contended that the committee should have pre- sented their grievances to minor officials before coming to him. The chairman stated that the committeemen were clothed with written authority to represent at least 90 per cent of the maintenance-of-way department employes on the entire system and that minor officials could not, under the established rules of the company, give the relief desired. After discussing matters for some time the committeemen returned to the Grand Union Hotel, and after deliberating upon the position taken by the general manager, prepared and sent the follow- ing letter: Montreal, April 18, 1901. Mr. D. McNicoll, Second Vice-President and General Manager C. P. Ry. Dear Sir: After deliberating upon the position taken by you at our confer- ence yesterday, our committeemen have decided tliat the trackmen's grievances should receive due consideration from the management of the C. P. Ry. during the next few days. You stated tliat we began at the wrong end and that our grievances should have been presented to the superintendents before coming to you. We have attempted several times to have our grievances adjusted by superintendents; in some instances they refused to give our committeemen a hearing, and those wlio listened to our complaints informed us tliat they had no authority to remedy the things complained of. Your contention that on account of our committee not first interviewing any is quite in accord witli the company's desire and intention that in its dealings no one must be permitted to suffer injustice. Yours truly. . (Signed) D. McNICOLL. 8 THE CAI.CIUM LIGHT After consideiiug wliat was said at the couference and the con- reuts of the above letter, the following- communication was sent to Mr ^ilcNicoll: Montreal, April 22. 1901. Mr. D. McNicoll. Second Vice-President and General Manager. C. P. Ry. Dear Sir: After duly considering the position taken by yourself at our con- ference this a. m. and the contents of your letter, all of our committeemen are of the opinion that you intend to deal fairly with the men we represent, there- fore, we have decided to request you to give us assurance that you will act in good faith towards the maintenance-of-way department employes on the C. P. Ry. We will request. 1. A guarantee that the men we represent will not be discharged or dis- criminated against by your subordinate officials on account of their iioldiug membership in the Brotherhood of Railway Traclimen. 2. That you will grant leave of absence and furnish passes to the com- mitteemen to Montreal and return, for the purpose of considering all matters set forth in the memorandum we have submitted, within a specified time, giving yourself a reasonable length of time to procure all information or data required touching upon the questions at issue. I do not think it would lie advisable for us to return to our homes without giving the men to understand that their grievances will be taken up with the management of the C. P. Ry. Company within a specified time. Were we to report to our constituents that you have agreed to confer with us and consider their grievances at some future time (the time not specified) it will cause a good deal of dissatisfaction, and might result in their appointing another com- mittee to represent them. We have exclusive authority to represent at least 90 per cent of the mainte- nance-of-way department employes on your road. The two last clauses on the certificates of authority which have been signed by the men. read as follows: "It is expressly understood that in case the majority of maintenance-of-way employes of the C. P. Ry. authorize said committee to enter into an agreement with the C. P. Ry. officials for them (to sell their labor for them), and if the officials of said company decline to receive our committee and to enter into an agreement with it similar to the agreements entered into with other classes of their employes, the committee, with the sanction of the Grand President of the B. R. T. of A., will have authority to order a suspension of work, and their orders will be obeyed. "The undersigned hereby l)lud themselves to carry out in good faith their part of any agreement entered into by the above named committee with the officials of the Canadian Pacific Railway." AVere we to return to our homes withotit obtaining the guarantees asked for alxive. I am satisfied that we would be severely criticised, and more than likely a great many of the Ijest men now employed in the maintenance-of-way department would seek other employment, as other employers of labor along the lines of the C. P. Ry. are paying from $20 to $35 per month for common labor, including board and lodging. Please do not imagine that we doubt your sincerity, but understand that as representatives of otlier men, we must protect ourselves against unnecessary Turned On by a Raii^way Trackman. 9 criticism. We realize that dealing witli uiaintenance-of-way department em- ployes as an organized body is a ilew tiling with managers of railways, but the better informed class of men in our department are determined to protect themselves against unfair treatment (often by minor officials) through the adoption of wage schedules, or to seeli other employment — one of the two. When I handed in the memorandum of the men's grievances on the 18th inst., you asked me if it contained all the committee was going to ask for. I said, "Yes, it contained all we were going to ask for at the present time." There is considerable complaint among the men about the company not fur- nishing enough men and material to keep the track in safe running order. Our committee decided that the company being responsible for accidents, it should determine how many men will be employed as well as the kind and quantity of material it will furnish. Other grievances not set forth in our memorandum are of a minor nature, and in our judgment, can be adjusted by the minor officials. We do not desire to annoy you with petty grievances that can be adjusted by the sui^erintendents and roadmastei's. I assure you we have no desire to embarrass any of the officials of the C. P. Ry. Company, and if they deal with us in the same manner as other classes of your employes are dealt with, we will do all in our power to promote the interest of the company and to render satisfactory service. Yours very truly, (Signed) J. LENNON, Chairman. In answer to the above communication the following letter was received from Mr. Hodge, secretary to the general manager: Montreal, April 23, 1901. Mr. J. Leunon, Room 91. Gi'and Union Hotel, city. Dear Sir: Your communication of yesterday's date, addressed to the gen- eral manager, was delivered to him just as he was leaving the city, from which he will be absent several days. I am this morning in receipt of a telegram from Mr. McNicoll instructing me to assure you that neither members of your committee, the men you repre- sent nor any other employe of the company will be discriminated against as Jong as they give good service; that instructions will at once be given to super- intendents to remedy anything mentioned in your memorandum about which there can be little difference of opinion; the necessary information to enable the management to intelligently consider other matters will be secured at once,, and we may expect to be in a position to meet you before the end of May. The members of the committee will be given transportation home, and when coming to headquarters again to discuss the subject, a committee of reasonable num- l)ers Avill be given the necessary leave of absence and transportation to and from Montreal. If you will let me have a memorandum of the transportation that will now be required by the members of your committee I shall let you have it. Yours truly, (Signed) GEORGE HODGE.'^ The above letter being unsatisfactory to the members of the com- mittee, as they had begun negotiations with Mr. McNicoll. the chair- man in company with another member of the committee called on Mr. Hodge, who handed them the following letter from Mr. McNicoll: 10 THE CALCIUM LIGHT Montreal, April 22, 1901. Memorandum for George Hodge. 1 have tonight wired you as follows: "Write Mr. Lennon in the morning 1 just received his communication of the 22nd, on my departure from the city from which I will be absent several days. Assure him that neither members of the committee, the men they represent nor any other employe of the com- pany will be discriminated against so long as they give good service; that instructions will at once be given to superintendents to remedy anything 'tnen- tioned in their memorandum about which there can be little difference of opinion; the necessary information to enable the management to intelligently consider other matters will be secured at once, and we expect to be in a posi- tion to meet them before the end of May. The committee will be given trans- portation home, and when coming to headquarters again to discuss the subject, a committee of reasonable numbers will be given transportation to and from Montreal and leave of absence." (Signed) McNICOLL. The time in which the committee would be called back to Montreal not being specified, caused the committeemen to draft and send the following letter to the office of the general manager: Montreal, April 23, 1901. D. McNicoll, Esq., Second Vice-President and General Manager, C P. Ry. Dear Sir: I have received a letter from Mr. Hodge in answer to our com- munication sent you yesterday. I especially requested you to specify the time in which you would confer with our committee and discuss the matters set forth in our memorandum handed you on the 18tb inst, and stated my reasons for making the request. Mr. Hodge states that he has instructions from you to inform us that you expect to be in a position to meet us before the end of May. There is not anything definite in your answer so far as the time you will meet the committee is concerned, therefore it is unsatisfactory. I am one member of a committee of six and do not have a vote while in executive session. If you will state that arrangements will be made to meet our committee not later than the end of May, and will guarantee the other pledges contained in Mr. Hodge's letter, I think the members of our committee will be satisfied to return to their homes; otherwise, the responsibility for what may take place will rest with you. Our committee will expect a definite answer not later than 12 o'clock tomor- row, April 24. Failing to hear from you will be accepted for a negative answer. Yours truly, (Signed) J. LENNON, Chairman. In a few hours the following letter was received by the chairman of the committee: Montreal, April 23, 1901. Mr. J. Lennon, Room 91, Grand Union Hotel, city. Dear Sir: I am just In receipt of the following telegram from the general manager in reply to my message of this afternoon giving him the substance of your letter of to-day's date: My telegr.im of last night was intended to convey to the men an assurance that I would meet them before the end of May, and you may convey to them a copy of this telegram. (Signed) D. McNicoll. Yours truly, (Signed) GEORGE HODGE. Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 11 In answer to the above the chairman of the coniniittee sent the following- letter to Mr. ITodge: Montreal, April 24, 1901. George Hodge, Esq., Secretary to General Manager C. P. Ky., city. Dear Sir: I have received your favor of the 23rfl inst., containing a copy of Mr. McNicoll's telegram assuring our committee that he will meet us before the end of May. Mr. McNicoll stated during our conference on the 18th inst., that the money paid for ticlvets to Montreal by the committeemen would be refunded. A. F. Stout purchased a ticliet from Ardendale $ 9 50 R. C. Montgomery " " " Webbwood 13 95 E. E. Nason " " " McAdam .Junction 13 95 F. Frederick " " " Woman River 13 70 Theodore Edmuudson" " " Vermillion Bay 36 95 Total $88 05 Can you arrange to have their money refunded? I will request passes for E. E. Nason from Montreal to McAdam .Jet., F. Frederick from Montreal to Woman River and Theodore Edmundson from Montreal to Vermillion Bay. Mr. Stout purchased a return ticket and can return to Ardendale Station on the return part of it. Mr. Montgomery has received a pass from Montreal to Webbwood. Yours truly, (Signed) J. LENNON, Chairman. The foregoing demonstrates that trackmen will be recognized and their committees dealt with by railway olticials in the same man- ner they deal with committees representing other classes of their employes, provided the majority of the maintenance-of-way men em- ployed by a company unite and give their committee written authority to make an agreement for them pertaining to wages and conditions of employment. The first question asked by the general manager of the C. P. Ry. was; ^'How am I to know you represent the maintenance-of-way de- partment employes on our road?" The answer was: "Here is our authority above the men's signatures." Q. "What per cent of the men have signed that certificate au- thorizing you to represent them?" A. "Not less than 00 per cent. Count them and see for yourself." ^A'hen conferences are resumed between the general manager and the committee he will, no doubt, take the position that the C. P. Ky. is paying its maintenance-of-way employes more than any other road in the country, which is true. Awhile the C. P. R.y. company is payi»g its track department employes more than other roads, and has done more to develop the natural resources of Canada and the manhood of its citizens than any other corporation in the Dominion, it did not do it by paying less wages to its employes than other employers of 12 I'HE CALCIUM LIGHT labor and the wages paid to its track department employes at the pres- ent lime does not enable them to maintain themselves and families in a manner becoming to citizens of a great empire. * Were it conceded that one employer of labor should not increase the wages of his workmen because he is paying more wages than an- other, the Central Railway of Georgia would be sustained in taking the position that it should not pay its trackmen more than 65 cents a day, because the C. F. & Y. X. Ry. only pays its trackmen 47^ cents a day. Low wages is the curse of any nation. AVage schedules that de- grade citizens, degrade nations. Russia, Turkey, Italy, Spain, Japan (and China are all countries that maintain low wages for their work- men. How do they compare with countries like Great Britain and the United States? During the last half century the United States has paid more wages to the classes of its workmen that possessed enough courage and brains to band themselves together for mutual advance- ment than any country in the world, during which time the country has experienced greater development and created more wealth than any other country of its size, and has produced more millionaires than all other countries combined. As workmen's producing capacities are largely determined by their opjjortunities to consume wealth, the C. P. Ry. company can increase its business by assisting its toilers in their efforts to secure a higher rate of wages for all wealth producers through the country traversed by its lines. The trackmen on the C. P. Ry., by banding themselves together and making earnest, prudent efforts to bring about better conditions for themselves, have shown conclusively that they realize their rights as citizens and the value of their services to the company which gives them employment. They are no longer to be classed with the be- nighted laborers who endure industrial slavery, its hardships and pri- vations, because they have not the manhood to protest against such treatment. When the chairman of the committee told the general manager that he was not representing Grand Trunk or Northern Pacific track- men, and that the men he represented did not care to be compared with those who either did not know their rights or did not have the courage to ask for them, he reflected great credit upon himself, his colleagues and the C. P. Ry. The trackmen on the C. P. Ry. have not failed to take into ac- count, in the general summing up of their grievances, the increased volume of business transacted by the company, the general rise in values of agricultural and commercial products and the consequent Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 13 higher cost of living, aud they have rightly concluded that they are entitled to share the general prosperity instead of submitting to a re- duction of wages, which is practically the effect of higher cost of living without correspondingly higher pay. CHAPTER II. preparing for trouble. The representatives of the maintenance-of-way men left Montreal on April 2G, after receiving written guarantees from the general man- ager that neither the members of their committee nor the men they represented would be discriminated against on account of holding membership in the 1>. R. T. of A.; that they would be brought back to Montreal before the end of May for the purpose of considering the matters complained of, and that no one employed by the company would be permitted to suffer injustice. A few davs after mv return to St. Louis letters were received from men working at various places on the system, telling me that a mis- take had been made in not forcing the company to make a settlement for the maintenance-of-way men, or ordering a suspension of work while the ground was thawing and shims were being removed, as it would have been impossible for the company to run trains many days without the assistance of experienced trackmen. The writers believed the company were pre])aring for ti'ouble. They had employed twice as many men to work on track as were employed during the same season in any previous year. Foremen were instructed to rush their forces and put all the ties in the track before the end of May. Such unusual activity aroused the suspicions of the men who were endeav- oring to have their grievances adjusted. Being anxious to bring about a proper understanding and to effect a peaceable settlement between the C. P. Ry. company and its maintenance-of-way men, I attempted to avert the trouble that was brewing, as the following letter sent to the general manager indicates: St. Louis, Mo., May 13, 1901. Mr. D. McNicoll, Second Vice-President and General Manager C. P. Ry. Dear Sir: As the maintenance-of-way department employes on yonr road have formed themselves into a system organization, which is now a branch of our association, and have requested recognition through tlieir committee from the management of your company, I consider it my duty to inform you of our policy, aud of the character of the organization your maintenance-of-way .em- ployes are affiliated with. Our association is an educational, fraternal and beneficial institution. Our desire is to promote the interests of employer aud employe, and to estal)lish and perpetuate harmony between them. The attached printed slip under the head of "Suspensions of Local Divis- ions" is an extract from my report submitted to our delegates when assembled 14 THE CALCIUM UGHT in conveution last Decembtn'. I was sustained iu revoking the charter of a division whose members participated in an unauthorized strilie, without a dis- senting vote. My object iu calling your attention to this case is to show that our laws are enforced and that you can rely upon our organization to act in good faith toward any railway company entering into an agreement with the members of any of our branches. You will find enclosed a copy of a circular letter sent out from Montreal, by a committee of your employes, to all members of our organization on your road; also a printed copy of the proceedings, with a comment written by my- self, which is self-explanatory. I will call your attention to a typewritten copy of Special Circular No. '40, issued to members of our organization a few Aveeks in advance of the disastrous strike which took place on several of the leading railways in the States, in June. 1894. The matters referred to indicate my policy. My re-election without opposition at each convention since our organization was established is positive proof tliat our membership generally is in perfect accord with my policy. I am of tho opinion that railway officials can do much towards promoting the interests of their companies and their employes, and to insure safe, unmolested and satisfactory service to the public, by encouraging class organizations among their employes, and especially so when their affairs are administered along practical lines by conservative men in a reasonable and consistent way. I hope you will consider carefully the requests made by your employes, and that you will see your way clear to concede the things asked for. If you can and will establish minimum rates of ^1.50 per day for section men, and $2.00 per day for foremen in the localities where the cost of living is the cheap- est, and allow a proportional increase in localities where the cost of living is higher, you will, no doubt, have the best contented and most faithful set of men of any road on the North American Continent, and I am of opinion that the company will be reimbursed on account of improved service. If you want the best there is iu a man in the way of loyal service, treat him as a man should be treated, allow him a fair day's pay for an honest day's work, and convince him that the better service he renders the greater his reward will be and the more he will be appreciated. Yours very truly, JOHN T. WILSON, President B. R. T. of A. [Extract' from report regarding "Suspensions of Local Divisions."] Several local divisions have been suspended and their charters revoked on account of their members' declining to make lawful payments. Only one char- ter has been revoked on account of misconduct on the part of members of the division. Members of Baltimore Division No. 124, located at Baltimore. Md., engaged in an unauthorized strike under such conditions that I considered it my duty, and for the best interest of the Brotherhood, to revoke their charter. The members of the said Baltimore division were employed by the Baltimore and Ohio Railway, and did not constitute tive per cent of our membership on that system. According to a statement made by Mr. Willard, assistant general manager, the B. & O. Ry. company made concessions on the first of April of this year to their trackmen, which will cost the company more than $80,000.00 per annum. All matters pertaining to the affairs of the Brotherliood on that system were moving along smoothly, the only matter in dispute being tliat the officials had declined lo confer with our general grievance committee on that Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 15 system, and to enter into an agreement with it which would govern the wages, terms and conditions of employment of their trackmen. The reason assigned by tlie assistant general manager for not conferring with our committee was that a careful research had been made which showed that less than one-third of the B. & O. trackmen were members of the B. 11. T. of A., and he did not tliiuk tlie company could afford to recognize a com- mittee as the clioscn representati.-es of tlieir trackmen when the committee was not authorized to do l)usiuess for oue-third of the men working for the company in the track department. On the 30tli of August I received the following message from the secretary of Baltimore Division No. 124, Avho was also acting as chairman of the general grievance committee: Baltimore, Md., August 30, 1900. John T. Wilson. St. Louis. Mo. Men of Baltimore Division No. 124 all out. A letter explaining will be forwarded. Answer at once. WILLIAM WIEBKING. 1 replied as follows: St. Louis, Mo., August 31, 1900. William Wiebkiug, Baltimore, Md. The members of Division No. 124, engaged in an unauthorized strike, have forfeited their membership in the Brotherhood of Railway Trackmen of America. Their charter is hereby revoked. Inform all concerned that members participating In an unauthorized strike will receive no support from our organization, and prevent strike from spreading if possible. JOHN T. WILSON. [Special Circular No. 40.] St. Louis, Mo., May 17, 1894. Dear Sirs and Brothers: It is impossible for me to visit all the subordinate divisions of the order at this time and personally advise with the membership upon the attitude that we, as an organization of railway employes, should assume at the present important conjuncture. I therefore ask division chief foremen to read this circular at the next regular or special meeting of sub- ordinate divisions. The whole country i.s still in the throes of a great business depression. Trade is paralyzed, and the wheels of progress have to a serious extent ceased to revolve. About oue-third of the railways of the country are bankrupted and in the hands of receivers. Thousands of men are out of employment, while general dissatisfaction and unrest prevails among workingmen everywhere. It is not surprising, therefore, that workingmen, including railway employes, should grasp at any agency that promises immediate relief, regardless of the future. New-fangled ideas of organization are being sprung upon railway em- ployes and advocated in sensational speeches as cures for all the ills from which we suffer. The natural result is that a wider breach than ever is being formed between organized capital and organized labor, between employer and employe. Believing that it is impossible for any permanent and lasting benefit to accrue to us through such agencies, and in order to place ourselves in the best possible position fo derive benefits from our organization upon the retuuo of prosperity to the railway interests of the country. I would urge the members of the Brotherhood to stand by their employers during the present period of depression. I believe tliis to be the best and wisest course to jHirsue. and that it will pay best in the long run. 16 THE CAI.CIUM I.IGHT An orgauizatioQ that, like a musliroom, springs up in a night cannot be dependetl upon for practical and beneficial results. Every one knows that history is constantly repeating itself, and in this connection I would invite attention to the career of the Knights of Labor, before and since the great strike on the Gould southwestern system in 1886. Prior to the strike the Knights of Labor enjoyed a tremendous and imprecedented growth among rail- Avay employes. Many seemed to think that the K. of L. had created a new Avorld and transplanted workingmen thereto, and that laboring men had been redeemed from earthly toil. The motto of the order, that "an injury to one is the concern of all," is a high and noble idea, but the result of that great strike only proved that the concern of one may very readily be made to work injury to all. Thousands of men were involved in the strike, many of tlieni could not tell why. AVith the strike came loss of life, destruction of property and sorrowful defeat to the order of the Knights of Labor, a IjIow from which it has even yet not recovered. Before, during and since that notable strike, class organizations have been maintained by railroad employes, and through their wioe, conservative and moderate methods they have secured unnumbered concessions from railway managements in the way of wages and rules and regulations. These organizations have maintained friendly relations with the railway companies, have won the esteem and respect of the public, and have been recognized and commended by the courts as legal and useful institutions. Our own organization has filled every reqiiirement where the members have worked intelligently for any object. We have had wages increased; we have had wages restored; we have prevented reductions of wages; we are promptly paying all just death and total disability claims; our committees are being received by the officials and grievances are being adjusted. Every pru- dent effort yet made by our members to advance their interests has resulted in some degree of permanent success. Increased efforts along the same lines that we are now traveling will bring about increased success. We have every reason to be encouraged to work for the advancement of the Order. Many who have in the past opposed us have come to regard the Order in a more favorable light. Wherever we are established the better class of trackmen join the Order and remain with it. What we most need to learn is to intelligently present our grievances. We should know just what we want, why we are entitled to it, and be able to explain the justice of our position to others. Not until we can do this can we hope to have all our grievances adjusted. Members desiring my assistance in presenting grievances will please ob- serve and comply with the provisions of our constitution before calling upon me. It is to be hoped, for it is certainly our best policy, that our members will not rush into court, nor engage in any strike unless a conference with the management has been refused, or has resulted unsatisfactorily. Such a course would, in the end, only result in our own and our Order's injury. One of the greatest obstacles that we have to overcome is the inability of our members to secure passes to and from monthly meetings. This difficulty can be surmounted by convincing railway officials that our intention is to advance the interests of the companies as well as our own; that our mission is to build up and not to tear down. I have recently conversed with several roadmasters who complained that, while they were perfectly willing to give their men passes to attend division meetings with the expectation that the men would be benefited thereby, some used the occasion only to drink and frolic Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 17 an9 spoufl money foolishly that their families needed. It would be better for the Order if those who are guilty of such oouduct would surrender their cer- tiheates of meiubership and cease to cast discredit upou au organization whose existence and usefulness depends upon the sobriety and integrity of its indi' vidual members. Yours in B. L. & U. JOHN T. AVILSON. The gonei'til manager did not consider the above letter, explaining the objects, methods, and character of the IJrotherhood of Railway (Trackmen of America, worthy of a reply. The committeemen returned to Montreal on May 29 and proceeded to the manager's otHce on the morning of May 30, where they were introduced by the manager to one of the general superintendents, who entertained them in various ways for several days, but declined to do anv business with them. During the time the maintenance-of-way men's representatives and the C. P. Ry. officials were holding conferences in April, a man named R. C. Montgomery, residing at AA'ebwood, Ont., called at the committee's headcjuarters and exjjressed a desire to serve on the com- mittee. The maintenance-of-way men on the division on which Mr. Montgomery was working had sent a representative, Mr. F. Frederick, who was unable to explain the reason of Mr. Montgomery's presence. The organizer, who went over the division and obtained an expression from the men as to who should represent them, upon being asked if he knew anything about Mr. Montgomery, stated he found him to be indifferent about matters pertaining to the B. R. T. of A.; that he de- clined to pay his dues, and that no one on the division had expressed a desire to be rejuesented by him. ]\Ir. Montgomery, however, so im- pressed the chairman of the committee, that he expressed a desire to have him return in May, when negotiations were to be resumed. Upon further inquiry it was learned that Mr, Montgomery had been working under an ofticial who, about five years prior to the time of writing, was sent to Montreal to try and have grievances adjusted for the trackmen; but instead of carrying out their instructions sent a circular letter to the trackmen stating that the oflficials would allow them to have the grass growing on the right-of-way cut for their milk cows, and he be- lieved the officials were doing all they could for them. A short time thereafter he was promoted. The action of this official, coupled with the actions of Mr. Montgomery, and his general dem<»anor, caused some of the trackmen's representatives to suspect that he was seekin'^ an opportunity to further his own ends at the expense of his fellow work- men. On the evening of May 31 I requested the secretary of the com- mittee to visit the St. James Hotel, where some of the C. P. Ry. ofRcials 18 THE CALCIUM LIGHT were slopping, and find out if ;Mi-. Montgomery was there, as he could not be found at the Grand Union Hotel. On his return he reported that Mr. Montgomery was at the St. James Hotel, consulting with C. P. Ky. officials. This caused the committee to convene and pass the following resolution the next morning, June 1: Moved by J. W. Johnson, seconded by G. McTaggart, tbat, WHEREAS, The members of the grievance committee representing the main- tenance-of-way department employes are not here to discuss matters that con- cern themselves, or to seek i^romotion for themselves individually, but have been sent here to represent, and, if possible, to promote the interests of all maintenance-of-way men on the C. P. Railway; therefore, be it RESOLVED, That if any member of the committee malvcs any reference to promotion for himself while in conference Avith C. P. Railway otticials; speaks to any of them at any time or place concerning our mission in Montreal, except when called upon to do so by the chairman, in tlie presence of other members, lie shall be suspended from the committee, and not permitted to talie part in its deliberations, or to be present or take part in conferences between this com- mittee and the Canadian Pacific Railway officials. (Signed) J. LENNOX, Chairman. THEO. EDMUNDSON, E. E. NASON, J. W. JOHNSON, R. C. MONTGOMERY, JNO. B. BRUNSKILL, GEO. A. McTAGGART, F. FREDERICK, A. F. STOUT, Secretary. On the morning of June 6, as the conferences with the general superintendent (the manager occasionally being present) had not re- sulted in anything satisfactory to the committee, and believing there was little hope of accomplishing anything, they desired to test the manager's sincerity and find out if he really desired to make a peace- able settlement. The following letter was prepared and sent to him : Montreal, June 6th, 1901. Mr. D. McNicoll, Second Vice President and G( ueral Manager, C. P. Ry. Dear Sir: A committee representing your mainteuance-of-way employes ■was convened in this city on the 13th of April. Several days were consumed in perusing correspondence from maintenance-of-way men on all parts of the system, setting forth their grievances. AVe then prepared a memorandum per- taining to wages, terms, and conditions of employment, a copy of which was submitted to you on the 18th of April. In presenting the schedule we sub- mitted to you in writing and figures, what your maintenance-of-way men believe they are entitled to. As you have had more than six weeks to consider the matter and conferences have been held daily since May 30th without making very much progress, we will request you to prepare a document setting forth the terms and conditions of employment for maintenance-of-way department employes* and stating the concessions you thinlv the company can make under Turned On by a Raii^way Trackman. 19 the circumstauces, so we cau compare your proposition with tlie proposition submitted by us on behalf of the men anil determine what the differences really are. We desire to be fair with the company. The position taken l>y us has been reduced to writing and submitted; therefore, Ave thinlc you should be as frank with the committee as we have been with you. Yours very truly. J. LENNOX, Chairman of Committee. No reply having been received to the above letter from the man- ager, the following letter was sent to his office the next day by special messenger : Montreal, June 7, 1901. Mr. D. McNicoU, Second Vice-President and General Manager, C. P. Ry. Dear Sir: Will you complj' with the request contained in the letter handed you yesterday? If so, what time may we expect your answer? Failing to receive a reply by noon tomorrow, .Tune 8th, will be considered a negative answer by us. Yours truly, - J. LENNON, Chairman of Committee. To this the manager replied as follows: Montreal, June 7th, 1901. Mr. J. Lennon, Grand Union Hotel, City. Dear Sir: I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 6th instant, which greatly surprises me. On 16th April last you requested a conference, later you submitted a propo- sition to me, and in your letter of 19th April stated you desired to discuss with me the contents thereof. I have caused the difterent points in your memorandum to be most fully investigated. Representatives of this company have looked fully into what you call your grievances; others have studied the conditions on neighboring railwajs; careful comparison has been made between the rate of pay on the Canadian Pacific Railway and that of otlier railways with whom we have to compete for trade, and as a result it is our strong conviction that the conditions attending the services of trackmen on the Canadian Pacific Railway are as good as they are on other raihA'ays, in many instances better, and tliat the rate of pay in neai'ly all cases is higher than that of our neighbors, especi(illy that of the section foremen, and this, I observe in your circular letter to track- men, you fully acknowledge. I have brouglit some of our ofHcials, best acquainted with your Avork and surroundings, long distances to Montreal to fidly discuss with you any ques- tions requiring consideration, and they have spent sevei'al days Avith j'ou, I being occasionally present. We have already made a substantial addition to the rate of pay of section men. and as advised you, in order to remove the possibility of complaint that our employes in the track department are not paid the highest rate paidliy our neighbors in corresponding territory under lilce conditions, Ave haA'e decided to make some more changes and increases, but your committee's decision to confine your discussion Avitli our officers, to the general features of your original proposition, without being Avilling to consider individual items has brought matters to a standstill. 20 THE CAI.CIUM LIGHT Day by day you have simply listeued aud adjouiued aud then returned without any definite expressions that would malie it possible to arrive at results, and now by your letter of 6th instant you request that we submit you a proposition in writing that you might compare it with your own. In the present circumstances, aud without further information from you, it would be impossible to formulate any proposition, but we are willing to meet your com- mittee to discuss their suggestions or alleged grievances, aud do Avhat we properly can to meet your vieAvs. Yours truly, D. McNICOLL, Second Vice-President and Gen. Mgr. The committee again wrote the general manager as follows: Montreal, June 8th, 1901. D. McNicoll, Esq., Second Vice-President and General Manager. C. P. Ry. Dear Sir: Your favor of the 7th instant has been received and carefully considered by our committee. All of us are disappointed, as you failed to comply with our request, which was for you to furnish us with an outline of what the company considers reasonable wages and fair conditions of employment for maiuteuance-of-way men. We came here with written instructions and authority to represent your maintenance-of-way employes, including all track forces, bridgemen, track watchmen, and switch tenders, under the jurisdiction of roadmasters and sec- tion foremen. In our discussions you have not recognized our right to discuss the griev- ances of any class or classes of employes except track foremen and trackmen, and have expressed your intentions not to make any concessions, except in individual cases. Without you will concede our right to represent all of the mainteuance-of-way men we have been authorized to speak for, further dis- cussion is unnecessary. During our conferences most of the time has been consumed in discussing the wages of trackmen on the Grand Trunk and other railways. We did not come here to consider the wrongs that are being imposed upon trackmen by the Grand Trunk and other raihvay companies; our business here is to con- tend for a just shai'e of the wealth the maintenance-of-way men on the Cana- dian Pacific Railway are helping to create. We could take the position that the Canadian Pacific Railway Company is paying other classes of its employes more than is paid for similar service on the Grand Trunk and other roads, but that is foreign to the question at issue. Our instructions are to secure an agreement setting forth the terms and conditions of employment and wages for maintenance-of-way men, and we Avould like to resume confereudz-s with the understanding that we are representing your maintenance-of-way men, and that if an agreement can be reached it will be signed by the proper official of the company. If, after this explanation, you desire to receive the committee, please inform us at your earliest convenience when we will be received. Yours truly, J. LENNON, Chairman of Committee. P. S. — Our committee is under heavy expense. Please prepare and send your answer by messenger as soon as possible. J. L. Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 21 The manager's reply: Montreal, 10th Juuo, 1901. Mr. J. Lcnnon, Grand Union Hott'l, City. Dear Sir: Yonr letter of the 8tli instant reached my ortiee Satnrday after- noon, but I scarcely see the necessity for it in view of the otter I have already made to meet you and discuss your rating nnd alleged grievances. Your letter of the 6th instant did not aslc for an outline of what the com- pany considered reasonable wages and fair conditions, but asked that we sub- mit you a proposition containing concessions that we thought we could make, so that you might make comparisons. I tind the wages that you have been getting prior to the first of May were generally higher than those paid by other railways in Canada, or in the United States, in corresponding territory, with whom Ave have to compete for business. On the first of ^lay last we made a very substantial increase in the pay of certain of the section men, it being given to those longest in our service. We have made a still further advance, effective first of June, affecting prin- cipally the section foremen and leading men at large divisional yards and the section men who have been and remain in our service for a period of one year. On a large portion of our Pacific Division and Crow's Nest Branch, as the conditions are different from those in the East, we have made a very sub- stantial advance to section men. The section foremen, generally. I find are paid very much higher by us than on other competing railways, and we have not. therefore, thought it advisable to make a general increase in their pay. We have also issued a liberal set of rules, a copy of which I enclose, under which all section foremen and section men will be dealt witli in future, and which we will probably enlarge as necessity arises and opportunity offers. The company is anxious, as I have repeatedly said, to have the treatment accorded to its employes in every department equal to the best given by any company, both as to remuneration and working conditions. Although on investigation it was found that the company's officers could not meet .vour demands without disregarding the labor market and establishing on the Canadian Pacific system a basis of pay very much iu excess of that prevailing on other systems similarly situated, it was decided to go to the extreme limit that coiild be justified, and, as I have stated above, increases have been granted for length of service and other reasons which represent an annual addition to your payrolls of one hundred thousand dollars. If you still desire to meet me, let me know the date and hour, please, on which you desire the meeting. Yours truly. D. McXICOLL, Second Vice-President and (General Manager. The fomniittee rejilied as follows: Montnal, .Tune 10. 1901. Mr. D. McXicoll. Second Vice President and (General ?ilanager. C. P. Ry. Dear Sir: Your favor of even date has been received, and as you have failed to state what you consider fair wages and fair conditions of employment for your maintenance-of-way men, we do not thiidv it necessary to discus^the matters we have under consideration any further with you; therefore, we have decided to make an effort to secure what we consider a fair settlement, and one that will be satisfactory to the men we represent, through Mr. Shaugh- uessy, president of the Canadian Pacific Railway ('oinp.in.v . Yours truly, J. LENNOX, Chairman Committee. 22 THE CAI.CIUM UGHT On June 7, before the seances given bj the general superintendent bad ceased, division superintendents and roadniasters started over their divisions distributing the following "Kules Governing the Ser- vice of Section Foremen and Sectionmen." The foremen were told by their superintendents, and roadmasters that their committee had left MontreaJ: CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY COMTANY. RULES GOVERNING THE SERVICE OF SECTION FOREMEN AND SECTIONMEN. 1. Teu hours will constitute a day's work for section foremen and section- men. When required to work over ten hours, or on Sundays, overtime will be allowed pro rata. 2. Regular trackmen taken from their plaee of residence temporarily to work on snow or tie trains, or other work, will be compensated for the addi- tional expense they necessarily incur. 3. Sectioumeu when employed as track walkers will be paid at their regular rate for the time occupied, with a minimum of one-half day. 4. Trackmen required to attend switch lamps before or after their regular hours will receive therefor fifty (50) cents per lamp per month. 5. Trackmen will be promoted to the position of foreman on their re- spective superintendent's or roadmaster's division in order of seniority, pro- vided they are found qualified. 6. In spai'sely settled districts the company will, for trackmen, during the summer season, transport free of charge, fresh meats twice a week from the nearest point of supply, and eatables and clothing at half regular rates. 7. A member of .the household of a section foreman, will be furnished Avith free transportation twice a month to and from the nearest point for the purpose of purchasing the necessary supplies. 8. Trackiuen who have been in the service of the company continuously for a period of one year as such, will be granted leave of absence and trans- portation once a year to any point on their respective general superintendent's division. 9. Trackmen suspended pending investigation will be allowed time while suspended when investigation proves them blameless. 10. Trackmen leaving the service through reduction of staff: when re- engaged within one year, will be granted free transportation to place of work. 11. The company will keep section houses in repair. Cost of repairs other than ordinary wear and tear will be charged to occupants. 12. Where Avater is transported for use of section gangs, good water and suitable sunken tanks will be provided. 7th June, 1901. The above "rules" did not contain the signature of any C. P. Ry. official, and was not submitted to the committee. To better give the reader an idea of the course of procedure adoj)ted by the company to disorganize the men, the following letters, taken at random from many received at headipiarlers, are reproduced: Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 23 Juue 8, 1901. For your inl'oniuitiun I will state the C\ 1'. 11. eoiupany's offieials are again resorting to their old game of trying to undermine our committee. Yesterday the superintendent and roadmaster went over tliis division on a special engine and interviewed every man, but did not change many minds. I was the first to be interviewed. The engine pidled up and stopped; the roadmaster stepped oil'. As soon as I saw him 1 knew there was something wrong. lie said: "I suppose you Icnow that 1 have been in Montieal for the last three weeks trying to settle with your committee, but could not do anything with them; they are a lot of fools. 1 have with me a copy of the schedule the conipany has decided to give you. Your wages will be increased ten cents a day; the wages of your oldest man will be increased ten cents a day, but the remainder of your men will receive the old rate of Avages." "Y'es," I said, "and then you will discharge our committee?" "Oh, no," he said. "Well, look here," 1 replied, '"do .^ou know A\iiat I think? 1 think Mr. McNi.'i'oll never intended to recognize our committee. In April he asked them to go home and come back to Montreal the latter part of May, and he would adjust our grievances. He immediately gave orders for three or four extra men to be put to work on each section to help put in ties, a thing that was never done before; then he invited the committee to return to Montreal and kept them there until a day or two ago without adopting a clause of the pro- posed schedule. No, do not misunderstand me: I am going to stand by the committee." He then said: "The C. P. Ry. is rich; you are poor, and my advice to you is to remain at work; or if you go out in order to comply with your obligation to your committee, you can return to work the next day. In this way you will fulfill your obligation to your committee, and to your Order." I answered by saying: "If I am ordered out by our committee I will go out to stay. I am poor but honest, and am not afraid to work. If I cannot work for the company under fair conditions, I will hnd other employment." * « * June 8, 1901. I write to inform you that the officials on tliis division are trying to make fools of us trackmen. The roadmaster went over the division today with a special train, telling us our committee had left ^Montreal without making a settlement, and that while there they were drunk and did not attend to busi- ness. At first I believed the story, but after thinking the matter over I con- cluded it Avas a scheme to discourage and disorganize the men, and cause them to lose confidence in tlieir representatives. The roadmaster tried to find out who would stick to their Avork, and Avho Avould not, in case a strike is ordered, but the men here Avould not give him any satisfaction. 1 write this to put you on your guard. It will be advisable for you to notify all tlie men along the line, as many of them may be persuaded to believe the story. I am afraid Ave Avill have to strike and fight for our rights before the company will recognize us and settle our grievances. June 10 the following; letter was mailed to each member of the B. R. T. of A. on the C. P. Ry. system: Your committee has not been able to make a settlement with the general managei'. ^Ve contend for fair wag'>s, fair conditions of employment, and an 24 THE CALCIUM LIGHT agreement signed by the proper official, Avliioli will protect all maintenance-of- way men against injustice and petty discrimination. He declines to make any concessions except in individual cases, and told us plainly, in the presence of five roadmasters. that it is the policy of the company to replace roadmasters with civil engineers. We requested him to give us an outline in writing stating what he considers fair wages, and fair conditions of employment for mainte- nance-of-way men. In reply to our request on the 8th instant, he suggested that conferences be resumed, and on the same day sent out a list of printed rules without attach- ing any signature thereto; they are being distributed by roadmasters, who are telling the men along the line that their committee went home. The president of the company will be informed of the double dealing that is going on, and requested to consider your grievances at once, and mal^e a fair settlement; if he declines to do so, a suspension of work will be ordered. You know what your instructions to your committee are; rest assured they will be carried out to tne best of our ability. We have not and are not going to act rash; if the company forces us to suspend work, we will "strike to win," even if it takes a year. We have been fair with the manager; your grievances were submitted in writing, with an explanation why you think you are entitled to the things asked for; if he has any conception of fair wages and fair conditions of employ- ment for our craft, he has not submitted it to your committee in writing. Pay no attention to rumors or false reports; be as true to yourselves and families as your committee is going to be to your interests. If you will do this the matter will be settled and settled right. Yours in B. L. and U. (Signed) JOSEPH LENNON, chairman. R. C. MONTGOMERY, E. E. NASON, THEODORE EDMUNDSON, F. F. FREDERIC, J. B. BRUNSKILL, GEORGE McTAGGART, J. ^Y. JOHNSON, A. F. STOUT, Secretary. REMARKS: It seems that at least some of the officials of the Canadian Pacific Railway are not disposed to be fair with the committee, the men they represent, or the public. They did not stop at telling the men all along the line that your com- mittee had left Montreal, which is false. In some cases they have told the men that the committeemen were drunk, and did not attend to business while here. In defence of the committee I must say they have conducted themselves in a manner becoming to gentlemen and good citizens and have earnestly worked night and day trying to effect a peaceable settlement. The only drunken man I have seen in Montreal was one of the C. P. Railway officials, who asked me to advise him what to do, and wanted to know if I thought it would l>e proper for him to make a confession to his superior officer. I told him to go to bed. and get sober and then go home and ask his wife to excuse him. and his God to pardon him and to conduct himself as a gentleman should hereafter, and fear no man. If .vour committee fails to make a settlement, and trouble is forced upon you, maintain your manhood, continue to be honest, hard-working, law-abiding Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 25 citizens, as you have been in tbe past, and the good people of the Douiiuiou of Canada will aid you in your struggles to redress the wrongs that have been, and are now being imposed upon you. J. T. WILSON, President B. R. T. of A. The attitude of the manager towards the committeemeu, coupled with the doings of his subordinate ofticials, was taken as proof positive that he did not intend to recognize the committee or to make a satis- factory settlement with it. After discussing the situation, the committee decided not to con- sume any more time arguing the case with him, and placed the matter in the hands of the president of their organization. The following is a copy of the letter sent by the president of the Brotherhood of Railway Trackmen to the president of the C. P. Ry. company : Montreal, .Tune 10th. 1901. T. G. Shaughnessy. President Canadian Pacific Railway Co. Dear Sir: Enclosed hercAvith is a copy of a circular letter whith lias been forwarded to each of your maintenance-of-Avay men by a committee duly authorized to represent them and to treat with the company for the purpose of securing a satisfactory agreement pertaining to wages, terms and condi- tions of employment, etc. In behalf of the committee I feel authorized to say they are anxious to secure a fair and satisfactory settlement, to perpetuate harmony and good feeling among all of your employes and to aid in improving the service of the company. According to my judgment the committee has been much fairer with your subordinates in trying to effect a settlement than they (your subordinates) have been towards the committee. Tlie men realize that they need employment from the company, but at the same time thinlv the company should in some way give substantial evidence of its appreciation of their services. It being the policy of the organization I represent (the Brotherhood of Railway Trackmen of America) to avert trouble between our members and their employers Avhen it can be done in an honorable way, I will request you to receive the committee and consider the men's complaints, and I will be glad to do anything I can that seems to me right and reasonable to aid in bringing about a proper understanding and a satisfactory settlement of all differences. The committee is of the opinion that if tlie company desires to retain them and tlie men they represent in its servii-e. steps should be taljen along prac- tical lines at once to bring the matter to a close. If you desire to avoid a suspension of work by the maintenance-of-way men on your road and will consider the men's complaints at once, please advise me not later than noon today (.June 11); in case no answer is received by the time specified the responsibility for any inconvenience to the public that may take place will rest witli the Canadian Pacific Railway Company. Yours vvvy truly. .TOIIN T. WILSON. President B. R. T. of A. The president of the C. P. Ry. company made no direct reply to 26 THE CAI.CIUM LIGHT the above, but his private secretary sent the following communication ito the chairman of the trackmen's committee: Moutrcal, Que., Juue 11, 1901. J. Leunou, Esq., Graud Union Hotel, City. Dear Sir: The president is in receipt of a letter intimating that a com- mittee of the company's employes in the maintenance-of-way department, Avho have been in eomniunication ^Yith the second vice-president and general man- ager about wages and other matters without, apparently, reaching a satisfac- torily agreement, wish an interview with the president, so that he may consider the committee's complaints, and, presumably, give his assistance towards the adjustment of any difficulties that may exist. I am instructed Ijy the president to say that, in accordance with his imi- form practice in similar cases, he will be glad to meet your eommit'ee of em- ployes of the maintenance-of-way department at his office tomorrow (Wednes- day) morning, at 11 o'clock. Unfortunately his previous engagements Avill keep him occupied this after- noon. Yours truly, JAS. R. NELSON, Secretary. The committee called at the ofiice of the president the next morn- ing (June 12), as per written request. After discussing the ques- tions at issue for about an hour the conference adjourned with the understanding that the discussion would be resumed at three o'clock in the afternoon. A few minutes before three o'clock the chairman of the committee was called to the telephone in the Grand Union Hotel and informed not to come to the president's office, but to await the receipt of a letter w'hich was then being prepared. The following is a copy: Montreal, 12th June, 1901. Mr. J. Lennon, Montreal. Dear Sir: Inasmuch as you and the other employes of the" maintenance- of-way department did not appear to liave full information as to the rates at present in force on the company's line, because of the changes made during the past two mouths. I give it to you as follows: Effective the first of May we made advances: All divisions: 10 cents per day to first man in each section gang Avheu he has worked one year, continuously, as C. P. R. section man. Effective the first of June, we made still further advances: ATLANTIC DIVISION. Foremen in charge of yards at McAdam and We.st St. John, increased from $1.90 to $2.00 per day. Second man in each section gang increased, so that he will receive only five cents per day less than first man, when he has worked one year, continuously as C. P. R. section man. All section men in main line terminal yards increased to same rate as second man, when they have worked on(^ year, continuously, as C. P. R. section men. Foremen of extra gangs will he i)aid from $2.00 to $2.50 per day, according to nature of work and number of men in gang, as may be decided l)y general superintendent. Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 27 eastern division. Foremen in i-harsc of ynrds and torniinals at Mcj.'.inti(' increased from $1.90 to $2.00 per day. SluTlH-ookc " " 1.80 to 2.00 " Newport " " 1.80 to 2.00 " " Riohford " " 1.80 to 2.00 " " Farnliani " " 2.00 to 2.10 " " Smith's Falls " " 2.00 to 2.10 " Montreal Ter. (2) " " 1.80 to 1.90 " Ottawa " " 2.00 to 2.10 " Carleton Jet " " 2.00 to 2.10 " " Second man in each section gang increased so that lie will receive only five cents per day less than first man when he has worked one year continuously as C. P. R. sec- tion man. All section men in main line terminal yards to be increased to same rate as second man, when they have worked one year continuously as C. P. R. section men. Foremen of extra gangs will he paid from $2.00 to $2.50 per day according to nature of work and numlier of men in gang, as may be decided by general superintendent. ONTARIO DIVISION. Foremen in charge of terminals at Toronto (3) increased from $2.00 to $2.10 per day, and at Havelock and Owen Sound (2) increased from $1.90 to $2.00 per day. Second man in each section gang to be increased so that he will receive only five cents per da.y less than the flrst man, when he has worked one .year continuously as C. P. R. section man. All section men in main line terminal yards to be increased to same rate as second man. when the.v have worked one year continuously as C. P. R. section men. Foremen of extra gangs will be paid from $2.00 to $2.50 per day according to nature of work and number of men in gang, as maj- be decided by general superintendent. LAKE SUPERIOR DIVISION. Foremen in charge of terminal yards at Chalk River, North Bay, Webbwood, Sault Ste. Marie, Cartier, Chapleau, White River and Schreiber. increased from $2.00 to $2.10 per da.v. Second man in eacli section increased so that he will receive only five cents per day less than first man when he has worked one .vear continuousl.v as C. P. R. section man. All section men in main line terminal yards to be increased to same rate as second man, when they have worked one year continuously as C. P. R. section men. Foremen of extra gangs will be paid from $2.00 to $2.50 per day according to nature of work and number of men in gang, as may be decided by general superintendent. WESTERN DIVISION. Foremen in charge of terminal yards at Broadview, Moosejaw, Swift Current, Medi- cine Hat, Calgary and Laggan, increased from $55.00 to $60.00 per month. Section men from Cranbrook to Crow's Nest inclusive: Leading man in each section gang to be increased from $1.35 to $1.50 per day. Second and other men in each section gang to be Increased from $1.25 to $1.40 per day. Section men on main line and branches except from Crow's Nest to Kootenay Land- ing: Second man in each section gang to be increased so that he will receive only five cents per day less than the first man, when ho has worked one year continuously as C. P. R. section man. All section men in main line terminal yards now receiving less than $1.40 per day to be increased to same rate as second man when they have worked one year continuously as C. P. R. section men. Foremen of extra gangs will be paid from $2.00 to $3.00 per day, according to nature of work and number of men in gang, as may bo decided by general superintendent! PACIFIC DIVISION. Foremen in charge of terminal yards at section No. 1 out of Vancouver, Revelstoke, Roger's Pass, Field. Nakusp, Rossland, Nelson. Sandon, Three Forks to be increased from $55.00 to $00.00 per mouth. 28 THE CALCIUM LIGHT Section men: First man (white labor only) in each gang, Vancouver to Laggan inclu- sive, and main line branches to be increased from $1.35 to $1.40 per day. All other seC' tion men (white labor only) in same limits to be increased from $1.25 to $1.35 per day. Foremen of extra gangs will be paid from $2.00 to $3.00 per day, according to nature of worli and number of men in gang, as may be decided by general superintendent. Switch tenders, Field grade, from $40.00 to $45.00 per mouth. Track and bridge watclimen to be advanced $3.00 per month, maximum $45.00 per month. Bridgemen to receive uniform rating over division. We have also placed in effect the enclosed set of rules with regard to the service of section foremen and section men. [This refers to rules sent out under date of June 7.] In view of our conversation this morning, it has been decided to grant to section foremen transportation once a year to any point on the Canadian Pacific Railway, and similar transportation to section men and others engaged on maintenance-of-way work who have been in our service for a period of three years. With these advances and liberal rules I find that our traclj forces are receiv- ing generally a higher rate of pay than is in effect on any other railway on this continent. > Yours truly, D. McNICOLL, Second Vice-President and General Manager. CHAPTER HI. STRIKE ORDER ISSUED. The committee considered the foregoing letter, in conjunction with the reports which were being received daily from members relative to the actions of the minor officials along the line, a refusal upon the part of the manager to recognize the committee as the maintenance-of-way men's chosen representatives and a challenge from the company. A motion to order a suspension of work was then offered, seconded, dis- cussed at some length, voted upon and carried unanimously. On June 12 the following letter, before being mailed to the mem- bers of the B. R. T. of A., was presented to the president of the Brother- hood of Railway Trackmen, by the committeemen, for his approval: Being unable to effect a settlement, according to your expressed wishes, with the Canadian Pacific Railway officials, your general grievance committee, as provided for in the certificate of auUiority, liereby orders a suspension of work, to take effect on Monday, '.Tune 17tli. 1901, at 6 o'clock a. m., as author- ized by section 13. page 28, of the constitution of the Brotherhood of Railway Trackmen of America. All foremen in the maintenance-of-way department will put their cars and all tools in car houses and lock the doors, turning over all keys belonging to the company to the nearest station agent, after taking their receipts for the same. Then send the following message to their superior officers: — Mr Myself and men have suspended work, and will not be responsible for the company's property in our charge after 6 o'clock a. m., June 17th, 1901. (Signed) TuRNKD On by a Railway Trackman. 29 This message should be sent promptly at 6 o'clock a. m. on the above date, or as soou thereafter as received. No order to resume work should be taken notice of unless it bears the written signature of your chairman and the im- pression of grand division seal of the Brotherhood of Railway Trackmen of America. All bridgemen receiving notice as above will comply with same and be governed accordingly. To remind you of your duty to your committee, we hereby reproduce the certificate of authority signed by you: — To Whom it May Concorn: Wc, the mulersij^nc'd maiutt'iianre-of-way (Iciiartmeut employes on the Cauadiaii Pacific Railway, hereby authorize JIe.s.srs. J. Lennou, F. Frederick, R. C. Montgomery, Theo. Edmnndson, E. E. Xasou, J. B. Bnuiskill, Geo. A. McTaggart, J. W. Johnson and A. F. Stout, who constitute our general grievance committee, to confer with the proper officials of said Railway Company, and to enter into an agreement with them concerning our wages, terms and conditions of employment, etc. It is expressly understood that in case the majority of the maintenauce-of-way de- partment employes on the Canadian Pacific Railway authorize said committee to enter into an agre'cment with the C. P. Railway officials (to sell their labor for them), and if the officials of said company decline to receive our committee and to enter into an agree- ment with it, similar to the agreements entered into with other classes of their em- ployes, the committee, with the sanction of the grand president of the Brotherhood" of Railway Trackmen of America, will have authority to order a suspension of work, and their order will be obeyed. The undersigned hereby bind themselves to carry out in good faith their part of the agreement entered into by the above named committee with the company's officials. (Signed) We have done our duty as a committee, and it now rests with you to perform your duty as honest men. We will stay in Montreal until a satis- factory settlement has been reached. JOSEPH LENNON, Chairman. A. F. STOUT, Secretary. R. C. MONTGOMERY, E. E. NASON, THEODORE EDMUNDSON, F. FREDERICK. J. B. BRUNSKILL, GEORGE McTAGGART, J. W. JOHNSON, Approved June 13. J. T. WILSON, President of B. of R. T. of A. Before approving of tlie foregoing order for the maintenance- of-way men to suspend work, the president of the B. R. T. of A. sent the following communication to the president of the C. P. Ry. com- pany: Montreal, June 13, 190k T. G. Shaughnessy, Esq., President C. P. Ry. Company. Dear Sir: Owing to the manner in which negotiations have been con- ducted between your subordinate officials and our committee representing your maintenance-of-Avay men, I do not think it possible for them to make a satis- factory and peaceable settlement. 30 THE CAI^CIUM LIGHT I judge from the reports received from our committee, that the geutlemeu they have been holding conferences with are experienced diplomats, but it seems they are not broad enough to make allowance for a committee of humble workingmen, Avho have had no trair.ing in such matters; in fact, if I have been correctly informed, the conferences have been conducted in such a manner as to arouse passion instead of appealing to reason. According to rumors which seem to be well authenticated, the committee, and the men they represent have been referred to by officials of the company in a very disrespectful manner. One official is quoted as saying: "Bosh! Bosh! the idea of an ignorant lot of trackmen coming here and wanting to be dealt with like skilled workmen." Another of your officials holding an important position has scoffed at committees representing other classes of your employes, taking the position that they should be ashamed to ask for any concessions from the company, and that if any class of men in the service of the company shouhl receive an increase of wages it should be the poor trackmen; "his heart went out for them," etc., but when the "poor trackmen's" committee appeared before him he took the posi- tion that if they would practice economy and live right they would have money to burn on $1.15 per day. Other officials have reported to the men along the line that their committee (trackmen's) had left Montreal, were drunk, and did not attend to business while here, etc., and that they were "a set of fools." Your general manager takes the position that it would be unjust to the stockholders for him to make a greater allowance for maintenance-of-way men. Having studied the wage and transportation questions for several years I think I can make a suggestion which, if put into practice, Avould enable the company to allow its maintenance-of-way men all they have asked for, and, at the same time, increase the dividends. My suggestion is this: If the company would restrict the use of free passes to railway mail clerks and railway employes generally, and require all who ride on complimentary passes to pay for trans- portation, the increase in revenue would amouur to a great deal more than the increase in wages Avhich the mainlenanc«-of-way men are asking for. I asked one of your conductors sometime ago how many passengers he had in the two sleeping cars attached to his train. His answer was, "Forty-two." I then asked how many were riding on complimentary passes. He replied, "Twenty-two." On another occasion six passengers and myself were riding in a first-class coach, and I asked the conductor how many of us Avere paying our fare." He replied: "Yourself and one other." On another occasion a passenger was on board, traveling on a complimentary pass to Vancouver and return, who appreciated the favor to such an extent that he was swearing at and damning the C. P. Ry. company on account of its poor sleeping car facili- ties. Another of your passenger train conductors, in answer to a question pro- pounded by myself, stated that about half of the people who rode on the train be was in charge of, rode on passes and that about 75 per cent of the passes were complimentary; the other 25 per cent were issued to employes. I am also advised that your manager retains in the service of the com- pany an army of train auditors and private detectives at an expense of several thousand dollars a year to the company. Honest workingmen take offense at being scrutinized by idle parasites who consume but do not produce wealth. Turned On by a Raii^way Trackman. 31 Such things have a temleucy to prcjudiec employes against tlie corporation they are employed by. On my arrival in Montreal on ilie 29tli of May I stopped at the Grand Union Hotel. A rough looking character stopped at the hotel the same day and kept a close watch on me until I requested tlie clerk to give him to under- stand that I was not a criminal and did not care to have strangers following me about town. If you desire to take the matter up with me for the purpose of finding out what is right and proper under the circumstances, and effect a peaceable settlement with your maintenance-of-way men, I will be glad to begin negotia- tions on the following conditions: 1. You to concede that the committee, which has been praitically ignored by your subordinate officials, are your maintenance-of-way men's chosen repre- sentatives, with myself as their spokesmai\ 2. That the committee and the men they represent should not be humiliated and discouraged by the company refusing to enter into an agreement with the committee, setting forth the terms and conditions of their employment, and that the agreement be signed l)y the proper official of the road. 3. Conferences to begin tomorrow (.June 14) and to continue daily there- after (Sundays excepted) until we agree or disagree. 4. You to employ one stenographer competent to report the proceedings, and the committee to employ another equally competent. 5. Our committee and such other officials as you desire to have present, to meet and participate in the conferences. Our committee representing your maintenance-of-way men voted last night, without a dissenting vote, to order a suspension of woi'k. The matter is now in my hands, and if I am not advised by j'ou before three o'clock this afternoon (.June 13) that you will endeavor to effect a settle meut along the lines above indicated, my sanction for the committee to order a suspension of work will be given. I sincerely hope that trouble can be averted, and I certainly do not desire to consent to anything that might inconvenience the public or embarrass the C. P. Railway officials: but the men I am speaking for are as essential to the successful operation of railways as any other class, and ai'e entitled to similar treatment from the officials of the company. Y'ours very respectfully, .JOHN T. WILSON. President B. R. T. of A. No reply was received to the above letter. The following letter, issued by the C. P. Ry. officials the day be- fore the}' were notified that the maintenance-of-way men's representa- tives would order a suspension of work, proves that the officials did not intend to recognize the committee nor to make an amicable settle- ment : CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY COMPANY. ^ North Bay. 13th .June, 1901. To Maintenance-of-Way Employes. Canadian Pacific Railway: A committee, claiming to represent a large number of our maint(>nance-of- way employes, had a meeting with our manngenient at Monti-i-al in April last. They submitted a memo of what they claimed to be grii'vances, and were told 32 THE CALCIUM LIGHT as it would take some weeks to iuvestigale sjime, free transportation would be given them to return to their homes, and a promise was made then that by the end of May they would be recalled to Montreal for conference. They were recalled to Montreal on the 30th of ^lay. when the question of pay and conditions of maintenance-of-way employes were fully discussed with them. It was pointed out that the Canadian Pacitic Railway Company had made extensive enquiry and found they were then paying as much, and in many cases more than was paid by other railways, and that the conditions of section men on the whole were very much better on the Canadian Pacific Rail- way than elsewhere. The committee were also advised that the company, desiring to see their employes satisfied, had made many increases dating from 1st May and 1st .June, benefitting especially those who had been in our service for some time, which increases amounted on the whole to about one hundred thousand dollars per annum. A memo of rules dated 7th June, governing the service of section foremen and section men, was also issued by the company, and since then has been added to. the company in addition agreeing to give section foremen transporta- tion once a year over any part of its line, and similar transportation to other maintenance-of-way employes who have been in the service for three years or more. The committee have been received throughout the conference in the most frank and kindly manner, and were afforded every opportunity to give reasons why their demands should be complied with, but have failed to give any sound reason. While we know that many of the employes on maintenance-of-way are satisfied with their pay and conditions, and are not represented by the com- mittee, having been so advised by them, we feel that others whom the com- mittee claim to represent should known the true state of affairs, and we hope that neither the committee nor any large number of our employes who have been in the company's sei-vice for years, and In whose welfare the company and its officers are sincerely interested, will be guided by hasty and reckless advice. T. WILLIAMS. General Superintendent, Lake Superior Division. At 3 p. m. tbe order for the maintenance-of-way men to suspend work on the C. P. Ry. system was approved by the president of the B. R .T. of A., and a copy of same was then mailed to each member of the order on the system. The following official notice (with copy of strike order enclosed), was sent to the president of the C. P. Ry. company: Montreal. .Tune 14. 1901. T. G. Shaughuessy. Esq.. President Canadian Pacific Railway Company. Dear Sir: You will find enclosed a copy of an order issued by our com- mittee who are representing your maintenance-of-way department employes, for them to suspend work at 6 o'clock a. m.. Monday. .Tune 17th. Our committee issued a notice of the suspension of work which is to take place, to the public this a. m. Reporters from all of the afternoon papers called at our committee room and received copies of same, and I presume this notice will appear in each of the Montreal afternoon papers. Turned On by a Railway Trackrlan. S3 Altbougli you did not cousider my communication of yesterday of any significance, 1 feel constrained to advise you tliat an industrial upheaval of no small magnitude is liable to take place during tlie next few days unless men of your station and iutluence malve efforts along prudent and practical lines to avert it. There is a strong suspicion in the minds of men who are con- ducting the affairs of industrial organizations that the members of the Rail- way Managers' Association have entered into an agreement to make war on industrial organizations, more especially those composed of railway employes. a .tf * r I do not claim perfection for trade unions. They are human institutions and their otticers and members often make mistakes, but they have been formed for the purpose of coping with organized greed, and for the mutual welfare of participants, while, in my judgment, tlie (ieneral Managers' Association has been formed for the pu-rpose of oppressing the oppressed. * * * * Your maintenance-of-way juen are well organized and are very deter- mined. * * * * I maintain tlie public have rights in these matters that should l»e con- sidered, and am anxious to co-operate with those who desire to prevent indus- trial disturbances and to keep the wlieels of industry moving. When the pur- <:hasiug power of a wage-earner's dollar is decreased so that it will take 100) cents to purchase what 80 cents would purchase two years ago, the working- man must have a corresponding increase in his wages, or adjust himself to a lower standard of living — one of the two. Yours respectfully, JOHN T. AVILSON, President B. R. T. of A. June 1-1 the following "Notice to the Public" was issued by the committee: NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC: We, the committee repi-esenting the maintenance-of-way department em- ployes on the Canadian Pacific Railway, have been trying to effect an amicable adjustment of the men's dift'erences with the C. P. Ry. officials for the last tAvo months. l)ut to our sorrow and disappointment we find it impossible to make any kind of a settlement with the company. We hold written instructions from at least ninety-five per cent of the regular men employed in the niaintenauce-of-way department to secure an agreement setting forth the terms and conditions of their employment, or to order a suspension of work. After exhausting every means known to us to bring about a satisfactory settlement we decided to order a suspension of work. * * * * In consideration, however, of the rights and safety of the traveling public, we decided that the strike sliouid not become effective until 6 o'clock a. m. on the morning of June 17. The general manager contends that he has offered to make liberal concessions to the men we reprt^ent. and that if we wer^ reasonable men we would accept and be satisfied with the new rules adopted by the company for the government of our craft. The following letter received by our president from one of the section men explains tlie manner in which the men are receiving what the general manager calls "liberal concessions": 34 THE CALCIUM LIGHT Dear Sir and Brother.— I wish you to bring before our committee at the Grand Union Hotel, Montreal, the following facts, which I hope will give them an idea of the kind of officials they have to deal with, and also to show how those same officials are doing (as they say) all they can for us. I am one of these flve-ceut men (as we boys call it); that is, the great C. P. R. company has condescended to advance my wages the whole of five cents a day. Just as I was congratulating myself on the advance in wages 1 received notice that after a certain date tracli-walkers on Sunday would only be al- lowed one-half day's pay for their services, where formerly we received a day's pay. As we are such an ignorant class of men, it took me some little time to figure out "where . I was at," but I found the result as follows: Decrease in wages through track-walking be- ing cut down, 571/2 cents; increase in wages, six days at five cents per day, 30 cents; balance in favor o^" C. P. K. company, per week, 'ZlVz cents. Now, sir, does the ('. P. K. company think for a moment that we are to be gulled that way'/ Every man in this part of the country is up in arms at such a low ])iece of trickery. It surely must be the same official who, it is said, concocted the scheme that beat each one of the trainmen out of two or three dollars a month, and received as a reward one thousand per annum increase in his own salary. Of course, we know it is not supposed to be a very hard job to fool the ordinary trackman, but we object to being "done up" that way, and if our committee cannot mako a fair and reasonal)le settlement with the company, we are prepared to fight the matter to the bitter end. (Signed) All members of the B. R. T. of A., are earnestly requested to refrain from saying or doing anything that would reflect discredit upon theta, or cause the honest thinking people of Canada to withliold their support while we are strug- gling with a giant corporation to secure a just share of the wealth we help to create. J. LENNOX, Chairman. A. F. STOUT. Secretary. CHAPTER IV. THE STRUGGLE BEGINS. On June 17 telegraphic reports indicated that, with few excep- tions, the maintenance-of-way men on about l(l,()()() miles of railroad had simultaneouslv suspended work — an unheard of occurrence in the history of railroading. To give a complete record of all that took place in connection with the strike, from June 17 to August 30 (the day upon which the agree- ment was reached with the company), would require more space than we have at our disposal; therefore we shall only consider the most im- portant features. The officials of the company took the position that the mainte- nance-of-way men on the C. P. Ry. system were as well treated as the same class of men on any other railway on the continent. On June 18 the comjiany's statement, according to local news- paper reports, was to the effect that not more than ten per cent of the men liad responded to tfie order to quit work, and the strike had al- ready "fizzled out.'' On the evening of June 19 I addressed a public meeting in the in- terests of the sti-iking trackmen in Forum Hall, Toronto, Out. Ac- cording to newspaper reports, after 1 had left the hall to take a train Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 35 for Montreal, Mr. Armstrong-, a former president of the Tjpugraphital Union, severely criticised the striking trackmen on the C. P. R3'. sys- tem for making efforts to bring about improved conditions for them- selves and families, taking the position that trackmen on other roads were receiving less wages than the C. P. Ry. company was paying. The following explains the trackmen's position, and is a refutation of newspaper statements : Montreal, Juiu' 21. 1901. TO THE PTTBLIC: We, the chosen i-epresentatives of the uiaintenance-of- way department employes on the Ca.taaack: THE MEN ALL OUT AND WILL STAY OUT UNTIL TOLD BY COMMITTEi: TO RETURN. A similar message was sent to AViunipeg. The reply was: ALL OUT TO STAY. The report that the men have all returned to work on the C. P. IJailway in the State of Maine is I'efuted by the local representative from Presque Lsle, as the following message will show: THEY SAY IX THE PAPERS THAT THE MEN HAVE GONE BACK TO WORK. THIS IS NOT TRUE. NOT ONE OF THEM HAS GONE BACK. ALL ARE OUT TO STAY. Similar reports have been received from various parts of the entire system. Any citizen who would not use the names of the parties making reports for blacklisting purposes is at liberty to call at our committee room for tlie pur- pose of convincing himself whether or not our statements are correct. A commercial traveler called at the committee room and said he wanted to go to Manitoba, and desired to go via the C. P. Railway. He called at the office of the company and was told the strike was over, al)out all of the men had resumed work, etc. He doubted the truthfulness of the statement, came to the committee room, and requested us to advise him of the true state of affairs. We exhibi+ed messages received from local agents at various places. After inspecting them he remarked: "The C. P. Railway officials are criminal liars. I have a wife and children to live for and will go to Manitoba over some other road." There seems to be a disposition on the part of certain individuals to lead the public mind away from the principles involved in the contest between ttie C. P. Railway company and its maintenance-of-way men. Were it possible, they would divert the minds of the public and persuade them to believe the contest is between the company and the president of flic P>. It. T. of .V. Such is not the case. If we lose in the contest it means more [xiverty, more misery 36 THE CALCIUM LIGHT and suffering for the maintenance-of-way men and their families; if we secure a fair settlement it means more of the necessaries of life for ourselves and families. The president of our organization is a hired man. He came here in obedi- ence to our command. We help to pay his salary. AA'e certainly have as much right to associate ourselves together in an industrial organization and employ a president to look after our interests, as the stockholders of the C. P. Railway company or any other organization have to combine their capital and employ a president to look after their interests. The •"Gazette" this morning makes a very poor argument in behalf of the company, under the caption "Lack of Sympathy Worries Strikers." We be- lieve we have the sympathies of all intelligent, honest, justice and peace-loving citizens, who are familiar with the questions at issue. We have requested the officials of the C. P. Railway company, in an humble and most respectful man- ner, to concede to us the right to have a word to say about the terms and conditions of our employment. We have been scoffed at, ignored, and our actions have been misrepresented by the C. P. Railway officials to our constitu- ents. — a poor class of men who are eking out a miserable existence and are struggling for relief. It is also stated in tlie "Gazette" that a Mr. Armstrong found fault with the position taken by our president at a meeting held in Toronto on the 19tli inst. Our president says there is no truth in this statement. If Mr. Armstrong made an argument in favor of the company it was after he left the meeting place. If Mr. Armstrong has been correctly reported, he must be a tool, a hireling, and would stab labor in the back in the absence of its defenders. The position taken by the company and those who uphold it in refusing to pay its maintenance-of-way men living wages because the Grand Trunk and other railways are withholding from their maintenance-of-Avay men a just share of the wealth they help to create has no weight with intelligent people. Wages are not regidated by justice; they are regulated by the power of indus- trial organization to force them up. The I. T. U.. of which Mr. Armstrong is a member, it is said, does not maintain a uniform scale of wages. The printers in IMontreal. members of the I. T. U.. struck for $11.00 a week a short time ago. and. we have been informed, won their strike. Printers in other towns, members of the same organization, very recently demanded a minimum scale of $18.00 per week, and a nine-hour work day. Their demands were conceded by their employers, not because they loved their employes and did business from a standpoint of justice, but because they did not feel disposed to enter into a contest with the printer's union. If maintenauce-of-way men on other roads in Canada are members of the B. R. T. of A. we are not aware of it. We are endeavoring to fight our own battles on the C. P. Railway with the only means at our command — organiza- tion. If labor organizations must confine their operations to localities where wages are lowest, all advocates of high wages and a higher standard of living should leave this and other civilized countries and confine their operations to heathenized China where workingmen are paid from four to seven cents per day. .TOS. LENNOX, Chairman, A. F. STOUT, Secretary. Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 37 Juue 20 the following; letter was mailed to each member of the U. R. T. of A. ou the C. P. Ry. system: Reports received up to date indicate tbat at least ninety-five per cent of tlie mainteuance-of-wny men on the Canadian Pacific Railway system have suspended work. The company is sending out circular letters and well paid agents over the road, trying to induce the men to resume worlc. They claim to have made liberal offers to the committee. Such is not the case. The company positively refused to enter into any agreement with your committee. The so-called -liberal increase in wages" and "rules" were not even presented to your committee for approval, by the company, until they had been distributed by officials who told the men in many cases that your committee had gone home. You sent us to Montreal to secure an agreement setting forth the terms and conditions of your employment, and we are going to remain here until you compel the company to treat us with as much consideration as it treats all other classes of its employes. In undertaking to put ourselves on an equality with other classes of rail- w-ay employes we are doing right. Stand firm! Be true to your own interests; and the members of other organizations, the oflicials of the C. P. liailway company, and the public Avill respect us. But if you heed the advice of the officials and well paid agents sent along the line to try and persuade you to return to work, they will say in the future what has been said in the past, "Trackmen are a set of fools and have not got enough sand to quit work and stay out until they are recognized and dealt with in the same manner as other classes of railway employes." The officials are trying to sustain themselves in the position taken, by stating to the public that they are paying trackmen more wages than is being paid by other roads in Canada. We admit they are; they also pay the C. P. officials and other classes of employes more than is paid on other roads. Italians receive more wages than Chinamen, — neither are making progress. We must go forward and not backward. We are Canadians and Americans and do not propose to adopt a lower standard of living. The maintenance-of-way men are not receiving a just share of the wealth created on any of the roads; our craft is being wronged by all companies. The injustice differs only in degree. On account of the rise in prices other employers have increased the wages of employes. The purchasing power of our wage has decreased 20 per cent in the last two years; the company is making money; times are prosperous. We should not be compelled to stint our families and reduce our standard of living one-fifth, because times are prosperous. Explain these matters to your friends, and. if necessary, the good people of Canada will aid us in our struggle. Stand firm and we will win. because our position is right, and right should prevail. Yours in B. L. and U., '^ JOSEPH LENNOX. Chairman. A. F. STOUT. Secretary. On the same day the following messap:e was sent to all strikers by the president of the C. P. Ry. company: 38 THE CALCIUM LIGHT TO ALL MAINTENANCE-OF-WAY MEN AVIIO ARE AT WORK, OU WHO HAVE SUSPENDED WORK: I have seen the circiUar issued by the operating officers to the traclimen tliis afternoon, and. tlierefore. feel it a iluty to urge the men. many of whom nave been in the company's service for several years, to consider the situation earefullj' before finally abandoning their occupations. The committee had an interview with me. at which I heard and gave the gravest attention to every- thing advanced, in the interest of their fcUow-wurkmeu. Had there been the slightest warrant for concessions beyond those already made by the company's officers, matters would not have been permitted to reach an acute stage. The men charged Avith the administration of the com- pany's affairs are justified in according to employes the highest pay prevailing on neighboring railways and the greatest consideration in other respects that circumstances will permit. If they go beyond this, they are open to the accusa- tion of incompetency or extravagance. The company has no quarrel with the men In the maintenance-of-way department. There is no desire to show resent- ment becatise of what has occurred. On the contrary, it is hoped that, having given the committee all promised support, every man will return to his work promptly, so as to obtain the advantage of the concessions, representing a very large annual sum that the company felt justified in making, and to give to the company and its officers the same loyal service and support that have charac- terized every branch of the service from the beginning. In dealing with your committee, the company was not governed by petty or technical considerations. From the time that the discussion commenced the only question was as to what could properly be done in the direction of meeting you. and as soon as this was determined it was put into effect imme- diately. The moderation and good sense that you have displayed on nearly every section of the system since the trouble commenced yesterday morning bear testimony to your worth as employes and make the company the more anxious to retain yotir services, if at all possible. Apart from every official consideration, I would be sincerely sorry if any of our old employes should leave us to accept other service without the cer- tainty of improving their positions. T. G. SHAUGHNESSY. June 25 the following letter was mailed to each member of the B. K. T. of A. on the C. P. Ry. svstem : One week has elapsed since you suspended work. Although the officials have been making strentiotis efforts to induce the men to return to work, but one man. so far as we have been advised, has perjtired himself. Quite a nmnber of those who did not suspend work on the 17th inst.. owing either to the fact that they had not received notice to suspend work, or were not members of our order, have since quit work and informed the committee that they will not return until a fair settlement is reached. Tell those who attempt to persuade you to desert our cause, degrade your- selves, and remain in a subservient position, that you have placed the whole matter in the hands of your committee at Montreal, and they have full author- ity to act for you. If you allow yourselves to be persuaded by promises of promotion, increased wages, or by threats of eviction from the companj''s houses if you do not return to work within a certain time, tlie well-paid officials of the company, members of other organizations and the public generally will Jose all respect for our craft. Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 39 Do uot be iuflueneed by newspaper reports or false rumors. Accordiuj; to newspaper reports autl statements made by officials, a large number of llie men returned lo work at various points last weeii. We wired our local agents at these places to know if the reports were true. The same answer was re- ceived from each place: "All men out and will stay out uutil a satisfactory settlement is reached." The compauy. with tlie aid of some of their official organs (the newspapers), are trying to make it appear to Ihe public that it is unreasonable for us to contend for a just share of the wealth we create, because Ave are not being deprived of our just rights to the same extent as maiutenance-of-way men on other roads. Tell your friends and sympathizers that the contest is between the mainte- nauce-of-way men and the C. P. Railway company, and not, as the company would have them believe, between our organization and the company. Men have been hired to take our places and shipjDed to points where they cannot obtain employment, except from the company, but when informed of the true state of affairs, refused to go to worlv. Some of these men have been shipped to places where they can find employment, and others are being supplied with food at the expense of members of local divisions. The Grand Division is furnishing all funds necessary to be used in prosecuting the strike. Our Canadian Pacific system division will be required to defray some expenses which are necessary, but not provided for in the laws of our organization, and as we do not know how long the contest will contintie. we would suggest that all concerned vx'ould accept such contributions as friends and sympathizers may desire to give. If the money collected is required for local purposes, it should be used to the best advantage. If you receive more than is necessary for local requirements, send it to the secretary of yotir committee, ^Ir. A. F. Stout, in each case giving the name of the contributor, and the amount, as we desire to place on record a list showing who otir friends are. The Canadian Pacific Railway company may prefer to pay men $5.00 a day for a few months to fill our places, rather than concede that we have the right to have anything to say about the terms and conditions of our employ- ment, after which time, if they are successful in breaking up our organization, they will be in a position once more to regulate wages to suit themselves in the future, as they have been doing in the past. We are informed that three foremen on one division were furnished with passes and requested to visit the superintendent's office in Montreal last Sat- urday. While we are not in a position to say what indticements were offered, we believe strenuous efforts were made to infiuence the men to return to work, and cause a break in our imbroken hne on said superintendent's division. All loyal members of the organization should refuse to discuss the questions at issue with railway officials. Men who do not desire to be bribed should steer clear of possible "bribe-givers." Christ was betrayed by a Judas, and we expect a few traitors will be foimd in our ranks. Beware of men who ^Isit officials of the company dtiring the present crisis. All nianl,.v men despise traitors, and admire men, as the following instance will show: One of the officials said to one of our brothers the other day: "You had better return to work." He replied: "Our committee is in front of this battle aud I will stand by it until H freezes over." The official remarked: "You are all right. 40 THE CALCIUM LIGHT It makes no difference bow this difficulty terminates, you will have employ- jnent." We believe the company will realize the folly of continuing this contest in a few days, and that a satisfactorj- settlement will be reached, but, at the same time, we must be prepared to continue the struggle for six weeks, six months, or a year, if necessary. We have too much at stalie in this contest to lose. We cannot afford it. We must win. Yours in B. L. & U., JOSEPH LENNON, Chairman. A. F. STOUT, Secretary. The newspapers published numerous reports given out bj^ the offi- cials to the effect that the men were falling over each other in their efforts to get back into their old places. Here is a sample: Montreal, .Tune 25th. — The Canadian Pacific Railway company gives out the following tonight: So little is now thought of the trackmen's strike on the C. P. R. that the papers here scarcely refer to it. The general feeling is that the company is in the right this time, and that the strikers are following old Kruger's plan of keeping up a useless fight, injuring themselves far more than the company. The lack of sympathy with the strikers shown by the Toronto labor unions is also apparent here, and it now seems to be more a matter of personal prestige for John T. AYilson. It has been admitted on all sides that a bad blunder has been m^de in attacking a company that is known to treat its employes better than any of its neighbors, or even than the govern- ment itself does. Inquiry at the Canadian Pacific headquarters confirms the report that many more foremen have returned to work today. The men have got tired of the strike, and one man returning brings more with him. It has been a case of not wanting to be the first to return. "The best day yet," Mr. McNicoU re- marked. Here is another criticism: "President Wilson, the American, know'S right well that, contrasted with the great American railway systems, the C. P. R. trackmen are the better paid men. He declines to discuss that fact, which is so much to the credit of the Canadian and so much to the discredit of the American railway systems. This transcendaut gentleman, not being a British subject, comes into British terri- tory, and gratuitously tells British subjects who follow the occupation of rail- way trackmen on the C. P. Ry. that they should stop work until it is settled that the C. P. Ry is paying its men a "fair share of the wealth they are helping to create." He does not deny that the C. P. Ry. is giving a larger share of that wealth than is given l)y the great coi*porate railway systems in the United States. Mr. Wilson is willing that the American trackmen may, comparatively speaking, starve. His sympathies are limited to the sufferings of poor Canucks. Moi'ever. he does not care to have the American transit trade disturbed. Avhereas his patriotic soul would rejoice to see the C. P. Ry. and G. T. Ry. tied up from end to end. Probably President Wilson has an Income equal to that of many trackmen, altogether apart from "casual advantages." Let him get home to his own side of the Niagara river. Let him wash his own linen, clean his own si allies, and when he has raised the wages of trackmen on the great trunk railway systems of the United States to the level of those paid on Canadian systems; then he may show his face in British territory." Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 41 The Federated Trades Council, of Montreal, decided to bold a meeting on the evening of June 27, and invited the president of the B. R. T. of A. and the president of the C. P. Ry. company, to attend and ex- plain the cause of the difficulty between the trackmen and the com- pany. The Montreal Daily Witness comments as follows: Mr. McNicoll smiled at the idea of either Mr. Shaiiglinessy or himself ap- pearing at the meeting which is called for this evening at Bine Label Hall, in the East End, and which meeting is supposed to be representative of all the labor organizations in tlie city. In a word, the general manager of the C. P. R. considers the strike prac- tically over, although owing to the action of an obstinate committee and others some of the men remain out. The men had not been informed of the advances offered and many of them struck in the dark as to the real situation. The Montreal Gazette contained the following reference to the meeting: Mr. J. T. Wilson was then introduced and spoke for an hour. He said the trackmen felt that their committee had done everything in its power to secure a fair and satisfactory adjustment of the difficulties between the trackmen and the officials of the company, but from some cause the latter had failed to show any disposition whatever to bring about a peaceable settlement of the difficul- ties. He said that he had always tried to be fair in his dealings with men, and had never tried to arouse men's prejudices and passions, because he be- lieved the emancipation of labor depended on men's ability to ediicate them- selves to find out what their rights were and how to bind themselves together and secure a just share of the wealth which they create without industrial upheavals. Mr. AVilson said that he believed in evolution; not resolution, and we could only have evolution by education. He maintained that trackmen were skilled laborers and charged superintendents and roadmasters of some sections with circulating false reports early in June, telling the men that their committee had left Montreal without any settlement being arrived at, and that while here they were drunk and did not attend to business. He then read a communication which the chairman of the trackmen's com- mittee had received last Wednesday from Calgary. It stated that Monday's and Tuesday's express trains were tied up there, and that all trains on the .Edmonton branch were cancelled. Notwithstanding reports to the contrary all men there were out to stay. Galicians had refused to work for $5 a day and board and were being fed by the citizens of Calgary. Telegrams concerning Calgary strikers returning to work were devoid of truth. This communica- tion. Mr. Wilson said, was signed by three members of the trackmen's organi- zation at Calgary. With regard to the cry about other roads not paying as much as the C. P. Ry., he said to a man who had any conception of justice it had no weight, for he contended that all men who were able to do a fair day's work should not be required to work for less than $1.50 a day. The trackmen were contending for better conditions, he said. They wanted to take a step in advance, and the parties opposing them said: "You have gone far enough. Stop!" The necessities of life, he remarked, were 20 per cent dearer here than they were two years ago. Mr. Wilson said these difficulties are 42 THE CALCIUM LIGHT more due to misnuderstandiiig thau they are to the disposition of men to oppress others. Men who liave studied industrial questions and linow any- thing about the law of comparison and have considered the conditions in differ- ent countries, their productions, etc., can see that when we increase the wages of workers it means a greater demand for the products of labor, it means more business, more commercial life; and if the working people all through this country and the States could command $1.50 a day, business men would do better; the transportation companies would do better. "We are not begging for money," Mr. AVilson remarked, "and are not here to deceive you. Our men are full of honest work, and we have sufficient funds to conduct the contest in a legitimate way, indetinitely; and we have ways of getting more. The stability of the members of the organization on the Canadian Pacific railroad was something wonderful, he said. Only one report of desertion had yet been received at the committee room. The memberSj of the Brotherhood of Trackmen were not going to do anything to disgrace the industrial classes of this country. They had been instructed to conduct tliemselves as gentlemen and law-abiding citizens, and anyone violating these instructions would receive no protection whatever. I have no idea, he said, what is the object of the company in prolonging this contest, and in offering men five dollars a day. and going through the country and getting men who have been drunk and blacklisted and putting them in charge of track and the lives of the public. It seems to me they are making a very serious mistake. In conclusion Mr. Wilson said: "I have re- ceived information from good authority that the company is paying inexpe- rienced men one dollar an hour at Calgary to do work that members of the B. R. T. of A. are willing to do for $1.50 a day. The following is taken from the Montreal Daily Star: After recounting the different stages of the negotiations, both in April and May, when the committee, which spoke for ninety-five per cent of the men, exhausted every resource known to them in the hope that a strike might be averted, all of which claims have from time to time been published. Mr. Wilson said: "Brother workingmen. our cause is just; our tactics to win recognition for our humble, but honest, toilers are fair, and we are prepared to continue the struggle indefinitely. We do not come to you begging for money; we have ample for our needs, and should we require more our constitution provides ways to get it. "But I desire to impress upon your mind the fact that this unpleasant warfare could have been averted had the officials of the C. P. R. treated the members of our committee with the recognition to which they are entitled. They speak with authority for the maintenance-of-way men employed on that system, and it is only through them that a settlement can be made; and I sincerely hope that a satisfactory adjustment of our differences may soon be brought about. "In some quarters an appeal to narrow prejudices is made to injure our cause and discourage our men, every one of whom is satisfied to do an honest day's work. I am characterized as an interloper, an American, who has crossed the border into your country for the purpose of creating friction between em- Turned On by x\ Railway Trackman. 43 ployer and employe. Nothing-, my brothers, could be farther from the truth. 1 have been honored with the i)resideuej' of our Brotherhood since it was founded, and 1 defy any one to prove a single instance where I did not put forth tireless and energetic efforts to preserve the harmony which should exist between a company and its men. "I left nothing undone calculated to ward off trouble on the Maine Central three weeks ago; I tried hard to avert it on the C. P. R. one week later; and I would direct your attention to my recommendations made before the Indus- trial Commission at Washington two years ago, wlien I was a delegate from St. Louis. These are matters of record. I maintained then, and I still l)elieve, that there should be created by the government a tribunal whose function it should be to take up disputes between employer and employe and adjust them fairly, their decision to be binding on both parties. Away with national or racial prejudices! \Ye can be honest men no matter where we were born. The time to do right is all the time, and the place is everywhere. I believe in the Fatherhood of Cod and the Brotherhood of Man. Our organization is international; two of the grand executive otticers, out of a total of five, are Canadians. "I am glad to be able to tell you truthfully, for I would not deceive you, that only one man from the Atlantic to the Pacific has deserted our ranks. Is this not remarkable in the history of strikes? The published reports from day to day that the trackmen are returning to work are absolutely without founda- tion. But I repeat that I wish the trouble were over. It shall be just as soon as the C. P. R. officials are willing to recognize that our committee is not self- constituted, as they have claimed to men out on the line. Let them submit a counter-proposition and I believe we can reach an agreement. It is idle to argue that because the Intercolonial and Grand Trunk railways pay their men less than the C. P. railway, section men should not get more than they have been receiving. As well say that because China pays workingmen four cents a day, Italy should pay ten cents, and England a few cents more. I believe in arbitration when the men who make up that tribimal are practical, honest men." Thus Mr. Wilson spoke for almost an hour. The most important feature of the speech, however, was the implied willingness to submit the case of the men to disinterested persons for settlement. It is understood that a compromise of the differences could easily be effected if the C. P. R. officials are willing to open the way to further conferences. One of the greatest obstacles the maintenance-of-waj men on the C P. Ry. had to overcome was the contention that the company was paying its trackmen five cents a day more than other roads were pay- ing the same class of men. The president of the B. R. T. of A., when asked to explain wjiy the trackmen's organization was trying to secure increased wages for its members on the C. P. Ry., when they were receiving more wages than men who performed the same class of work on other railways, more especially the Grand Trunk Railway, replied that the men on the G. T. Ry. were not union men and had not called upon the Brotherhood 44 YHE CAtClUM LIGHT to assist them in an effort to secure increased wages and better condi- tions of employment; the men on the C. P. Ry., however, had contrib- uted part of their meagre earnings for the support of the organization, which entitled them to his services and the support of the organiza- tion. He also maintained that there had been a general rise in prices of the necessaries of life; the country generally was prosperous; the C. P. Ry. company was increasing dividends; therefore, the mainte- nance-of-way men should not be compelled to reduce their standard of living because times were prosperous. To prove his assertion that prices had advanced, he secured from a grocery merchant in Montreal a list showing the market values of the common food products for the year 1899, as compared with present (1901) prices: LIST OF PRICES. 1899. Sugar, per lb $0.04yo Butter, per lb 21 Bread, per loaf 13 Lard, per lb 10 Ham. per lb ISi/g Bacon, per lb 12 Salt Pork, per lb 07 Flour, per lb 0214 Peas (dried) 021/0 Beans, per lb 0214 Barley, per lb 02 1/3 Rice, per lb 04 Rolled Oats, per lb.. .02i/o Can Goods, per can .07 Soap, per bar 05 The above list shows a little over 30 per cent increase; that is, it requires |9.86| to purchase in 1901 what 17.17^ would purchase in 1899. For some reason the above information was not placed before the public by the publishers of newspapers. The contention that maintenanceof-way men should continue to work for less than an equitable share of the wealth they create, be- cause the same class of men on other roads continue to do so, is ab- surd. If one citizen has a sick child and desires the services of a phy- sician, should he be compelled to allow it to die without the attention of a physician because some other person in a community is too heart- less to employ a doctor? If men employed by one railway company are being deprived of their rights is it fair for the public to condemn them when they band themselves together and nmke united efforts to bring about improved conditions for themselves and families, because 1901. 1899. 1901. $0.05 Blueing, per lb $0.13 $0.18 .25 Washing Soda, per .15 100 lbs 1.00 1.75 .12 Cheese, per lb 12 .15 .16 Biscuits, per lb 10 .12 .15 Tobacco, per plug... ,05 .10 .11 Tobacco, leaf 06 '- .10 .031/2 Potatoes (90 lbs.)... .70 .84 .04 Rubbers, per pr 65 .90 .04 Boots, per pr 3.00 3.50 .031/3 Matches, per pkg 10 .121/3 .05% Coal Oil, per gal 17 .20- .031/3 .10 $7.17% $9,361/3 .07 Turned On by a Raii^way Trackman. 45 the same class of men ou other roads have not got brains or courage enough to do likewise? The maintenance-of-wav men on the C. P. Ry., or any other road, have a right to form themselves into protective organizations, and to contend for living wages and fair treatment, without regard to the miserable conditions surrounding the same class of men on other roads. In spite of capitalists, with a monoi)olized means of communi- cation, and a subsidized press to aid them, the sympathies of Cana- dians generally were with the striking trackmen, and they are deserv- ing of the respect of all good citizens for making a manly tight in an honorable and law-abiding way to improve their condition. CHAPTER V. IMP011TINC4 ALIENS. By July 1 the strike had reached an acute stage. Reports re- ceived from local representatives were to the eft'ect that the officials were making desperate efforts to fill men's places with foreign la- borers; that aliens were being brought across the line in large num- bers, under contract, and, in some instances, paid as much as one dollar an hour. In nu\ny cases the strikers and their sympathizers petitioned the local authorities to enforce the Canadian Alien Labor law. Failing to obtain relief in that way, they insisted upon their representatives in Montreal taking the matter up with the Minister of Labor at Ottawa. July 2 the president of the B. R. T. of A., in company with Mr. A. E. Raker, Canadian solicitor for the organization, t-alled on the Deputy Minister of Labor at Ottawa, explained the situation, and filed the following complaint: Russell House. Ottawa. .July Srd, 1901. Mr. "W. L. :\Iaekeuzie King, Deputy Minister of I>al)or. Ottawa. Can. Dear Sir: As president of the International Brotherhood of Railway Track- men, I desire to advise you that the Canadian Alien Labor Act is not being enforced at the various ports of entry in Canada. At a number of points, both in Ontario and in the other Provinces, importations of Italians and other alien laborers are being made by the Canadian racific Railway, and these men are being employed by the said company in connection with the operation of their road in Canada. These men are employed under contract, made by agents of the compa^, at various places along the border in the T'nited States. From information I have received, which is in every way reliable. I feel justitied in making the above statement and believe it in every way to be correct. I might state furtlier that indnccnienis. sucli as higher wages tlian is customary, liave been made in order to import such labor. On behalf of the trackmen I desire to set forth these facts, and to request , 46 THE CALCIUM LIGHT that you take such steps as are necessary to protect the Canadian workmen and lo enforce the Alien Labor Act. Yours truly, JOHN T. WILSON, President B. R. T. of A. The Deputy Minister of Labor replied as follows: Ottawa, July 3, 1901. Sir: I desire to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of today, in which you state tliat at a niimber of points, both in Ontario and other provinces, importations of Italians and otlier alien labour are being made in violation of the Alien Labour Act, and in which yon request, on behalf of the trackmen, that such steps be taken as are necessary to protect the Canadian workmen and enforce the Alien Ijabour Act. I desire to inform you that this department has communicated with the president of the Canadian Pacific Railway in reference to this matter, by in- forming him of the alleged violations which have been brought to the notice of the department, and enclosing for his information a copy of the Alien Labour Act which sets forth the penalties to which the company renders itself liable by violating the act. This department has also communicated with the Canadian immigration agents at the several agencies throughout the Dominion, bringing to their atten- tion the statements contained in your communication, and enclosing for their information copies of the Alien Labour Act, with the request that where they have reason to believe that these provisions are being infringed, they shall bring the provisions of the act to the notice of the parties affected. I inclose herewith a copy of the communication sent to the president of the C. P. R. and a copy of the communication sent to the immigration offices as above mentioned. Also a copy of the consolidation of the Acts to Restrict the Importation and Employment of Aliens, recently prepared by this department I am, sir. Your obedient servant, W. L. MACKENZIE KING. Deputy Minister of Labour. John T. Wilson. Esq.. President Brotherhood of Railway Trackmen of America. (Copy of letter sent to the president of the Canadian Pacific Railway Co.) Ottawa, 3rd July. 1901. Sir: This department has received a communication on behalf of the Rail- way Trackmen stating that at a number of points both in Ontario and in the other Provinces, importations of Italians and other * * * * classes of labour are being made by the C. P. R., in violation of the provisions of the Alien Labour Act. It is further stated that these men are employed under contract made by agents of ycnir company along the border of the United States. I respectfully beg to enclose herewith a copy of the consolidation of the •Mien Labour Acts which contains the amendments to the Acts of 1897 and 1898, passed at the last session of Parliament, for your information. I have the honour to be. Sir. Y'our obedient servant. W. L. MACKENZIE KING, Deputy Minister of Labour. T. G. Shaughnessy, Es(i., President Canadian Pacific Railway. (Copy of letter sent to immigration agents.) Ottawa, 3rd July, 1901. Dear Sir: The Department of Labour has received intimations of alleged violations of the Alien Labour Act at various points along the border between Canada and the Lnited States. Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 47 It is stated In partieular that large numbers of Italians and other classes of labour are being imported under contract from United States to perform work in this country. As you are doubtless aware, such importation, if made in violation of the terms of the Alien Labour Act, is illegal and persons illegally imported ai'e liable to be deported should their illegal importation be proven. The several acts relating to the prohibition and restriction of the importa- tion of aliens have recently been consolidated by this department and I enclose herewith for your information several copies of this act. This department will l)e pleased if you will aid in the effective enforce- ment of this act by bringing to tlie notice of parties the provisions of the law where you have reason to believe that there is a possibility of the same being infringed. Yours truly. W. L. MACKENZIE KING, Deputy Minister of Labour. (Names aud addresses of agents to whom the above letter was sent.) Halifax, F. W. Annand, Dominion Immigration Agent. St. John, N. B., B. Lantalum, Dominion Immigration Agent. Quebec, P. Doyle, Dominion Immigration Agent. Montreal, John Hoolahan, Dominion Immigration Agent. Port Arthur, Ont., J. M. McGovern, Dominion Immigration Agent. Port Arthur, Out, It. A. Burriss, Dominion Immigration Agent. Winnipeg_J. Obed Smith, Commissioner of Immigration. Regina, Paul N. Bredt, Domiuiou Imiuigration Agent. Calgary, C. W. Sutter, Dominion Immigration Agent. Edmonton, Thos. Bennett, Dominion Immigration Agent. Yorkton, ,1. S. Crerar, Dominion Immigration Agent. Dauphin, F. K. Ilerchmer, Dominion Land Agent. Dauphin. .Tacol) AVood, Caretaker Immigration Sheds. Prince Albert, Jno. McTaggart, Dominion Land Agent. Medicine Hat, L. B. Cochrane, Land Guide. Letlibridge, Samuel Gray, Traveling Agent. McLeod, Jos. Nixon. Land Guide. New Westminster, Jno. McKeuzie, Dominion Laud Agent. Kamloops, E. A. Nash. Dominion liand Agent. Brandon, Man., C. W. Speers, General Colonization Agent. Mattawa, A. Ribout, Immigration Agent. Swan River, Hugh Harley, Land Guide. (Copy of Canadian Alien Labor Act.) CONSOLIDATION OF ACTS TO RESTRICT THE IMPORTATION AND EMPLOYMENT OF ALIENS (1901). His Majesty, by and with the advise aud consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows: 1. From and after the passing of this Act it shall be unlawful for any person, company, partnership or corporation, in any manner to pi-epap- the transportation, or in any way to assist or encourage the importation or immi- gration of any alien or foreigner into Canada, under contract or agreement, parole or special, express or implied, made previous to the importation or immi- gration of such alien or foreigner, to perform labour or service of any kind in Canada. 60-61 Vict, cliap. 11, 1897. 48 THE CALCIUM LIGHT 2. All contracts or agreements, express or implied, parole or special, here- after made by and between any person, company, partnership or corporation, and any alien or foreigner, to perform labour or service, or having reference to the performance of labour or service by any person in Canada, previous to the immigration or importation of the person whose labour or service is contracted for into Canada, shall be void and of no effect. 60-61 Vict, chap 11, 1897. 3. I"or every violation of any of the provisions of section 1 of this Act. the person, partnership, company or corporation violating it by Ivuowingly assisting, encouraging or soliciting the immigration or importation of any alien or foreigner into Canada to perform labour or service of any Ivind under con- tract or agreement, express or implied, parole. or special, with such alien or foreigner, previous to his Ijecoming a resident in or a citizen of Canada, shall forfeit and pay a sum not exceeding one thousand dollars, nor less than fifty dollars. II. The sum so forfeited may, Avith written consent of any judge or the court in which the action is intended to be brought, be sued for and recovered as a debt by any person who first brings his action therefor in any court of competent jurisdiction in which delits of like amount are now recovered. III. Such sum may also, with the written consent, to be obtained ex parte, of the Attorney General of the province in which the prosecution is had, or of a judge of a superior or county court, be recovered upon summary conviction before any judge of a county court (Ijeing a justice of the peace), or any judge of the sessions of the peace, recorder, police magistrate, or stipendiary magis- trate, or any functionary, tribunal, or pei'son invested, by the proper legislative authority, with power to do alone such acts as are usually required to be done b.v two or more justices of the peace, and acting within the local limits of his or its jurisdiction. IV. The sum recovered shall be paid the Minister of Finance and Receiver General. V. Separate proceedings may be instituted for each alien or foreigner who is a party to such contract or agreement. 60-61 Vict., chap. 11, 1897. repealed; Edw. VII. chap. 13. 1901. 4. The master of any A'essel who Ivnowingly brings into Canada on such vessel and lands or permits to be landed from any foreign port or place any alien, labourer, mechanic or artisan wlio. previous to embarkation on sucli vessel, had entered into contract or agreement, parole or special, express or implied, to perform labour or service in Canada, shall be deemed guilty of an indictalile offence and on conviction tliereof shall be punislied by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars for each alien, labourer, meclianic or artisan so Iirought or landed, and may also be imi)risoned for a term not exceeding six months. 60-61 Viet., chap. 11. 1897. 5. Nothing in this Act shall be so construed as to prevent any citizen or subject of any foreign country, temporarily residing in Canada, either in private or official capacity, from engaging, under contract or otherwise, persons not residents or citizens of Canada, to act as private secretaries, servants or domestics for such foreigner temporarily residing in Canada; nor shall this Act be so construed as to prevent any person, partnership or corporation from engaging, under contract or agrt'ement. skilled workmen in foreign countries to perform labour in Canada in or upon any new industry not at present estab- lished in Canada, provided that skilled labour for that purpose cannot be Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 49 otherwise obtained; uor shall the provisions of this Act apply to pi-ofessional actors, artists, lecturers or singers, or to persons employed strictly as personal or domestic servants: Provided, that nothing in this Act shall be construed as prohibiting any person from assisting any. member of his family, or any relative, to migrate from any foreign country to Canada for the purpose of set- tlement here. 60-61 Vict., chap. 11. 1897. and amendment, 1 Edw. VII., chap 13, 1901. 6. The Attorney General of (^'anada, in case he shall be satisfied that an immigrant has been allowed to land in Canada contrary to the prohibition of this Act, may cause such immigrant, within the period of one year after lauding or entry, to be taken into custody and returned to the country whence he came, at the expense of the owner of the importing vessel, or, if he entered from an adjoining country, at the expense of the person, partnership, company or corporation violating section 1 of this Act. 60-61 Vict., chap. 11, 1897, and amendment. 1 Edw. VII., chap. 13, 1901. 7. The Receiver General may pay to any informer who furnishes original information that the law has been violated such a share of the penalties recov- ered as he deems reasonable and just, not exceeding fifty per cent, where it appears that the recovery was had in consequence of the information thus furnished. 60-61 Vict., chap. 11, 1897. 8. It shall be deemed a violation of this Act for any person, partnership, company or corporation to assist or encourage the importation or immigration of any person who resides in. or is a citizen of, any foreign country to which this Act applies, by promise of employment through advertisements printed or piiblished in such foreign country; and any such person coming to this country in consequence of such an advertitsement shall be treated as coming under a contract as contemplated by this Act, and the penalties by this Act imposed shall be applicable in such case: Provided, that this section shall not apply to slcilled lal)our not obtainable in Canada, as provided l>y section 5 of this Act. 1 Edw. VII.. chap. 13, 1901. 9. This Act shall apply only to the importation or immigration of such persons as reside in. or are citizens of. sucli foreign countries as have enacted and retained in force, or as enact and retain in force, laws or ordinances apply- ing to Canada, of a character similar to this Act. 60-61 Vict, chap. 11. 1897, and amendment, 1 Edw. VII.. chap. 13, 1901. II. Evidence of any such law or ordinance of a foreign country may be given, — (a) l)y the production of a copy thereof purporting to be printed by the government printer ov at the government printing office of such foreign country or contained in a volume of laws or ordinances of such country purporting to be so printed; or (b) by the production of a copy thereof purporting to be certified to be true by some officer of state of such foreign country who also certifies that he is tile custodian of the original of such law or ordinance, in which case no pi*5of shall be required of the handwriting or official position of the person so certify- ing. 61 Vict., chap. 2, 1898. 10. Nothing in the said Act shall affect the exercise of the powers of the government of Canada or of any province in connection with the promotion of immigration. 1 Edw. VII., chap. 13. 1901. 50 THE CAI.CIUM LIGHT PRESS COMMENTS RELATIVE TO ENFORCEMENT OF ALIEN LABOR ACTS. The efforts of the trackmen's representatives to influence the government officials to enforce the laws of the Dominion met with much ridicule, as the following extract, taken from a letter to the Montreal Herald, of July 4th, will show: "I see in the papers that Mr. Wilson, the paid American organizer, went to Ottawa yesterday to complain against the importation of Americans to fill the places of the striking traclimen. "Mr. Wilson won't let the Canadians worli on the C. P. R., even at higher wages than are paid by other railways; he won't lielp his own countrymen get better pay in their own land; and he protests against their coming here to earn more money than tliey are paid at home. Now, what does Mr. Wilson really want"? To tie np our Canadian national road altogether and to let nol)ody work at all? "If he is a working man, isn't he himself an alien laborer just now. and. if he is, wouldn't the law he wants enforced be first directed to deport himself V If he did that, isn't it remindful of the unfortunate engineer who was hoist with his own petard? "If Mr. Wilson's ludicrous appeal to fire himself out of Canada is success- ful, who will complain on this glorious Fourtli of .luly?" On July 6th the same paper c-ontained the following: It is not easy to withhold sympathy with the cause of labor wherever it may be struggling against capital for rights that are either scantily recognized or contemptuously ignored; but in the case of the trackmen's strike on the Canadian Pacific Railway, the merits of the case weigh so lieavily in favor of the company that it is the duty of the true friends of labor to dissuade work- men from prolongation of a hopeless struggle. The trackmen entered upon the conflict seriously handicapped by the fact that the Canadian Pacific Railway Company pays higher wages than are paid on the other systems wltli which it is a competitor. Knowing that this was the case, the trackmen threw up their employment in the hope of coercing the company into granting still higher wages. Mr. Wilson, the president of the Brotherhood, admits these facts: but he says that the employes of the Grand Trunk and Intercolonial, who are paid lower wages than those of the Canadian Pacific, are not members of the organization of which he is the head, and tlie Brotherhood is not called upon to fight for those who are outside its ranks. The statement may be true, but it will not satisfy the public. It is against that strong elementary principle of British fair play, which is the usual standard of justice in cases of this kind, tliat tlie company which pays tlie highest wages should be compelled to pay still higher, before the others are brought up to its level. That is wliy Mr. Wilson has failed to gain public sympathy in this strike; why he has failed to get the support of kindred organizations, and why the Canadian Pacific are bound to win in the struggle. One of the most hopeless features in this strike is that the men have not even a case thai can go to arbitration. They are fighting for a minimum wagfe of a dollar and a half a day — small enough remuneration, it is true — but the company pay a minimum of a dollar and a quarter while others are paying only one dollar and ten cents, and Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 51 surely Mr. Wilson has suffifieut iulelliyvnco to realize tliat bolore be can log- ically aslv the C. P. R. for more he must first get the railways who pay oue dollar and ten cents for the same class of labor up to tlie dollar and a quarter standard. There is good reason for supposing that tlie Brotherhood in this instance chose as the target for assault the Canadian Pacitic, because that system — in consequence of its length of mileage, stretching as it does from the Atlantic to tlie Pacific — is more vulnerable tlian otiier railways. The principle is neither fair nor just. The company, assured of public sympatliy. have ah'eady practically won the fight. The men who still remain out will, if they are well advised, return to work. The statement made in the foregoing article that the minimum wage was.$1.25, is incorrect; the minimum wage paid is fl.lo. In strong contrast with the foregoing is the following editorial from the Inland Sentinel: "Without entering into the merits of the case against the special constaltlcs arrested near Ashcroft last week, charged with intimidating Avorlvmen, the fact that the company's officials are compelled to have recourse to such extreme measures in order to have necessary work done on the traclv is scarcely in accord with their oft reiterated declaration that they have no difficulty in obtaining men /to fill the strikers' places. Even ten dollars a day and board failed to tempt more than a mere handful of men to go to work upon a mud slide east of this point. The trutli of the matter is they find it almost im- possible to get any one to accept work at any price. The reason is not hard to find and lies in the fact that the general public recognize the justice of the claims of the striking trackmen for a living wage, and are in liearty sympathy with the movement. In addition to this the meu upon whose sympatliics the company relied as a reserve force upon which they could fall back and use as a lever to compel the strikers to submit, know full well that they would not be advancing their own interests by talcing up the work, and tliey object to being made the tools of the company, only to be cast aside when the struggle is over. MeauAvhile the strikers stand firm and the condition of the track is daily becoming, accordingto our reports, more and more deplorable, and travel- ing more hazardous, facts that cannot but ho potent factors in bringing the company to a sense of their responsibilities leading eventually to a satisfactory settlement of the disiiute. Here is another extract from the Inland Sentinel : There are about 200 Qalicians in Calgary and the officials cannot get them to work for ten dollars a day, although they have no money at all. The way they are sticliing by the strikers is a great siirprise to every one. especiall.v to the company who were depending on them if the strike sliould come off. The Calgary and Edmonton Railway has been tied up for more than a week; cannot move a train on it. There is a passenger train stuck about IWty miles north of Calgary and cannot get either way on account of bad track. This unlooked for sympathy on the part of the Galicians. .Taps. Indians, and Italians. u])on whose services the company relied, has completely nonplussed the officials. The arrest of special constables in the C. P. R.'s employ at Ashcroft has created a good deal of interest in the situation there. The case was adjourned 52 THE CALCIUM LIGHT at the request of the company's solicitor from Wednesday uutil tomorrow (Wednesday). A feature in connection with this case that has excited a good deal of comment is the giving of bail for the accused parties. It is considered doubtful whether bail would have been admitted at all had the boot been on the other foot and had the specials been intimidated by the strikers. From the Ottawa Journal: If anything more were wanted to demonstrate the indirect influence and the power wielded by a great corporation through the medium of the press, it is to be found in the sensational news spread broadcast to the world through press channels of the condition of the trackmen employed by the C. P. R. That any Trades Union men, especially in Toronto, have been caught by this report that the C. P. K. was paying a higher rate of wages and treating its men better than the other roads, and that they went back on the striking trackmen can only be taken with a plentiful admixture of salt, to make it at all digestible. I have not the least hesitation in saying 'just here to the news-reading public that this is a very glaring instance of the way news is coolved for the reading public by press association messages, when said news in any way refers to or concerns a great and powerful corporation such as the C. P. 11. is known to be, and made so by a liberal supply of the people's money. This is easy to understand when one realizes that the C. P. R. practically owns and controls the telegraph system of the country, and through its many millionaires, fattened at the public crib, it has a controlling interest in many, if not the majority, of the leading newspapers of the country. From the Winnipeg Voice: A half dozen men started work in the Winnipeg yards this morning and caused quite an excitement for a time. The Galicians looked like attacking the beginners, but the trackmen prevented it, as it is not proposed to give any grounds for telegraphic repoits of outrages here. They expect the men will quit as soon as they take in the situation. On Wednesday last the people staying at the government immigration hall were turned out and locked out. They had been notified the day previous that there was plenty of work to be got, and so there was no need for them to be staying at the government hotel, and they had a day's notice to accept employment and quit, or to quit anyhow if they could not by then show a contract of acceptance of work. This action at the immigration hall immedi- ately gave rise to the report that an attempt was being made to force the Gali- cians into the employ of the C. P. R. company in spite of their strong objec- tions thereto. At the same time, though, as a matter of fact, correspondence was going on between the company officials, the immigration commissioner, and Ottawa in which the company charge that immigration officials were advising men not to accept work on the C. P. R. They are two very different stories. What are the facts? The company officials seem in the first place to have got the notion that the immigration hall was an ever ready recruiting ground for labor to take the strikers' places. On one occasion last week the men were lined up and addressed by the officials. They were told of the strike and so the effort was a failure. On Saturday, using a Doukhobor as intermediary, a gang of twenty was procured and got aboard the train, but the whole bunch deserted at the Turned On by a Raii^way Trackman. 53 last moment and this bad a veiy disquieting effect on the temper of the offi- cials. Later on the immigration people got an offer for one hundred men to worli on the liainy liiver road at $1.75, a higher figure than the C. P. II. were paying, and Mft Hislop advised them to accept the -svorlv as they would have to leave the hall anyway. Mr. Connor of the C. P. Ry. charged them with advi.siug the men not to work on the C. P. Ky. and an otiicial complaint was afterwards lodged with the department to that effect. The Immigration Commissioner says that the department is determined to be neutral, and were in a very ticklish position, as it looked as if they were barlioring men so that they did not accept work with the company. The men would not accept work with the company, so messengi-rs were si-nt around to the employment bureaus and it was ascertained that there was work elsewhere for all who would accept. Consequently, the men were told to get work some- where, and the Rainy River offer was put before them, and the intimation given that the hall would be closed to them. This was afterwards carried out. Mr. Hislop only carried out these instructions. This incident shows that the company are hard pressed to get men. Be- cause the immigration people would not bundle the men into their service "neck and crop" they complain that men are being kept from them. Its proper course is to remain neutral. For we should hope that there would be a most emphatic protest if the immigration office is used to recruit scabs to the injury of the trackmen. The railway company is making far more strenuous etTorts than they care to acknowledge to procure men. In addition to the efforts mad^' at Winnipeg, noted elsewhere, it is charged that they have attempted to break the law in respect to the importation of alien contract labor. In British Columbia it has been almost impossible to get a man to go to work and so numbers have been sent from Manitoba, and it appears that the adjoining states are being depended upon as per the following message, similar ones having also been sent to Mr. R. Smith, M. P.: Revelstoke. B. C. June 20. 1901. G. R. Maxwell, M. P., Vancouver, B. C. Information received that Provincial Government are lirinping scabs from Seattle, swearing them iu as provincial police contrary to Alien Act. Kindly attend to it at once. The following is from the pen of some embryo jioet, evidently a C. P. Ry. official, and was typewritten and distributed all along the line: WHAT DO YOU THINK? From Uncle Sam's domain he came. With plans all cut and dried, I To raise a strike of masnitude. And hear his name with pride. , "Justice" he did not stop to think, ^ Or its moaning to define: ^ For if ho had, he never would Have crossed the boundary line. He would Iiave in his own free state. Which claims a virgin soil, Demanded sani(> scale of wages paid C. P. R. trackmen's toll. 54 THE CAIvCIUM I^IGHT I have wondered that so many "Would back a losing game; With a little thought aud study, They could see it clear and plain. Canadian press and people , Whom this question has impressed, Cannot enlist their sympathy With men that are paid best. Then as good advice to Wilson Who should really take his cue, Retrace your steps across the line And poorest paid give their due. Then when the wages are leveled up, 1 am sure j-ou"ll get a chance, Your arguments will be stronger Thau they have been in advance. CHAPTER VI. MEN IN TRAIN SERVICE BECOME UNEASY. About this time it was becoming generally known that the mem- bers of the other organizations composed of railway employes were be- coming very much dissatisfied with the situation, owing to the strike of the trackmen making their occupations very hazardous. The following resolution was passed at union meetings at several places on the C. P. Ry. system: Resolved, that the eouditions existing aud brotiglit about owiug to the stopping of work by the employes of the maintenance-of-\vay department are ealculated to endanger the personal safety of the employes of the traiu service, and is against the l>est interest of the company; therefore, be it resolved that we deplore the continuance of the strike and with the view to bring about a fair settlement, we, the Brotherhoods jointly assembled, are strongly in favor of conciliating through and ))y the general chairmen of the five organizations here represented, and that a copy of tliis resolution be forwarded to each division or lodge on the C. P.-Railway system, and that they be aud are hereby requested to take such or similar action. July 4 the following letter was mailed to each member of the B. R. T. of A. on the C. P. Ry. system : Another week of our struggle has passed. Although trains have been wrecked and traffic delayed, your committee has not received anything from the officials indicating that they would like to bring the contest to a close. Reports received from various parts of the system Inform us that the men are more determined than ever. They tell us to stand firm, that the company cannot starve us out. or compel us to kneel under the "lash of tyranny" by well-paid officials. Your committee has been informed, by what it considers a reliable source, that one of the officials stated it was the intention of the com- pany to spend ten millions of dolla's before they wotdd allow the maintenance- of-\^';iy men to l)eat tiieiu. Now. brothers, remember, these officers of the company are willing to ex- pend more in a figlit against us aud in opposition to right and jivstice than it • e f- >/) >■ (/) ~ dec &p ^go ^^< 5 < z < o o > Occ o •— ' w o a 0. 6 z o -5 a u aa S UJ ccW TuRNKD On by a Railway Trackman. 55 would cost to give us ALL we are askiug for iu tweuty years, notwitlistaudiug we.lielycd to create and pile up tlie wealth they are uow tightiug, and iuteud to tight us with. They are opposing us v»ith money that is ours by right. It takes MEN to operate railroads. Let us show them that we are men aud can- not be deprived of our just rights even Avith the ten millions of dollars surplus, which they have laid away to tight us with, and which represents our sweat aud toil for years. Brothers, this is a struggle for liberty and justice. Remember, if we let them beat us this time we wdl be slaves during the remainder of our lives, aud our children will become slaves for the chihlreu of the men who are now striving to crush us under the wheel of "organized greed." We must light to the bitter end. We must gain a little something for ourselves, and more for our children. Let us continue the fight in a peaceful, honorable and manly way until victory is perched upon our banner. The struggle uuiy be a hard one. but we can aud must win; aud in after years our children will rise up and bless our names aud courage. It seems that all of the railway officials of North America and some of the newspapers, have combined to aid the C. P. Railway officials iu wagiug a soulless aud heartless war against us, but, thank God! the sympathies of all fair-minded, honest citizens are with us. AVith their assistance, and the en- couragement we are receiving from members of other labor organizations we expect to defeat those who are trying to deprive us of our just rights. Do not be swerved by .mis-statements published in newspapers; some of them are trying to mislead and discourage the men engaged in this battle. The mainte- nance-of-way men on the C. P. Railway are in this fight for themselves, and not for the president of our organization, as contended by some of our enemies. Brothers, do not become discouraged on account of a few deserters return- ing to work. We have men enough on the C. P. R. to fight the battle to a finish and win, and we are going to do it. It is stated that R. C. Montgomery, a man in whom the committee never had any confidence, has been appointed assistant roadmaster, and is "scabbing" on the section men in the vicinity of Ottawa. Your committee discovered that he was a traitor to your interests long before the strike was ordered. We had him watched one night, when he was seen to enter the St. James Hotel, where some of the officials of the company were stopping, and to engage in a con- sultation with them. Do not allow such things to discourage you. This is a struggle for justice, aud it must be won by us in spite of all the money the C. P. R. officials have at their disposal, and in spite of the few cowards and "Judasos" they can scare and bribe to pull against us. In some instances the otticials are attempting to frighten the men back to work l)y telling them if they do not return before a certain time they will be permanently discharged. Tell them we quit at the same time, and will return to work at the same time, or never. As the strike may be prolonged for a while longer we would advise those who are able to find employment outside to take it, as many of the brothers are doing now^ on different parts of the system, many of them receiving better wages than on the road. They may rest assm-ed that when a settlement is reached they will be reinstated to their old stations. Yours in B. L. & U., JOSEPH LENNOX, Chairman, A. F. STOUT, Secretary, 56 THE CALCIUM LIGHT The manager of the C P. Ky. did uot waut the representatives of the other organizations on the C. V Ky, to come in contact with the maiutenance-of-way men's representatives. He attempted to prevent it by arranging a meeting with the chairmen of the B. L. E,, O. R. C. and B. K. T., at Winnipeg. What tooiv j^lace at said meeting may never come to light. Tlie following is a copy of the report sent out by the three chair- men to the members of the B. L. E., B. R. T., B. L. F., O. R. T. and O. R. C: Winnipeg, Man., July 19, 1901. Dear Sirs and Brothers: Tlie undersigned general chairmen hereby submit the following report for your t-ousideration: Owing to the strike of the maiutenanee-of-way men of the system and in compliauee with letters and resolutions received from various points requesting us to offer our services as a conciliatory board, we, on the 4th of July, entered into communication with Mr. McNicoll. and after letters and telegrams had been exchanged on the subject, Mr. McNicoll came to Winnipeg and asked us for an interview. On July 15th we met Mr. McNicoll and after he had explained the position of the company, and the offers he had made the mainteuauce-of-way men, he requested us to deny the reports that the strikers would receive the support of the other railway organizations, to which we replied that Ave could not comply with his request, as from the instructious which we had received we were re- quired for the present to remain neutral. Before the close of the negotiations we made the following proposition, viz.: That if the company would sign an agreement with the maiutenance-of-way men and reinstate all strikers, we would recommend the committee to settle on the advances made by the company. This offer Mr. McNicoll declined. Owing to the fact that Mr. Wilson and INIr. McNicoll both seem confident of winning in the present struggle witliout the assistance of the other organi- zations, we feel that we cannot do anything further at the present time. CHAS. rOPE. B. L. E.. A. SHAW, O. R. C A. W. JOHNS. B. R. T. It will be observed that Chairmen Pope, Shaw and Johns, repre- senting the engineers, conductors and trainmen, acted independently of the cliairmen of the telegraphers and firemen. They also recom- mended a basis of settlement witliout consulting the maintenance-of- way men's representatives. Perhaps the hardest thing to explain is why the manager would not allow the maintenance-of-way men to sur- render on the terms previously offered by himself, which would have been the case had they agreed to settle on the terms recommended by Pope, Shaw and Johns. In commenting upon the report of the chairmen of the engineers, conductors and trainmen, the Inland Sentinel says: The general chairmen of the Railroad Brotherhoods, who. in the capacity of Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 57 a conciliatory board, met Mauager McNicoU at Winnipeg, with the object of bringing about a settlement of the strike, vpon terms satisfactory to all parties concerned, have made public .the result of their negotiations. As published in the 'Sentinel at the time, the result was refusal on the part of Manager McNicoU to consider the proposals of the conciliatory board. In view of the reports issued by the C. P. R. officials concerning the conduct of the strike, and also in regard to their willingness to deal fairly with the men. and especially in view of the company's statements regarding the wages paid tlie trackmen, it is very important that the facts in connection with the conciliation board's negotiations with Manager McNicoU shouid be generally known and properly understood. In the first place it will be noted that the general chairmen, for some cause or other, did not carry out the exact instructions received by them from their respective Itrotherlioods. Tlieir instructions were that they should pro- ceed to Montreal and there act as a conciliation board. This was quite a rea- sonable instruction as in :M()ntreal are located the head ortic<>s of the Canadian Pacific Ptailway Company, and tlie central committee of the Trackmen's Brother- hood, the two parties to be conciliated. Instead of going to INIontreal the chair- men communicated with :Mr. McNicoU. intimating their wiUingness to act as a conciliation board. INIr. McNicoU put them olf for two weeks and then put in an appearance at Winnipeg and requested the chairmen to meet him, not for the purpose of conciUation. but to persuade the chairmen to declare in favor of the company, something which the chairmen very properly declared to be entirely beyond their instructions. But it will be seen that uothwithst:mding the fact that the general chair- men, by their failure to adhere strictly to their instructions, had given Manager McNicoU an opportunity to steal a march on them, were desirous, even to the length of doing what they had no authority to do. of using their influence to terminate the strike, and so made Mr. McNicoU this proposition: "That if the company would sign an agreement with the maintenance-of-way men and reinstate all strikers, we would recommend the committee to settle on the advances made by the company." In other words, if Mr. McNicoU would recognize the trackmen's committee, the general chairmen of all the other Brotherhoods pledged themselves to bring about a settlement of the strike on the terms other than the recognition of the Union, put forward by Mr. McNicoU himself. This offer Mr. McNicoU declined. Why? There can only be one answer. Mr. McNic«ll preferred to go back on his own offer, rather than recognize the Trackmen's Union. He disclosed clearly that it was not the question of wages that the company considered, but the attempt of the trackmen to organ- ize themselves into a I'nion for mutual protection. Again the question arises. Why should the company resist so strongly the attempt of the trackmen to organize a Union, when they recognize the Unions organized by their employes in other departments? The answer that the facts justify, is that Manager McNicoU is not fighting simply a Canadian Pacific Railway liattle, but that he is carrying out an agreement entert'd into by him as general mauager of the C. P. R. with the 58 THE CAI.CIUM LIGHT General Managers' Association to resist to the utmost limit the successful organization of the tvaclcmen on the company's system. That the ans^Yer is fully warranted by the facts must now be apparent to every one who has followed at all closely the conduct of the company from the outset of the strike. It is timely at this juncture to review some of the facts that go to establish the conclusion that American railway managers are taking a hand in the strike. In the first place it is well known tliat in April last. AA'hen the grievance committee of the trackmen first approached the company for redress of their grievances, they were put off first on one excuse and then on another. Mean- Avhile high otiicials of the comi)any were sent across to the United States to examine into conditions there and to confer with managers of the big American railroad systems. Ofhcials of the company conferred with the General Mana- gers' Association, and. as has since leaked out, secured the promise of financial assistance in any fight the Canadian Pacific Railway company miglit wage with organized labor. The probability of a strike of the trackmen was dis- cussed at this conference and Manager McNicoU was urged to decline to recog- nize a trackmen's union in any shape or form, and was promised, if he main- tained this attitude, the hearty co-operation of the American railway companies. In due course the trackmen's grievance committee was turned down by Manager McNicoll; their President, Mr. Wilson, Avas treated in like manner, and then the strike was declared. Tliere have been t^trikes on the C. P. R. before, but never one conducted as this one! American methods have been adopted. The arming of special railway constables, not to protect company property, but to coerce "scabs," is essentially an American method of fighting strikers. The Hying "scab train" is another American innovation. In many other ways it has been made abundantly evident that in the conduct of this strike American influences have been at work. Ho^^■ever, this fact is made most apparent by Manager McNicoU's refusal to accept the offer made by the general chairmen of the Brotherhoods. He had an opportunity to settle on his OAvn terms and in accepting the offer made him he would liave secured the sup- port of all the Brotherhoods concerned Avho Avould have been bound by the decision of their general chairmen. The strike would certainly have terminated in short order, the vast expense now being incurred uselessly by the company would have ceased and traffic would very quickly have resumed normal condi- tions. All these advantages were thrown away by Mr. McNicoll rather than recognize the trackmen's committee. There must l)e something back of ^Ir. McNicoU's stand other than he has so far disclosed, for the C. P. R. company have never persisted for any length of time in refusing recognition to a Union formed hj their employes. That something is the General Managers' Associa- tion, with whom Mr. McNicoll agreed to fight the Trackmen's Union to a finish. * * * * July 8 tlie followinj? letter was mailed to each member of the B. R. T. of A. on the C. P. Rv. system: Three weeks have passed since yoti suspended work. Being practical trackmen you understand that in most localities where track is in fair condi- tion trains can be run over it at a fair rate of speed, without very great risk, tor tbat length of time, but the faithful work done by you while your com- Turned Ox by a Railway Trackman. 59 mittoe was trying to stH-ure a fail- settlemi'ut, is beginning to give way. The company's fast trains have been abandoned; their throngh passenger trains are troni live to twenty hours late every day, and things are becoming more Interesting for the officials gt'nerally. Although the company has made desperate efforts, by their seductive methods, to intluence you to degrade and defeat yourselves bj^ returning to work, without having the wrongs you struck against redressed, they have been unsuccessful, except in very few cases, in causing any of the members of the order to prostitute their manhood. Our position is stronger to day than it ever has been. Notwithstanding the fact that the majority of the newspapers have been publishing to the world daily "The strike has fizzled out," the boys are standing firm, and are advising your committee daily that they will remain out six months if necessary, and will not return to work unless the officials make a fair settlement, and concede to us the same recognition they have accorded to all other classes of its em- ployes. According to reports the company has not been able to secure any one to take our places on at least four-fifths of the system, although they have been offering from $2.00 a day to $1.00 per hour for men to perform the work we have been doing. The few they have employed are either inexperienced men, or men who have been blacklisted on account of incompetency, drunken- ness, dishonesty, or other offences, and the work done by them will not enable the company to run trains very long. They are running hand cars up and down the road, thinking it will discourage the men who have suspended work, and cause them to I'eturn. We are advised by a great many men that they are at work receiving from $1.50 to $2.50 per day, and while, we believe, the officials will realize the folly of prolonging the contest, and that a settlement will be reached in a few days, we will advise those who are not able to live without working, to secure employment elsewhere, wherever it is possible for them to do so, until a fair settlement is made. Our Brotherhood has expended a great deal more money in the interests of the C. P. R. maintenance-of-way men. than we have con- tributed for the support of the organization. Our president expresses a willing- ness to continue tlie figlit indefinitely, if the men will continue to prove them- selves worthy of the assistance. At one or two places, especially on the branch lines north and west of Toronto, some of the men have been ' deceived and persuaded to return to work, by officials making false representations, and telling them that about all of the men on other parts of the system had deserted your committee. Do not be influenced by men Avho must be considered our enemies in this contest. If you allow yourselves to be duped, and made fools of by them, they will not have any respect for you. and members of other industrial organizations will not consider us worthy of their symjiathy. and the public generally will con- clude that the C. P. R. officials were justified in taking the position that main- tenance-of-way men were too ignorant and cowardly to be dealt with like other classes of the world's workers. We feel that things are coming our way. In some localities we are in- formed that trainmen have refused to run trains at night, and instead of their declaring themselves in sympathy with the company, as stated in various news- papers, we have received copies of resolutions passed at their Union meetings. 60 THE CALCIUM LIGHT to the effect that rhairuieu of their joint protective boards be instructed to take such steps as may be necessary to protect their lives, and the lives of the travel- ing public. We have also been informed that a committee is being formed of members of all of the organizations composed of railway employes for the purpose of making an effort to secure a fair settlement between the company and its main- tenance-of-^\'ay men. Should any one return to work before a settlement is reached they will encourage the officials to prolong the struggle, therefore take courage. STAXD FIIvM, and show by your actions that you are as capable of doing your duty as Union men, as any other class of the world's Avorkers. The Deputy ^Minister of Lal)or at Ottawa has notified all immigrant agents at points of entry to see to it that the Alien Labor Law is not violated. If your government officials do not do their duty, and protect you against cheap laborers of other nations, call on your local officials to enforce the law, as they have been doing at some places in the West. Information to hand informing us the chairmen of the joint protective boards of the other orders are on their way to Montreal, and will endeavor to bring about a speedy and fair settlement. Stay out until you receive instruc- tion to resume work, above the written signature of your chairman and bearing the impression of the Grand Division Seal of the B. R. T. of A. Yours in B. L. & L^.. i JOSEPH LENNOX, Chairman. A. F. STOUT, Secretary. July 13 the following letter was mailed to each member of the- B. R. T. of A. on the C. P. Ry. system: This is the twenty-seventh day since the maintenance-of-way men on the Canadian Pacitic Railway suspended work. I regretted very much being compelled, in the faithful performance of my official duties, to sanction an order to suspend work. p]very means at our com- mand was exhausted in an honorable way to secure a fair settlement with the company. Your committee were pi-actically ignored, and the head of your organization proposed to the president of the C. P. Railway company, to assist in effecting an amicable adjustment of the men's differences, but was ignored altogether. We have endeavored to prosecute the strike in an honorable way; our opponents have resorted to all means known to the human mind — fair and foul — to defeat you in your manly efforts to obtain anything like a fair share of the wealth you are helping to create, and your God-given right to saj' a word about the terms and conditions of your employment. It seems that the majority of the large newspapers have been subsidized by your opponents in this contest. Several columns are devoted to C. P. R. despatches making statements that cannot be verified by facts. They have sought to deceive the public, and to make all good people believe that they are doing justice to their maintenance-of-way men, Ijecause they are not robbing them of as much of the wealth they create as some of the other corporations in the country are taking from theirs. Advices to your committee show that the company has been offering men ten dollars a day and board in some localities to take your places. They hire Turned On by a Raimvay Trackman. 61 a great many iucxperionced rurii who rcfuso to do your work wln-u informed that y.ou are carrying on an industrial war in favor of your just rights. I called upou two Italians in Montreal who had been furnishing men to the C. P. R.. explained the situation to them, and requested them not to aid a giant corporation in their efforts to oppress and degrade the poor laboring men of the country. They said the men employed through their agencies l)y the C P. R. were not hired to take the places of the strikers, in fact, it was distinctly understood that they would not take the places of the strikers. They were to work for $1.25 per day, including board and lodging, that is to say, the C. P. R. company will paj' inexperienced Italians .$1.25 per day. including board and lodgings (equivalent to $1.75 per day), but they refuse to pay citizens, wealth producers and tax-payers, $1.50 per day. The officials are bending every energy trying to induce men who have re- belled against oppression to surrender and submit to unjust treatment. Information has been received from what I consider a reliable source that the company has offered men (members of our organization) one hundred dol- lars per month (more than twice as much as they have been receiving) to resume work and we are informed that a few men have yielded to temptation and are going over the road criticising your committee and trying to influence the men to return to work without having their grievances adjusted. BEWARE OF BRIBE-GIVERS AND BRIBE-TAKERS. Stand firm. Be men worthy of the name, and you will win in this contest in spite of all the wealth and cun- ning the C. P. R. has at its command. A great deal has been said aliout members of other orders composed of railway employes demanding that the C. P. R. make a fair settlement with its maintenance-of-way men. I do not know whether the toilers in other departments will aid you in your struggle for justice or not, but have been advised that the following resolution has been passed at Union meetings at various places on the system: ' Resolverl. tb.at the r-onclitions pxisting ami l)ronRht about owing to the stopping of work by the employes of the maintenance- of-way department are calexUated to endan- ger the personal safety of the employes of the train service and is against the best Interest of the company. Therefore, be it resolved that we deplore the continuance of the sti-ike, and with a view to bringing al)out ;\ fair settlement, we, the lirotherhoods jointly assembled, are strongly in favor of conciliating through and by the general chairmen of the five organiza- tions here represented and that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to each division or lodge on the C. P. Ry. system, and that they be and are hereby requested to take such or similar action. Signed on behalf of the Orders. We were informed that a delegation representing members of the other orders left Winnipeg on the 6th inst. A correspondent near Winnipeg states: — I have been told that Mr. Pope, chairman of tlie engineers' joint protective board on the C. P. R.. wrote to Mr. McXicoU some lime ago aliout the strike, and it is stated That Mr. MeXicoll wrote back to him if the engineers would come to Montreal, and in- form the trackmen that they could not assist them, they would do the company a favor. - I have before me a letter written to a grand officer of one of the Orders of railway employes, by the chairman of their joint protective boanls, which reads in part as fol- lows: "In accordance with your instiuctions of recent date. I have communicated with the different members of the joint protective boards, and the result of my appeal is thi.s: They are all in favor of meeting in Montreal as a conciliation committee, with the ex- ception of Mr. Charles Pope, general chairman of the B. of L. E., who does not agree with our views." 62 THE CALCIUM LIGHT The sentiiiu'iits expressed may conform to Mr. Pope's ideas; but engineers, with few exceptions, as well as members of all other orders, are in sympathy with the maintenance-of-way men, Avho have been preserving their lives by keeping the track in safe running order for many years. Should the locomotive engineers or men employed in any other department ally themselves on the side of the company, and advise you through the press to discontinue your struggle for fair treatment, as Avas done by an engineer and conductor on the Maine Central Railway, treat them as your enemies. Do not heed the seductive persuasions of well paid officials who are trying to influence you to prostitute your manhood. For many years our craft have been like mud-turtles in a pond, rooti»g in the mud, scratching up worms for the game fish to feast upon. We have reasons to believe that the officials are not only sending out incor- rect reports about the men returning to work at various places through the newspapers, but that they are sending bogus messages over the wires, pretend- ing that they were sent by men notifying the company they were going to return to work. One of their lackeys wrote me some time ago saying if the Order did not pay him for staying out, he would return to work. We advised him that the men engaged in the contest are fighting their battles and his too, and that if they could not win without resorting to bribery and deceit, and upholding men who seemed to be devoid of character, we would prefer to lose. Copies of the letter have been printed and distributed all over the road by men who are trying to plan your downfall, thinking it will prejudice all men not members of the B. R. T. of A. against j^ou. Victories cannot be won without sacrifices. Yours is a just cause. If you will stand firm, and do everything in your power that is honorable and reason- able, and not be influenced by the advice of any one, except your committee, or men whom you know to be your friends and that will aid you in a manly effort to secure more of the necessaries of life for your work, victory will crown your efforts. Your cause is a just one. Do right. Show by your actions that you are men of determination, stability, and character, and the good people of this country will aid j'ou in your struggle against oppression. Yours in B. L. & U., JOHN T. WILSON, President B. R. T. of A. Copies of the above circular letter, with the following letter en- closed, were sent to the managing editors of the leading newspapers in Canada : Dear Mr. Editor: You will find enclosed a copy of a circular letter mailed to all members of the International Brotherhood of Railway Trackmen on the Canadian Pacific Railway system, explaining the true situation of the strike. I would be pleased if you will publish it in its entirety in the columns of your paper. The maintenance-of-way men on the C. P. Railway, and their representa- tives, have worked earnestly to effect a peaceable settlement with the C. P. R. officials. We have kept a complete record of the negotiations between the com- mittee representing the maintenance-of-way men. and the company's officials, and when the history of the strike is written and published, I believe all fair- Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 63 mindod. liltorty-loviiig citizens wiio rend it, will hold the niiiiiitciiniicc-of-way nii'ii niid their rcpreseiitJitives l)l;uneU'ss. 1 have always been a hard working- man and believe myself to be conserva- tive and eonsisteut, and in attempting to aid maintenance-of-way men on the C. P. Kailway in an effort to brins about better conditions for themselves and fam- ilies, without re.i;ard to the miseralile conditions surrounding the same class of men on other roads in Canada or the United States, I feel that I am doing my plain duty to my (Jod and my fellow-man. Yours truly, JOHN T. WILSON, rres. B. R. T. of A. Mv. I), ramphell, tliii-d vice president of the Order of Railroad Telej^rapliers, called at the Grand Union Hotel several times during the progress of the strike, and becoming familiar with each phase of the siruation, gave his views in the following letter, a copy of which he mailed to the general chairmen of the O. R. T., P.. R. T., O. R. C. B. L. E. and R. L. F. Office of the Third Vice-rresident. O. R. T., Draytou. Ont.. July 15, 1901. Gentlemen and Brothers: Kindly allow me to address to you a few lines in regard to the long-drawn-out struggle existing between the maintenance-of- way employes and officials of the Canadian Pacific company. Having watched the actions of the committee that have had charge of the negotiations, I feel justified in saying that I belie re their affairs have been well managed, and that they are not responsible for the present state of affairs. It also appears 1o me that they are not fighting the (\ P. R. alone, but the General Managers' Association, which makes it a very unfair fight. "Would it not be possible, and (piite the best thing to do, for the general chairmen to form themselves into a joint committee to act as a board of con- ciliation, and wait on the management and endeavor to settle the dispute? I do not understand how such action could in any way conflict with your obligation to the company, or in any way weaken your own prestige, or that of organized labor in general, wliile on the other hand, it miglit be well to con- sider what might be the result of a defeat to the maintenance-of-way men. A>'ould it not be inviting the company to show some other organization the same opposition? Several years ago the O. I'. T. received just such help as this, and I am not aware that it injured any other orders, while it was a great assistance to us, and we are uoav in a position to return help to others if called upon. The section men have put up a good fight, and God knows their grievances are well foiuided. Will be glad to hear from you in regard to this matter. Yours fraternally, D. CAMPBELL. Notice to the pnl)lic issued July 17: On account of so many erroneous statements being published from time to time concerning the trackmen's strike on the Canadian Pacific Railway it seems a. great many people do not understand the true situation. The strike was orderc^d by the maintenance-of-way men thems(dv(>s. They sent their committee to IMontreal with the understanding that if the officials 64 THE CALCIUM LIGHT declined to euter into an agreement witli tliem, setting forth tlie terms and conditions of tlieir employment, the committee ■were to notify the men with the understanding that a suspension of work would take place. The C. P. R. company have entered into agreements setting forth the terms and conditions of employment with committees representing other classes of its employes. If it is wrong for them to enter into an agreement with a committee representing their maintenance-of-way men, they did wrong in signing agreements Avith the other committees. I am called an "interloper." My position is that of president of an interna- tional organization; the members of the organization are my employers. I came to Canada in obedience to their orders. The officers of an international organization have as much right to administer the affairs of the organization as the officials of the C. P. Ry. company have to administer the affairs of a road running through Canada, and into the States. If I have been correctly informed, neither the president nor the general manager of the C. P. Ry. com- pany were born in Canada. All men should be honest, truthful and fair in their dealings with their fellowmen without regard to the place of their birth. The charge has also been made that I came to Canada and precipitated the strike in the interests of transportation companies across the line. I will an- swer the charge by quoting an extract from a letter written by me to the president of the C. P. Ry. company, on the 14th of .Tune, notifying him that a suspension of work would take place on the morning of June 17th, on the C. P. Ry.: Although yon did not consider my communication of yesterday of any significance, I feel constrained to advise you that an industrial upheaval of no small magnitude is lia- ble to take place during the nest few days, unless men of j'our station and influence make efforts along practical lines to avert it. There is a strong suspicion in the minds of men who are conducting the affairs of industrial organizations that the members of the Railway Managers' Association have entered into an agi-eement to make war on in- dustrial organizations — more especially those composed of railway emplo.ves. Mr. Evans (according to a comi-nitteo representing members of our organization on his system) in- formed them of all that took place between your general manager and our grievance com- mittee representing the maintenauce-of-way men on your system during the month of April. He told them what your general manager's policy would be, which has been verified by his actions. * * * I do not claim perfection for Trades Unions: they are human institutions and their oflicers and members often make mistakes, but they have been formed for the purpose of coping with organized greed and for the mutual welfare of participants while, in my judgment, the General Managers' Association has been formed for the purpose of oppressing the oppressed. I am leaving for Portland, Maine, at 8 o'clock this p. m., * * * * a^^j ^.jn i-eturn to Montreal on June 17th. I will do everything in my power that seems to me to be reasonable and right to bring about a proper settlement on your road as soon as possible. Your maintenance-of-way men are well organized and very determined. I maintain that the public have rights in these mat- ters that should be considered; and am anxious to co-operate with those who desire to prevent industrial disturbances and to keep the wheels of industry moving. When the purchasing power of a wage-earner's dollar is decreased so that it will take 100 cents to purchase what SO cents would purchase two years ago, the workingman must have a corresponding increase in his wages, or adjust himself to a lower staudard of living — one of the two. I maintain that the public are entitled to safe, speedy and unmolested trans- portation from the corporations holding public franchises without regard to their petty differences with their employes, and should protect themselves against inconvenience on account of such disturbances, and if employer and employe cannot, or will not adjust their differences, a commission appointed by the people and for the people should determine what is right and proper In TuKNED On by a Railway Trackman. 65 the way of a settlemont. and have the two parties to the controversy submit to tiie deeisiou of the conunission so appointed. A great many misstatements have been made and publislied in the various newspapers of the country whieh were calculated to mislead the public. The day after the strike was inaugurated (June 18tli) according to Montreal news- papers, the general manager stated tliat altout all of the men had returned to work, and that the "strike liad fizzled out," etc. In a despatch from Winnipeg on the 16th of July, according to the Mon- treal Daily Witness, the general manager of the C. P. It. states: "It seems a strange thing that a wliole body of men can be kept from their work and the wherewithal to buy their daily bread by a parcel of men forming a com- mittee." According to reports received by the Montreal committee very few meo have returned to work, and wrecks have occurred at various places along the line from St. John to Vancouver on account of track not being looued after by competent men. Tlie public are advised through the press that the track is being patrolled regularly and kept in safe running condition. I have been in- formed from a source which I consider reliable, that one of the general super- intendents secured passes for his wife and children, from the Canada Atlantic Railway Co., from Ottawa to Montreal, on 13th inst., instead of sending them over the C. P. R. The committee has received reports to tlie effect that C. P. R. detectives: have been arrested and locked up for attempting, at the point of revolvers, to compel men to worlc against their will. Yesterday a report was received that a C. P. R. detective had killed an Italian workman for refusing to go to work. I wired Port Arthur regarding the matter, as follows: "Did C. P. R. detective kill Italian workman for refusing to work? Report particulars by wire." The following message was. received in reply: "C. P. detective wounded Italian laborer at Heron Bay for refusing to go any further on tlie train to work. Will write particulars."' The time to be truthful is all the time; the place to do right is everywhere, and the people to be dealt fairly with are all the people. Men were not made to serve dollars; dollars were made for the use of men. Proprietors of news- papers believing that civilized methods should be adopted for the settlement of differences between employer and employe, and those who believe in putting "British fair play" into practical operation, are requested to publish this state- ment. JOHN T. WILSON, President B. R. T. of A. CHAPTER VII. CHARLES POPE. Charles Pope, chairman of the engineers on the C. P. Ry. system, took exception to the reference made to his actions in a letter issued on the 13th of July by the president of the B. R. T. of A., as is shown by the following letter: Winnipeg, Man., July 19, 1901. Mr. John T. Wilson. President R. R. T. of A. Dear Sir: I see by the published report of your general circular of 13th inst., that you credit me with being opposed to the plan of conciliation by the 66 THE CAI^CIUM LIGHT general chairman of the five organizations, or at least your circular is so worded as to convey that impression to the members of your Order and the general public. Allow me to say that I have always been in favor of the plan of concilia- tion proposed by the members of my own and the other organizations, and in" co-operation with :Mr. A. Shaw of the O. R. C, and Mr. Johns of the B. R. T. I have spent a week in this city endeavoring to induce Mr. McNicoU to accept the services of the proposed conciliatory Ijoard. The only difference of opinion between myself and the other general chair- men Avas on a pure matter of detail, the other gentlemen wishing to proceed to Montreal forthwith, while I wished to obtain the consent of Mr. McNicoll and yourself for the proposed committee to act, before going to the expense of convening the same. I hope it will not be asking too much if I request you to set this matter light in your next general circular. Yours truly, CHAS. POPE, B. of L. B. General Chairman C. P. R. System. P. S. — Please reply to me at Rat Portage. Ont. In reply to the above the following letter was sent to Mr. Pope: Montreal. July 24, 1901. Mr. Charles Pope, General Chairman. B. L. E., C. P. R. System. Dear Sir: Your favor of the 19th inst. has been received and contents duly noted. Tlie sentiments expressed in your letter seem to be a verification of the position taken by you which was outlined in a circular letter issued by me under date of July 13th, 1901. I cannot think of any valid reason why you should consult Mr. McNicoll. myself, or any one else, to find out whether or not .vou should carry out instruc- tions from the members of your organization. Mr. McNicoll is only one indi- vidual. The present conflict between the C. P. Railway company and its mainteuance-of-way men is affecting at least twenty thousand men. women and children, whose support depends upon the wages received by those em- ployed in the mainteuance-of-way department. The lives of several thousands of employes engaged in operating trains are being jeopardized, and the inter- ests of several hundreds of thousands of an innocent public are being im- paired. The struggle between the maintenance-of-way men and the C. P. R. officials has l)eeu going on for more than five weeks. With few exceptions, the men are as determined to secure a fair settlement before returning to work as they were when they suspended work. If you desire to dignify labor, and to show the public generally that industrial organizations are useful institutions and stand for advancement, a higher standard of citizenship, and progress, I think you should co-operate with the chairmen of other joint protective Iwards in a practical and consistent way, to bring the parties to the controversy together, and, if possible, effect a fair settlement. Mr. McNicoll's actions in this struggle indicate that he is far from being a. practical railroad man. It seems, he imagines railroads grow, and that it does not require men of experience to keep them in safe running order. A fair settlement of the maintenance-of-way men's differences would relieve him. benefit the stockholders, relieve the members of our organization and their Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 67 families, insure the safety of your own life, and the life of every man engaged in the train service, and prove a blessing to the public generally. I cannot understand wliy a man in your position, if he had the interests of toilers and wealth-producers at heart, should quibble and delay taking action, more especially as you have received requests from so many of your own co-workers. We have on tile copies of resolutions passed at meetings of men engaged in operating trains in which tliey state their occupations are too precarious to follow under existing circumstances. Anything you can and will do, to aid our committee in bringing about a fair settlement Avith the C. P. R. company will be appreciated. Yours fraternally, JOHN T. WILSON. Tres. B. R. T. of A. By this time Mr. Pope, it seems, imagined that the time had come to make himself famous, and in order to gain notoriety he rushed into print, and, with the aid of the C. P. Ky. officials, succeeded in having the following inspiring (!) document published in all the leading news- pai)ers of the Dominion: Sir: 1 noticed in the published account of President AYilson's circular, July 13th, to the striking maintenance-of-way men that, owing to h misappre- hension of the facts, he conveys to them the impression that I was not in favor of the proposed plan of conciliation by the general chairmen of the five railway organizations. I wish to correct this wrong impression and to say that I have always favored the proposed plan of conciliation which was suggested to me by a large number of the engineers by letters and resolutions of joint meetings. The only difference of opinion between the other general chairmen and myself was as to the best mode of procedure in carrying out the expressed wish of our members, the other chairmen in the west wishing to go to Montreal forthwith to offer their services, while I thought it was best to obtain the consent of the vice-president of the C. P. K. and President Wilson, of the Brotherhood of Railway Trackmen of America, for the proposed committee to act, before putting the sevei'al general chairmen to the expense of convening in Montreal; thus you will see that my reason for not going to Montreal at once was a pure matter of detail, but as President Wilson was not aware of this fact, he naturally concluded I did not wish to act. The fact that I have spent a week in this city with Mr. A. Shaw, of the Order of Railway Conductors, and Mr. A. .lohns. of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen, in an endeavor to obtain permission for the proposed board of con- ciliation and mediation to act, should be conclusive proof of what my views are in regard to the proposition of concilation. I regret that it has become necessary for me to refer to certain disagreeable features which have developed in one or two districts where the present strug- gle is going on between the Canadian Pacific Railway and its striking mainte- nance-of-way men. but as some of our engineers, in the faithful discharge of duty have been brought into the very jaws of death by the recent attempts to wreck trains, I feel that it is my duty to point out to the striking trackmen the dangerous position into wlu<-ii their organization is being forced by the criminal acts of what I believe to l)e misguided sympathizers with tlieir cause; the engineers have through myself been doing all that could be done to bring 68 THE CALCIUM LIGHT about an amicable settlement of the present trouble, but how can they expect us to continue our good offices if they allow our men to be run into death traps set by evil disposed persons right under their very eyes. •In contests which have taken place in the past between railway companies and the older organizations, the strikers have sometimes pursued tactics of various kinds which were calculated to hinder the movement of trains, and cause annoyance and sometimes loss to the railways, these things have been looked upon by many of the public with more or less indifference as they are generally expected and regarded as the natural features or incidents accom- panying a railway strike. The most radical and violent elements of the older organizations have, however, always drawn back appalled at the mere sug- gestion of any act Avhich would in any manner jeopardize the lives of either their fellow employes or the traveling public, and realizing that the honor and wel- fare of their organizations were at stake, they have not been satisfied with holding themselves aloof from any act liable to cause injury or loss of life, but have been prompt and energetic in handing over the train wreckers and all, of their ilk to be dealt Avith by the strong arm of the law. I should be sorry to believe that men whom we have worked beside for years, could, without our giving them any cause for offence, so deliberately plot against our lives, for the sake of mere pecuniary gain; but it is clearly apparent that there are sympathizers with their cause who should be consid- ered in all communities as the worst and most dangerous of the criminal classes and who should be looked upon by every upright and law-abiding citizen as a common enemy; and while we feel that the maintenance-of-way men's hands are clean as to the actual acts of criminal nature, yet they should bear in mind the fact that in the present case their responsibility and duty to both their organization and the public by no means ends with holding themselves aloof from such acts as trainwrecking. They must remember that their fellow-employes and the public are of the opinion that they can exert a powerful influence over the acts of those sym- pathizers of evil intent, and we are looking to the maintenance-of-way men to exert that influence in a practical and vigorous manner. Otherwise the responsibility of the train wreckers' acts will lie at the door of the strikers. In closing, I wish to say to the trackmen that the reputation of their organ- ization is at stake and if they do not wish to go on record as giving countenance to acts of violence which will ere long arouse the indignation of every lionor- able law-abiding workingman in the community, it is time that they put forth every effort to bring the train wrecker to justice. On some parts of the system I am informed that the strikers, being alive to the necessity of protecting their own interests and the reputation of their organization, have constituted themselves a guard to foil the attempts of train wreckers and tliose who would bring upon them the condemnation of the com- munity. This is a wise step, and one which has often been taken by the older organizations in times of trouble, as they realize that no organization which has to bear the ignominy of such acts can very long sustain life in any well ordered law-abiding community. The older railway organizations and the public will not be satisfied with a denial of all knowledge of who have committed these acts, by the mainte- l)ance-of-way men in the districts where attempts to wreck trains have oc- TuRNKD Ox Bv A Railway Trackman. 69 ciUTod: what we expect from tliciu is inmiediak' aud dcliuiii' ad ion and prac- tical results ill exposiug the guilty. (Sigued) ("HAS. POPE, General Cliairinan ('. P. U. System Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. Winnipeg. July 22. 1901. The trackmen's representatives refused to discuss the above article. The tenor of the letter showed clearly that the writer had no interest in the welfare of the trackmen. However, one of their sym- pathizers answered the challenge, as follows: POPE CHARLES" ENCYCLICAL. A Railroader Deals Witb the Open Letter of the Chairman. The following letter originally appeared in the Vancouver W.orld, but the writer reciuests insertion in The Voice. The open letter that Mr. Pope ad- dressed to the press in .July, while generally condemned all over, has met with particular denunciation in the west, and we think rightly so. The railway company had it printed as a circular and widely distributed, and its production by officials to back up some of their specious stories has been extremelj' galling to the men: To the Editor of The Voice: Sir: At Winnipeg, in the province of Manitoba, and on the 22nd day of July last, there was issued from under the aegis of the fallible Pope Charles, who by the grace of the brethren, rules over the temporal and, evidently in his opinion, spiritual destinies of the employes of the C. P. R., an encyclical addressed to the world at large. Charles sits on a throne stuffed with wool waste. He is surpliced In blue cotton duck, such as our Chinamen on the Pacific coast use! his ample brow is crowned witb a tiara made out of an old paper bag. Thus sits Charles Pope on his woolsack prepared to throttle the demands of his subordinates. He is always ready to open the release-valves or blow-off cock in order to release himself. And when that blow-off cock is blowing and fussing and vaporing no voice can be heard above the terrible din. but the sonorous growl or stentorian notes of Charles Pope. From this throne he issues his edicts and fists, but never a prayer except when he im- agines he sees a bogle on the road. In his encyclical above referred to he counsels his recalcitrant followers to be careful in moving along the crooked highway. He adjures them to abstain from forcing him to act in the present critical emergency, because he "holds a difference of opinion as to the mode of procedure." And to deprive him of that sweet morsel would be a terrible shock to his nervous system, which might necessitate the use of an injector. To the infidel trackman he admin- isters a stern rebuke for his departure from, what he considers, the path of moral rectitude in presuming to ask for bread commensurate to his bodily requirements! He designates this poor employe as a "wrecker of trains" and a "plotter" against the lives of honest men. In order to give force and piquancy to his denunciatory declamation he draws out his elastic imagination to the fullest possible extent — another stretch like this one. I fear, will make it snap and break to the permanent hurt and injury of its owner. From his throne, perched on infernal mechanism, he casts a wistful glance over the buffer beam 70 THE CALCIUM LIGHT along the highway of life; he beholds wrecks heing eousumed iu fierj^ abj'sses; meu digging pits of destructiou for the faithful to fall into; rails torn up and twisted out of shape by the grinning spectre of the starved trackmen; he beholds destruction and deviltry running riot, arm in arm, along our national highway; he sees his brethren plunging headlong "into the very jaws of death."" All this is a perfect realization in the calm and collected mind of Charles Pope, who, by some supernatural power, is able to run a train every day in the week over and through these terrible scenes of anarchy and destruc- tion in perfect safety! Charles Pope is no common mortal! "Whence and what art thou?" l\ye. he is mortal, for do you not see him wipe his forehead with cotton waste, the property of his employer, which he does not scruple to use instead of a square of turkey red cotton at ten cents each. That's Charles Pope, huge and portentious in size, who accuses the poor, ill-fed, ill-clothed, because ill-paid, trackmen, of the most diabolical deeds. The men he endeavors to besmirch would not stoop even to harbor the thoughts of evil Charles Pope alone is capable of conceiving! The foul deeds he attributes to the trackmen have no foundation outside his own imagiuation. Assertions are not facts. Mr. Pope. I venture even to assert that Mr. Pope cannot prove his assertion and bring his charge home to the trackmen. The writer of this letter has no desire to try and disabuse the mind of Charles Pope, general chairman of the E. S. from the "notions'" he entertains. I am too well aware that iu this case it is beyond human power. The man who harbors "notions'" is the most obdurate of mortals. Therefore it is my present aim to deny in toto the vile charges enunciated by Charles Pope against my fellow workmen. That some of the trackmen have been indiscreet in their conduct cannot be denied, but crimes of the nature charged have yet to be proved outside of Pope's brain, and I feel sure that in the face of existing circumstances the exemplary conduct of the meu, the vile charges will be repelled with the con- tempt they and their author so thoroughly deserve. Instead of doing malicious injury to the company the strikers have in many cases rendered assistance to the company for humanity's sake. The trackmen are well satisfied with their position and they are proud of it; they do not deny having had a few "black sheep" and ".Tudases" among them, but these have either been weeded out or "captured" by the enemy. Where is the flock that has no black sheep or weak-kneed ewe? Mr. Pope can readily remember, if he is not wilfully for- getful, that there were a few blacks among his own fraternity in days gone by and Mr. Pope in the goodness of his heart may have visited Stoney Mountain to see "an old ciium" perched on a pile of stones perforce the arm of the law for his own and country's good. You know why he sat there, Mr. Pope, but you did not in the flow of inspiration which prompted you to issue your encycli- cal consider at heart this knowledge. The trackmen have today some of their very best and staunchest friends among the engineers who desire a speedy settlement of the difficulty, and this would be effected if Mr. Pope did not entertain a difference of opinion between himself and them. This "difference of opinion" is the obstacle in the way. And you. Mr. Pope, are willing, for the mere sake of gaining a petty point, to alloAV some of your brothers to go into "the very jaws of death!" Oh, con- sistency! Mr. Pope, are you a stranger to this virtue? Mr. Pope avers that the trackmen have deliberately plotted against his Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 71 own and brother eugiuoors' lives. A fouler or baser charge could uot be cou- <:eived. We deplore the allegation for the sake of those he represents, and we feel sure his Utter has uot the approval of the general body of engineers. It it not necessary for the traclvineu to have recourse to "criuiiual acts for pecun- iary gains," the very simple process of turning "scab" or worse still, "scab in disguise" would bring flsh to the net. The strikers have not perpetrated acts of violence, such as is charged against them. The public know tliat there is a small wire stretching across the continent that could be easily severed at many vulnerable points to the utter discomtiture of the company. Even tliat has been left untouched. Every trackman is absolutely and strictly required to conduct himself within the bounds of law and reason. Probably Mr. Pope may have been communing alone with his conscience on some lonely isle of the Lake of the Woods, or while perched on some jutting crag above some waterfall at Keewatin, and made the discovery that he was not yet prepared to take his departure to the "other side of Jordan," his imagin- ation became fickle and painted to him the other world which is to be his, in more lurid and glaring colors than he cared to look upon, hence his imaginary "wrecks" and dark "plots." I can hardly allow myself to credit Charley Pope, my old friend, Avith the matter or construction of this letter, as in my humble opinion it has a specific object cunningly inserted in the context. How a letter of its style, composition and nature, could emanate from the hand of Pope, is more than 1 can divine. It would do credit to the general manager of the C. P. Ry., but it certainly reflects no credit on Charley Pope, who, through it, has fallen from Pope with a heavy thud to common bellman. Kelative to the actions of Mr. Tope, the Voice, of July 2G, says editorially: * * * * Engineer Charles Pope deserves an extended notice only be- cause his contribution filled the first column (page one) of the Free Press on Tuesday last, thus securing a wide notice. * * * Mr. Pope begins by taking exception to the terms of President Wilson's circular of July 13th which was a well-drawn, inspiring document, and was well received and endorsed by the brotherhoods and the public. In the next paragraphs ]Mr. Pope tries and tries in vain to explain his extraordinary conduct in failing to fulfill the clear man- date laid upon him by the united brotherhoods, he fences and wiggles but he cannot get away from the plain fact that when the Inigle note of duty i-ang out the place assigned to Charles Pope was empty. Had he filled it and done his duty, all concerned might have been in happier and more harmonious mood today. * * * (Here follows Mr. Pope's explanation of why he did not pro- ceed to [Montreal, etc., when requested by members of his order, which is printed above.) To assume that President Wilson was possibly averse to friendly intervention was a gratuitous affront to a kindred Brotherhood and. moreover, an invention, being contrary to the avowed attitude of the ti'ack- men's representatives, and to wait foi- the consent of the vice-president of the C. P. R. indicates a lack of confidence in the strength, and a narrow concep- tion of the duties of the great railroad brotherhoods, together with a timid deference to the pompous and autocratic methods of corporation magnates, which stamps Engineer Pope in this regard at least as being uot a very valiant son of labor. Does the company or any other corporation making its huge 72 THE CALCIUM I.IGHT profits out of human labor observe this delicate puuctilio iu dealing with the victims? No, nor is it required. There is doubtless a right and a wrong way to conduct a strilie, and neither now nor ever have we counseled defiance nor anything but orderly and regular methods of presenting the claims of labor, but Mr. Pope's excuses are trifling and finicliing, and, we would add, uuAvorthy of him. * * * * Engineer Pope has a good job and quite naturally and justifiably wants to keep it, and he is impatient of any interruption of his comparative prosperity, and so writes a good loyal letter, which, so far as it goes, is far more in the interests of the C. P. K. than the trackmen. Like thousands more witli a fair wind on their (piarter, Charles Pope has no objection whatever to trackmen being better paid, and would perhaps really like to see it, but taking any risk or making any exertion or sacrifice is quite another proposition. Labor's struggle iu the past and the looming Waterloos in the future call for, and will produce, more valiant champions than Charles Pope. CHAPTER Vin. GENERAL CHAIRMEN TAKE A HAND. On Jnly 18 the cliaii-inan of the trackman's committee sent the following letter to Messrs. Charles Pope, B. L. E., Rat Portage, Ont.; W. H. Allison, O. R. T., 70 Melbourne St., Toronto, Ont.; A. W. Johns, B. R. T., 4(M; Fouseca St., Winnipeg, Man.; G. K. Wark, B. L. F., 71 Cameron St., Toronto, Ont.: Montreal. July 18, 1901. Dear Sir and Brother: Tliis is the fifth week since the maintenance-of-way men on the Canadian Pacific Railway suspended work. We have been notified of resolutions being passed at Union meetings held at various p?j»ces by members of other railway orders, reiiuesting the chairmen of the joint protective boards to convene in Montreal to act as a concibation committee in an effort to effect a settlement betAveen the C. P. Railway com- pany's ofticials, and the maintenance-of-way men. ^ye have also been notified by members of other orders that they consider their personal safety involved and then- occupations too precarious to follow under existing circumstances. My object in writing is to inform you that we are not opposed to any one who thinks us worthy of assistance, in our efforts to secure a fair settle- ment. "Were the chairmen of the joint protective boards of the other orders in Mon- treal, they could, no doubt, through their influence, bring the officials of the company and the representatives of the maintenance-of-way men together, which will enable them to determine whether the maintenance-of-way men or the company is entitled to their sympathy. Some of our members have been evicted from the company's houses and compelled to move their families into barns. Under such embarrassing circumstances they admonish us to stand firm until matters are settled right. You will find enclosed a copy of a notice to the public from our president, by which you will see he is not opposed to outside parties, provided they are fair-minded, suggesting what is right and proper under the circumstances. Yours fraternally. JOSEPH LENNOX, Chairman Committee. Turned On by a Railway Trackman, 73 No reply was received to I he above letter from any of llif parties to whom it was addressed. July 19, the following letter was mailed to each member of the B. K. T. of A. on the C. P. Ry. system: We wish to send you a word of greeting. We know tbe stream of false- hood from the otticial side never ceases, and all means known to human ingen- uity are beuig used, to bring you back to work. A few, a very few, have weakened under the combined intiuences of threats, promises, tlattery, bribes and lies, the rest are standing tirm as the Rock of Gibraltar, so that from St. John to Vancouver, there are not today a dozen foremen at work, who were at work the day before the strike was called. Even north and west of Toronto where the company assert the strike is over, a large proportion of the men are still unfaltering in their support of the committee, and on the Owen Sound brancli, nine gangs who had, as they assert, been induced by false representations to go to work, sent in their resignations again on Monday morning, .July 15th, and joined their striking brothers and say they will support your committee to the end. Brothers, we want you to notice they have not replaced us by one sober, competent trackman, and they are hardly trying to do so, knowing that the skill to replace us is not in the country, nor available under such circumstances as now prevail on the C. P. K. Members of other orders have informed us that they consider their personal safety is involved and their occupations too precarious to follow under existing circumstances. The public is also becoming alarmed and will not submit to the present state of affairs on the C. P. Railway much longer. The ofhcials are bending all their energies to seduce you from the allegiance you pledged to your committee, knowing that their only chance of replacing you is to have you replace yourselves. We verily believe a settle- ment would have been effected ere now had the babies who weakened been like you men who are getting the respect of all who value honor and pluck, by your manly, steadfast adherence to the committee who represent you. Our advices from ocean to ocean show our men standing quietly, but firmly, and urging your committee to be equally tirm; the public sentiment against allowing men of the character who, only, will knowingly take our place is so strong, that the company's special policemen have to use their revolvers to keep 4:hem at work, two men reported as having been shot in their desperate effort to escape from a train in which they were being taken to work. The track is fast getting to the stage at which the running of trains will be impossible, and we can only say you have the whole thing in your own hands, you cannot be done without much longer, and can only be replaced by yourselves. The attempt to prejudice you against your committee still goes on unceas- ingly. We are represented as being fools, unable to discuss the grievances of the trackmen, simply able to say, "Here is our schedule, sign it." It is con- stantly reported, we have thrown up the sponge and gone home. Take no stock in any of these yarns. We will stay till we get the agreement you sent us to secure, believing we now have men behind us with the stamina to say, ".V fair agreement or we quit the service forever." The stream of abuse of President Wilson is also steadily kept up. He is represented as being here to create disturbances in the interests of other trans- 74 • THE CALCIUM LIGHT poitatioii companies. Agaiu he is an alien, au Amerieau, aud witli uo rights iu this affair. We are ghid you are above being dui)ed by any of these silly attempts to create distrust of either your committee or your chief. Their ob- jection to Mr. Wilson is that he has proven himself a match for the officials of the C. r. K., and a most valuable aid to your committee. We claim the same right to hire the best man available to help us fight our battles, without regard to nationality, that the C. P. It. has to engage a man to manage C. P. R. affairs. Again warning you against any aud every attempt to bring you back to work till you are properly notified by our chairman, and assuring you every SLich going back prolongs the struggle. Yours in B. L. & U., JOSEPH LENNON, Chairman. A. F. STOUT, Secretary. July 24, Mr. M. Dolphin, president of the Order of Railroad Teleg- raphers, arj'ived in Montreal, called upon the maintenance-of-way men's representatives, and suggested that the following message be sent to the general chairmen of the B. L. E., B. L. F., O. R. C. and B. R. T.: Montreal, .July 24, 1901. Chief executives firemen's, trainmen's aud telegraphers* organizations have suggested iu commuuicatious to our presideut that their respective general chairmen act as mediators in pending strike. If agreeable wheu can you attend conference? JOSEPH LENNON, Chairman Committee. The following replies were received : Toronto, Ont. July 24, 1901. J. Lennon, Grand Union Hotel. Can leave here tonight (Wednesday) by No. 6 for Montreal. W. H. ALLISON. Rat Portage, Out., July 24, 1901. J. Lennon, Chairman Committee. Have explained to Grand Chief Conductor Clark action already taken. If instructed by him will act at once. A. SHAW. Rat Portage, Out., July 24. 1901. J. Lennon, Grand Union Hotel, Montreal. Have spent over a week in Winnipeg trying to get consent for conciliatory committee to act. whenever company and your committee both willing, I will act without delay. CHAS. POPE. Mr. W. H. Allison, general chairman of the O. R. T., arrived in Montreal on the evening of the 25th of July, and on the morning of the 2Gth sent the following messages : Montreal, July 26, 1901. A. Shaw, Rat Portage, Ont. Will you come to Montreal and act Avith general chairmen of trainmen, fire- men and telegraphers, in effort to settle strike. If so when? W. H. ALLISON. Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 75 Montreal, July 26, 1901. Geo. K. Wark, 51 ("amcroii St.. Toronto, Out. Will you come to Moutreal and act with general chairmen of trainmen and telegraphers in effort to settle strike. If so, when can you come? W. H. ALLISON. A. W. Johns, 406 Fouseca St., Winnipeg, Man. Will you come to Montreal and act with general chairmen of firemen and telegraphers in effort to settle strike. If so, when? W. H. ALLISON. July 2G the following letter was sent to all members of the B. R. T. of A. on the C. P. By. system: We take pleasure in advising yon that the determination of the men all along the line to stand firm until matters are settled right, appears to be as strong, if not stronger, than it was one week after the suspension of work took place. The officials are making a desperate struggle to defeat us. We believe they are receiving assistance from outside parties, possibly, from all of the railway companies on the North American Continent. One of our members has in- formed us that a superintendent on the Kingston & Pembroke road hired a foreman and thirty men to work for the C. P. R. They Avere to receive more wages than the company were asked to pay by your committee, and were told that the strike on theC. P. K. had been settled, but when advised to the con- trary, they refused to work. They have hundreds of inexperienced men, mostly Italians and aliens, walking up and down the track trying to convince the public that your places have been filled. It is said they do not do any work to amount to anything and are receiving more w^ages than we received for rendering faithful service while working for the company. It is possible that other roads are furnishing money to the company to carry on this struggle, thinking that if the C. P. R. can, through their assist- ance, defeat us. It will take the 'heart' out of the maintenance-of-way men on all other roads, and prevent them from ever ^making an effort to bring about improved conditions for themselves and families. "Truth crushed to earth Avill rise again," and "you cannot keep a good man down." The numerous misstatements published, and the unfair tactics adopted by the officials are enough to make any self-respecting man blush with shame. In the beginning of the strike they seduced and degraded R. C. Montgomery, caused him to desert our cause, to turn traitor, and to aid them in an effort to defeat us. They then had so little respect for him as to cause his actions to be published in the newspapers, which made it necessary for us to make an explanation, in a general circular issued July 4th, 1901. The following is a copy of a letter which each member of your committee and president re- ceived: — Montreal, July 22, 1901. McGlhbon, Casgrain, Ryan & Mitchell, Canada Life Building. L.— Mr. J. T. Wilson, Grand Union Hotel, Montreal. Sir:— We are in receipt of instructions from Mr. R. C. Montgomery, of Ottawa, Ont., to notify you that, in a circular dated July 4th, 1901, and headed, "Headquarters of the Joint Protective Board, Grand Union Hotel, Montreal," he has been grossly libelled and defamed. The references to our client are not only false and malicious, l)ut have caused him serious injury, and have subjected himself and his family to humiliation and auuoyance. 76 THE CALCIUM LIGHT jSIoreoTer liis relations witli the men over whom and with whom he is employed have been and arc likely to be seriously prejudieed by this defamatory publication, nnless contradicted. "We have, therefore, to notify you, as one of those responsible for the publication and circulation of the offensive sheet, that the statements made therein with respect to Mr. Montgomery must be at once withdrawn and a proper apology tendered. After submission to us the retraction must be given the same publicity by you and your associates as the original libel, and such other publicity as we may deem fit. Unless this is at once done, we shall advise Mr. Montgomery not only to cause your apprehension on a charge of criminal libel, under the Criminal Code of Canada, but to institute Civil proceedings against you, before the Superior Court for damages. Pray give this your immediate attention. Your obedient servants, (Signed) McGIBBON, CASGRAIN, RYAN & MITCHELL. Brothers, we are British subjects; we are not cowards and will not be frightened, nor swerved from duty. Had a British officer who aided in con- ducting the siege at Ladysmith during the South African war deserted the British flag, and became an aid to the 'Krugerites,' and had a firm of lawyers undertaken to defend him, every Britisher living under and protected by the British flag with a spark of patriotism in his heart would have said that the deserter (the traitor), and his defenders deserved to be court-martialed and shot through their backs without right of clergy. If there is any one thing more than another the people of Canada despise it is a 'traitor.' And those who attempt to defend him deserve to be treated with the same contempt. Some people say money cau do everything, but the principles of honest men cannot be purchased. Although corporations with unlimited amounts of money at their disposal have many mercenaries, we expect to win in our efforts to secure a fair settlement with the C. P. R. Members of other organizations composed of railway employes on the C. P. R. have instructed their general chairmen to act as a "conciliatory com- mittee" and to aid in bringing about a fair settlement between the company and its maintenance-of-way men. It has been stated that the general chairmen of all of the orders, Avith the exception of Mr. Pope, (chairman of the engineers), are anxious to come to -Montreal to imdertake the task. The chief executives of the B. L. F., B. R. T. aud O. R. T., have suggested that their general chair- men act as mediators. The following is a cop.v of a message sent to all the general chairnten on the 24th inst., by our chairman: Chief executives firemen's, trainmen's and telegraphers' organizations have suggested in communications to our President that their respective general chairmen act as media- tors in pending strike, if agreeable, when can you attend conference? Mr. Pope's reply to the above message is as follows: — Have spent over a week in Winnipeg trying to get consent for conciliatory committee to act. Wlienever company and your committee are both willing I will act without delay. He also states in a letter to our president, dated July 19th: The only difference of opinion between myself and the other general chairmen was on n pure matter of detail, the other gentlemen wishing to proceed to Montreal forthwith, wliile I wished to obtain the consent of Mr. McNicoll and yourself for the members of the committee to act. If the general manager of the C. P. R. and the representatives of the maiiiteuance-of-way men were both inclined to make a fair settlement they M'ould have averted the trouble in the first place by doing their own "conciliat- ing." Possibly, Mr. Pope may be able to explain the position taken by liira, to the satisfaction of engineers who requested him to act in defence of their Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 77 lives, and tu the im-uihers of other organizations composed of railway employes, but we fail to see any consisteuey in tlie stand he lias talien. Some may euqnire: What can a "conciliation committee" do without being requested to act by l)Oth parties to the controversy. The general chairmen of the other railway orders on the C. P. R. with the prestige of their respective organizations, certainly could do much towards effecting a fair settlement if they desire to do so. They could say to the general manager of the C. P. R. company and to the representatives of the maintenance-of-way department employes on said road: You are not the only people who are being affected on account of this controversy. The public have rights that both of you are bound and should be compelled to respec-t. They could then say to the general manager; Your company has admitted that we represent fair-minded men, by entering into agreements with them pertaining to wages, terms and conditions of employ- ment. Now sir. we will endeavor to arrive at a conclusion as to which party to the controversy is entitled to our sympathies and to the sympathies of the public. If you people are disposed to make a fair settlement for the benefit of the stockholders, for the protection of our lives, the lives of all the men we represent, for the relief of both parties to the controversy, and for the con- venience of the public, we are anxious to aid you in determining what is right and proper under the circumstances, and if either party refuses to accept our good offices, the public will quickly deternaiue whether the C. P. R. or the maintenance-of-way men are entitled to their sympathies. Large aggregations of wealth, with their combined influences, are opposing the maintenance-of-way men on the C. P. R.. in this contest, but we are not cowards, we are soldiers, and will continue the struggle in a fair and square way. Mercenaries for corporations will resort to anything imaginable to defeat honest workingmen in an honest cause. Last summer the Transit Company's men were on strike in Missouri. The company had an army of detectives em- ployed. One of them desiring to have himself styled a "hero" and to secure permanent employment from the company, at good wages, decided to blow up a l)ridge at a time when some of the strikers were near-by, capture two or three of them, and prove them guilty of the crime done by himself. He was caught placing dynamite in the structure by the civil authorities. After being arrested he made a confession and exposed his scheme. Boys, we know you are law-abiding citizens, honest, hard-working men, and do not believe any of you would be guilty of endangering life, destroying property, or permit others to do so if you could prevent it. Be as "wise as serpents and as harmless as doves," and do not allow C. P. R. mercenaries to get you or any of your fritmds into trouble. The longer the siege and the harder the battle, the more glorious the victory will be. AVe want a fair settle- ment with the C. P. R. and must have it or leave the service of the company forever. We would again call your attention to the closing paragraph of our circular of the 10th .Tune. 1901. which we will again (luote for your guidance: "If your committee fails to nuike a settlement, and trouble is forced upon you, maintain your manhood, continue to be honest, hard-working, law-abiding citizens, as you have been in the past, and the good people of the Dominion of Canada will aid you in your struggles to redress the wrongs that have been, and are now being imposed upon you." Yours in B. I>. & U.. .lOSKPII LENNOX. Chairman. A, F. STOUT. Secretary. 78 THE CAIvCIUM LIGHT G. K. Wark arrived in Montreal, and after discussing the situa- tion with W. H. Allison and the trackmen's representatives, the fol- lowing message and letter were sent to each of the other general chair- men, on July 30: (Message.) We believe general chairmen sbonld meet and hear from both sides to the controversy and recommend what should be done to relieve all concerned. Will you come to Montreal and act with us? W. H. ALLISON, Chairman O. K. T. G. K. WARK, Chairman B. L. F. (Letter.) Dear Sir and Brother: Union meetings have been held at various places along the line of the C. P. Railway, and participated in by the members of the B. L. E., B. L. P\, B. R. T., O. R. T.. and O. R. C. The members of the five railway orders above referred to have sent us copies of resolutions instructing the general chairmen of the several orders to act as a "conciliator}^ committee" in an effort to effect a settlement between the C. P. Railway officials and the maintenance-of-way department employes. We will enclose a copy of a circular issued at Winnipeg, dated July 19, 1901, bearing the names of Charles Pope, A. Shaw, and A. W. .Johns. According to tlie contents of the circular above referred to, the three gen- eral chairmen (whose signatures are thereto attached) suggested terms for a settlement. The maintenance-of-way men's committee contend that they have not had an opportunity to present their side of the case to any of the general chairmen. However, they express a willingness to do so. The instructions re- ceived by us were signed by men representing the five railway organizations, and. we believe, we should meet in Montreal where the general offices of the C. P. Railway company are located, and in the city where the maintenance-of- Avay men's committee are stopping, and give both sides to the controversy an opportunity to submit such matters as they may deem proper, after which we may be able to suggest something that will help both sides to the controversy out of the difficulty. Speaking for the members of our own organizations. We do not believe they will be pleased with the actions of their general chairmen without we proceed along the lines above suggested. AVe came to Montreal in obedience to the instructions of our members, and will be pleased to co-operate with the other general chairmen in an eft"ort to restore harmonious relations between the Canadian Pacific Railway officials and their maintenance-of-way department employes. W. H. ALLISON, Chairman O. R T. GEO. K. WARK, Chairman B. L. F. The messages sent to the general chairmen of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and the Order of Railway Conductors by Messrs. Wark and Allison were sent through the (/Ireat Northwestern Telegraph Comi)any. According to Mr. Allison's statement, a few minutes after the messages had been sent he received a summons over the telephone to go to the general offices of the C. P. Ry. company. Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 79 When he arrived there the officials exhibited a verbatim copy of the message he had just transmitted over the wires of the Great North- western. Mr. Wark left for his home in Toronto with the understanding that he would return in a day or two. August 1 the following letter was mailed to each member of the B. R. T. of A. on the C. P. Ry. system: The following- resolutions, passed at a Union meeting participated in by the members of B. L. F., O. R. T., B. R. T., O. R. C. and B. L. E., are self- explanatory: — To the Local LodKOS of B. L. E.. B. L. F., O. R. C, B. R. T., and O. R. T.:— At ii joint nu'i'ting of thf above organizations tlio following resolntions were adopted unanimously, and -endorsed by the Local Lodges of the organizations above mentioned, and the committee whose signatures are attached hereto, are appointed to forward a copy of same to all other lodges, and request them to take prompt and similar action: Whereas, There appears to be no prospeet of an early settlement regarding the diffi- culty between the Canadian Pacific Railway Co. and its striking mainteuance-of-way men; And Whereas, Said strike has continued during the past six weeks, and the Canadian Pacific Railway have been apparently unable to procure a sufficient number of men to keep the roadbed in its normal condition; And Whereas, The only apparent reason for the continuance of the strike is the de- termination of the Canadian Pacific Railwa.v Company to refuse recognition to the Broth- erhood of Railway Trackmen: And Whereas, Said refusal of recognition of said organization is a denial to the members thereof, of representation, and is also a blow aimed at the basic principles of organized labor, justice and natural rights; And Whereas, The Canadian Pacific Railway Company have refused the good offices of the general chairmen of the B. L. E., O. R. C, and P.. R. T., and as said refusal doth clearly show that the responsibility of the continuance of the strike rests solely with the Canadian Pacific Railway Company; V And Whereas, The employes in train service are being put to unnecessary annoyance and their lives jeopardized; Therefore be it resolved. That this meeting of the five Brotherhoods, joinfl.y assembled, do hereby instruct the general chairmen of the said Brotherhoods to proceed at once to the highest officials of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, and, if necessary, also to the Dominion Government, and in each instance to forcefully place before both the pre- valent condition of affairs, and strongly press for an immediate settlement of the strike. Resolved, That the Brotherhoods here jointly assembled, do guarantee to compensate the several chairmen vrhile engaged in carrying out the provisions of the attached, as provided for in the laws governing the organizations to which they belong. A cop.v of these resolutions to be forwarded to the general chairmen. [Note. — The names of the committee signing the above resolutions, as well as the place of meeting, are withheld to avoid blacklisting. The original copy is in my possession.] The general chairmen of the B. L. F. and O. R. T. are in Montreal. They sent the following message to the general chairmen of the other orders: — We believe general chairmen should meet and hear both sides to the controversy, and recommend what should be done to relieve all concerned. Will you come to Montreal and act with us? W. H. ALLISON, Chairman O. R. T. G. K. WARK, Chairman B. L. F. Your chairman, secretary and myself have been arrested on a charge of criminal libel. The charge was made by R. C. Montgomery, and is based upon information concerning hiji actions, given to you on .July 4. It is clear to my mind that the Canadian Pacific Railway company is hedg- ing behind Montgomery. I was told three weeks ago that the advisability of 80 THE CALCIUM LIGHT having me arrested was being considered at the general offices of the Canadian Pacific Railway company, on the charge of inciting men to destroy property. A few days after I was informed that the company had decided to place Mont- gomery between themselves and your organization and have me arrested. On the morning of July 31st, I was advised through a party who frequently visits the general offices of the Canadian Tacific Railway company, tliat the officials had sent for Montgomery, and that your chairman, secretary and myself would be arrested in the afternoon. This information proved to be true, the arrests having been made. The Brotherhood of Railway Trackmen having funds on hand, and a few feai'less friends living in Montreal not wearing C. P. R. collars, who came forward and executed bonds, are the only things that prevented your president, chair- man and secretary from being locked in cells prepared for criminals. Will you uphold the C. P. R. company and its mercenaries, in their unscrup- ulous actions, or will you declare your souls your own. and support those who are fighting your battles in an honorable, manly and law-abiding way? Brothers, you can decide for yourselves whether the C. P. Railway officials or Montgomery are prosecuting your president and committeemen. Any maintenance-of-way man who will continue to work for the C. P. Railway company, under the circumstances, and until your grievances are properly adjusted and the charges against your grand officer and committee- men are withdrawn, is an enemy to organized labor and a traitor to justice. Yours in B. L. & U., JOHN T. WILSON, Pres. B. R. T. of A. When Mr. Wark returned to Montreal he stated that while in To- ronto he was called to the long-distance telephone and requested to speak to C. W. Spencer, general superintendent, at Montreal, who in- formed him that the president of the Trackmen's Brotherliood had is- sued a statetnent, dated August i, over his (Mr. Warlc's) signature, and asked him if he had seen a copy of it. He replied that he had not. Mr. Spencer then proceeded to read the statement. ^Mien he had finished reading, Mr. Wark asked him whose name was affixed to the document. He replied, "John T. Wilson, but your name is on the circular also." He then advised Mr. Wark to denounce the president of the Trackmen's Brotherhood for using his name without authority. ^Ir. Allison and Mr. Wark stated that during the conferences with the C. P. Ry. officials they were urged to return to their homes; that the manager had met the other chairmen in Winnipeg, explained matters to their satisfaction, and they were not going to Montreal. August 8 the chairmen of the B. L. E. and O. R. C. arrived in Montreal. Mr. M. M. Dolphin, president of the O. R. T., had returned to Mon- treal and was stopping at the Grand Union Hotel. When informed that representatives of the other orders were in Montreal and would try and effect a settlement between the company and its maintenance- Turned On by a Raii^way Trackman. 81 of-way men, and upon being leciuested to aid in bringing the contend- ing factions together, he proceeded to the office of the president of the C. P. Ry. conijmny and obtained his consent for the chairmen to act as conciliators. He then returned to the Grand Union Hotel, sought an interview with the chairmen, and after discussing matters for some time, sent for the jiresident of Hie B. K. T. of A., who arrived in the committ(^e room and met representatives of the other orders, and Mr. Dolphin. Mr. Dolphin stated that the chairmen of the other orders had come to Montreal in response to the wishes of the members of their organizations, to try and effect a settlement between the com- pany and its maintenance-of-way nietn; that he had called upon the president of the C. P. Ry. company and he h-a-d agreed to accept the chairmen of the other orders as conciliators. He then asked the president of the B. R. T. of A. if he would accept the services of the chairmen as conciliators. The president of the B. R. T. of A. replied that the maintenance-of-way men had a committee present whose mem- bers should be consulted and their wishes respected in the matter. Mr. Dolphin replied: "The chairmen of the other orders are not ex- pected to deal with under-strappers. Your committee and minor offi- cials of the road have consumed too much time trying to effect a settlement. These gentlemen propose doing business with the heads of the C. P. Ry. company and the Trackmen's Brotherhood. Will you accept the chairmen of the other orders as conciliators?" On being answered in the affirmative, Mr. Dolphin stated that the conciliation committee should review the negotiations between the C. P. Ry. offi- cials and the maintenance-of-way men's committee, in order to find out what differences existed between the company and the trackmen be- fore trying to arrive at a basis of settlement satisfactory to both par- ties to the controversy. Mr. Dolphin and the president of the B. R. T. of A. then withdrew; the chairmen proceeded to form themselves into a "conciliation com- mittee,'' and to outline a course of procedure. On the morning of August 9 the conciliation committee and the maintenance-of-way men's representatives met in joint session at the Grand Union Hotel. The president of the B. R. T. of A. reviewed the work of the maintenance-of-way men's committee, reading all corres- pondence relative thereto. He then addressed the conciliation com- mittee and stated that in attempting to make a settlement between the officials of the company and the maintenance-of-way men they were assuming a great responsibility, and he would do anything reasonable and right to assist them in their undertaking. Mr. Pope, chairman of the conciliation committee, then requested the president of the B. 82 THE CAIvCIUM LIGHT R. T. of A. to prepare a basis of settlement that, in liis judgment, would be fair to the trackmen, whereupon he Avas handed a copy of the schedule prepared in April by the maintenance-of-way men's rep- resentatives and handed to the officials of the company. The presi- dent of the B. K, T. of A. then stated that he believed the maintenance- of-way men were entitled to all they were asking, and more. He re- quested the conciliation committee to secure a similar document from the company, setting forth what the officials considered fair wages for the maintenance-of-way men, and he would be willing to leave it to the conciliation committee, trusting to their honor, their sense of justice, their ability to determine what is right, and their courage to do right, believing they would arrive at a basis of settlement that would be fair to the company and the maintenance-of-way men. The members of the conciliation committee appeared to be satis- fied with the spirit of fairness displayed by the representatives. of the maintenance-of-way men, saying that if the president of the C. P. Ry. company were as anxious to have the matter settled as the president of the B. R. T. of A., and would give them the same authority to act in the matter they had received from the president of the Trackmen's Brotherhood, the differences would be adjusted in a few minutes. August 13 the following letter was nmiled to each member of the B. R. T. of A. on the C. P. Ry. system: The general chairmen of the other orders are in ;Montreal. They have been accepted as a "conciliation committee" by the President of the Canadian Pacific Railway company and myself. The officials contended that the demands made npon the company by your committee were unreasonable, and the charge that I am here in the interests of American transportation companies, trying to cripple Canadian industries, etc., has even been made. I have advised the general chairmen of the other orders that Ave do not desire to make unreasonable demands upon the company, and that I am endeav- oring to secure for you what I believe to be your just due, and in order to prove my sincerity, I am willing for them to decide upon an agreement setting forth the terms and conditions of your employment. In other words, they (the general chairmen of the other orders) have been accepted as sole arbitrators, without restriction. The C. P. R. company has been doing business with the organizations the men represent, for years, which is equivalent to acknowledging them to be the representatives of intelligent and fair-minded pe()i)Ie. If the companj' refuses to accept them as sole arbitrators, they will no longer be able to deceive the public and deprive you of the sympathies of the good people of Canada. The men I have empowered to adjust your grievances are practical and experienced men, and they, as well as the officials with whom they are dealing, are British subjects. If they do not give you a square deal, British fair play is a hollow sham. The charge against your committeemen and myself for criminal libel will TuRNKD On by a Railway Trackman. 83 be tried on September 10. Mi'. .MDiitgomery, while on tlie witness stand, wonld not .uUnit that be is proseeutiug us in the interests of the C. 1'. It. eompauy. He stated, however, tliat he was introduced to Mr. McGibbon (the bead of the law tirni who is h)oking after the proseeution) by Mr. C. W. Spencer, general superintendent of tlie C. P. K. company. This meeting toolv place at the Wind- sor Hotel— the most expensive and fashionable hotel in the city of Montreal. When a section foreman instructs other men to quit work, they obey his order, and he is promoted to assistant roadmastcr, with an increase in his salary, and with the understanding he will aid in an attempt to defeat the men who obej'ed his orders and quit work, by running over the road with a gang of laborers, and doing the work that was formerly done l\v the men whom he ordered to suspend work, he becomes an important individual, associates with such men as C. W. Spencer, general superintendent of the C. P. K. company, and 11. D. McGibbon (King's counsellor), head of the law firm now prosecuting us, stops at the most expensive and fashionable hotel in Montreal, and discards the hotel your president and other workingmeu stop at, and which he con- sidered was good enough for him before he Avas promoted to the position of Assistant Roadmaster on the C. P. It. We should not be too hard on poor Montgomery. Some trees grow straight; others grow crooked. Some men grow straight; others grow crooked. The blood a man inherits, the atmosphere he breathes, and his environment, usually determine what he is. Boys, I believe there is something dead at the Windsor Street Station. "Coming events cast their shadows before." One of these days Mr. Shaugh- nessy will smell the corruption that has been going on, and there will be a general "house-cleaning." I regret being compelled to inform you that a few of the men who in- structed your committee to come to Montreal and do business for them, have degraded themselves by returning to work, without having their grievances adjusted. I believe, however, that 75 per cent of the men on the C. P. R. are men of character and stability, and that they will stand firm until an honorable settlement is made, should it take until the end of the year 1902. Your letters of sympathy, on account of our being arrested, which were duly received at headquarters, are fully appreciated. Do not worry about us; we have no fear of the result, and we will continue to send you such informa- tion as we believe you are entitled to, in spite of probable cells, dungeons and penitentiaries. Boys. I will not advise you to keep the track in safe running condition while the strike is on, but I will say that any one Avho would endanger life, destroy property, or allow the same to be done, is an enemy to our cause, and unworthy of holding membership in our organization. I have made enquiries of the standing of trackmen at various places along the line of the C. P. Railway, and the citizens, without exception, tell me that you are industrious, law-abiding, honest and hard-working men. Preserve your good reputations. Work at anything you can find to do. until an honorable settlement is reached with the company. In spite of the eflforts of your opponents to deceive the people, and deprive you of their sym- pathies, the eyes of the public have been opened, and they are now beginning to see things as they really are. They will aid you more in the future than they have done in the past. Yours in B. L. & U., JOHN T. WILSON, President B. R. T. of A. 84 THK CALCIUM I.IGHT CHAPTER IX. THE CONCILIATORS (!) AT WORK. Ancust 13 the conciliation committee notified the maintenance-of- way men's committee that they desired to hold a joint conference at 2 p. m. At 2 p. m. the meeting took place. The chairman of the concilia- tion committee stated that the manager of the C. I*, lly. had returned to Montreal and desired to hold a joint conference with the mainte- nance-of-way men's committee and the conciliation committee. The chairman of the maintenance-of-way men's committee stated that the settlement of the differences between the maintenance-of-way men and the company had been left to the president of the company, the presi- dent of the Trackmen's Brotherhood and the conciliation committee, and he had no desire to take the matter out of their hands. The chair- man of the conciliation committee replied that the members of his com- mittee wanted the maintenance-of-way men's committee to meet the manager with them, and as they were endeavoring to make a settle- ment and end the strike, he believed they should comply with the request. It will be observed that the president of the C. P. Ry. company and the president of the Trackmen's Brotherhood were no longer con- sidered factors by the conciliation committee. August 14 the conciliation committee called at the Grand Union Hotel and informed the maintenance-of-way men's committee that they had secured from the manager the following proposition, and desired to present it for consideration : Montreal, 13tli August. 1901. The second vice-president and general manager will approve circulars set- ting out the rates of pay for trackmen, in accordance with his letter of June 12th, and also reciting rules and regulations governing the employment and ser- vice of the traclvuien, and at the end of one year from this date, if the traclvmen of the Canadian Pacific Railway company have effected a respousiljle and work- able organization, the company will meet a committee and grant them a sched- ule; provided, however, that such schedule shall only apply to foremen and first and second men of one year's standing in the company's service, and neither the schedule nor any of its conditions shall apply to others employed either on section work or on extra gangs, nor shall any committee representing the organization at any time interfere, or attempt to interfere witli the rela- tions between the company and employes in its maintenance-of-way department, to wliom tlie said schedule will not apply as above set forth. The company will reinstate all men in their respective positions, provided such positions have not been filled under promise of permanency during the absence of strikers. In the case of positions having been filled, the company will give such remaining men preference in filling other similar positions as Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 85 near to their old locatiou as possible. Tins clause not applicable to those who have beeu guilty of violeuce. The t'aet that men have beeu eu,i;a,i;e(l in tlie strilie shall not prejudiee their positions once they are restored to the service. The couipauy will always be glad to meet any committee of its employes, whether en.sased in the niaintenance-of-way or any other department, for the purpose of discussing suggestions calculated to remove any disadvantages under which the men may labor, or to promote the interests of the company. D. McNICOLL, Second Vice-President and General Manager. Mr. CHARLES POPE, Chairman Conciliation Committee, Montreal. 1 Euc. To be Embodied in the Rules and Regulations. 13. Employes suspended or discharged will have the right of appeal from the decision of their immediate superiors. D. McN. The president of the B. R. T. of A. realized as soon as he read the document that it was an insult to the intelligence of the trackmen's committee, and, if accepted, would mean an unconditional and dis- graceful surrender upon the part of the trackmen; but as the concilia- tion committee represented fairly well paid employes of the company he considered their bringing the proposition to the trackmen's repre- sentatives an act of courtesy towards the manager. The conciliation committee were advised that the maintenance-of- way men's representatives would prepare a* proposition to be submitted to the manager. The following was prepared and submitted: Grand Union Hotel, Montreal, August 14, 1901. Mr. D. McXicoll. Second Vice-Pres. and Gen. Mgr.. C. P. Ry. Dear Sir: We. the committee representing the maintenance-of-way men on the Canadian Pacific Railway system, have been in Montreal the greater part of the time since April 13th. During the mouth of .Tune, and while we were holding conferences hoping to effect an amicable settlement of all differ- ences, your subordinate ofiicials were going over the road trying to brealc up our organization. About one week- ago the general chairmen of the other orders which have beeu established on the C. P. Railway, arrived in Montreal. On Friday, of last week, they (the general chairmen) were accepted by the president of the C. P. Railway company, and by the pre^'ident of the Brother- hood of Railway Trackmen, as a "conciliation committee." According to advices received your subordinate officials are still making strenuous efforts to break the strike. We believe the contest between the C. P. Railway ofHcials and the maintenance-of-way men has lasted too long. Had a settlement been made earlier lives tliat liave l)een lost might have been saved, and men who liave been maimed and crippled for life might be well and hearty today. We believe the maintenance-of-way men are entitled to an agreement with the company setting forth the terms and conditions of their employment which would be considered a fair settlement by experienced, honest, capable, and hon- orable men. therefore, we propose to accept the general chairmen of the other 86 THE CALCIUM I.IGHT Orders as arbitrators, with the understanding that they will arrange what they consider to be a fair settlement for both parties to the controversy under the circumstances. If the company will allow them to determine what is fair and be governed by their decision, as soon as we receive a written agreement from you to the effect that the company will accept the general chairmen as arbitra- tors, the strike will be declared off, and they can arrange the details of the settlement afterwards. Yours truly, JOSEPH Lennox, chairman Committee. Tlie manner in which the above letter was received by the concilia- tion committee convinced the president of the Trackmen's Brother- hood that the general chairmen of the other orders were no longer a "conciliating"' committee. The chairman of the conciliation committee declined to deliver the letter to the manager. The maintenance-of- way men's representatives, he stated, shonld discnss the proposition with them, thereby giving them an opportunity to explain what a splendid settlement had been offered by the manager, through them. He also stated that they had come to Montreal to aid the maiutenance- of-way men's representatives in making a settlement, and secured a proposition which they believed to be a fair basis of settlement under the circumstances. They w^ere sorry the trackmen's representatives had turned them down. The chairman of the conciliation committee frankly stated that the maintenance-of-way men's representatives should accept the terms offered by the manager. Owing to Chairman Pope's previous actions, the president of the B. K. T. of A, had no confidence in him, but believed that the other chairmen would make a fair settlement, if given the authority to do so. Addressing the committee, the president of the B. R. T. of A. stated that the trackmen's representatives had not turned the conciliation committee down, but proposed to accept them as sole arbitrators, and quoted from the above letter as follows: We propose to accept the general chairmen of the other Orders as arbitra- tors with the understanding that they will arrange what they consider to be a fair settlement for both parties to the controversy, under the circumstances. The chairman of the conciliation committee then said he did not think it proi)er for him to deliver the above letter to the manager, and it was sent by special messenger. On account of the unfriendly attitude of the chairman of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen towards the trackmen, after meet- ing the manager in '^^'innipeg, charges were preferred against him by members of his division, which prevented him from acting with the other ch.airmen. The vice-presdient of the 1*. IJ. T. was, therefore, authorized to till his place. He did not arrive in Montreal as soon as the other chairmen. On August 15 he attempted to take part in a Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 87 joint meeting' of the trackmen's and conciliation committees. He gave the members of the conciliation committee to understand that he was not in favor of their trying to influence the representatives of the trackmen to accept the basis of settlement proposed by the manager. This protest resulted in his being called down by the chairman of the conciliation committee and given to understand that if he took part in the deliberations he would have to be governed by what had been done by the other chairmen. He said the conciliation committee had secured for the trackmen a fair basis of settlement, and he was going to advocate its acceptance by the trackmen's committee. The i)resident of the B. R. T. of A. addressed the meeting, stating that a letter had been sent to the manager by the chairman of the main- tenance-of-way men's committee the day previous, in which they pro- posed to accept the chairmen of the other orders as "sole arbitrators," but no answer had been received, and he considered that the manager had turned down the chairmen of the other orders by refusing to allow them to arbitrate the differences between the company and its main- tenance-of-way men. He said he had been charged with causing a strike on the C. P. Ry. in the interest of competing transportation companies in the states; that the maintenance-of-way men's committee had been accused of making unreasonable demands upon the company; the general chairmen (the heads of the other orders on the C. P. Ry. system and employes of the company') had been accepted as concilia- tors and arbitrators by the trackmen's committee; while the manager of the C. P. Ry. had refused to accept them, and he believed the com- pany would no longer be able to deceive the public by contending that he was working in the interests of competing transportation com- panies, or that the maintenance-of-way men's committee had made unreasonable demands. He believed the actions of the general chair- men had been the means of strengtliening the cause of the trackmen, as their case could now be placed before the citizens of Canada in its true light. The only request he had to make of the conciliation committee was for them to recommend that all differences between the C. P. R. Co. and its maintenance-of-way men be settled by arbi- tration. He then thanked them for their services and stated that if they would present their expense bills they would be paid by the P,. R. T. of A. The chairman of the conciliation committee was very much dis- pleased with the position taken by the president of the trackmen's Order. He arose, shed crocodile tears, and declared that if the concil- iation committee left Montreal without effecting a settlement the track- men's strike on the C. P. Ry. would be dead in forty-eight hours and the funeral of their organization would soon take place. The presi- 88 THE CALCIUM LIGHT dent of the B. R. T. of A. replied, savin<>-: "Brothers, do not worry or weep on account of the trackmen's position. We are not ready for a post-mortem, and when we are dead 'let the dead bury the dead.' " He said his time would be consumed that afternoon in preparing a state- ment which he desired to give out to the members of the B. R. T. of A. He then left the committee room. About (» p. m. he returned to the committee room and was surprised at finding the members of the con- ciliation committee still there, trying to coerce and browbeat the track- men's committee into accepting the manager's proposed basis of settle- ment. He thought that they would consider their work at an end and depart, but such was not the case. The reader will not have to stretch his imagination very much to realize that this was a critical period, and that the president of the B. R. T. of A. was being sorely tried. The chairman of the conciliation committee invited the members of his committee and the president of the B. R. T. of A. to leave the room with him and allow the trackmen's committee to vote upon a proposition they had voted upon and re- jected. The president of the B. R. T. of A. promptly replied: "I am presi- dent of the Brotherhood of Railway Trackmen; this is our committee room; we are paying our expenses; I am here in an advisory capacity; if the maintenance-of-way men's committee want my advice they are entitled to it and shall have it, without regard to the interference of any man or set of men." The chairman of the trackmen's committee addressed the president of the B. R. T. of A., saying: "You go along with the conciliation com- mittee. We will consult with you later on." His request was com- plied with. Only a commander of an army fighting for a just cause, knowing the boys behind the guns were heroic fighters with a victory almost won, and believing they were about to be betrayed by his lieutenants and turned over to the enemy, can realize the trying position the president of the B. R. T. of A. was in. In about twenty minutes the president of the B. R. T. of A. re- turned to the committe room and soon discovered that the maiute- nance-of-way men's committee was partially disorganized. He told them that they had voted the day before to reject the proposed basis of settlement, without a dissenting vote, and asked them if they had de- cided by their votes to reconsider the matter. He was informed that they had not, but had been discussing it with the conciliation com- mittee, who were urging them to vote upon and adopt it. The president of the B. R. T. of A. advised them to adjourn, and stated that if they allowed themselves to be duped by their enemies the men whom they Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 89 were representing and who were dependent upon them for protection would be wronged; that the company would be permitted to take back only such men as they wanted and he would never again champion their cause. The meeting then adjourned till S p. m. Soon after the trackmen's committee met, the chairman was noti- fied that the chairman of the conciliation committee desired to see him. He responded to the call and was informed that the basis of settlement proposed by the nmnager was indorsed by the conciliation committee and demanded that the trackmen's committee give a written reply, accepting or rejecting the i)roposition. The following is a copy of the reply : Montreal, August 15, 1901. Mr. Chas. Pope, Chairman Conciliation Committee. The terms of settlement proposed by the general manager of the C. P. Kaihvay company, through your committee, to the committee representing the maintenance-of-way men, is not considered a fair basis of settlement. We believe a board of arbitrators composed of fair-minded men would render a decision more favorable to the men we represent than has been pro- posed by the general manager. Therefore, we will request the members of the conciliation committee to recommend that the matter be settled bj' arbitration. Hoping it will be consistent with the views of the members of your com- mittee to comply with this request and tlianking you for the efforts made to bring about a proper understanding and a fair settlement, we are, Very truly yours, J. LENNON, Chairman. A. F. STOUT, Secretary. August 16 the following letter was mailed to each member of the B. E. T. of A. on the C. P. Ry. system : The general chairmen of the other Orders on the C. P. Railway have been in Montreal for some time. Last Friday they were accepted by the president of the Canadian Pacific Railway company and myself to act as a "conciliation committee." Instead of trying to conciliate and effect a settlement through the president of the C. P. Railway company and myself, they took the matter up with the general manager. After conciliating for about a week, the following basis of settlement was proposed by the general manager, comment upon which I consider unnecessary: Montreal, 13th August, 1901. The second vioe-president and geueral manager will approve circulars setting out the rates of pay for trackmen, in accordance with his letter of June 12th, and also i-ccitlng rules and regulations governing the employment and service of the trackmen, and at the end of one year from this date, if the trackmen of the Canadian Pacitie Railway Company have effected a responsible and workable organization, the company will meet a committee and grant them a schedule; provided however that such schedule shall only apply to foremen antl first and second men of one year's standing in the company's service, and neitlu'r the schedule nor an.v of its conditions shall apply to others em- ployed (dther on section work or on extra gangs, nor shall any committee represeutiug 90 THE CALCIUM LIGHT the organization at any time interfere, or attempt to interfere witli tlie relations between the company and employes in its maintenance-of-way department, to whom the said schedule will not apply as above set forth. The company will reinstate all men in their respective positions, provided such posi- tions have not been filled under promise of permanency dur'ng tlie absence of strikers. In the case of positions having lieen filled, the company will give such remaining men preference in filling other siniiliar positions as near to their old location as possible. This clause not applicable to those who have been guilty of violence. The fact that men have been engaged in the strike shall not prejudice their positions once they are restored to the service. Tlie company will always be glad to meet any committee of its employes, whether engaged in the maintenance-of-wa.v or any other department, for the purpose of discuss- ing suggestions calculated to remove any disadvantages under wliich the men may labor, or to promote the interests of the company. D. McNICOLL, Second Vice-Pres. & General Mgr. Mr. CHARLES POPE, Chairman, Conciliation Committee, Montreal. 1 Euc. To Be Embodied in the Rules and Regulations. 13. Employes suspended or discharged will have the right of appeal from the decision of their immediate superiors. D. McN. Your coiiiaiittce declined to accept the proposed terms of settlement, and sent the following letter to the general manager: Grand Union Hotel, Montreal, August 14, 1901. Mr. D. McNicoll, 2nd Vice-Pres. & Gen. Mgr., C. P. Ry. Dear Sir:— We the committee representing the maintenance-of-way men on the Cana- dian Pacific Railway System, have been in Montreal the greater part of the time since April 13th. During the month of June, and while we were holding conferences hoping to effect an amicable settlement of all differences, your subordinate officials were going over the road trying to break up our organization. About one week ago the general chairmen of the other Orders which have been estab- lished on the C. P. Railwa.v, arrived in Montreal. On Friday of last week, they (the general chairmen) were accepted by the president of the C. P. Railway company, and by the president of the Brotherhood of Railway Track- men, as a "conciliation committee." According to advices received your subordinate officials are still making strenuous efforts to break the strike. We believe the contest between tlie C. P. Railway officials and the maintenance-of-way men has lasted too long. Had a settlement been made earlier lives that have been lost might have been saved, and men who have been maimed and crippled for life might be well and hearty to-day. We believe the maintenance-of-way men are entitled to an agreement with tlie com- pany setting fortli the terms and conditions of their employment which would be con- sidered a fair settlement by experienced, honest, capable, and honorable men, tlierefore, we propose to accept the general chairmen of the other Orders as arbitrators, with the understanding that tliey Will arrange what they consider to be a fair settlement for both parties to the controversy under the circumstances. If the company will allow them to determine what is fair and be governed b.v their decision, as soon as we receive a written agreement from you to the effect that the comi)any will accept the general chuirnien as arbitrators, the strike will be declared off, and they can arrange the de- tails of the settlement afterwards. Yours truly, JOSEPH LENNON, Chairman Committee. No answer has been received to the above. We have requested the general chairmen of the other Orders to recommend to the company, and your representatives, that the differences be settled by a "board of arbitration," the arbitrators to be selected in the usual way. Your case is in a condition to be presented to the public in a true light. If you will be true to yourselves the honest people of Canada, who believe in upliolding right and crushing wrong, will assist you in securing an honorable and fair settlement. Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 91 Some of the men. who were deceived ;uid iufluenced to returu to work, suspended work again, and have notified yonr committee that they will stand firm until matters are settled right, or sever their connection with the company forever. Yours in B. L. & U., JOHN T. WILSON, President B. 11. T. of A. CHAPTER X. THE mask torn off. The members of the maiDtonance-of-way men's committee were much sought after by members of the conciliatiou committee. Al- though the chairman of the conciliation committee did not take meals and lodging at the Grand Union Hotel, he was on hand early on the morning of the 10th. notwithstanding he had been notified by the track- men's committee the previous evening that the only service his com- mittee could render the trackmen would be to recommend that the difllerences be settled by arbitration. One member of the trackmen's committee, George McTaggart, seemed to be very much under the influence of the members of the con- ciliation committee. Instead of aiding in sending out statements to the members of the B. R. T. of A., he absented himself during the day. About four o'clock in the afternoon the following communication was received by the trackmen's committee: Queen's Hotel, Montreal, August 16th, 1901. To the Officers and :\Iembers of the B. of L. E., O. R. C, B. of L. F., B. of K. T., and O. II. T., of tlie Canadian Pacific Piailway: Dear Sirs and Brothers: The undersigned general chairmen herewith sub- mit the following report for your consideration: In compliance witli request of members of our organizations, we met in Montreal on Thursday. August 8th, 1901, to renew^ the efforts which some of the general cliairmen had made towards obtaining the consent of the com- pany and maintenance-of-way men for the general chairmen of the five organ- izations to act as conciliators in tlie present dispute. Our services I)eing accepted l)y both parties we took up the duties of the conciliation board. After several interviews had been held between the board of conciliation, the company and the committee representing tlie trackmen, we succeeded in obtaining a basis of settlement which we T)elieved to l)e reasonal)le and fair under the present conditions of the strike situation and recommended that it be accepted by the trackmen, explaining to them that the terms submitted were equal to those obtained liy any of the otlier organizations in their first efforts to obtain recognition. After the terms of settlement had been fully explained to the trackmen and a vote taken by them, the following letter was presented to the boai'd of conciliation by the chairman of the trackmen: Montreal, August 15tli. 1901. Mr. Chiis. Pope, Chalrmnn ronciliation romiuittoo: — The tonus of settlement pro- posed liy the general manager of the C. P. Railway Company through your committee to 92 THE CALCIUM LIGHT the committee representing the maintenance-of-way men. is not considered a fair ))asis of settlement. We believe a board of arbitrators composed of fair minded men, would render a de- cision more favorable to the men we represent than has been proposed by the general manager. Therefore, we will request the members of the conciliation committee to recommend that the matter be settled by arbitration. Hoping it will be consistent with the views of the members of your committee to comply with this request and thanking you for the etforts made to bring about a proper understanding and a fair settlement, we are, Very truly yours, J. LEXNON, Chairman. A. F. STOUT, Secretary. We, as a board of conciliation, feel tbat our duties as mediators liave ended, and that nothing further can be done by us, unless President Wilson of the B. R. T. of A. will agree to leave the city within twenty-four hours, and not to interfere in any way with either committee and will give authority to the trackmen's committee to declare the strilie off when, in their judgment, a rea- sonable and fair basis of settlement can be effected. CHAS. POPE, Chairman B. of L. E. A. SHAW, Chairman O. R. C. GEO. K. WARK, Chairman B. of L. F. E. E. EDDY, Chairman B. R. T. W. H. ALLISON, Chairman O. R. T. The statement in the above letter "that the terms submitted were equal to those obtained by any of the other organizations in their first efforts to obtain recognition," is false. During the strike of the telegraph operators on the C. P. Ry. in 189C, the company's officials proposed a basis of settlement very sim- ilar to the one submitted to the trackmen's representatives, but the men conciliating between the C. P. Ry. company and the telegraphers had too much respect for the intelligence of the telegraphers' repre- sentatives to even submit to them the terms projwsed by the company. They possessed enough character, brains and courage to propose a fair basis of settlement, which was accepted by both parties. The above communication, signed by the chairmen of the B. L. E., O. R. C, B. L. F., O. R. T., and the secretary of the board of 'adjust- ment of the B. R. T., tore from their faces the last vestige of a "con- ciliation" mask. The maintenance-of-way men's representatives were convinced be- yond doubt that they had been dealing with a committee whose pur- pose was to deceive and disorganize the trackmen, rather than to aid them in securing a fair and honorable adjustment of their grievances, and whose arbitrary action in ordering the president of the B. R. T. of A. to leave Montreal put them in the attitude of a vigilance committee which assumes the role of judge, jury and executioner. The letter was given to the press by the vigilance committee and appeared in the afternoon papers throughout the Dominion several hours before it was received by the maintenance-of-way men's com- Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 93 mittee. The triukmeirs committee considered the demand made by the vigilance committee, that the president of llieir organization should leave town within twenty-four hours, a base insult, and promptly l)assed a resolution to the effect that the communication be ignored altogether. About nine o'clock on the evening of August 1(1, one of the writer's assistants called at his room and infoi'med him that the vigilance com- mittee reported to the otticials of the V. P. Ky. that four out of seven of the committeemen had been captured. The names of the commit- teemen reported captured were McTaggart, Frederick, Nasou and Johnson. On account of Tonmiitteeman Frederick being in a very weak con- dition, physically and mentally (having been in the hospital the greater ))art of the summer), he was considered irresponsible. Committeeman McTaggart was frequently seen in company with a man whom all of the nmintenance-of-way men's representatives be- lieved to be a C. P. Ry. detective, and continuing to associate with him after being advised not to do so, together with his friendly attitude towards the members of the vigilance committee, caused the track- men's committee to no longer consider him a true representative of the maiutenance-of-way men. On August 17 the president of the B. R. T. of A. met the track- men's committee in the committee room and preferred the following charges against Committeeman McTaggart : 1st. That George McTaggart has been dickering with tlie Canadian Pacific Railway officials, through the general chairmen of the otlier Orders, and re- ceived and was considering a proposition to nialce a settlement for part of the members of the Brotherhood of Railway Traclvmen of America. 2nd. That George McTaggart and a man who is believed to be a C. P. R. detective, had talveu one of the maintenance-of-way men's representatives here present, out for a carriage drive, and attempted to induce him to drinli intoxi- cating liquors, and stop with them at disreputable places. The chairman of the committee then instructed the secretary to notify McTaggart of the charges preferred against him and request him to appear in the committee room and answer same. The secretary, upon returning to the committee room, informed ihe chairman that McTaggart refused to appear. He was then ex- pelled and the following notice was handed to him: Montreal. August 17, 1901. Mr. G. McTaggart, Montreal. Dear Sir: On account of your receiving and considering a proi!;)sitiou for a settlement for part of tlie members of the B. R. T. of A„ without the knowl- <'dge or consent of the other members of the committee representing tlie main- tenauce-of-wny men on the Canadian Pacific Railwav. and other conduct uube- 94 THE CAI.CIUM I^IGHT coming to a member of the general grievance committee, and on account of your refusing to appear in the committee room wlien requested to do so, for the purpose of explaining the cause of your action, j'ou have been expelled from the committee, and Mr. C. E. King, the president of the local division in which you hold meml)ership, has been notified of your expulsion and requested to come to Montreal to represent the men in the bridge and building department on the Canadian Pacific Kailwaj'. I have been instructed by our grand president. Brother Wilson, that the Brotherhood of Railway Trackmen of America will not be responsible for your board after this date. A. F. STOUT, Secretary Trackmen's Committee. The following messages are self-explanatory: C. E. King, North Bend, B. C. McTaggart expelled from committee; notify all concerned. Come to Mon- treal at once to represent bridgemen. We are going to win. JOHN T. WILSON. John T. Wilson, Montreal. What's the trouble with McTaggart? Cannot come. Reply here quick. C. E. KING. C. E. King, Yale, B. C. Believe he has been corrupted and will aid in an effort to break strike by dividing bridge and trackmen. Balance of our committee incorruptible. Come or send a proper man. Expenses will be paid. JOHN T. WILSON. JOE LENNON. John T. Wilson, Montreal. Will be there as soon as possible. C. E. KING. Mr. King arrived and performed his duties well. When it became known that McTaggart was not in accord with the other members of the committee and had been suspended, he be- came a very popular man with the chairman of the vigilance commit- tee. Much of their time was spent together and the following press report is believed to be a joint document prepared by them: There are two sides to the McTaggart story. In conversation with a Star representative this morning ^Mr. ^McTaggart said. "It is an absolute falsehood to say and publish a report that I was expelled from the trackmen's committee, unless a man can be expelled from a committee after he has resigned and declared in no uncertain words that he would never sit on it again while President Wilson held the position he did. "On Thursday last I left the room when I found that Wilson was bound that the report of the conciliation committee should not be accepted, and as I left I told the members that the action was a resignation from the committee, and I should not return to sit with them. Then it was so engineered that a trumped up charge was made and I was expelled from the committee. "I want to say now that I have the opportunity that as a member of the committee which has carried on the negotiations with the C. P. R., that the strike would have been over long ago had it not been for the presence of Mr. Turned Ox by a Railway Trackman. 95 Wilson. From \hv very lirst \\v has doiu' cvcryf hiiiy he could to continue the strilvc for the glory of Wilson and I am glad that things are now being taken out of his hands so that the members may have a chance to get matters settled and get back to work before the snow comes." * * * There has been a good deal of gossip over the vote taken on the proposals made by the conciliation committee and which were rejected on Thursday last. Mr. INlcTaggart says that he is not at all sure that a vote was ever taken. He knows that he was not there at the time and knows that Mr. Frederick was not there. "I have also reasons for believing that ^fr. Johnson was not there." Mr. McTaggart says, "and if he was not there who passed the motion? Mr. Lennon is a splendid man. but acting too much with Mr. Wilson, Mr. Stout, the secre- tary, and two others. Now, I do not think, with the influence Mr. Wilson brought to bear, that can be called a decisive vote, and it may be turned round at any moment. Does it not stand to reason that, unless" there be an ulterior niotive, the committee would not turn down the proposal of five other organ- izations whose good graces they are trying to get and to keep? Certainly not. Thf proposition would have been accepted with honor to all parties concerned, but it did not suit Mr. Wilson. "A word about the statement made in the morning paper to the effect that the committee had been aware for some time that I had been negotiating with the company. It is as false as it is malicious and I defj' Mr. Wilson to prove it. If I had, it would have been but justice, for I have read letters sent to the members of the committee from fathers and mothers praying for money to keep them from starving. I have heard the most piteous appeals made that it is possible to imagine, and yet the president of the organization has striven to avoid a settlement so that his own aggrandizement might be greater in the end. I ask if that is honest. I swear to you that it is true. I do not know where the monej' is tliat belongs to the Brotherhood. Some of it has mi- doubtedly been spent on the strike, but if it has it should have passed through the committee, and none of it has. The Aery fact that I, as a committeeman, have never known of any expense shows that the money ought to have gone through the hands of the men who are representing the main body of toilers." President Wilson, when asked to reply to the serious charges made by Commilteeman McTaggart, said that he had nothing whatever to say about it. It Avas pointed out to ]\Ir. Wilson that the statements were made by a man who had been his confrere and who had boldly asserted that Avhat he said was fact. In view of this, jNIr. Wilson was asked if it would not be wise to give out some statement in reply. He said, "No." Aiipjnst 20 the followinj? letter was mailed to each member of the B. R. T. of A. on the C. P. Ry. system : In order to lay before the meml)ers of our organization the platform we are standing on. and to contradict rumors which the company have started amongst our members, we have established the following platform and l)asis for a settlement; THE ROCK ON WHICH C. P. R. TRACKMEN STAND. The principal conditions under which the committee representing the main- tenance-of-Avay men on the C. P. Railway will make a setth'ment with the company, are as follows: — 96 THE CALCIUM LIGHT 1st. All men now on strike who have not been convicted of crime in con- nection with the strilve, shall be reinstated in tlieir former positions witliout prejudice. 2nd. An agreement must be signed l)y the proper official of the C. P. R., setting forth the terms and conditions of employment of maiutenance-of-way men which will protect them against unjust discrimination by any of the com- pany's officials. 3rd. A reasonable and uniform increase in wages must be granted suffi- cient at least to make tlie purchasing power of a day's wages equal to what it was two years ago, or before the general rise in prices. 4th. The committee will submit the settling of all differences to impartial arbitration, the arbitrators to be selected in the usual way. 5th. And this committee indorses, and have always approved of, the posi- tion taken by their president, John T. Wilson, in the controversy, and consider themselves entitled to his advice and aid without interference or dictation from any source. When the above terms are accepted by the company the strike will be declared off, but not until theo J. LENNON, Representative Pacific Division. J. B. BRUNSKILL, Representative Western Division. J. W. JOHNSON, Representative Eastern Division. A. F. STOUT, Representative O. & Q. Division. E. E. NASON, Representative Atlantic Division. Brothers, our president has been asked by the chairmen of the other Orders of railwaymen to leave the city. We, your committee, have considered it a gross insult to us and to every member of our organization, and claim we have the right to our president's advice without interference from any source. AYe know that rumors to the effect tliat we have been offered a good settlement have been circidated among our men; but, in our circular dated August 17th, you have a copy of the basis of settlement offered by Mr. McNicoU and recommended by the conciliation committee which would, if accepted, have been an unconditional surrender. To have accepted their recommendation would mean: > 1. That our Union would not be recognized and our members could be discharged without cause at any time. 2. That new foremen who have taken some of our place* would remain, and you would have to work under them or take other employment. 3. That we would liave no settlement of the wage question. We are unanimous in our position. We feel certain of success in the near future. We were sent here to carry out your instructions and are going to do so. Great pressure has been put upon us to agree to a betrayal of those we represent. Brethren, do your duty and we will do ours, aud unitedly we will succeed in our efforts. We are struggling for -justice and a fair settlement and we feel sure our men will stand by us until a proper adjustment of our grievances has been made. J. LENNON, Chairman. A. F. STOUT, Se^^retary. Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 97 Notwithstanding tbe members of the vigilance committee did everything in their power to cany out the wishes of the manager and to force the maintenance-of-way men's representatives to accept the terms of settlement proposed by him, according to their report tke following basis of settlement was proposed by them: 1st. Every man who has j^oue oat ou strike, or who has voted to strike,, or who has been discharged for refusing to take the place of a striker, to be reinstated without prejudice. 2nd. The company to recognize and deal with the properly authorizetl committees of the Brotherhood of Railway Trackmen of America employed on the Canadian Tacitic Railway. 3rd. All matters relating to the conditions of service and compensation therefor to be adjusted by an impartial and practical body of men mutually- agreeable to parties interested within days. The above proposition was not snbmatted to the maintenauce-of- way men's representatives. According to their rejiort they sent the following letter to the president of the C. P. Ry. company : T. G. Shaughuessy, Esq., President C. P. Ry. Dear Sir: During our conference with you on Friday p. m., you requested us to be as fraulv iu oiu- conversation as you had been with us. and, as both the Trackmen's Association and yourself have consented to accept our services as a conciliation committee, we feel at liberty to talk plainly on the subject. As representatives of organized labor, we are naturally guided to a certain extent by precedents, and by making proposition as basis of settlement, we felt that Ave were asking only for the trackmen what other organizations had been granted. We, as a committee, fully appreciate that the welfare of the organizations we represent largely depends upon the success of the company by whom we are employed. Our intention is to do what we consider in the best interests of the com- pany and the employes. Owing to the fact that accidents have occurred in close proximity to where watchmen are located, and the possibility that these conditions may grow worse, notwithstanding all efforts the company may make to guard the track and make the conditions of service of our members secure, we feel that emer- gencies may arise which may compel our members, from consideration of per- sonal safety, to decline any longer to perform their usual duties, notwithstand- ing that they desire to be loyal to their agreements Avith the company. The contracts betAveeu the company and our members are for service under normal conditions, and should tlie extra risks due to the present conditions compel them to decline to perform their usual duties, our organizations Avould feel that they should not be subjected to discipline or financial loss. In vicAV of the al>ove facts, and tlie complications that may arise, we would be glad if tlie company would see its way clear to accept of the first two clauses of basis of settlement recommended l)y us. and shoidd tlicy see fit to do so, we would be prepared to consider any restrictions or conditions tliat 98 THE CALCIUM LIGHT they might think necessary to impose on the traclimen for the protection of the company's interests in the future. The committee will be pleased to meet you at your convenience on Monday. Yours respectfully, CHAS. POPE, Chairman. W. H. ALLISON, Secretary. CHAPTER XI. REAL CONCILIATORS APPEAR UPON THE SCENE. Before the vigilance committee sent out their report the members of the board of adjustment of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen arrived in Montreal. The secretary of their board had been working in harmony with the vigilance committee and the C. P. Ry. ofiicials, but when it was pointed out to him that the vigilance committee was acting in bad faith towards the maintenance-of-way men, he demanded that the following clause be added to their report: "That the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen go on record as being opposed to the basis of settlement proposed by the company and afterAvards amended by the conciliation committee, as it is not considered a fair basis of settlement." The vigilance committee refused to allow the above clause to be inserted and Mr. Eddy, secretary of the B, R. T. board of adjustment, erased his signature from the report. The members of the board of adjustment of the B. R. T., feeling that, as representatives of the members of their orgp#Tiization, they had a grievance, because some of their members had lost their lives during the strike, on account of track not being kept in j)roper condi- tion, offered to aid the maintenance-of-way men in an effort to effect a settlement, which offer w^as accepted, and the following letter was prepared and handed to the chairman of the B. R. T. board of ad- justment: Montreal, August 27, 1901. Mr. T. J. Coughlin, Chairman Board of Adjustment, B. R. T. Dear Sir: The general grievance committee representing the maintenance- of-way men on the Canadian Pacific Railway system, having failed in their efforts to make a settlement with the. Canadian Pacific Railway officials, and being anxious to terminate the difficulty, will accept the meml)ers of the board of adjustment of tlie Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen as mediators between the Canadian Pacific Railway company and the committee representing the maintenance-of-way men on the Canadian Pacific Railway system. Yours respectfully, JOSEPH LENNON, Chairman Committee. August 28 the following letter was mailed to each member of the B. R.-T. of A. on the C. P. Ry. system: On account of so many misleading statements being pxiblished. concerning the work and actions of the general chairmen of the other Railway Orders, Turned On by a Railway. Trackman. 99 who woro accepted by the president of the Canadian Pacific Railway company, and by the president of the Brotherhood of Railway Trackmen, as a concilia- tion committee, I will endeavor to state the facts concerniiiii' the matter. I have no hesitancy in saving tliat the members of tlie conciliatiou eoni- mittee did not act in good faith with the maintenance-of-way men. Thej- at- tempted to inflneuce your committee to accept a basis of settlement which Avould have meant an unconditional surrender, a disgraceful surrender, and an admission upon the part of your committee that maintenauce-of-way men are too ignorant to be dealt witli in the same manner as the officials deal with other classes of their employes. When the conciliation committer called upon me. I reviewed the Avork of your committee during its stay in Montreal. They then requested me to furnish them with a proposition showing what I considered to be a fair basis of settle- ment for the maintenance-of-way men. In compliance with their request, I presented them with a copy of the schedule prepared by your committee, and which was handed to the general manager in April last, at the same time in- forming them that I believed the men were entitled to all they were asking — and a great deal more. I then suggested that they secure a similar document from the president of the (.'. P. R. company, after which we would accept them as sole arbitrators, trusting to their honor, their sense of justice, their ability to determine what is right, and their courage to do what is right. Through the kindness of a member of one of the other Orders, a copy of the conciliation committee's report has been received. According to its con- tents, the conciliation committee recommended terms of settlement which, I believe, Avould be fair to both parties to the controversy, as follows: WHAT THE CONCILIATION MEN THOUGHT PAIR WHEN FREE TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES. 1st. Every man who has gone out on strike, or who has voted to strike, or who has been discharged for refusing to take the place of a striker, to be reinstated without prejudice. 2nd. The company to recognize and deal with the properly authorized committees of the Brotherhood of Railway Trackmen of America employed on the Canadian Pacific Rail- way. 3rd. All matters relating to the conditions of service and compensation therefor to bo adjusted by an impartial and practical body of men mutually agreeable to parties Interested within days. According to their report, they also sent the following letter to President Shaughnessy: T. G. Shaughnessy, Esq., President C. P. Ry. 'Dear Sir— During our conference with you on Friday p. m., you requested us to be as frank in our conversation as you had been with us, and, as both the Trackmen's Association and yourself have consented to accept our services as conciliation commit- tee, we feel at liberty to talk plainl.v on the subject. As representatives of organized labor, we are naturally guided to a certain extent by precedents, and b.v making proposition as basis of settlement, we felt that wo were asking only for the trackmen what other organizations had been granted. We, as a committee, fully appreciate that the welfare of the of-g:iiiiz:itions we repre- sent largely depends upon the success of the company by whom we are employea. Our intention is to do what we consider in the best interests of the company and the employes. Owing to the fact that accidents have occurred in close proximity to where watch- men are located, and the possildlity that these conditions may grow worse, notwithstand- ing all efforts the company may make to guard the track and make tlie conilitions of service of our mciiilxM-s secure, we feel that emcrgcucics ni.iy arise wiiiih may compel 100 THE CALCIUM LIGHT our members, from considerations of personal safety, to decline any longer to perform their usual duties, not withstanding that they desire to be loyal to their agreements with the company. The contracts between the company and our members are for service under normal conditions, and should the extra risks due to the present conditions compel them to decline to perform their usual duties, our organization would feel that they should not be subjected to discipline or financial loss. In view of the above facts, and the complications that may arise, we would be glad if the company would see its way clear to accept of the first two clauses of basis of settlement recommended by us, and Should they see fit to do so, we would be pre- pared to consider any restrictions or conditions that they might think necessary to impose on the trackmen for the protection of the company's interests in the future. The committee will be pleased to meet you at your convenience on Monday. Yours respectfully, CIIAS. POPE, Chairman. ^y. II. ALIJLSON, Secretary. The president of the C. P. R. company and myself were dropped out of the negotiations altogether. The conciliation committee then attempted to effect a settlement between the general manager and your committee. The basis of settlement proposed by the general manager, and recommended by the conciliation committee, Is as follows: — WHAT THE CONCILIATION MEN THOUGHT FAIR AVHEN TOLD BY A GENERAL MANAGER HOW TO THINK. Montreal, 13th August, 1901. The second vice-president and general manager will approve circular setting out the rates of pay for trackmen, in accordance with his letter of June 12th, and also reciting rules aud regulations governing the employment and service of the trackmen, and at the end of one year from this date, if the trackmen of the Canadian Pacific Railwa.v Compan.v have effected a responsible and workable organization, the company will meet a committee and grant them a schedule; provided, however, that such schedule shall onl.v apply to foremen and first and second men of one year's standing in the company's service, and neither the schedule nor any of its conditions shall apply to others em- ployed either on section work or on extra gangs, nor shall any committee representing the organization at any time Interfere, or attempt to interfere with the relations between the company and employes in its maintenance-of-way department, to whom the sa'd schedule will not appl.v as above set forth. The compan.v will re-instate all men in their respective positions, provided such positions have not been filled under promise of permanenc.v during the absence of strikers. In the case of positions having been filled, the company will give such re- maining men preference in filling other similar positions as near to their old location as possible. This clause not applicable to those who have been guilty of violence. The fact that men have been engaged in the strike shall not prejudice their posi- tions once the.v are restored to the service. The comi)aiiy will alwa.vs be glad to meet any committee of its employes, whether engaged in the maintenauce-of-way or any other department, for the purpose of discuss- ing suggestions calculated to remove any disadvantages under which the men may labor, or to promote the interests of the company. (Signed) D. McNICOLL, Second Vice-Pres. & General Mgr. Mr. CHARLES POPE, Chairman Conciliation Committee, Montreal. 1 Enc. To be Embodied in the Rules aud Regulations. 13. Employes suspended or discharged will have the right of appeal from the decision , of their immediate superiors. (Signed) D. McN. The next day (August 14th) according to the conciliation committee's re- port, the following letter was received: Montreal. 14th August. 1901. Dear Sirr^Agreeable to .your suggestion, I will include. All section men in yards who take second men's rating, amoug those to whom the Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 101 schedule referred to in my memo to you of 13tli August, may bo made applicable. I will add to Rule 4, the following: — Where lamps are located at a distance from trackmen's residence, they will bo at- tended to in regular working hours. I will also insert following notice in circulars of rules and rates: — "Above rules and rates will not \>c ehangi'd without thirty days' notice." Yours truly, D. McNICOLL, Second Vice-Pres. & General Mgr. Mr. CHARLES PORE, Chairman Conciliation Committee, Montreal. The basis of settlemeut proposed by the coiiciliatiou committee to the president of the C. P. Ry. ■o'as not made l^uowu to the maintenance-of-way men's representatives, nor did we liiiow anything about their sending the above letter to President Shauglmessy, until after they had left Montreal. The above shows conclusively that until the general manager arrived in Montreal the members of the conciliation committee Avere desirous of effecting a fair and an honorable settlement between the company and the men, after which time, it seems, tliey lost control of themselves and did all in their power to carry out his instructions, notwithstanding their pledge to try and effect a fair and proper settlement. Their demanding that I should leave town within twenty-four hours is of little concern to me. I did not come to Montreal at their solicitation, nor do I intend to leave the city at their request. I came here in obedience to the demands of the members of our own organization, and propose to remain here and serve them to the best of my ability. The representative of the B. of R. T. declined to sanction the report of the conciliation committee. We have received a letter from a correspondent in Rat Portage, advising us that the general chairman of the O. R. C. was deposed at a meeting held in that town a few days ago, and another representative chosen to take his place, who was instructed to pull the Order out of the disgraceful hole into which it had been placed through the action of its general chairman. The members of the joint protective boards of the other Orders have ar- rived in Montreal. We do not know what course they will ptirsue. Pay no attention to any one who attempts to make you believe that your representatives in Montreal are unreasonable. Our proposal to submit the case to impartial arbitration will convince all fair-minded men that we are NOT UNREASONABLE. We have at all times been anxious to make a fair and honorable settle- ment with the company, but, at the same time, THERE WILL BE NO DIS- GRACEFUL SURRENDER UPON OUR PART. If the members of the other Orders aid us in effecting a fair and honorable settlement, their services will lie appreciated; but if they attempt to brow-beat us into accepting sucli terms as were proposed by tlie general manager, and recommended by the conciliation committee a few days ago, their recommenda- tions will be rejected and the strilce will be contintied indefinitely. We are not asking for mercy; we are contending for justice. Our people are industrious, self-respecting men; they want work under fair conditions, and if they cannot obtain it from one employer, it can be obtained from another. The C. P. R. will sustain a greater loss in doing without your services than you will in seeking employment elsewhere. In fact, the maintenance-of- ■way 'men on the system will win in the contest if they do not defeat them- selves hv returning to work before a fair settlement is reached. 102 THE CALCIUM LIGHT Do not be surprised if you bear of tbo joiut protective boards of some of the other Orders indorsing the company's actions to\A-ards the traclimen. It is not an uucommou tiling for some people to sharpen their tools on their neighbor's grindstone. Yours in B. L. & U., JOHN T. WILSON, President B. R. T. of A. About this time P. H. Morrissej', grand master of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen, arrived in Montreal and called upon the presi- dent of the B. R. T. of A. at the Grand Union Hotel. After perusing the basis of settlement i)roposed by the vigilance committee, he said he did not believe they expected the maintenance-of-way men's rep- resentatives would accept such terms as were offered by the manager and recommended by them, and advised the writer not to contend for ver}' much in the way of increased wages for the maintenance-of-way men. "Twelve years ago," he said, "members of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen on the C. P. Ry. system only received fl.lO a day, and were often required to work all day and half the night, and it was about two years after they secured recognition before their wages were increased very much." He contended that if the maintenance-of- way men on the C. P. Ry. would not stick together and perfect their organization with the understanding that there would be a general revision of the wage schedule in six months, or a year, they were not capable of self-government and unworthy of the protection of the Brotherhood of Railway Trackmen of America. After holding a conference with the C. P. Ry. officials, the board of adjustment of the B. R. T. called on the maintenance-of-way men's committee and stated that if the committee would send the following letter to the manager, the terms of settlement proposed therein would be accepted: If the Canadian Pacific Railway company will agree to reinstate within two weeks men who quit work, and who have not been guilty of violence, and who offer for work at once, in the positions and dwellings they were in prior to 17th ,Iune, it being understood that some readjustment of sections may be necessary to do this to carry out promises of permanency to other hands; and further. If the company will agree to give us a schedule at the end of six months, instead of one year, on the terms and conditions as set out in Mr. McNicoU's letters of 13th. 14th and 17th August, 1901. to the chairman of the conciliation committee, and to carry out the other conditions in said letters, the committee of Canadian Pacific trackmen, of Avhich I am the chairman, will immediately call off strike. The terms of the above letter w-ere not considered satisfactory, and the following letter was prepared and handed to the chairman of the board of adjustment of the B. R. T.: Montreal, August 29, 1901. Mr. D. McNicolI, Second Vice-President and General ^Manager, C. P. Ry. • Dear Sir: A letter prepared by you, and presented to me by Mr. T. J. Turned On by a Railway Trackman, 103 Couglilln. chairman of the board of adjustment. Brotherhood of Railway Train- men. Canadian Facific Railway, pertaining- to the calling off of the strike of the maintenance-of-way men on the Canadian Pacific Railway, for my signa- ture, does not meet with the approval of the members of onr committee. Referring to the first paragrai)h of said letter Avhich reads as follows: If the Canadian Tacific Railway Company will agree to re-instatc M'ithin two weeks nu-n who quit work, and who have not been !,'uilty of violence, and who offer for work at once, in the positions and dwcllin.irs they were in prior to 17th .Tune, it being under- stood that some readjustment of sections may be necessary to do this to carry out promises of permanency to other hands. This is, we believe, as nuich as we could expect under the circumstances, so far as reinstating the men is concerned. Your proposition pertaining to tht- reinstatement of the men is. practically, the. adoption of the first clause of the basis of settlement proposed by the general chairmen of the B. L. E., O. R. C, B. L. F., and O. R. T. The basis of settlement proposed by them (the general chairmen) was not made known to us until Friday of last week (August 23rd), when we received a copy of the conciliation committee's report through the courtesy of a member of one of the Orders. The basis of settlement proposed by the conciliation committee, according to their report, dated August 19th. 1901. is as follows: 1st. Every man who has gone out on strike, or who has voted to strike, or who has been discharged for refusing to take the place of a striker, to be reinstated with- out prejudice. 2nd. The company to recognize and deal with the properly authorized committees of the Brotherhood of Railway Trackmen of America employed on the Canadian Pacific Railway. 3rd. All matters relating to the conditions of service and compensation therefor to be adjusted by an impartial and practical body of men mutually agreeable to parties interested within days. In a letter commenting upon tlie basis of settlement proposed by the gen- eral chairmen of the other Orders, over the signatures of Chas. Pope, chairman, and W. H. Allison, secretary, and addressed to President Shaughnessy, accord- ing to their report, they state: As representatives of organized labor we are naturally guided to a certain extent l)y precedents, and by making proposition as basis of settlement, we felt that we were asking only for the trackmen what other organizations had been granted. Now that we have practically agreed upon the first clause of the basis of settlement proposed by the conciliation committee, our committee will accept the other two clauses, or. in other words, we will accept the basis of settlement proposed by the conciliation committee in its entirety, as above set forth, if the company will do likewise. The strike has lasted entirely too long. The public, the company, and the men are all suffering on account of it. The public has filed complaints with us. and we suppose the company has received more complaints of a similar nature than we have. If the strike is called off at once it will take our very best efforts to put the track in proper condition to handle the fall and winter traffic with safety before the snow begins to fall. Therefore, being interested in the welfare of the company and the rights of the public, as well as ourselves, we will cheerfully accept any basis of set- tlement tlint seems to us to be fair and lionorable to both llie company and the maintenance-of-way men. Yours tndy. J. LENNOX. Chairman of Committee. 104 THE CAI.CIUM LIGHT The general manager replied as follows: Montreal, 29th August, 1901, Mr. J. Lennon, Grand Union Hotel, Montreal. Dear Sir: I acknowledge receipt of your letter of 29tli August. I will not deal with the inaccurate statements contained therein, one of which Mr. Coughliu advised me he drew j^our attention to, but will simply express my regret that you have seen tit to reject the recommendation of the committee of trainmen, who. I know, have been conscientiously laboring in your behalf. Yours truly, I). McNICOLL, Second Vice-President and General Manager. Tlie cliairniaD of the committee replied as follows: Montreal, August 29, 1901. Mr. D. McNicoll, Second Vice-President and General Manager, C. P. Ry. Dear Sir: In preparing a letter for you this morning, and acknowledging receipt of a letter, or rather a memo., presented to me by Mr. T. J. Coughlin, chairman of the board of adjustment of the B. of R. T., I understood that the memo, liad been prepared by you. In your letter this afternoon, you state you will not deal with the "inaccu- rate statements contained therein." Will you please define what you consider "inaccurate statements"? If you desire a settlement of the strike of the maintenance-of-way men on the Canadian Pacific Railway, will you please reduce to writing the terms of settlement you are willing to make, making the terms as clear as possible, so there will be no misunderstanding about the matter. Yours truly, J. LENNON, Chairman of Committee. On the evening of August 20 the members of the board of ad- justment of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen and the mainte- nance-of-waj men's committee held a session. After discussing and deliberating u\Hn\ the difl'erent jthases of the situation the following letter was agreed upon, and next morning (August 30) it was presented to the general nuinager by the chairman of the board of adjustment of theB. R. T.: Grand Union Hotel. :Montreal. August 30. 1901. Mr. D. McNicoll, Second Vice-President and General Manager, C. P. Ry. Co. Dear Sir: If the Canadian Pacific Railway Company will agree to rein- state within two weeks all men who quit work, and who have not been guilty of violence, and who offer for work at once, in the positions and dwellings they were in prior to 17th .June, it being understood that some readjustment of sections may be necessary to do this to carry out promises of permanency to other hands; and further. If the company will agree to give us a schedule at the end of six months, instead of one year, on the terms and conditions as set out in Mr. McNicoll's letters of 13th. 14th and 17 August. 1901. to the chairman of the conciliation committee and to carry out the other conditions in said letters. The committee of Canadian Pacific trackmen, of which I am the chair- man, Avill immediately call off strilce. JOSEPH LENNON, Chairman of Committee. Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 105 The j^eiieral maiiagx'r replied us follows: Montreal, 30tli August, 1901. Mr. Joseph Lenuon, Chainnan Traeknieu's Committee. Dear Sir: 1 aeeept the proposition eontained in your letter to me of this date, and hereby agree to reinstate witliin t\\o weeks all men who quit work, aud who have not been guilty of violence, and Avho offer for work at once, in the i)ositions and dwellings they were in prior to the 17th .Tune, it being under- stood that some readjustment of sections may be necessarj- to do this to carry out promises of permanency to other hands. I further agree to give the trackmen a schedule at the end of six months instead of one year, on the terms and conditions as set forth in my letters of 13th, 14th aud 17th of August, 1901. to the chairman of the conciliation com- mittee, and to carry out the other conditions in said letters. 1 now understand that your committee will at once, in accordance with your letter above referred to, call the strike oft\ Yours truly, D. McNICOLL, Second Vice-President and General Manager. The following letter was sent to Mr. McNicoll : Montreal, August 30, 1901. Mr. D. McNicoll, Second Vice-President aud General Manager. C. P. Ry. Dear Sir: Your favor of even date received notifying us that oiu' proposi- tion setting forth the conditions on which the strike of maintenance-of-way men would be declared off. was accepted by you. An official notice of the strike being declared oft" is now in the bauds of the printer, aud will be sent out by mail as soon as possible. Please accept our thanks for the concessions you have made. Your agreement to reinstate all men who have not been guilty of crime in the positions and dwellings they were in prior to 17th of .Tune. is. the com- mittee cousiders. very generous. We assure you that our best endeavors, will be put forth to encourage the men to render faithful service, and work for the promotion of the interest of the company. Yours truly, J. LENNOX. Chairman of Maiutenance-of-Waj' Men's Com. The manager replied as follows: Montreal. 31st August. 1901. Ml". .Joseph Lennon. Grand Union Hotel. Montreal. Dear Sir: I have your letter of 30th August, and am pleased to have your assurances. Before you leave town I would like to have a conversation with you. Yours truly, D. McNICOLL. The following message was then piepared by the maintenance-of- way men's committee and forwarded to the manager with authority for it to be sent to all maintenance-of-way men on the C. P. Ry. system, over the signature of the chairman of the trackmen's committee: An agreement has been reached between your committee and the general manager. The strike is declared off. Official notice by mail. All hands may renort for dutv at once. J. LENNON, Chairman of Committee. 106 THE CAI.CIUM UGHT About 2:30 p. m. on the afternoon of August 30 the following no- tice to resume work was prepared and given to the printei-: Montreal, Aiignst 30. 1901. To all Maintenance-of-Way Men on the C. P. Rj\: Your committee representing the maintenance-of-Avay men on the C. F. RaihAay system, and the general manager have reached an agreement by which all men not guilty of crime are to be reinstated in their former positions and dwellings within two weelis. without prejudice. The strilve is hereby declared otf. You are hereby instructed to report for dvity at once. Let lis convince the officials by faithful and efficient service that we are entitled to tlie recognition received, and to be dealt with in the same manner other classes of their employes are dealt with. The basis of settlement, with a full explanation will be sent to all con- cerned as soon as possible. [Seall J. LENNON, Chairman. VOTE OF THANKS. Montreal, September 2, 1901. To the Members of the Board of Adjustment of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen: Dear Sirs and Brothers: The members of the joint protectiA^e board of the maintenance-of-way department employes on the Canadian Pacific Railway beg to tender you a hearty vote of thanks for the efficient service rendered by your board in our struggle. Wishing you every success. Yours fraternally, J. LENNON, Chairman Committee. A. F. STOUT, Secretary Committee. CHAPTER XII. LETTERS, RESOLUTIONS AND COMMENTS. To enable the reader of this voliiuie to more fully comprehend the situalion growing out of the strike of the maiutenance-of-way em- ployes of the C'. P. Ry. the character of the opposition which had to be overcome and the extent to which C. P. Ry. influence dominated the opinions of certain newspajjers and certain self-styled public-spirited citizens, the author reproduces a number of letters, resolutions, inter- views, extracts from press comments, etc., both favorable and unfav- orable to the maintenance-of-way men's representatives and the presi- dent of the B. R. T. of A. They relate, in a large measure, to the recommendations of the conciliation committee and their rejection by the committee representing the trackmen: From all that is coming out. President Wilson of the International Brother- hood of Railway Trackmen seems to be little better than a criminal in regard to his conduct in connection with the strilie of the C. P. R. trackmen. He promoted a strike of men who were getting more pay than men doing the same Avork on other Canadian railways. The fact was admitted in a cir- cular issued ])y tlie trackmen's committee. He made no attempt to get arbitration, and two days after the strike began he refused to agree to arbitration, saying it was too late. He allowed representatives of the other railway labor unions to act as a conciliation committee, then influenced the stiikers to repudiate the conciliation committee's finding and recommendation. If President Wilson, who comes from across the line, were a fair sample of the American labor agitator, no wonder would need to be felt at exhibitions of folly or jaundice in labor troubles there. — Ottawa Journal. A professional labor man came over from the United States and brought on a strike among the trackmen of the C. P. R., a railway which paid its track- men the liighest scale in Canada. The strike lasted several months and then a conciliation committee representing some of the other union men in the rail- way's employ took a hand to settle it. The committee found that the pro- fessional labor man was obstructing a settlement and refused to go on until he ceased interfering. Tlien the conciliation committee settled the whole trou])le with neatness and despatch. The trackmen have got their union recog- nized and practically all tliey were wanting, which causes the Citizen to again point out to Canada Unionists that it is perhaps not always in their best in- terests to strilce because an aml)itious embryo Eugene V. Debs comes over here to try his prentice hand in managing a strike. Only for Wilson we be- lieve the trackmen would have got what they wanted without a strike. Nine times out of ten employers will deal in a more amicable spirit with their men, where the interposition of nn imported agitator will increase instead of allay- ing friction. — Ottawa Citizen. 108 THE CAI.CIUM LIGHT "The trackmen liaven't a leg to stand on." That's what the company says. "We stand pat; and are awaiting arbitration. Wilson won't go," says a mainteuance-of-way man. Thus may tlie situation be summed up today. "I thinli the conciliation committee have been vei-y fair to both sides," remariied Mr. McNicoll, second vice-president and general manager, today. "We accepted them, have accepted their decision, and are willing to abide by it. From the nature of their complaint it is quite evident that they have located where the difficulty rests (meaning the president of the B. R. T. of A.), and they are endeavoring to remove it outside the city." "Is the strike impeding traffic?" "No, we are taking care of all that comes along. We have yet to see the day when we are going to lie down to anything of this nature. We have moved 20,000 laborers for the harvest, the greatest activity prevails all along the road out west and what with special excursions and special trains with threshers, we are having a busy time of it." "What is the situation this morning?" Mr. Wilson, president of the B. R. T. of A., was asked. "What will be your next move?" "Our committee consider tlie demand made by the conciliation committee that the president of their organization be repudiated an insult and have passed a resolution ignoring it altogether. The ball fired at us by the con- ciliation committee was in our opinion fixed up by the general manager of the C. P. R. A great many of the employes of the railway company wear corpora- tion collars. They are like soldiers; they obey all orders received from a superior officer in matters of this kind. When justice is at stake they do not possess enough courage to call their souls their own. The corporation boss cracks his whip and they jump. An attempt was made by the general manager to use the general chairmen of the other orders with a view to defeat the trackmen some time ago. He met three of them at Winnipeg and they agreed upon a plan which they thought would settle the strike without hearing the men's side of the case. Two of the general chairmen did not participate in that conference. They seemed to take offence at being ignored, and demanded that an official meeting should be held in Montreal. This I know to be true because I dictated the messages and letters that brought them here. We think they have done good work for the trackmen." "It is rumored that two of your men are not in harmony with your action." "The committee stands pat." "What is your next move?" "We are awaiting an answer to our communication asking for arbitration, and are here to stay." "It must be costing some money?" "We are in no way hampered for funds. When we are, we only have to make another assessment. None of our men are suffering. All of them who desire are working." "On the C. P. R.?" "No. in the fields at the harvest, and on other roads; not a man is suffering and we have all the money we require." — Montreal Star. Disappointment will be felt that the conciliation committee failed to find a satisfactory solution of the differences between the aiithorities of the Cana- Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 109 dian Pacific Railway and its tracknit'ii. Ttie public would have Avelcoined a settlement on any basis that would have been accepted by both sides, for it goes without saying that the prolonged struggle must entail suffering to the men and their families, besides impairing the efficiency of the railways at a time when the public interest demands that it should bo specially efficient. The terms offered by the railway company and recommended by the concilia- tors for acceptance by the strikers were that they should return to work on the basis of Mr. McNicoll's terms, laid down on the 12th of June last, and a year hence, if by that time the men have formed a "responsible and workable organization," the company will meet a committee thereof and grant a schedule. It is provided, however, that the schedule when made shall only apply to fore- men and first and second men of one year's standing in the company's service. The terms were also accompanied by the extraordinary request that Mr. Wilson, the president of the Trackmen's Association, who has hitherto directed the strike, should leave Montreal within 24 hours. There is really not much use discussing the terms because the concluding condition is such a remarkable one that it occupies the whole front of the stage. If Mr. Wilson has done anything to forfeit the confidence of those on behalf of whom he has put up so strenuous a fight, the news has not yet reached the general public. Until he has done so, it Avould be impolitic, to phrase it mildly, for the men to allow him to be sacrificed to appease those whose hostilitj^ he lias incurred in their service. It is not necessary to say much about it, for the men have promptly refused to repudiate and humiliate their chief, and they are to be honored for doing so. The committee of concilia- tion was composed of the chairmen of the various organizations of employes on the railway, and in recommending terms accompanied by such a remarkable proviso they must have expected that they would be required to publicly explain why they did so. Some one or more persons must malvc themselves prominent in conducting a strike, but if strikers allow their leaders to be singled out for punishment, it would soon be very difficult to get men to offer themselves up in sacrifice. As to the terms ofi'ered the men. the public would doubtless be pleased if they saw their way to accepting them, but we can scarcely wonder if they are not particularly struck with their generosity. All that they would gain by their summer-long struggle would be a guarded promise that a year hence the company woidd recognize a union composed of a portion of the trackmen and would treat with a committee representing it respecting wages. Without presuming to judge between the men and the company we feel sure that the general opinion will be that the company is certainly not disposed to conuede much. The pulilic interest is suffering and is likely to suffer more by reason of this strike; the men are prepared to submit their case to fair arbitration and we certainly think that the company should accept that proposal. The men will go to work as soon as that proposal is accepted and await at their posts the result of the arbitration, and accept it loyally whatever it may be. — Toronto (J lobe. The World is glad ty see that the Glo])e is also with the striking trackmen of the (\ P. K. Wliere the .Montreal Star is we do not know — probably under the Windsor Station. ((\ P. It. heado.uarters.) 110 THE CALCIUM LIGHT Why the chief executive of the Trackmen's Union should be repudiated and ordered to leave Montreal by the representatives of the Associated Brother- hoods has not yet been made clear, either to the public or to the trackmen themselves. But there are people who suspect treachery and, what goes with treachery — bribery. It is only since this strike began that the public have learned what an im- portant part of the railway organization the trackmen really are. On them devolves the duty of inspecting the roadbed and maintaining it in such a shape as to ensure the public safety. The C. P. It. says they have metr enough to do the work of the strikers, but the number of accidents that have recently been reported is not consistent with this statement. As a matter of fact the roadbed of the C. P. 11. is in a very bad shape; so much so that all sensible people are avoiding the line, although it is said all such people formerly patron- ized it. Not only do the men perform a very responsible duty, but a consid- erable amount of skill is necessary in the discharge of their duties. The C. P. R. has recently found out the ordinary unskilled laborer cannot be en- trusted .to perform the work of the trackmen. He must be trained for the work. We think, therefore, that the trackmen are fully justified in asking for better pay and for the recognition of their union, just as the trainmen, the firemen, the engineers, the conductors, the telegraphers have been recognized. That they are willing to have their claims left to arbitration shows that they believe in the justice of their demands. Mr. McXicoll, Mr. Shaughuessy and the directors are determined to beat the men at any price. The result is that the C. P. R. is becoming demoralized; that travellers are going by the American Pacitic routes, that the chief officers of the road will not ride over their own line at night. We have heard before of what is called an American-Irish slave-driving spirit getting possession of the C. P. R., manifesting itself at one time in the Crow's Nest construction, at another time in the East, and now in the way the harvesters sent to the Northwest are treated. Mr. Shaughnessy and Mr. McNicoll should be above this, and Mr. Osier as a director should not allow himself to be made a party to it. The first thing the C. P. R. knows the Duke of York Avill be advised to cancel his trii) to the Coast. Hasn't it about reached a stage wheu the government should interfere? — Toronto World. Tlie developments of the past week in the trackmen's strike situation have been of great interest to organized lal)or. Following our announcement from Montreal in the last issue, that the chairmen of the railway brotherhoods had been accepted as sole arbitrators in the matter, came the news of the rejection of their most outrageoiis recommendation by the trackmen's committee. The acceptance of representatives of five organizations as arbitrators we thougbt settled the question of recognition of the trackmen. Men who were themselves the officers of such brotherhoods could not arbitrate whether or not another should be recognized; as far as they were concerned that must be taken for granted. But it appears that they were only conciliating and their recommenda- tion was. very properly, promptly rejected. It included, in part, this proposi- tion: That men who had been on strike for eight weeks and had surprised TuRNKD On by a Railway Trackman. Ill ovorybody with their power nnd ability to act as a brotherhood, should return to work and give the eoiupauy one year to shatter their orgauizatiou piecemeal, they having no protection. If any survived they could strike next year; if none were left, why the object of the company would be attained. It reminds one of the tale of the young lady who went for a ride on a tiger. The track- men iiave (lone so well that they deserve to win or to be beaten while still lighting. The proposition that was put before them was similar to capital pun- isliment of a very troublesome subject in China; they invite him to commit suicide. Tlu' tiacknu'u wvw invited to do likewise; to get off the earth and relieve the situation. Although there is lots of track news of which we print a great deal, this only takes secondary phne. Interest is centered in Montreal where there is a great gathering of brotherliood men. The I'acitic division took steps early to ensure that its position should be known, and sent down a division representa- tion of every brotherhood to press for a settlement "with" the trackmen, not "of" them. Other divisions have now representatives on the spot independent of the general chairmen. On Monday night last an important joint meeting of all railway brotherhoods was held in Winnipeg. No information is given out, but it is known that the meeting was almost unanimous, and that important issues were discussed must be gathered from the fact that during the week a referendum vote had been taken of the men who could not attend the meet- ing. The statements by railway officials that the strike is practically over and the track is in good shape are silly in the extreme. They have quite a lot of men working, those that they imported, and others they got to pay their own fares by the excursion method, but they are no good as trackmen and without foremen can do little more than cut the weeds. On one division east of the, city they have about sixty men but not a single foreman, and so, of course, a nearly distracted roadmaster. If one of these officials ever publishes all he knows about this strike it will be a revelation to the public. Special con- stables, secret service men, spotters, cross reports, and general distrust, equal- ling any preconceived notions of Russian methods are the order of the day. — Winnipeg Voice. The general committee of the C. P. It. trackmen now on strike meets in secret session; the representatives of the various orders of trainmen hold mysterious seances; railway men Hit in and out. nnd gi'oup themselves together and wliis- per, and there is an air of mystery, and the Grand Union Hotel is an exceed- ingly busy center these days. One hears it said that the representatives of the train orders who are in session have demanded the presence of their grand officers, which might mean a great deal; that the Lanrier Government is dis- posed to interevene to have the strike settled before the arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Gornwall; that something decisive may be expected before long. Indeed, the hotel is a sort of whispering gallery. One group of railway men eyes the other with distrust; two men are in the corner; a trio have their heads together in the center of the rotunda; and over all is the sense of ex- pectancy. Mr. Wilson said to-day that things were lovely. They were nearing the goal of their desires. It would be an immense gain both for capital and labor if they could bring pressure to bear upon the C P. R. so as to induce the com- 112 THE CALCIUM I.IGHT pany to consent to arbitration. Arbitration was what they were aiming at, and it was wliat tbej- would obtain. The C. P. R. was perhaps the greatest rail- way corporation in the world. If that company conld be induced to say that it did not claim to make all the law itself; that labor had a voice and human rights; and that it was willing to arbitrate differences between itself and the men wuo helped it to create its wealth — why, that would be of such an educa- tional character that it would sound the death knell of strikes. For if tlie C. P. R. arbitrated differences evei'y other smaller organization must follow suit. And the C. P. R. would offer arbitration. Of that he was convinced. Events were moving in that direction. Mr. McNicoll probably did not fully understand the strength of the forces which were against him. He could not be explicit, but certain things were in process of development. For himself, he had no doubt as to the issue. The men were not wanting a great deal. They wanted fair play. They wanted a living wage. They wanted reasonable terms of service, so that they might know where they stood. This strike was intended to be educational in its effects. The moment arbitration was con- ceded, he would bend evei'y energy to the bringing about of the most cordial relations between employes and employer. He had no revoluntionary ideas to impose upon the men. The strike could have been conducted in such a way that within twenty-four hours from its inception, the whole of the C. P. R. could have been blocked and obstructed. On the contrary, it was conducted in an honorable manner. There had been no disturbance. There had been no acts of violence. The men were respectable, law-abiding citizens. Their case was unanswerable. As for himself, he remained to see that justice was done. He had no other object in view. He was the representative of plain people, and he desired to stand by them to the end. Mr. Wilson said that the general committee and himself approved of the following circular, which had been issued by Mr. Lowe, the vice-president of the order. Montreal. August 20. 1901. To the Citizens of Canada: Tlie report of the general chairmen of the other orders who were supposed to repre- sent employes in other departments on the C. P. Railway is very unjust to the track- men who are struggling for a fair share of the wealth they help to create, and an hon- orable settlement. Their contention that the settlement proposed hy the general manager is a fair one will, no doubt, be questioned b.v all fair-minded men. During the telegraphers' strike in 1S96 a similar basis of settlement was proposed by the compan.v to the conciliation committee, who were trying to effect a settlement be- tween the company and the telegraphers. In commenting upon it in their report, the following paragraph appears: "We saw at once that this proposition would never be accepted by the telegraphers for the reason that it left practically little protection for a great number of the striking operators and agents and provided that men employed during the existence of the strike were considered permanent employes and should l)e n>taiued iu their service in preference to men who have gone out on strike." The gentlemen who were acting as conciliators had too much respect for the grand officers and the committee representing the telegraphers, to even present the terms pro- posed by the company to them, and in lieu thereof they prepared what they considered a fair basis of settlement, which was accepted by both parties to the controversy. The grand president of the Brotherhood of Railway Trackmen, with the consent of the committee representing the maintenance-of-way men on the C. P. R., has proposed to sumbit the differences between the company and the men to impartial arbitration. That should convince all fair-minded people that our president is not in the employ of competing transportation companies, and that if our committee have made unreasonable demands upon the company, they are willing to abide by impartial arbitration. Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 113 Instead of woakcniiiK our position, the report of the eoncilintion eommittee will Strengthen it. As to the insult offered to our president, deniandiii},' that he should leave Montreal within twenty-four liours, this simply iuereases our conlidence in him, and we talie it as a compliment paid to his intelligence and ability to correctl.v advise the committee. Messages and letters are being received from members of the Order on all parts of the system assuring our president that he will have the continued support and ct)ntidence of the ukmi. Wh.v the conciliation committee recommended unconditional surrender upon the part of the trackmen is a question I will not attempt to answer. Every Brotherhood man I have met is indignant over the action taken by the general chairmen, and especially at the insult offered through them to President Wilson. If they were influenced to take such a course by the general manager, I predict he will discover in a short time that he has created a "boomerang" for himself. The end is not yet by any means. The full protective board of Railway Trainmen is in Mon- treal, and members of the other Orders are arriving on every train. It is reasonable to suppose that as soon as the facts in the case are known such steps will be taken as may be necessary to afford protection to their lives, and the lives of the traveling public. I have just returned from a trip out West. I went as far as Brandon, and traveled over all the branches of the C. P. R. system in Manitoba, and found but two foremen, who were at work on June 16th— before the strike became effective — at work. Not a single section man is at work. The foremen have all left the section-houses of the company in Manitoba. The men informed me they would not return to work until instructed to do so by their chairman under the seal of the Grand Division. I have raised a family in Canada l>y honest, hard work; am a citizen of Canada and take a deep interest in all that pertains to the welfare of my country. Therefore I ap- peal to all honest citizens to aid us in our efforts to secure a fair and honorable settle- ment with the C. P. Railway company. A. B. LOWE, Grand Vice-President. —Montreal Daily Witness. At a meeting of the citizens of the town of Fort ^yilliam, held in the Town Hall, the following resolutions were unanimously adopted: WHEREAS, There has been practically no work done on the line of rail- way and roadbed of the Canadian Pacific Railway for over four weelvs, and same is now and has been in such a condition that numerous accidents and delays to the traveling public, trains, and mails, have already happened, and traffic is therebj- being diverted over United States Railways, and lives and property at present passing over the Canadian Pacific Railway Company's railway are imperiled thereby; and, WHP^REAS. We, the citizens of the town of Fort William in public meet- ing assembled, think the time has come when the government should interfere to protect lives and property of such as go over said railway, and secure to people, proper, safe and regular service for passengers, freight, mails, and express over said road; and, WHEREAS, Large numbers of alien lal)orers are daily being lirought in to do the work of striliing trackmen along the line of the Canadian Pacific Railway from foreign countries in contravention of the alien labor law; there- fore, be it RESOLVED, That we the citizens of the town of Fort William in public meeting assembled do hereby protest against same and request tlie government to forthwith investigate and enforce said alien labor law. At a union meeting held at North Baj^ July 25th, 1901, by B. L. E., B. L. F., O. R. C, O. R. T. and B. R. T., circular from chairmen of boards of conciliation of aforenamed organizations was read and the following resolutions were adopted and forwarded to grand officers: 114 THE CALCIUM I^IGHT AVHEREAS, Owing to the inability of our chairmen of joint boards of con- ciliation to effect a settlement of trackmen's strike and deciding to remain neu- tral. RESOLVED, That we appeal to our grand officers to act at once with a view to a settlement of existing grievances between trackmen and company and protection to the members of our organization; RESOLVED, That owing to failure of chairmen of joint boards of concilia- tion to act according to instructions sent them in form of resolutions adopted by the aforenamed organizations that they be notified that we do not consider their actions proper protection for the members of our organizations and we have appealed to our grand officers. The following were unanimously adopted by citizens of Smith's Falls, Ont, August 3, 1901: "WHEREAS, The president of the Brotherhood of Railway Trackmen made it clear in his address at this meeting, that the main cause of the trouble be- tween the C. P. R. and its maintenance-of-way men is the refusal upon the part of the company to concede them the right to have anything to say pertain- ing to the conditions of their employment; and, WHEREAS, This privilege has not been denied to any other class of their employes; and WHEREAS. Subject to the recognition of their Society, the maintenance-of- way men are and always have been willing to have the terms and conditions of their agreement with the company (if necessary) fixed by impartial arbitra- tion; and, WHEREAS, The present state of affairs is to be deplored, the track, of necessity, being out of repair, not having been looked after properly by ex- perienced men, traffic impeded, accidents frequent, and a continuation of the friction naturally resulting in bringing closer a crisis which would be regretted by all. Therefore, be it RESOLVED, That we, as citizens of Smith's Falls, assembled at this meet- ing, and desirous that the present trouble be terminated at once, do deplore the existing condition of affairs bet«'een the company and its striking trackmen. RESOLVED, That we consider it only fair and in the interest of all con- cerned that the maintenance-of-way men be recognized and dealt witli by the company in like manner as is the case with all other classes of their em- ployes. RESOLVED, That we decry the importation and employment by them of foreign laborers in breach of the alien labor law — men who contribute nothing to our country and who carry their earnings to the United States. RESOLVED, That we consider that the said trackmen are entitled to our sympathy in their effort to place themselves upon an equal basis with other classes of workers. RESOLVED. That a copy of these resolutions be forwarded to the presi- dent of the C. P. Railway praying favorable consideration therefor. RESOLVED, That if the company declines to meet the trackmen for the purpose of a settlement along the lines herein stated, as it is appai'ent that the roadbed has, through want of proper attention, become out of repair, and a continuation of the strike will naturally increase the complaint, that a copy Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 115 of these resolutions be forwarded to the Mniisler of Uaihvays with a request that he take sueh steps as may be necessary to leruiinate the difficulty aud restore the safety of travel. The following resolution was adopted at a mass meeting of citi- zens of Soiiris, Manitoba, August 15, 1901: WHEREAS, The strike of the maintenance-of-way men on the C. -P. K. •system having now lasted almost two months, and the track being in such notoriously bad condition that neither the lives of the traveling public nor those of the men handling the traffic are reasonably safe; and, "WHEREAS, Unless this strike is soon ended and the track put into work- lug condition before our severe winter comes on, we view with alarm the pros- pect of unsafe railways with the extra heavy traffic that is in store for this coming fall aud winter; tlierefore, be it RESOLVED, That we, the citizens of Souris, in the face of such public danger to life and property, desire that the Dominion Government exert its intluence towards the ending of such a dangerous state of affairs. Also, that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Sir Wilfrid Laurier, President Shaughnessy of the C. P. R., and President Wilson of the Brother- hood of Railway Trackmen of America. The following letter, sent out from Vancouver under date of Au- gust 5, 1901, resulted in a vote to suspend work on the Pacific division unless the company made speedy settlement with its striking track- men : TO ALL MEMBERS OP THE B. L. E., B. L. F., O. R. C, B. R. T., and O. R. T. —GREETING: Dear Sirs and Brothers: At a meeting of the executive officers of the above orders for the Pacific Division it was decided to poll this division for an expression of opinion in regard to supporting the trackmen in their present strike. The reason for this radical course is due to the fact that the C. P. R. are making strenuous efforts to beat the trackmen in their struggle for the recog- nition of their organization and a living wage, and using unlawful means to that end. also trying to pit one organization against another to the ultimate downfall of all. This is in accordance with the w^ell-known policy of the General Managers' Association, of which General Manager McNicoll is a member. So we take it as a challenge to organized labor when the trackmen are refused recognition in their demands, and it is anticipated that this will be followed by a further attmnpt being made to disrupt the older organizations on the same lines now being used against the ti'ackmeu. The circular letter from our chairmen of the boards of adjustment at Winni- peg, wherein their good offices as a conciliation committee were refused by Manager McNicoll, shows very plainly, in our opinion, that the time has ar- rived, for us to do something substantial by sending a duly authorized repre- sentative from each of the orders on the Pacific Division as soon as the poll is secured, to confer with the general chairmen and to use most effective meas- ures at once to terminate this strike, as the operation of trains is now becoming a source of danger to all trainmen. 116 THE CAI.CIUM LIGHT Kindly record your vote, not particularly because you are personally in favor of assisting the tracl^meu in this their dark hour of adversity and trouble by a cessation of worlv. if necessary, but for the protection of your own organization by placing your bona fide signature below. It has already been observed that the report of the vigilance com- mittee was a deceptive document, gotten up for the purpose of aiding the officials in their efforts to make the maintenance-of-way men along the line believe their representatives in Montreal declined to make a fair and honorable settlement when they had the opportunity to do so. The vigilance committee attempted to prevent the trackmen's com- mittee and the members of the board of adjustment of the B. R. T. from getting possession of a copy of their report. The writer met the chairman of the vigilance committee at the door of Mr. Bourdeau's printing office, and asked him if he would not furnish him with a copy of their report. He replied: "Yes, but it will not be ready for distri- bution for a day or two." Mr. Bourdeau heard him make the state- ment and informed the writer that the conciliation committee's work was delivered the day before. According to reports received, the report of the vigilance com- mittee, when placed in the hands of the C. P. liy. officials, enabled them to create general dissatisfaction among the men, as it led many of the members of the B. R. T. of A. to believe that the basis of settlement proposed by the conciliation committee was turned down by the track- men's representatives. The following are samples of letters received expressing dissatis- faction: I think the strike ought to be settled this week so we could return to work on Monday. I think Wilson made a terrible mistake when he left it to the chairmen of the other Orders and then did not accept a settlement. If there is nothing done this week there will be a number of men return to work, sure, and I think it is time something was done. Wilson is not the man for this business. The public is down on him. I am surprised at the committee and Wilson for not accepting the advice of the conciliation committee. I think what they offered was fair to the trackmen. I think the committee had better send Wilson back where he came from. The company would have raised our wages long ago, had it not been for the interference of that American — Wilson. I am opposed to such men com- ing over here and getting us into trouble. Myself and men are going to work next week. We are not going to lose any more time on account of foreigners who have no interest in our welfare. We have been ten weeks on strike and I think it is high time something was done. It is all very well for you to tell us to hold out, but we have not Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 117 done any work for the past ten weeks. You and the committee are living ou the fat of the hind, in a tirst-chiss hotel in Montreal, while we have to pay for it. You should have accepted wliat the company offered, and prevented all this trouble. My roadniaster told me he wanted me to ^o to work on Monday and if I did not it would be my last chance. Now 1 want you to settle this affair at once, or else go back where you came from. We don't want any Americans over here to run our business — we can do that ourselves. You promised us tive dollars a weeli if we went on strike. I did not get a cent. 1 want you to send me fifty dollars at once, or I shall go to work on Monday. There is a great deal of work yet to be done by the fool-killers. The following letters were penned by loyal and courageous Union- ists, aud are in strong contrast with those above quoted: Your letter of the 18th received, and 1 must say that I feel very sorry for Mr. McNicoll that he should have such a thorn in the flesh in the person of our :Mr. Wilson. You can rest assured tliat we are not going to be out for ten weeks and then go back to work without some settlement. The majority of the Brotherhood men up here are greatly disappointed at the way things have come out in Montreal. They say something is radically wrong as their chairmen have not done as they were instructed to do before leaving for Montreal. I understand that several more comnntteemen representing the other Brotherhoods have arrived in Montreal to try and bring on a settlement. We are watching things very closely. I can tell you we are having our time of temptation, just as well as other people. Enclosed you will tind a circidar I received this morning from R. H. Lowe, which is a very nice "bluff," but it won't work. I wrote a numl)er of the boys yesterday that there would be another "bluff" along in a short time, but to take no notice of it. Here is ahother point; you can make out of it what you like. There are about 200 harvesters now in Moosejaw that cannot get employment and they have got no money to buy food with. On Tuesday last there was a corner- stone laid for one of the churches. In the evening they got all the harvesters together, gave them a good siipper. and allowed them to sleep in the Town Hall that night. The superintendent got around them and told them they had no need to go idle as he would give them all the work they could do, but was informed by the men that they did not come here to "scab." Yours to the end of the war and after. The following is the circular referred to in the foregoing letter asa'^bluff": Office of the Roadniaster, INIoosejaw, August 28, 1901. To all old Foremen l)etween Regina and Swift Current: I have just received the following message from the Superintendent: R. H. Lowe, Moosejaw. Please note General Superintendent wires as follows: "Montreal advises large nura- lier of foremen whose positions Imvc li(>en ptTiiianently tilled in lOast with new men, arc now applying for positions in tlie West and wishes to know how many married and how many single foremen can be placed ou this Division. 118 THE CALCIUM LIGHT Mr. Milestone, Sup't wires: I wish if possible to retain the services of all my old men but if they still remain out on strike send in statement showing number of married and single foremen required. Now that conciliation committee have left Montreal all hopes of a settlement is over. If men return they should understand they will bo treated same as before strike, but they must decide at once. C. W. MILESTONE." From R. H. Lowe. 1 liave seen a telegram addressed to roadniasters and agents the contents of which is that you would not accept the proposed agreement the chairmen of. the other Orders decided upon. The telegrams stated that their services were at an end unless you would leave the city in twenty-four hours. I cannot understand what they mean by this, unless they are attempting to bivali up our organization, and monopolize the benetits of organization for themselves. If our men stand hrm we can gain the day independent of the chairmen of the other Orders. It is reported that the company offered trackmen $1.40, and foremen $1.90 per day. Avith recognition. The trainmen say you should have accepted it. For my part, recognition, every man reinstated in his former posi- tion, and a substantial increase in wages, is the least I would accept. Hoping you success, and that you may long be at the head of our Order, I remain, I have just heard of the insult offered to you as head of our Organization. I am proud that our committee treated the request of our so-called "conciliation committee." that you leave town Avithin twenty-four hours, with contempt. Our boys all thinli you are a "brick" to stand by your guns so nobly. They say they will stand by you and committee till the last "dog is hung," if it takes weeks or months. We must win at any cost. We thoroughly appreciate your courage and determination to carry this thing through for our benefit and sympathize with you on account of the persecution to which you have been subjected by unscrupulous men and by the "press." Keep up your courage; our cause is just and, I believe, we will win out. Remember you have the sym- pathy of all fair-minded men, and the love and respect of those you are so nobly fighting and suffering for. My roadmaster came to me the other day and said I had l)etter go back to Avork; that we were beaten, and that he con- sidered our cause unjust. I told him that Ave were not beaten, and if ever there was a just cause in the world, ours Avas one. I also reminded him of his telling me some years ago, that trackmen were not getting enough pay; that they sliould get at the very least a dollar and a half a day. He admitted saying so. I then asked him why he had changed his mind. He did not answer, but walked away. It was a case of "I'm all right. Beggar you. Jack." I think that the man Avho elects another to represent him and to sell his labor for him. and avIio deserts him Avhen he is in a position where he cannot retreat honorably, is the basest kind of a coward. Press on. Brother Wilson! There are no coAvards around here and I be- lieve they are scarce elsewhere on the system. We will sink or swim together. The basis of settlement offered by the general manager and accepted by the conciliation committee shows them to be antagonistic to the Order; and to Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 119 add insult to injury tlu'y ordered you to leave Moutreal in 24 hours. Only organized labor's vilest enemies would be guilty of such eouduet. You stay right there, and we will stay by you and defend you with Winchesters if necessary. By all that is good or bad we will fight it to a finish, and I believe we can win. If we do not we shall not have anything to be ashamed of. I am sorry you are being pej'seeuted in such a manner, but there is one con- solation, j^ou are a man of more brains than they possess, else they would not want you out of the way. In ordering you to leave town they offered a base insult to our Organization, and discredited themselves. I have more confidence in you to-day than I ever had before. I admire and respect you for not allow- ing even the so-called "conciliation committee" to bamboozle our committee, and cheat us out of our just rights. It is a God-send we have a man at the head of our organization wlio is able to cope with such triclvsters. Three of our committeemen have gone baclv on us and are making statements that would not be made by any one who had any respect for the truth. I feel that our craft has been disgraced by having such men on the committee. In reference to the amount of money Committeeman Frederick said has been spent, I will only say that very liitle of it was paid in by the C. P. R. boys. I only contributed $2.50 and I know many others who did not pay any more. Tell the remaining committeemen to stand firm and not disgrace them- selves and our craft, as others have done. I write to inform you of the bitter feeling prevalent amongst the members of the five Orders regarding the actions of their chairmen in turning themselves into a "vigilance committee." It is sutticient for me to state that within twenty- four hours of their knowing the news to be authentic, meetings were called and resolutions passed of such a nature as will speedily effect a settlement, Mr. Peltier being appointed to replace Shaw, assisted by Mv. Savage. I need not state that Mr. Peltier is not only the most able committeeman on this system, but that he is in full sympathy and determined to pull his own men out of the disgraceful position into which they have been plunged by one who has failed in his duty, and who returns with one of those long faces characteristic of the traitor, and to make his own doings look presentable he contemplates a repe- tition of the A. R. U. A committeeman who has such ideas of the present situation openly admits that he is unciualified to hold the position he was appointed to. I am busy stacking every day. We are having a great harvest. Every- thing is just the same on this division, only we feel prouder of our president and committee for refusing the offer made through the supposed conciliation committee, or .rather, the C. P. R. committee. If the other Unions have entrusted their ALL to these men they will soon be worse off than the section men. They have made a great howl about our president being an American, but we don't care what he is so long as he is a MAN. There is one thing you won't forget when a settlement is made. We must have it clearly understood that every man gets back where he left off on June lyth. We are all o. k. with our roadmaster here, but such is not the case all over, and you may be sure it would be the Ix-st Union men tliat they 120 , THE CALCIUM LIGHT would try to put out, with the excuse that there was a "scab" in his place. Stay with them on this point, and you can be sure of a few of us with you to the end. Bro. Lowe was in Winnipeg. I did uot see him but I am sure he strength- ened up a few weak places. He is a splendid talker and knows just how to work and what to say among the boys. A strike of more than ordinary public interest in Canada Just now is the struggle of the Canadian Pacific Railway trackmen in an effort to get better pay. The company claims that its trackmen are higher paid than those of any other railway in this country, or the United States; but when deductions are made, this is not at all the case, and, unfortunately, this is not the only respect in which the C. P. R. has issued statements on this strike question which are at variance with the facts. For a gigantic corporation, such as this, to use its telegraphic service to misrepresent and vilify its trackmen is a spectacle dishonoring to its past record. The only theory to account for such arrogance in petty things is that suggested by the Globe that some high ofH- cial has acquired a large swelling in the head. It is high time the Govern- ment interfered to reduce this swelling. It interfered in the case of the Grand Trunk trackmen's strike three years ago, and there is much more occasion for interference now, since the C. P. R. was a creation of the government, and has had abounding favors from the people in time past. Neither the Government nor the C. P. R. can afford to trifle with the lives of thousands that are being endangered by this midsummer madness of a mocking official. There is naturally a good deal of discussion just now as to the remedy for labor troubles. The only true remedy for strikes and lockouts is that laid down 1900 years ago by one who knew all the springs of human thought and motive: "As ye would that others should do unto j'ou, do ye even so u'nto them." When a set of men. whether employers or employes, twist this prin- ciple right around and begin to judge what others should do to them, then their troubles commence.^ — The Canadian Engineer for August. Editor Province: — In your issue of 23rd inst. you publish an editorial under the heading "Foreign Interference," in which you attack Mr. AVilson, the presi- dent of our organization, in an imreasonable and cowardly manner. So far as the late C. P. R. trackmen are concerned, and laboring men in general, your effort "cuts no ice," but that there is a certain section of the coiintry where people might be misled by your mode of reasoning we dare not doulit, hence our object in trespassing, with your permission, upon your columns in order to refute one or more false and malicious statements in your article, and which in the interests of truth and justice ought not to be allowed to pass unchallenged. That the Province is in the employ of the C. P. R. is an opinion which olitains very extensively, consequently, we cannot look in that direction for any matter anent the strike except what is tainted with prejudice or directly emanates from, or is dictated by, the C. P. R. officials. A cause which has to be bolstered up by falsehood and the refined art of bluffing cannot stand long under the clear light of truth, and the supporters of suc^li a cause who resort to such nefarious means will have to pass away to their deserved reward. Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 121 You designate Mr. Wilson's action as "foreign interference." You are at liberty to entertain this opinion, but we wish to impress upon jou the fact that Mr. Wilson is in the position in which the C. P. K. trackmen have placed him. Up to the present the trackmen have been discarded and trampled upon, have labored under the crudest hardships, and all for the maguiaceut* sum of $1.25 per day! Such cruel circumstances forced them to look for a general who would place them in a better position among their fellowmen. They sent for Mr. Wilson and events have proved the wisdom of their clioice. The cause of the strike, and not the character of any one of the strikers or their leaders, is what is before the highest tribunal in the land — public opinion — and up to the present there has been no unfavorable pronouncement. As the cause of the strike is unassailable you attack a man's character and attempt to make it a public concern; a sense of justice should be the founda- tion of your qualities, Mr. Editor. Foreign interference! Is it because of foreign interference you have the lil)erty to live as you do in Canada to dayV Is it because of foreign interference you have the liberty to pray as your inclination and circumstances prompt you? Is it because of foreign interference your forefathers. ]\Ir. Editor, were cap- tured in a state of barbarism and advanced to a state of civilization? Is it because of foreign interference the world is enjoying its present liberty and the poor slave was disenthralled from the shackles of bondage, able to straighten his back and refuse to sul)mit to the lash of the oppressor? You say: "This man (meaning :Mr. Wilson) went back home to St. Louis bearing with him the suspicion and ill-will of every Union man who desired to see an amicable and reasonable arrangement arrived at." Now. Mr. Editor, have you not erred? Do you not mean Charles Pope? Since the inception of his "interference" in this strike he has been under a very strong suspicion; his actions have disgusted every son of toil; his con- duct reprehensible and suspicious caused a wave of indignation to pass along the entire road. He had to give away to more determined, more honest men. He was allowed to go home or elsewhere as he might elect. Mr. Wilson did not leave Montreal; he is still there and will remain there until the trouble is ended. Any reasonable and unprejudiced person who has followed and read the correspondence which has taken place between the company and the trackmen's committee in Montreal will readily admit that Mr. AVilson and his committee have been most conciliatory and reasonable in their demands and justified in rejecting the terms offered by :Mr. :McNicoll. Here is an extract from Mr. McXicolFs terms issued on August 13: The company will meet a committee and grant them a schedule, provided, however, that such schedule shall only apply to forenen and first and second men of one year's standing in the company's service, and neither the schedule nor any of its conditions shall apply to others employed either on section work or on extra gangs: nor shall an.v committee representing th(> organization at any time interfere or attempt to interfere with the relations between the company and employes in its maiutenance-of-way de- partment. A very superficial glance at the foregoing forces one to the inevitable con- clusion that Mr. McNicoll is prepared to crack the nut. throw the shell to the trackmen, and keep the kernel for himself. If Mr. Wilson had dared to accept or even proposed the acceptance of sucii a clause we would have every reason to designate his conduct in the strongest 122 THE CAI.CIUM I,IGHT epithets we could command. But Mr. ^yilson would not be guilty of such a sliocliiug betrayal. You also say that Mr. Wilsou has deliberately "prolonged the strilce in the interests of American roads in whose pay he is for that very purpose." On Avhat ground has this assertion been madeV How do you linow that he is in tlie employ of American roads for this purpose? Assertions are always the arguments of the unreasonable. Your charge is simply absurd in the face of well liuown facts. Are you not aware of the existence of the General Managers' Association, of which Mr. McNicoll is a member? Many of the employes and ex-employes of the C. P. R. have felt bitterly its tyrannical effects. That association, Mr. Editor, is a "for- eigner," and owing to its meddlesome "interference" in Canadian affairs thous- ands of men have been pushed to the wall and debarred from securing employ- ment. This association has deliberately "prolonged the strike" in order to crush poor men in the dufet. We are now fighting. Mr. Editor, for something more precious than dollars and dimes; our manhood and our liberty are at stake. We are fighting to im- prove the heritage which has been placed in our hands, and we are determined as free men in a free country to continue the struggle and hand over to our successors what thev shall have no reason to be ashamed to accept. As one who has taken a keen interest in the struggle which, I hope, has now come to a satisfactory conclusion, I feel constrained to write and offer my hearty congratidations for the manly stand you have made against many adverse circumstances and an unscrupulous enemy. Whatever the nature of the settlement may be, I consider you have won the esteem of every right thinking man, and I am persuaded that after the storm has passed, we will be able to look at the case in a proper light, then, and not until then, can we do so. I am fully persuaded that the maiutenance-of-way men when they reflect quietly and seriously over the matter will involuntarily come to the conclu- sion that through your guiding hand, they have preserved their manhood and placed themselves on a higher plane. They must also not forget that you have been true to them in the face of what might have been serious temptations to a weaker man. I am satisfied that you have gone through one of the severest ordeals pos- sible — exasperating to a degree, requiring coolness and determination to keep your patience and walk serenely over the jibes and insults that were hurled against you. You not only had the crafty and cunning general manager to con- tend with, but a badly misled clique headed by an unscrupulous bully whose conduct from first to last was of a very suspicious and reprehensible nature; from an honest workingman you would expect something different. He, how- ever, in the opinion of many, was not only willing but actually worked in order to sacrifice not only the lives of his own fellow-workmen, but the natural rights of men who were struggling for their own emancipation. Pope was the principal tool in the hands of the company with a lie as its handle. From the first announcement of the settlement of the strike on the morn- ing of August 30 until last night it was impossilde to procure a satisfactory and definite statement of the situation.' The C. P. R. deluged the country and our newspapers with telegr.Tms announcing th(> s;ime. but not until Saturday ]i. m. was word received from you, and then the telegram was so brief that Turned On by a Raii^way Trackman. 123 the men eonelnded it was tietitioiis aud as they were pestered by tlie eompany they swore feaUy to you aud would not budge from their position until delinite word came to hand. Indeed I may say that I never had the pleasure of comini? in contact with a more thorough, more determined, more honest class of men than those on this division. ^Vhen the strike was announced I began to lake an interest in it as I had among the men many friends. From one thing to another 1 drifted into an active interest in their case. "NVhat else could an old employe do? I knew too Avell the justness of their cause. I knew by actual experience what it is to endure hardships, insults and abuse, and as one who has suffered it all from youth to manhood, and my father before me, what else could I do than take up the cudgel in behalf of my fellowmeu and in defense of their champion. This was essential at this end of the road, and a hard row we had to hoe, to the blistering of our hands and the skinning of our knuckles. You have every reason to be proud of your subordinates at this end of the road. Accept our united and everlasting gratitude. FACTS RESPECTING UNIONS. Vancouver, B. C, October 12, 1901. To the Editor of Tlie Independent: Sir: I think the time has come when those who know the facts respecting trades unions, their mode of procedure aud the way they are conducted should speak out. So much has been said, and is being said, and so much is being printed and spread broadcast throughout the length and breadth of the land, which, if true, no true man, with a grain of libertj^-loviug freedom about him, would think of tying himself up to. During the C. P. R. trackmen's strike we constantly read in the papers about the irresponsible head of that organization, Mr. Wilson, plunging so many men and families into poverty to suit the whim of one individual. Then it was charged he was an alien and had no standing in this country whatever; in fact, Mr. Wilson got the blame, the whole of the blame, and a whole lot of abuse heaped upon him for what, because he was a man, a man who could not be bouglit to sell the men who had placed their confidence in him, and who had placed him in the highest position in their order — their president. Had Mr. Wilson been a pliable man in the hands of the executive of the C. P. R., had he been scared by the trackmen you would not have heard such trumped-up charges as was made against him; but. on the contrary, he would have been praised as a sensible man. To men who are ti'ade unionists and especially those who are members of international unions like the trackmen's, typographical, moulders, locomotive engineers, trainmen, conductors, telegraph operators' and scores of other unions which need not be mentioned, such slander, such rot, as was said about Mr. Wilson, president of the trackmen's union, must have come home to them with great force, especially as it struck at them also, as every international unionist has for the head of his order — an American. I cannot recall to mind one president of an interna- tional union who is not a foreigner; but international unions recognfze no boundary line; their cards are good all over the continent, and if a Canadian showed more aptitude to serve his order in the presidential office you can bet that he would have had the job. It is the best men for the positions we, as trade unionists, are looking for. irrespectiv(> of nationality. Another thing we heard, and are hearing today, is that these irresponsible heads can call strikes 124 THE CALCIUM LIGHT and compel men to quit their worlv and cause unbounded misery to the wives and families of its members. Tlio people avIio made tliese statements, whether in the press, on the platform, or in a court house, display such an ignorance of the question and a want of knowledge of the subject that it is painful to read what they say, or listen to what is said. It is the biggest mistalie imaginable, cA-en to suppose these officers have such powers. No executive officer of any union calls a strilie without the consent of the memljers in the locality, or on the system where trouble has arisen. Why for two months before the track- men's strike took place, the men on the C. P. R. system were trying to get the company to give them the needed relief, and after the men's failure to do this they called the executive of their order to take the matter up, and in- tercede for them, without avail. The orders to the executive from the men were to get what they were asking for. And in the event of failing, to call a strike all over the road. How then can j\Ir. Wilson and his officers be to blame? They were simply carrying out the mandate of the members, and did it well. In all cases the unions affected must give their consent before such a thing as a strike shall occur. I Ivuow personally the executives of many unions who have been the means of stopping numbers of strikes through their intelligent handling and pointing out to the local unions lialile to be affected the fallacy of their position. The executive of a union is a deterrent to strikes. It is the brake which impedes the too fast running of the members. And for people to say that they are irresponsible is to talk about something they know absolutely nothing about. The executive of a union prevents more strilves than employers have any idea of, or are likely to have. 1 know of hundreds of men today who are on strike, and have been for months, who are receiving no strike pay. simply because they struck without consulting the executive of the union to which they l)elong. Wliy is this? Had they done so, the men knew that they could not get the consent of the head officers to sanction it. Why, if all is true one hears and reads, the strike on the C. P. K., on the managers' side, was run by the (general Managers' Union, of which Mr. McNicoll, general manager of tlie C. P. R., is a member. Mr. Wilson made the statement, or is credited with it, that it was the General Managers' Union Avhich supplied ^11 the alien scabs to the C. P. R. Be that as is may, the president is an American, and so are its officers, yet the subsidized press said nothing about that. Of course that's different. We are told now that a man who takes strilve pay is a pauper. Indeed, we still live and learn. I suppose then a man who places his money in the savings bank and falls sick and draws out some to live on is a pauper, too. Or a man who pays into a sick benefit society, like the Oddfel- lows and Foresters, and at times of sickness draws sick pay is a pauper. We might just as well say that the person who made the.remark that men drawing strike pay were paupers, was one, too, because he draws a salary from the public purse, many of whom he calls paupers helping to subscribe to it. If a man draws strike pay he is only receiving what he has already paid in to his society, which is his own. Then when a man says that he becomes pauperized because he accepts what is his own, he is only talking for effect. The poor fellows referred to received no strike pay from the tinion or anybody else, so that it was quite unnecessary to infer that they did. It is strange that some men cannot rise above a certain level and get out of the old rut they have been running in for so many years. They appear not to realize that we are living in a progressive age. which is ever changing for the better, I hope. I sliould be sorry to believe otherwise. They do not even yet realize that trade unions Turned On hy a Raimvay Trackman. 125 are liere and hero to stay. Tlu'.v do not care whetlier ihcy Iiavc been tlu' means of bettering the conditions of Inindrcds of tliousauds of mm or not. Tliey do not care a rap if trade unions liave been the means of jietting better houses for the poor. Tliey do not know that trade unions have been tlie means ot getting- better sanitary conditions in our mines, worl< shops and factories. Tliey do not trouble their heads to point out the good that trade unions have done, and are doing, in spite of. and in the face of such slanders, a thousand and one forces Avliich have tried to prevent the accomplishment of these reforms which never would have been enjoyed by the workers were it not for trade unions agi- tation. Some men can only see in a trade union a clog in the wheel of thfi capitalist, which prevents him from grinding the masses down to conditions worse than slavery, and debars him from accumulating wealth out of their bones and sinews as fast as he would like to. The man who cannot see more in a trade union th:in that is physically and morally blind to the facts of the case. Paupers, forsooth! It is the trade union which keeps men from being paupers. The trade union is the reflection in organized, crystalized form of the best thought, activity and hopes of the Avage worker. The world's greatest thinkers are now beginning to appreciate the faci that The demands of labor mean more than appear on the surface. They see that the demand for work is not alone one for the preservation of life in the individual, but is a humane, innate right; that the movement to reduce the hours of labor is not sought to shirk the duty to toil, but the human means by which the workless workers may find the road to employment; and that the millions of hours of increased leisure to the overtasked workmen mean millions of golden opportunities for lightening the burdens of the masses, to make the home more cheerful, the hearts of the people lighter, their hopes and aspirations nobler and broader. These are only some of the things trade unions are doing for the masses. It is a pity men in responsible positions should make use of language which is not fair to the weaker vessels, but which might be the stronger, if only he used his brains a little more and hurl from office men who. by using such unfair language, abuse their position. J. H. WATSON. Vancouver. Oct. 10, 1901. CHAPTER XIII. LACKEYS AND HYPOCRITES AND WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING. When the members of a labor orj^anization, unable to adjust their grievances with their employers throuoh their joint protective board, decide to order a suspension of work and call n])on the i)resident of their orjianization to tak(^ charge of their affairs and conduct a strike, they should keep him advised of everything' of interest that transpires along the line and carry out all of his instructions. \Mien the strike was forced upon the maintenance-of-way men by the C. P. Ry. officials, the head of the trackmen's organization notified the chief executives of the other orgnnizations composed of railway employes, and received assurances of moral support from all of them 126 THE CALCIUM LIGHT except tlie cliief officer of the Order of Kailwjiy Conductors. He was,- therefore, in a position to know just wliat assistance maintenance-of- wav men would receive from tlie sister organizations, and better able to judge than the men out on the line y\hether or not the inter- ference of local representatives of other orders would be beneficial or detrimental to them. He also knew that the members of other orders generally were in sympathy with the members of the B. E. T. of A.; was familiar with the practical workings of all of the sister organizations, and knew that the laws of their organizations and their agreements with the C. P. Ky. company would prevent them from aiding the maintenance-of-way men, except in a moral and financial way. A few days after the trackmen's strike was inaugurated and the agitation for the general chairmen of the other orders to act as a conciliation committee began, it was discovered that Mr. Charles Pope, general chairman of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers on the Canadian Pacific system, was endeavoring to crystallize sentiment in opposition to the best interests of the trackmen. According to advices, he wrote a letter to one of his brother engineers in which he expressed himself as being opposed to the engineers on the C. P. Ry. aiding the maintenance-of-way men in their efforts to secure recognition and a fair settlement, contending that locomotive en- gineers had been imposed upon by members of other organizations composed of railway employes; that they had fought their own battles single-handed and alone; that they had fought the battles of all the organizations composed of railway employes in the train service, and were then being called upon to get down and fight the trackmen's battles. A great many members of the B. R. T. of A. were led to believe that the members of other orders would suspend work, if necessary, to aid them in their struggle, provided they were requested to do so by their representatives. It was reported that enthusiastic mem- bers of other orders (who did not know they would not be permitted to engage in a sympathetic strike) criticised the maintenance-of-way men's representatives for not appealing to them for aid. Their criti- cisms misled many members of the B. R. T. of A. and caused them to flood their representatives in Montreal with letters, insisting that they should call to their aid the representatives of other organiza- tions. A lack of practical experience and a proper conception of the situation by members of the B. R. T. of A. made it necessary for their representatives to admit into their camp men who were seeking an opportunity to aid the comi)any and defeat the trackmen. Turned On hy a Railway Trackman. 127 Tlicic is coiisiclt'iable trulh in llie asseitioii often made that little sym})atliv exists between workmen who leceiNc four dollars a day for their services and those who leceive one dollai' a day. If the poorly paid classes of railway employes de])end upon the beiier paid classes to fijiht their battles for them, or alh)w their local representa- tives on the different railways to come in and dictate the terms of settlement when they are contendinji,' for livinj^' waj;es and fair con- ditions of employment, they will get the worst of it in almost every case. Although the strike of the maintenance-of-way men on the C. I*. Ky. was conducted in an honorable way, and the strikers were given credit by the citizens of Canada generally and the C P. Ry. oflticials for being law-abiding citizens, Mr. Charles Pope, local repre- sentative of the locomotive engineers, while in private conference with the general chairmen of the other orders, is alleged to have advocated the use of bloodhounds in an effort to break the strike, contending 'that the wrecks occurring along the road were the result of strikers tampering with the track, and that if bloodhounds were put upon the ground soon after the wrecks occurred the train wreckers (strikers) could be traced and captured. ^A'hen Messrs. Wark, chairman of the locomotive firemen, and Allison, chairman of the railroad telegraphers, arrived in Montreal they discussed with the trackmen's representatives the actions taken by the chairmen of the engineers, conductors and trainmen at AVin- nipeg. They expressed a belief that the representatives of the other ordeis would not have proposed to recommend that the maintenance- of-way men settle upon terms previously offered by the general man- ager (provided he would agree to allow them to return to work) if they had not been corrupted. Aft(n- the arrival of the general chairmen of the other orders in IMontreal, accoiding to statements made by Messrs. ^^'ark and Alli- son, an attemi)t was made by Mr. Pope of the engineers to secure their indorsement of the actions taken by the general chairmen of the engineeis, conductors and trainmen whih^ in conference with the geneial manager at Winnipeg. At the same time they made the statement they declared their intentions were to insist ui)on the com- l)any jnaking a fair settlement with its trackmen and that they would not become a party to such dirty work as the chairmen of the engi- neers, conductors and Irainmen had proposed to do at ^^'innipeg. P.efore they left Montreal, however, they became perfectly subserv- ient and by their actions displayed a willingness to aid the chairmen of the other orders and the officials of the company in their efforts 128 THE CALCIUM LIGHT to break up the uiaiuteiiaufe-of-way men's organ izatiou on the C. P. Ky. by attempting to intluenee and coerce the representatives of the latter organization into calling otf the strike and entering into an agreement with the officials which would authorize them to reinstate onlv such men as thev desired to re-emplov. Thus it will be seen that the firemen and telegraphers on the (\ P. Ry. had very weak men for general chairmen, and the prestige of their organizations, without the consent of their members, was used in the interests of the company and to the detriment of the men engaged in the strike. When the president of the B. R. T. of A. discovered that the com- pany was about to succeed in capturing the general chairmen of the other orders, which would enable it to use the prestige of the older organizations composed of railway employes against the trackmen who were making such an heroic fight, he said to Mr. Wark (the fire- men's general chairnmn): "You gentlemen who are here representing the members of other orders can maintain your honor and uphold the principles or organized labor, without offending the C. P. Ky. officials or injuring the cause of the trackmen, by recommending that all dif- ferences between the company and its trackmen be settled by arbitra- tion." His reply was: "We are not in a position to advise the com- pany to settle by arbitration." The logical conclusion is that the chairmen of the other orders had such an exalted opinion of them- selves and were vain enough to imagine they could dictate terms of settlement for the maintenance-of-way men, and they may have en- tered into an agreement with the officials to settle the strike according to their wishes. This suspicion is based upon the actions of the chair- men of the other orders and a published interview with the general manager in which he stated that the general chairmen had located where the difficulty rested (meaning the president of the B. R. T. of A.) and were endeavoring to remove it outside of the city. Perhaps the most positive proof that can be rendered to show that the general chairmen of the other orders were made tools of and influenced to act in such a way as to degrade themselves and reflect discredit upon the men they were supposed to represent, is the fact that they became so idiotic as to imagine that the j>resident and re- sponsible official of the Trackmen's Brotherhood would sacrifice his own principles and the interests of the men he represented by leaving his post of duty upon their demand for him to leave Montreal in twenty-four hours. This experience should serve as a warning to trackmen on all other roads and cause them to realize that this is a cold-blooded busi- ness world, composed of classes, and that the only classes among the Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 129 toilei!-; and wealth pi-odiuers ^vho receive anytbinj; like a fair share of the \vealth cieated and distributed by their labor are the classes who band themselves together and use their brains, energy and influ- ence in defense of their rights. The responsibility attached to the position of a comniitteenian, when several hundred thousand dollars in wages is in dispute be- tween a corporation and its employes, is very great. IVrmitting out- side parties to interfere in such matters should not be tolerated under any circumstances unless they are known to be honest and fair-minded men. I'nscrupulous, designing men often scheme and connive to place themselves in such positions in order to have an opportunity to accept bribes or to promote their own interests. Allowing R. C. Montgomery to serve on the maintenance-of-way men's committee was the greatest mistake made by them during the entire proceedings, as it gave him an opportunity to betray his fellow-workmen and to accept a bribe in the form of "promotion." On account of the men on the C. P. Ry. not being formed into local divisions it was necessary to form their joint protective board by recommendations and appointments. Not one of the men on the division Montgomery was working on recommended him as being a suitable person to serve on the committee. He was a self-constituted committeeman, and a suspended member of the B. R. T. of A. when he appeared in Montreal in April, on account of not paying his dues for the first quarter of the year in advance, in accordance with the laws of the organization. These facts were pointed out to the chair- man of the committee, but in some way Montgomery made him be- lieve that if allowed to serve on the committee he would render valu- able assistance. By bringing him back to Montreal in May and allow- ing him to take part in the deliberations, he was given an opportunity to create a great deal of trouble, and not only added considerably to the expense of the organization, but, by violating his obligation, secured temporary promotion for himself. When a class of workmen form an industrial organization, place it upon a protective basis and attempt to operate it in the interest of its members, they will meet with opposition from various sources. Christ had His Judas; all societies have their impostors. The mem- bers of a labor organization who have banded themselves together for mutual protection should be vigilant and at all times keej) a sharp lookout for labor sneaks who are seeking an opportunity to promote their own interests at the expense of their fellow-workmen. Notwithstanding the older organizations composed of railway emi)loyes have done a «^reat deal for the classes they were established 130 THE CALCIUM LIGHT bv, and liave made the lives of their members more tolerabk^, thev have to deal with and are often deceived by men who will "sell their birth-rij^ht for a mess of pottage." To prove the truthfulness of this assertion the following letter, which appeared in the August llOOl) issue of the Locomotive Firemen's Magazine is reproduced: To the Divisions and Lodges of tlie B. L. E., B. L. F., O. K. C, B. K. T. aud O. R. T.: Brothers: — We thiiilv it proper to liaud you an autheutic statement relative to tlie somewliat reeent events connected with tlie efforts to secure new and more advantageous schedules of pay on the Central Railroad of New Jersey, about which there was much newspaper talk, and out of which some misuuder- standiugs have grown. This statement is a simple and concise presentation of facts made from our personal observations, the reports of the several general chairmen, and from the records of a meeting of iu(iuiry. In April, 1900, the several general committees named for the C. R. R. of N. J. signed a co-operative agreement in which it was agreed that the commit- tees could co-operate in an elfort to secure new schedules, and that none of them would accept final settlement unless all were able to satisfactorily settle. The engineers and tiremen presented a joint schedule. Separate propositions were presented by tha conductors, the trainmen and the telegraphers. Several conferences were had at different and separate times between the committees and the officials. The conductors were able to reach an agreement satisfactory to them, the final acceptance of which Avas stated to depend upon the other organizations being able to settle. None of the other committees were able to secure concessions which they were willing to accept; and finally, in March last, the grand officers of the organizations Avere called, the call being answered in person by the undersigned, who met with tlie several full general committees at New York on April 2. After a review of the situation it was deemed best for the five general chairmen to seek an interview with the president of the road. President Max- well informed them that he was about to sever his connection with the road and referred them to Vice-President Warren. The chairmen went to Mr. Warren, and he told them that the answer which had been made by the other officers of the company was the answer of the company. He refused to inter- fere in any way or to entertain or make any different proposition. The committees were unwilling to accept settlement on the terms open to them, and officially turned the matter over to the grand officers. We addressed a note to Vice-President Warren, asking for a conference for ourselves and a committee of employes. He ansAvered very evasively, and we again wrote him requesting an interview. Again he answered, ignoring our re(iuest for confer- ence, and also ignoring the fact that the trainmen aud telegraphers Avere as much interested as the engineers and firemen. It Avas plain that he did not desire or intend to meet us; but in order to be sure, Ave, on April 6. wrote him again requesting conference and specially ask- ing reply to that request. This communication, as Avell as the others, Avas delivered at his office by members of the committee, but it was ignored com- pletely. We Avere thus unable to do anything more to help the brothers unless the membership on the road Avere Avilling to vigorously defend their right to be represented through their organizations. Turned On by a Railway Trackman. lol The e-ommitteemeu weiv strong iii their expressions of belief that tlie mem- berslui) interested were wlioUy uuAvilliny to let the matter drop. They expressed themselves as sure the members would desire to tight for tlu'ir rights, and one chairman expressed himself as "surprised" at the conservatism shown by us in our efforts to get a conference with Mr. Warren. In accord with our belief that refusal of a railway manager to meet the chosen representatives of the employes when called on l»y those employes, fully justifies open resistance, and agreeable to the expressed wishes of the com- mittees, it was agreed to submit the question to the membership for a strike vote. A statement for each submission was prepared and signed by ourselves and the five general chairmen. This was Saturday evening, April 6. The state- ment was dated April 8. with the understanding" that it would be printed Monday and that copies would be sent to the chairmen with which to supply the members as soon as possible. The committeemen went home Saturday night. The ballots were printed Monday, were shipped to the chairmen Tues- day morning and were delivered Wednesday. On Sunday open opposition to the action of the committees and officers began among some of the engineers at .Jersey City. This was agitated freely and plans for an independent and illegal committee of engineers to assume authority to make settlement with the company were laid. It became apparent thiit the sentiment among some of the employes was very different from what it had been stated or understood to be. Chairman .7. V. Wait of the engineers' committee, and Chairman T. Shea of* the firemen's committee, instead of carrying out the understanding to vote the men, went on their own authority and. without consulting the other chair- men or the grand officers of their brotherhoods, appealed to the general super- intendent to arrange a conference for the committees with officers of the company for the purpose of making a settlement. A conference ^^■as arranged and a settlement was made and arrangements for a meeting between the offi- cials and trainmen's and telegraphers' committee were made. At the conference arranged by Chairmen Wait and Shea the following engineers, meml)ers of the B. L. E., but not members of their committee, were present l)y invitation of the officials of the road: M. M. Clapp, .John Erickson, P. T. Doyle. Eugene Mahoney, William Gorman and P'rank Wynkoop. It is stated that these are the ones who were to take things out of the hands of the regular committees and make a settlement. It is also stated that they had an engagement for a conference with the officials of the company on the morning of April 11. which was postponed on account of the conference arranged l)y Chairmen Wait and Shea for that afternoon, at wliicli the independent and practically self-appointed committee were present. After this action on the part of the engineers' and tiremon's committee, there was nothing left for the trainmtm and telegraphers to do except to save or get what they could out of the situation, which their committees did after communicating with their grand officers and getting their sanction. On account of them having decided upon their own authority to choose the course which they followed, tlic chairmen of the engineers' and firemen's com- mittees did not distribute the ballots to their constituents. Cliairman Titus of the conductors, learning what was going on, promptly reported and asked for advice. He was advised to hold the ballots under these circumstances. The chairuK-n of llir Iniiimien's ar.d ti'legrapli.'rs' committees partially or wliolly distributed ilicir h.illots. 132 THE CALCIUM I.IGHT If the couimitteemeu had expressed to us the sentiment among the men as being in favor of a settlement ou the best terms possible to get rather tlian to risk any trouble, or if they had expressed a desire to make an effort to settle in the way they later chose, we would certainly have encouraged them in so doing before seeking official conference with the vice-president. The incon- sistency and impropriety of the action of the chairmen who sought and arranged the conference with the general superintendent under the circumstances which existed, and which they had assisted more than any others in building up, is so apparent from a simple statement of facts as to need no elaboration. The treachery of those members who interfered and who were so ready and handy as tools in the hands of the officials against their fellow-employes and their brothers, will be appreciated in its full meaning by all true and loyal brothers. Yours fraternally, P. M. ARTHUR, G. C. E., B. L. E., F. P. SAR(iENT, G. M., B. L. F., E. E. CLARK. G. C. C, O. R. C P. H. MORRISSEY, G. M., B. R. T., M. M. DOLPHIN, Pres., O. R. T. During the strike on tbe Maine Central Railway in June, 1901, by the maintenance-of-way men on that road, their president was invited to attend a union meeting of railway employes at Waterville, Maine. Several hundred Maine Central Railway employes were in attendance. The maintenance-of-way men's representatives reported that members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers were scabbing on mem- bers of the B. R. T. of A. The names of the engineers who were charged with scabbing were given. The meeting was well attended by locomotive engineers, and none of them denied the charge that two of the members of their organization had been guilty of doing the work previously performed by the maintenance-of-way men on strike. The following message was sent to the chief executive of the B. L. E.: Waterville, Me., .June 15, 1901. P. M. Arthur, G. C, B. L. E.. Cleveland, O.: Engineers Chester Spear and Frank Robinson, Jr., are working in places of striking coal men, members of B. R. T. of A., on Maine Central Railway. After listening to the address delivered by the president of the B. R. T. of A., a motion was unanimously adopted requesting all who were not members of either of the organizations composed of railway employes to retire, and the members of the several organizations to hold an executive session. The members of the different organi- zations then selected one of their members to take up the current passwords and ascertain if all present were entitled to remain. There appeared to be considerable sentiment in favor of ordering' a suspension of woi-k by all classes of men on the Maine Central Rail- way. The president of the P>. R. T. of A. stated tlial the meeting was Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 1.^3 uot called to consider the i)i()])iiety of takiiij;' such sicps, and advised the inembei'S of the other orders that if they contenij)lated taking such action it would be proper for them to hold separate meetings and to do business in accordance with the laws established by the several organizations for the government of their members. His sug- gestion was favorably considered and dates upon which the meetings were to be held were agreed upon. In a few days the writer received a message at Montreal from the vice-president of the 15. R. T. of A., requesting him to go to Portland, Elaine, and meet committees from the other orders, who were being sent to Portland to aid in settling the trackmen's strike. He left Montreal on the evening of June 24, arriving in Portland the next morning, expecting to meet representatives from all of the other orders. Upon his arrival he picked up a morning paper and was surprised to read the following: BROTHERHOOD OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS AND ORDER OF RAIL- WAY CONDUCTORS NOT IN SYMPATHY WITH THE TRACKMEN ON STRIKE ON THE MAINE CENTRAL RAILWAY. To the Members of the Trackmen's Union: We, the luidersisjned. members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Order of Railway Conductors, read an article in the morning papers throughout the state to the effect that the Order of Railway Conductors, had appointed a committee to confer with the committee of trackmen, and that tlie B. L. E. was going to appoint a committee Sunday. As meml)ers of the above orders we will say that we know notliing of any such committee being appointed; it would be well for Mr. R. P. Neil and other leaders of the Trackmen's Association to confer with the divisional committee of the O. R. C. division, and the B. L. E., and find out if a committee had been appointed before malting such a statement. The article also states that the men are all out and standing firm. I beg to differ; as we pass over the road between Bangor and Portland, we find nearly, if not all, the sections covered by a full set of men, many tliat did not go out, and many of the old and better class returning, and l)y asking any member of the O. R. C. and B. L. E.. you will get a truthful answer to any question you may ask them in regard to sections being covered. And they will gladly tell you who covers each and every section on their division. My friends, don't be afraid to ask questions of men you have known for years, who have no axes to grind. I>et us say before closing, that the B. L. E. and O. R. C. do all their business on the square. Believe what they tell you and don't be duped by strangers. FRANK WHITNEY, Engineer. T. E. SANBORN, Con. M. C. Ry. According to reports, the members of the B. L. E. and O. R. C. ^ere very much displeased with the action taken by Engineer Whit- nev and Conductor Sanborn. The above article appearing in the 134 THE CALCIUM LIGHT press, aboA'e tliL'ii- sij^iiatuies. al Ihis iiaiticnlar time, indicated that the Maine Central Kailway officials weic lioldiiiji them as tools to be used at their convenience. Committees representing the members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen, the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen and the Order of Railroad Telegraphers joined the maiutenance-of-way men's committee and assisted it in securing a settlement which caused the strike to be declared otf. Although locomotive engineers receive more pay in proportion to the services rendered on almost all roads than any other class of em- ployes, I have been informed that the Canadian Pacific and Maine Central Railway companies increased the wages of their locomotive engineers a short time after making settlement with their mainte- nance-of-way men. Thus it will be seen that there does exist an aristocracy of labor, and in some instances it is upheld by the repre- sentatives of well paid classes and the agents of corporations. Men trying to imi)rove their condition by united efforts should beware of lackeys, hypocrites and "wolves in sheep's clothing." CHAPTER XIV. DETECTIVES. I was recently handed a verbatim copy of a report of the pro- ceedings of the 1901 convention of the O. R. T., which had been tediously prepared and submitted to a railway official by one of the company's detectives. While the information contained in the report was doubtless obtained at a cost of several hundred dollars to the company in whose service the "detective" was employed, a report ten times more complete could have been obtaind for a nickel by pur- chasing a copy of either of the St. Louis dailies each day during the session. In fact, there was not a solitary item in the report that had not appeared in the public prints. I have been for twelve years connected with a labor organization and during that time no action has been takeu by it in secret session that auA railway official might not know, or the knowledge of which w^ould be worth a two-cent stamj) to any railway company. The sessions of labor organizations are only held behind closed doors to prevent interruption and annoyance by persons who are in no way concerned in the proceedings except, perhaps, that they are morbidly curious to know WHY the sessions are held. If there is one thing more than another which causes employers and employes to be at variance, it is the actions of a set of employes known as ''detectives." "They toil not, neither do they spin." yet Turned On bv a Railway Trackman. 135 tliey enjoy more of the luxuries of life than do the men who create the world's wealth. Almost every corporation employinji, a few hun- dred or a few thousand workmen carry on their payrolls a staff of detectives. "Probably the most perfect spotter system achieved by any pri- vate corporation," says Ainslie's Magazine, "is that of one of the bi^' eastern railroads, which is to some extent modeled on the secret ser- vice system of some of the Eui'opean governments, though by no means so complex. So far-reaching and so direct, however, are its lines of communication that the president of the organization is him- self kept constantly informed of the trend of affairs and the changes of sentiment among the employes of every division and subdivision of the whole railway system, and that without the knowledge of any other persons but his own special corps of clerks and secretaries. Nobody but himself knows the entire personnel of the wonderful ser- vice that he has perfected. His agents are drawn from every branch of the road's operating staff. They are engineers, freight brakemen, passenger trainmen, conductors, signalmen, yardmen, station agents, track walkers and even division otticials. Should that road have a strike — and strikes are far less likely to occur than they were before the present system was put into operation — the president will have detailed warnings of it from all the storm centers long before the first mutterings find cautious utterance in the newspapers, ^^'hile it also acts as a defense against thefts by employes, this system is intended primarily to prepare, so to speak, a diary of the disposition, character, working efficiency and sentiments toward the road of the men who constitute the vast human machinery of the corjjoration. The feeling which culminates in a general strike is not the result of one act alone, but a slow growth made up of many grievances, real or fancied. To kee]) track of the shifting mental attitude of his emjjloyes is the aim of this railroad president. If a certain division superintendent has made himself unpoi)ular with his subordinates information to that effect conies by "underground wire" to the central office and the matter is taken under advisement. If the newest fireman on the road attempts to stir up discontent by inflammatory talk his views soon reach the official ear. Every leading s]>irit in the emi)loyes' organization is known to the president, who also knows whether in case of trouble the man is to be reckoned upon as a conservative or a radical. Sometimes this works out a num's career in a nuuiner quite incomprehensible to liim. For instance. Night Watchman Hrown is shifted, without cause that he can fathom, from one division to another. Mow should he iw that rumors of tro\ible in that 136 THE CALCIUM LIGHT divisiou have leaclied tlie presidential ear, aud that he himself, being down in the president's little book as a speaker of weight and coun- sellor of conservative methods, had been shifted over to act as an unconscious agent in checking a dangerous tendency? "Some of the admiring co-workers of the head of this system de- clare that in two minutes' reference to his collected funds of informa- tion he can unroll the family history of the woman who washes the windows of car 4114:4, and tell whether, in her estimation, he himself is an oppressor of the downtrodden, or a perfect gentleman. ''When so many invisible lines radiate from the same office it is inevitable that some of them should cross. Curious complications result from contact between spotters as unknown to each other as' they are to those whom they watch. Several years ago at a time of general railway troubles, a certain railroad got no less than five re- ports from its confidential men informing them that an employe (who was several degrees higher in the secret service of the road than any of them, had they but known it) had been making incendiary speeches. This was true. Matters had so shaped themselves that the man accused had to appear as a radical in order to gain admit- tance to inner councils where the important questions would be finally decided. To the chagrin of the authorities they were obliged to transfer him. Had they not done so the suspicions of the men who made the reports would have been aroused. That spotters should know each other as such is held to be highly undesirable. There is always the chance that they might work in conjunction instead of acting as checks on each other.'' No one should object to "secret service" men running down aud capturing criminals; but when an employer hires men who are honest enough to work for a small wage, then engages other men to watch them who are, perhaps, not as trustworthy as the men they are en- gaged to watch, his actions are absurd in the extreme. When men who render faithful service realize that thev are mistrusted bv their employers, and that a large portion of the wealth they create is given to men employed to watch their actions, they are justified in becom- ing dissatisfied. Discontent brought about in this manner eventually leads to trouble. A large percentage of men employed by corpora- tions to do detective work are untrustworthy, mlschiefmakers, and criminals. During the month of May, 1901, the maintenance-of-way men on the C. P. Railway sent their representatives to INIontreal, with instruc- tions to secure an agreement with the company, setting forth the amount of wages they should receive for service and the condiHons Turned On by a Raii.way Trackman. Kh under whicli llicy should work. Had the railway ofTlcials taken the matter up in a businesslike way with the trackmen's representatives, convinced them that they were williujL'' to deal willi llu'ir employes in a spirit of faiiness, but could not nu\ke any more concessions until the earnings of the road increased, there would have been no strike. Instead of giving their men's chosen representatives credit for l)eing honest, loyal to themselves, their families, and the com])any's inter- ests, and capable of doing business on a fair basis, they put a number of detectives after them as if they were a band of criminals. The maintenance-of-way men's representatives arrived in Mon- treal on May 20, and stopped at the (h'and T'nion Hotel. About the same time several well-dressed, well-appearing men registered at the same hotel. They soon became acquainted with the maintenance-of- w'ay men's representatives, expressed great sympathy with the track- men and hoped the committee would obtain all they were contending for. They did not, how^ever, inform the trackmen's representatives what their business was or why they were staying at the Grand Union Hotel. When negotiations between the committee and the officials were broken off and the announcement of a general strike by the mainte- nance-of-way men was made public, the men of unknown occupations expressed regret because the company and the committee did not make an amicable settlement and they hoped the trackmen would win in the contest. When several detectives are detailed to look after a matter of im- portance a leader is selected who outlines the work to be done. Each man is assigned to do the work he is best fitted for. If a member of a committee is inclined to dissij)ate, he is looked after by a detective who is a heavy drinker, a good mixer and a good "jollier." If one is of a "sporty" disposition, he will be cared for by a "sport." The man who can be induced to accept a bribe will be waited upon by one who is capable of controlling him. Men employed as detectives are usually good judges of hunmn character. They can readily cap- ture and handle weak men placed in responsible positions. One of the grand division organizers of the B. R. T. of A. was taken in by a (\ P. Ry. detective, who obtained through him an introduction to the maintenance-of-way men's representatives. Later on, a represen- tative of one of the railway brotherhoods, while in Montreal, made a friendly call on the representatives of the maintenance-of-way men at the Grand Union Hotel, and when leaving he was accompanied to the railway station by the organizer and the 0. P. Ry. detective. A short time thereafter the writer received a letter from bis caller, stat- 138 THE CALCIUM LIGHT ing that lie bad been severely repriiuaiuled by bis super-ior officer for expressing sympatby for tbe trackmen on strike. He also stated tbat tbe organizer and tbe man introdnced as a friend (but wbo was in reality a C. P. liy. detective) were tbe only persons wbo beard bini express sympatby for tbe trackmen, and tbat tbe officials bad a ver- batim report of tbe conversation wbieh took place between himself, the organizer and bis "supposed" friend. The writer pointed out tbe detective, and requested the committeemen not to associate with him. One of the committeemen disregarded the warning and before tbe strike was over aided the company in its efforts to defeat tbe trackmen. False reports made to tbe officials by their detectives, no doubt, caused tbe strike to be prolonged. Another of tbe company's employes, holding a responsible posi tion in one of tbe departments, took board and lodging at tbe Grand Union Hotel. One evening be informed the writer that, owing to false reports made by C. P. Ry. detectives, he bad been dismissed from the company's service. Upon being asked what the report was he stated: "Detectives have reported at the office of tbe company that I was closeted with you (tbe writer) for several hours and re- vealed some of the company's valuable sec rets. I denied the charge, but tbe superintendent stated tbat two of their men, wbo w'ere look- ing after matters at tbe Grand I^uion Hotel, saw you and me enter a room and overheard all tbat passed between us." Tbe accused, knowing that be bad never becMi in tbe writer's room nor the writer in bis, told tbe superintendent he would not submit to being discharged on account of false re])orts. The superintendent re- quested him to remain quiet for tbe time being, and gave assurance tbat if be did so be would be reinstated when the strike was over. Tbe discharged employe, however, felt very keenly tbe wrong that was being imposed upon him and insisted tbat an investigation should be held, thereby giving him an oi)portunity to prove his innocence. He took tbe position tbat tbe detectives who made the report should meet him and tbe president of tbe R. R. T. of A. in tbe presence of tbe superintendent, and intimated tbat if an impartial bearing was not given the matter at an early date, tbe manner in which he bad been treated by tbe C. P. Ry. officials would be written up and given out for publication. Tbe officials, not caring to reveal the identity of tbe detectives who made the false report, and knowing tbe party contending for a fair investigation was a man of some influence, and also believing tbat it would not be good policy at that particular time for differences with their employes in other departments to be made public, reinstated the discharged employe. TuRNKi) On hv a Railway Tkackman. 139 After a settlement was reached and tlie irackiiien's s(rike >\as declared ott", the writer was informed by a party residinj;- in Montreal that an acquaintance of his (a loafer about town who never worked regularly at any honorable occupation) had acquired a new suit of clothes and seemed to be well supplied with money. Being asked the cause of his apparent prosperity, he replied: "I have struck a good thing. During the trackmen's strike on the (\ 1*. Ky. the com- pany was hard pressed for men. I was offered |3.5t) a day, with board and lodging, to work for them, and on account of services rendered at that time 1 have been added to their permanent staff of detectives." He considered his position a "soft snap," but said the only unpleas- ant feature about it was that "he would have to wear shabby clothes and live in cheap lodging houses in order to keep in touch with the maintenance-of-way men and report their sentiments in regard to organization. During the strike the company's detectives practically enforced martial law in many places. According to reports, they infringed with impunity upon the rights of citizens. The corporation organs reported, under double display headlines, that the strikers and their sympathizers were rioting, tearing up track and destroying property generally at Carnduff, N. W. T., and that the officers of the law were being dispatched to that place to subdue the rioters. Such reports were dished out to the reading public by the company's sympathizers to make the people believe that maintenance-of-way men were a law- less element and. unworthy the sympathy of good citizens. The riot at rarnduff" referred to was reported by a track foreman residing at that place, as follows: "1 suppose you have heard of the rough time at Carnduff on July 22, to the effect that the strikers tore up track, and so forth, and of my being arrested and found guilty. I was thinking of writing you for some time past to inform jou correctly of what transpired. A gang of men came to Carnduff to work. I was at the station when they arrived. They went down to where the hand-car was standing and started to put it on the track. I walked down and asked them if they knew they were taking the places of men on a strike. They said they did not, but were told the strike was over before they left Winnipeg. When I told them it was still pending, they said: 'That settles it.' The foreman of the gang remarked: 'We are not anxious to work; we are having a good time and are being well paid.' They returned to Napinka that night and reportcnl that Oarnduff" w^as a rough town; that a gang of citizens, led by me, kept them from work- ing. A C. P. solicitor arrived Saturday and seven policemen came 140 THE CALCIUM LIGHT Mouday witli a carload of }j;ims and amniuuitioii. On being informed that Mr. Leonard had hiid a coniphiiut against nie, I said: 'All right, I will go with you.' They took me before Justices of the Peace Smith and Hawkes and placed against me the charge of tresijassing on the C. P. Ey. right-of-way. As I frequently had occasion to cross the track, and was on the C. P. Ry. right-of-way when arrested, of course the charge was sustained. The fine was |;3.50 and costs; total, fi.oO. This is the only excuse they had for circulating the report that the citizens of Carndutt' were rioting and destroying property. Our town is inhabited by law-abiding citizens and we would not allow lawless people to destroy the property of any one." The treatment of citizens bv C. P. Rv. detectives in the vicinity of Peterboro, Ontario, is explained in the following extract from the Peterboro Review of July 26: "A case occurred here last night which should be investigated, for it is not in keeping with the justice and fair play that is boasted of under British institutions. About 1 o'clock this morning one of the C. P. Ry. special constables brought two prisoners to the police station and lot to beg oi- steal, and the casici- il is foi- him to find^ employ nu'nt the more certain will be his quest for it. When 142 THE CALCIUM LIGHT he knows that employment cannot be had, or, if obtainable, that his wages will be too low to enable him to suijply his own needs, and the needs of those dependent upon him, the chances are in favor of his becoming a beggar or even a criminal, for it is a short road that lends from beggary to crime, and many are the gates that* lead thereto, but there is no road leading back from crime to respectability. Labor unions are doing more than any other agency to close the avenues which lead to crime. As labor creates all wealth, it is but just that labor should share more equitably in its distribution — a condition aimed at by all classes of organized labor. Labor unions stand for high wages and improved conditions of life, physically, mentally, morall}' and socially. The skilled mechanic who receives high wages and spends his earnings to maintain a well- regulated home assists and encourages every branch of legitimate business enterprise. He s])ends his surplus earnings for books that will instruct the members of his household and for i)ictuies, furniture, bric-a-brac, etc., that will beautify and make comfortable his home. He patronizes the merchant and the tradesman, as well as the institu- tions of learning. He is a respected citizen, a useful member of society, a credit and beneiit to any country. Being upright and honest, he is indeed the noblest work of flod. But how about the poor, underpaid laborer who is half the time unemployed and who has not enough spirit to demand pay for the work he does, — who lives more upon charity than ujton the wages he receives. He is about as useful to society and about as well thought of as a stray dog that gets its living from garbage receptacles in back alleys and is kept busy most of the time dodging missies hurled by street gamins who are but little more fortunate in the way of home comforts than the object of their assault. He is miserable himself and imparts misery to those about him. The progress of a nation is measured by the progress of its workers, and the progress of the workers is c«-equal with the development of labor unions. With the shortening of the hours of labor began the active period of mechanical invention. The labor-saving machinery of the j)i-esent — some of which seems almost endowed with human intelligence, and all of which is marvelous in construction and almost miraculous when contemplated from the standpoint of s])eed and efficiency — has been evolved from the brains of mechanics who, under the imi)roved conditions of service which organized effort has brought about, have found an opportunity to develop a latent or inherent geaius for mechanical contrivances and inventions. Able writers afld logicians have forcibly illustrated the close relation betweeu-nic commercial su])remacy of the Lnited States Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 143 and the liij^h standard of Ameriran latjor. The suju'iior skill and "ability of Anieiican mechanics, when contrasted with the mechanics of other countries, is attributable in a yreat measure to their craft organizations or unions where the members asseml)le and exchanji;e ideas upon matters pertaining to their vocations, thus bringing the newest developments and most practical methods of ]»rocedure to the attention of all members of the union, so that each may share alike in the benefits of such knowledge or inventions. At the present day every well-regulated trade union of national oi- international import- ance maintains an official publication through which the members, no matter where they reside, are kept advised of all improvements made in eitlier the machinery or the methods by which their v,ork is done. Bucli publication usually partakes of the nature and the form of a magazine, varying in tlie number and size of its pages according to the advancement, intelligence, and financial limitations of the class in whose behalf it is publislied, and in many instances the official publi- cation of the organization in which the head of the family holds mem- bership takes the place of newspaper, magazine, text-book and testa- ment. These labor journals exert a great infiuence for good in the homes where they are read, as their pages are not smirched with the social sensations and scandals, the fawnings ujjon nobility and wealth, the stories of crime and adventure which till the pages of secular newspapers and make them unfit for the eyes of young persons whose minds are impressionable and whose careers in life may be turned from good to evil by reading gilded stories of the splendor in which many persons of unknown occupation and dissolute character live. A young mind receiving its first impressions of the aims, responsibili- ties and duties of life from the pages of a labor union journal will retain those impressions through life and guide its possessor, in nine cases out of ten, along the i)aths of established moral rectitude. I have already said that "the persons of greatest intelligence employed in every handicraft are found among the members of the union of their craft." I want to nuike the application broader by saying that the persons of greatest intelligence employed in every vocation in life have established unions for their mutual benefit, and although some of these unions are known by names less repulsive to the minds of the capitalistic class, which takes delight in robbing labor of its legiti- mate earnings, they are unions, nevertheless. The medical student passes his examination, pays his fee and obtains a diploma, which is the same to him as the "working card" is to the member of a trade union. ?Te cannot practice medicine until he does this, and if, after obtaining his diploma, he violates the fixed rules of his union he be-- 144 THE CALCIUM LIGHT comes a *'quaek," which is synonj-mous in the parlance of his piofes- sion with the word "scab" in the language of labor. The lawyer serves his apprenticeship and is admitted to the "bar," which is the lawyer's union, and if he fails to gain admission to this union he is barred from the practice of law in all the courts of the country. The courts which prosecute workingmen for defending their unions will not even allow a "legal scab" to appear before them. Even the minis- ters who preach the Holy Word are members of their "conference," and the regulations of the- conference are as stringent as ever a labor organization dared to adopt. The merchants and bankers have their unions, which are called associations, and the manufacturers' union is called a "trust." If a manufacturer refuses to be coerced into join- ing the particular trust which has assumed dictatorial powers over his special line of production, his "inalienable right" as a citizen of this great republic to be an "independent" manufacturer is knocked into a "cocked-hat" by the manufacturers' union, and in the end his business is either absorbed by the trust or sold by the sheriff. The difference between the "trust union" and the labor union is that the former aims to concentrate the wealth of the country in the hands of the favored few by destroying competition in various lines of industry, and, by securing a monopoly of the market and curtailing the supply, to be able to fix absolutely, not only the price of raw material and the price of the finished product, but the price of every- thing that enters into the cost of production, including rent, fuel and the wages of labor, making the workers absolutely dependent upon the ''trust" and practically its slaves, whereas the labor union aims to secure a fairer distribution of the wealth which labor creates by giving a larger portion of it to the laborers themselves, thus bene- fiting not only the millions of laborers, but the hundreds of thousands of people who have their money invested in various business enter- prises, the success of which depends entirely upon the prosperity of the wage-earning class. Were it not for the labor unions the wealth of the country would be so rapidly concentrated that nmny now living would see conditions in America akin to those which have immedi- ately preceded and hastened the destructioin of national life in other countries — conditions which are always precursors of impending evil, as indicated by the following lines: "111 fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, Where wealth accumulates and men decay." Labor unions are not opposed to wealth. They are only opposed to its concentration in the hands (tf those who use their wealth to oppress those who create it. Right valiantly are the unions defending Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 145 the toilers' homes ;nid firesides, but their struggle is not vet ended; their battle is not yet ^von. (Iradually, through organized ett'ort, the laborers will secure better conditions for themselves, better contracts with their employers; but they must eventually learn that it is in their power, through political action, to make their government bene- ficial instead of burdensome to their class. The question of the rights of labor has been the subject of much discussion and debate among politicians, and many platforms framed by political parties have con- tained planks which promised much aid and gave new hope to the laboring classes, but party platforms are too often like those of pass- enger trains — "made to get in on, and not to stand on." When the labor unions are strong enough to- elect their own members to the legislative bodies, then the question of labor's rights will be settled, and settled in the proper way. Just laws will be enacted and the privileged class will be dethroned. To those who think such relief is but a remote possibility I would say that the best thoughts of the brightest minds in the country are pointing out the way to its achieve- ment. The greatest newspapers in the country, such as the Hearst publications, are helping them. Public sentiment is- almost ripe for such action. The privileged class is hastening its own doom by rea- son of its arrogance and utter disregard for the rights or even the lives of those who are outside its sacred portals. The privileged class is mad because many of its votaries are deserting it and seeking the ship of safety. There is an old saying that "whom the gods would destroy they first make mad." This saying is now one of serious por- tent for the enemies of labor. By their wrath they are paving the way for their final overthrow. In the meantime labor unions are growing in numerical strength and in public favor, because the public has at last awakened to the fact that unions are real public bene- factors. They have been proclaimed legal and beneficial combina- tions by the highest tribunals in the iand, while the trusts, which are their greatest enemies, have been denounced as "criminal conspira- cies." The rise of labor has given new inspiration to the muses and from the many beautiful and animating tributes to its strength and courage the following from the pen of America's most gifted poetess, Ella Wheeler ^^'ilcox, is selected to conclude this chapter: I hear in the vibrant voices Of winds a jubilant tone, For the heart of the world rejoices That labor will claim its own. It has lain in the dust for ages. By the feet of Might downtrod. And the world stood back and cried "Alack! But this is the will of God. 146 . THE CALCIUM LIGHT He has put His curse on Labor, It suffers for Adam's sin." But truth, like the stroke of a sabre, Has let the sunlight in. She has torn down the creed-made curtain, She is showing the true God's face, And it is not dark Avith hatred's mark. But fair with love's own grace. He is not a God of classe-s. He is not a God of gold. But He is the God of the masses, Who toil in the heat and cold. And into the heart of Labor, Desolate, sick and numb. He speaks from the skies and says "Arise, For the day and the hour have come." And out of the man-made prison. Out of the dark and the dust. Has labor at last arisen, And it cries to Might, "Be just!" It waits no word and no gesture; In the calmness of strength it stands. It pleaded too long at the ear of wrong. Unheard — and now it demands. ^ Oh, slow are (iod's mills in grinding. But they grind exceeding small. And the greedy of heart shall 1)e finding That God is the God of all. They shall learn that the Mighty Toiler, The maker of men and things. Of earth and star, and the worlds afar, Ranks Labor above crowned kings. Oh, heart of Labor, keep steady. And stand for the rights you need, For the world was never so ready To welcome the fall of greed. The waves of our prayers, like billows. Shall bear your hopes on their crest. And carry you out of the narrows of doubt. And into the harbor of rest. TuKNivi) On hv a Railway Trackman. 147 CHAPTER XVI. FREE LABOR AND LABOR LAWS. The statements contained in tliis cliaplei- are mostly taken from a very interesting dissertation on "Labor and Labor Laws" found in volume six of the Americanized Encyclopedia Britannica, in which it is shown that "in every age, and country, until times comx^aratively recent, compulsory i)ersonal servitude has been the lot of the greater portion of mankind." The first legislation directly bearing upon labor in England dates as far back as the reign of Edward III (lOT'^-lOOt;). The earlier labor laws were very stringent, and not only compelled all able-bodied men and women under the age of (>0 years, and "not hav- ing of their own whereof to live," or engaged in the exercise of some craft or living, in merchandise, or having land to till, to serve at fixed wages under penalty' of imprisonment, but — what seems to have been a needless j^recaution, in view of the present tendency of employers to cut wages to the lowest possible point — they also provided that any person paying more than the fixed rate of wages "should forfeit double what he had." In 1300 the ''Statute of Laborers" was amended by providing ad- ditional penalties for violation of agreements entered into between those who would now be designated as master builders and the men engaged in the building trades. If a mason or carpenter, or other artificer or laborer employed under contract, absented himself from service before the completion of the contract he was proceeded against under the statute of outlawry, and if the aggrieved party demanded it and the justice so decreed, he was branded with the letter ''F" in token of his falsity. There appears, however, to have been no law at that time against the indiscriminate discharge of artificers or laborers at the will of the masters, which fact is significant when coupled with the statement that about this time occurred the first rebellion of w'hich we have any authentic history among artificers against the "overseers of the trade." During the reign of Richard II (1.SS8), a law was passed under the provisions of which no man or woman could depart out of the hundred (a territorial division embracing one hundred families or freemen), to serve elsewhere, without first obtaining letters-patent, under the king's seal, showing the cause of going and the time of return. Agricultural laborers were divided into classes, and the wages of each class were fixed by law; and it was also ordained and enacted that ''he or she which useth to labor at the plow or the cart, or other labor or service of husbandry, till they be of the' age of twelve years, shall from thenceforth abide at the said labor without being put 148 THE CALCIUM LIGHT at auy trade or handicraft. Thus the hiw of caste, wliich establishes the social rank of the Hindoo and the Brahmin, was made serviceable to the "masters of husbandry" in England in the fourteenth century. In the fifteenth century, under the reign of Henry IV, a law Avas passed which placed a property qualification on ai)prenticeships, and required "children to be put at such labor as their fathers and mothers were of," under penalty of one year's imprisonment, fine and ransom. The penalty for receiving such apprentices was a fine of one hundred shillings. Laborers and artificers who would not swear to observe these statutes were sentenced to the stocks; but this monarch was so enthusiastic for the spread of knowledge among his subjects that he had inserted in the above mentioned statutes a clause providing that "any person may send his children to school to learn literature." In 1423 justices of the peace were given power to compel masters as well as servants to appear before them for examination as to the execution of the statutes. Prior to this all labor legislation was in favor of the masters (employers), and near the close of the fifteenth century a statute was framed fixing minutely the wages of laborers and artisans, especially those engaged in building. This law also provided that if such artificers should "make or cause to be made anj' assembly or assault, harm or hurt any person assigned to control and oversee them in their working," they should be "imprisoned for one year, without letting to bail, and further fined at the king's pleasure." Earlier in the same century, during the reign of Henry VI, a law was enacted which, after reciting that "by the annual congregations and confederacies made by masons in their general chapters assembled, the good courses and effects of the 'Statute of Laborers' are publicly vio- lated and broken, in subversion of the law, and to the grievous dam- age of all the commonality," forbade the assemblage of such chapters and congregations, making it a felony for such to be held; but in 1514 a law was passed which regulated wages and hours of labor, and ''even the summer-day sleep of the laborers and artisans." The great social revolution caused by the suppression of the mon- asteries, and consequent withdrawal of the support which these insti- tutions afforded to indigent persons, led to a dispersion of beggars and mendicants over the whole country, many of whom were able to work but unwilling to do so, preferring to live in idleness by begging. Under these circumstances cruel statutes were passed for the punish- ment of vagrants. In 1530 a person able in body, found begging or being vagrant, and unable to give a satisfactory account of how he obtained his living, might be arrested by a constable, and a justice of the peace might cause every such person to be taken to the nearest Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 149 town, and there tied, naked, to a cart and "beaten with whips through the town till his body be bloody by reason of such whipping." He was then required to return to his native town to labor, and every time he made default the whipping was repeated. Later on vagrants were branded with the letter "^'" and adjudged to be the slaves, for two years, of anyone who would buy them. If a slave ran away be- fore the term for which he had been sold expired the letter "S" was burned into his cheek with a red-hot iron and he became the slave of his master for life. If he again ran away the punishment was death. During the i-eign of Elizabeth all former labor statutes were re- pealed and new laws enacted, the chief object being to establish new rates of wages and to regulate the terms of employment between em- ployers and emplojes. Notice had been taken of the general rise in prices, and higher wage rates were established in some places. In Scotland, during the sixteenth century, there was much complaining among the masters on account of the raise in wages, and early in the seventeenth century justices were directed to fix at quarterly ses- sions, the ordinary hire and wage of workmen and ''to imprison those who refused to work for the appointed hire." About the middle of the eighteenth century the summary jurisdiction of justices in the matter of disputes between employers and employes in relation to contracts and agreements, was regulated, and laborers and artisans were no longer com])elled to enter into involuntary service. As late as 1867, however, laborers were imprisoned for leaving the service of emplo3'ers before the term agreed upon had expired. Under the pro- visions of the "Masters and Servants Act" passed that year, a simple breach of contract was not punishable by imprisonment. Eight years later the title of this act was changed, "Masters and Servants" being droi)ped and "Employers and Workmen" substituted. In 1875 the prime minister of England declared that for the first time in the history of the country employer and employed sat under equal laws. From the foregoing it can be seen through what tribulations free labor has i)assed during the last ten <-enturies and through what tedious ])rocesses its present status has been achieved. It is a long- stride fi'om compulsory service under most exacting conditions to voluntary service under conditions satisfactory to those em])Ioyed. Although present-day conditions, viewed from the standi»oint of the wage-earner, are not as pleasant and agreeable as c(»uld be desired, they are so vastly improved over those which prevailed even a century ago as to give to laboi- am])le cause to hope that henceforth th<' trend of l«\gislation on labor matters will be in the direction of even greater libeities and i)ri\ileges for those who live bv manual labor. While 150 THE CAI.CIUM LIGHT the process of labor's evolution has been slow throughout the preced- ing centuries, and its stages of development marked by long inter- vening periods of apparent inactivity or resignation to the decrees of intellectually superior forces, tlie fire of industrial freedom has been fed from many sources and fanned by the free winds of heaven until it has become a raging, seething, consuming flame which the forces of lust and greed and vanity can never again i)ut under restraint. There is certainly vast quantities of matter which proi)erly shouM be fuel for this flame, but yet resists its advances, even as a green log momentarily resists the fire which afterward consumes it. But, as the log which is slowest in yielding to the flames which surround it retains the heat longest, even so the men who are slowest in embrac- ing and proclaiming- the principles of trade unionism as the instrli- ment by which labor's comi)lete emancipation must be accomplished will be the most persistent in their advocacy of this doctrine when its burning truths have penetrated their understanding. All around us we have illustrations of this fact, which is so self-evident to even the superficial observer of the progress of trade unionism that it is generally accepted as a labor axiom. During the year 1901 the mem- bership of the American Federation of I^abor was augmented by more than three hundred and fifty thousand recruits from the ranks of the toilers — a fact of itself so significant that it requires no. elucidation in this chapter. And now the question of transcendant importance in the minds of the leaders of organized labor is not how to make organization more complete, but how best to handle the forces under their control to secure for their constituents the greatest benefits without doing injury to those for whom they have no authority to act. CHAPTER XVII. ORGANIZING THE TRACKMEN. My first thought of organizing the maintenance-of-way men was entertained in the spring of 1SS7. Having given the subject much consideration; having weighed the hardships, sacrifices, expenses to be met, and the ends to be gained, I decided, notwithstanding all these, that an organization of maintenance-of-way men was not only possible but necessary to their personal welfare as regards wages, advance- ment and freedom. There was a vast difference between believing that maintenance-of-way men needed a protective organization, and being able to bring such an organization into effective operation. It is easier to suggest plans of relief than to operate them. The reader can readily see the many difficulties^ — inability, poverty, jealousy, Turned Ox hy a Railway Trackman. 151 prejudice, and ojiposilioii fioin within and wltliont — that would naturally lisc^ (o the view of a thinking mind. l>ut. fortunately for the maintenance-of-waY men, the writer's foresiiiht was not so fully deYelopc'd as to disclose all "the drawbacks that existed. While he mused the fire burned, and finally a crude draft of a constitution and by-laws was j)re])ared. A few maintenance-of-way men. after nmny an uro-ent solicitation, assembled in Talladega. Alabama, and there the constitution and by-laws were adopted. EYeiything seemed to be in fair shape to proceed with the work when the enterprise was sud- denly paralyzed by the most trivial causes — but causes which were at such a time and under such conditions sufficient to scatter the little sentiment that had been created in favor of organization. The sad truth is that almost every man enrolled in the beginning was either too selfish or too cowardly to withstand the strain necessary for such an undertaking. A few rushed in heedlessly, hojnug to create for themselves offices of honor and emolument; others joined by virtue of influences brought to bear upon them, only to give up in despair when they realized what sacrifices they would have to make in order to organize and maintain a brotherhood of maintenance-of-wav men. Here the enterprise seemed to die, and, so far as its visible organiza- tion was concerned, it was dead for the time being. However, the spirit had been born to live; agitation in the writer's mind, at least, had begun — the kind of agitation, too, that could not be stilled. During a period of apparent inactivity the writer was endeavoring to create the proper sentiment among the maintenance-of-way men and learned (what since has been a valuable lesson to him) that it is impossible to run an organization ahead of the intelligence and de- mands of those in whose behalf it is brought about. The history of this country from the days of its discovery, through its colonial period, its necessary revolutions, its state organizations, its articles of con- federation, and its wonderful constitution, shows clearly how slowlv, but surely, the agitation which grew out of political discontent wid- ened into i^olitical liberty and freedom. And in like manner will the agitation which has grown out of industrial discontent finally result in industrial freedom. Rut the time arrived when the work was again to be taken up. This was in the spring of 1888. Arrangements were made; the organi- zation was formed and headquarters established at Demopolis, Ala., in the summer of that year. The writer laid aside track work and took up the work of organiz- ing, tramping thousands of miles in order to see maintenance-of-way men and tell tlKMU the story of his undertaking. This was a slow and 152 THE CALCIUM LIGHT laborious way of reaching tliem, but bow otlierwise could it be done? The majority of the niaintenance-of-wa}' men whom he came in contact with could readily see existing conditions, and agreed that something- should be done to remedy them; but it was a difticult undertaking to cause them to see how to proceed, and to feel that success depended upon their efforts. The truth is, the majority of them required time to grow up to the issue. Many of them entertained the idea that there ^as no hope for them and accepted their places as a matter of fact and service. Strange as it may seem, the external opposition, ignorance, and indifference were not all that had to be confronted and overcome. The Bible says: "A man's greatest enemies are those of his own household." There are Judases in every form of society known to man. They have caused us many disadvantages, not being able at all times to steer clear of them; but we are sailing beyond their force and influence and gaining strength. Look at the trees of the forest! Consider their age; count the storms they have passed through; see how every ox)position has tended to make them strong, and the observation ought to be significant. In 1889 the writer was elected president of the organization, and at each recurring convention has been called to fill that post of duty and responsibility. In the fall of 1880 the headquarters were removed from Demopolis to Birmingham, where they remained until 1891. On October 1.3, 14 and 15, 1891, the Order of Railway Trackmen was amalgamated with the Brotherhood of Railway Section Foremen, and headquarters were removed to St. Louis, Mo. T^'hat have been our achievements? Have they equaled all that critics and onlookers expected? Have tjiey met our own expecta- tions? If they have not, what have we accomplished? If the reader accurately' contrasts our first efforts with our present strength he can partially answer these questions. Has the Brotherhood caused every maintenance-of-way man's wage to be increased to what it should be? Has it obtained equal rights for all, and abolished all grounds for dissatisfaction between laborer and capitalist? Has it beautified and enriched the homes of all its members, educated their children and provided for the families of all deceased members? Has it had all bad laws repealed and trusts and corporations turned inside out? If you answer in the negative then there is need for your help. Let us consider a few of the important things we have accom- plished: The Brotherhood of Railway Trackmen has come to stay. This is more than our opponents expected. We have clearly demon- strated to our bitterest antagonists that maintenance-of-way men can be so effectively organized as to become a part of the world's activity. Turned On by a Railway Tkackman. 153 Those wii(» have been etiniest supporters of the Ordei- since its forma- tion know what stable orj^anization means. They know what efforts, anxiety, and sacrifices the few faithful have undergone during these trying vears to demonstrate that maintenance-of-wav men can be formed into a beneficial organization. AA'ith throbbing hearts they have gazed intently upon our "ship of state" as she was passing the most critical period of her journey. Do you think for a moment that we are going to lay down our organizing armor? We are equipped for a successful journey, and success will surely crown our efforts if we use our opportunities aright. We have accomplished much educationally. We believe that our members have done moi-e to inform themselves as to justice, impartial laws, the sources of oppression, the means by which to remove them, and the proper relation of capital and labor since joining our Order than they had ever done before. Can any one tell where this educa- tional interest will stop? Investigation once started is likely to con- tinue, gaining more power and force as it brings to view the hidden truths. Naturally, too, as we become more enlightened and better qualified to do our duties, the more valuable our services become, and for this reason we can justly demand better pay. You ma^' watch our members and you will see, as time goes on and they learn more and more their real value as workmen, they will demand and receive more wages than they could reasonably expect without such a course of training. So we can congratulate ourselves upon the benefits de- rived from the educational wave which we have set in motion. As it widens and touches the members of our craft they will emerge from their present lethargic condition, and move upwards as their horizon of intelligence and hope widens. This is work that should thrill our souls with joy — setting ourselves free from the thraldom of ignorance and placing our craftsmen u]K)n a plane where they can see, think and act for themselves, as other classes of employes are doing. If you take a pigeon and cut out its brain, it will act foolishly, and its motions will be at random. This, to my mind, is a very pitiable sight. But how much more pitiable to see a human being with an unde- veloped brain, struggling for bread and butter, unable to vie with his more enlightened brother. Such a man must undergo whatevei- de- mands are made upon him. Did you ever feel so heli)less as when you had something given you to do and did not know how to do it? This places one at the disposal of those who are better qualified to do such duties. The writer would like to emphasize strongly the value maintenance-of-way men may be to each other in an educational way. As to the achievements of the Brotherhood of Railway Trackmen 154 THE CAI.CIUM LIGHT iu aiding the needy in a financial way, I can say that, while the families of all deceased niaintenance-of-way men have not received financial aid, it is not the fault of our Order. I am happy to say that the beneficiaries of every insured member who died in good standing have received the amount designated in his certificate. Have any of our opponents made widows and orphans happy by providing for their necessities? If not, then our Order has surpassed them. Let us re- joice in the fact that we can show a favorable record along this line. When vou hear of the death of a true and noble member does it not afford you real joy to give your assistance toward the relief of his family, knowing that the only protection they have is that which the Order gives them? Do you not experience the truth of the Bibli- cal statement that "it is more blessed to give than to receive"? If maintenance-of-way men desire to be recognized, respected, and dealt with like other classes of employes, and to command respect from the w^orld about them, they have but to unite and put their organization into practical operation. Their services are as essential to the successful operation of railways as are the services of any other class of employes. Our membership is not as large as it should be, but we had to undergo the sifting processes that try the stability of an organization. The sheep and the goats had to be separated. There are always false advertisements that on certain days certain goods will be given away, and a great many people expect to get a great deal for nothing, or that something will turn up whereby their wants will be snp])lied without any exertion or sacrifice upon their part. There is always an element following for fishes and loaves like those who when the Saviour thrust the pruning hook among them said: "This is a hard saying, who can hear it?" and many of His disciples went back and walked no more with Him. Our Saviour understood their whereabouts and He also knew well that such material must be sifted out, for it could not stand the test necessary in the establishment of His church. The foundation material of any structure ought to be good; if bad material, from any cause or over- sight, is used in its foundation it is just so much weakness and is dangerous in proportion to the amount of such material used. It is a very undesirable scene to behold a nmgnificent superstructure erected upon a foundation wholly unstable. Those who have been earnest and faithful workers know that our greatest danger has always been from the "tares in the wheat.'' We have had to en- counter much danger on account of unstable material in our structure. Our present membership consists largely of material which has passed through the sifting machine, and this fact warrants us in believing Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 155 lliat GUI' coiidiliou at present is far iDore encouraging that it lias ever been before. Finally, what are our prospects? Have we any? Having passed some of the most dangerous breakers in our infancy; having passed an army of complainers and fault-finders from within and without; having struggled through the most trying financial crisis our nation has ever witnessed; having emerged from the demoralizing effects of rival organizations and withstood the crucial test of the winnowing of our membership, what, then, may we not accomplish in the future? And there is much to be done. Our organization needs to be enlarged. The combined power, influence, and brains of every true mainteuance- of-way man should be centralized in our Order. Every one, perhaps, has read the lesson in the school-boy's reader of "The Bundle of Sticks." An old man who had live sons was con- tenii)lating the probability of his death and, after collecting a bundle of live sticks, he called his sons to him and said: "Boys, you see a bundle of five sticks; the one of you who will break that bundle I will abundantly reward." Each boy, eager to win the prize, tried his ut- most to break the sticks, but no one could do it. The old man then untied the bundle and taking one stick at a time had no trouble in breaking the entire number. "Ah!" exclaimed the boys, "it is easy enough to break them in that way; taking one at a time any one could do it." "This bundle of sticks," said the old man, "represents you five brothers standing together. So long as you are thus united no force can overcome you; but if you break your union you will be like the sticks you see lying broken and powerless." And so with us, brethren. In union there is hope. If a man has certain convictions and operates along a certain line to bring them into effective use he can accomplish much. If ten thousand men of like convictions join him his chances of success are multiplied ten thousand times. Let us labor for a perfect union of all the good material in our class, never regretting the sacrifices and struggles made in behalf of our rights and for the cause of humanity and justice. CHAPTER XVIII. THE NEED OF AN AUXILIARY Agreeable to the most authentic records extant, man was seen by his Creator to be incomidete as a monosex, or without his counter- part, which rendered mankind bisexual. In other words, his Creator adjudged it not good for man, masculine, to be alone; because alone he was incomplete, being only half a man, and the rough, coarse half 156 THE CALCIUM LIGHT al that. He needed not a supplement but a complement — tliat which would round up his otherwise incomplete character, rendering it symmetrical and giving uniformity to all its parts. Man, masculine, was essentially coarse-grained, rugged and uncouth; — hence he stood greatly in need of the tender, softening and refining influences which are characteristic of the opposite sex. The one being incomplete without the other, the Creator saw the necessity for a double stand- ard, so to speak — the one to complement the other by bringing into play those traits of character which are essential to the happiness of the complete man, but which could not be possessed in their en- tierty by either half. Man needed a helpmeet — not a slave or servant to go and come at his bidding, nor yet a mistress to be dressed up merely as an orna- ment, but a helpmeet, because in his incompleteness he would stand greatly in need of help. Who that has ever entered the apartments of the recluse, or the bachelor, but has noted chaos, the lack of order, the unhomelike appearance? Now let the hand feminine come in, touch up this and adjust that, and, lol what a transformation! Some one has said, "The hand that rocks the cradle, is the hand that rules the world." Be that as it may, the fact remains that the influence of the so-called weaker sex over her coarser complement is very far- reaching, and can be greatly augmented at her own will; nor does this influence depend for its potency upon its quality, whether good or bad, but is alike operative in the cause of right or wrong. 'Twas woman's influence that took the head from the shoulders of John the Baptist, and her influence was alike potent at the court of Ahasuerus to save the lives of thousands of her countrymen who had been set upon by their enemies. Her influence has urged alike the soldier and sailor on to deeds of heroism. It is often like the wind, felt very perceptibly without being seen. We believe there has been no achievement in the world's history worthy of being re- corded but was largely the result of woman's influence. How essen- tial, then, that her influence be on the right side — on the side of God against greed; on the side of human happiness against human misery; on the side of the oppressed against the oppressor; on the side of the weak against the strong. We believe that naturally she is her brother's superior in all that tends toward the making up of a pure and lovely character, and hence needs only right training to place her always on the side of right; that she only needs to have the right .pointed out to her to insure a speedy advocacy of its claims. As stated above, she was given to man to be a helpmeet. Help! help! I help!!! is the cry that conies up from earth's four corners. Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 157 Help against tyranny and ojjpivssion; help to enable fathers, brothers and sons to throw off the yoke of bondaj;e and assert their rights as freemen to have a hand in tixin.u the rate at which they must labor. Help for the wives, sisters and dauj^hters that they may have homes fit for civilized people to live in, and help for the little boys and girls that they may get that which is their due, that which society owes them, viz: a decent living, proper clothing, healthful food, and an education that will cause them to hate slavery in any form. All this can woman help to do. All this she must help to do if she is to fulfill her sacred mission. Oh, woman! (ireat are thy opportunities, and equally great is thy responsibility. Sister, we need your helj). We of the maintenance-of-way depart- ment, who scarcely ever see our families in daylight, need your help. Do not say that you are powerless to help us. Were your husband to break his leg while away from home, with no one to help him but you, doubtless you could not carry him yourself; but you could run for your neighbor, and what you could not do alone the two of you together could easily accomplish. Thus it is with reference to the help we need. Your individual power will be of little avail, but go to your sister and tell her of the trouble and of the need of help; show her that the need is urgent; arouse her sympathies, and you will be sure of her co-operation. You are aware that your husband, your father, or your brother is not being properly remunerated for his services; that his pay is not commensurate with his responsibilities. You are aware also, that your own hardships are much greater and your home comforts far less than those of the people who live by clipping coupons from bonds, made valuable by your husband's labor. You also know that under existing conditions it is impossible for you to give your children one-half of the comforts (to say nothing of luxuries) that are necessary to their well-being and proper development, or to which they are justly entitled by virtue of the duties faithfully per- formed bv vourself and husband; and do vou not know that unless you give to them better educational advantages than you are now able to give them they can only be "hewers of wood and drawers of water" for those in better circumstances, simply servants with ever- increasing burdens and ever-decreasing opportunities? Surely you are not one of those simpletons who sometimes say, "Oh, well, I am giving my" children as good an education as I had. I always had to work and have gotten along very well, considering, and they are no better than I am." Tn nature's laws degeneration begins when activity ends. In- ertia means stagnation, and stagnation means death. We must 158 THE CALCIUM LIGHT either go forward or backward; we must climb higher or we will sink lower. Our children must do better than we have done or, ten chances to one, they will do worse. Besides, conditions are not what thev were when we were children. It requires no prophetic ken to foresee the time when, with a continuation of the, present regime, three-fourths of the earth's inhabitants will simply be servants to the other one-fourth, unless we educate and continually impress upon the mind of the rising generation a sense of its opportunities and re- sponsibilities. One of the laws of the ancients was, "And it shall come to pass that when your children shall ask, 'What meaneth this?' you shall say, 'Thus and thus was the case years ago,' " and this is intended as a reminder of those troublous times, so that we may guard against them. Sister, we indulge this apparent digression because we not only need your earnest and undivided help, but your constant and con- tinual co-operation, inasmuch as this organization, known as the B. R. T. of A., is not intended as a temporary makeshift to meet a present need, but a permanent institution, and largely one of pros- pective utility or benefit to the next generation. Hence this appeal to your maternal instinct, knowing that any woman of ordinary in- telligence can readily see that she owes her husband all of the assist- ance in her power to give as he strives to better his condition, especially since her own welfare and that of her children are depend- ent upon his success, and is largely the end which he is seeking. Did I hear you say, "I encouraged him to join the Order, I try to encourage him to pay his dues, etc., and that is all I can do."? Well, that is very good as far as it goes, but is that really all you can do? All of the older orders have help in the shape of woman's auxiliaries, which it is admitted have been and are of incalculable benefit to the parent organization, and why cannot we expect as much help from our wives, sisters and daughters as members of other orders receive? Are not our duties as irksome, our responsibilities as constant, and our hardships as great? Are our positions so secure, so comfortable, and our salaries so munificent as to place us beyond the pale of S3'm- pathy from those nearest and dearest to us, .whose every interest is wrapped uj) in and identical with our own, and whose food and cloth- ing depends largely, if not wholly, upon the wages we get? Nay, nay. The mention of it is but the denial. We know that there is neither lack of sympathy nor lack of interest in our efforts to better the con- dition of ourselves and those dependent upon us, but simply lack of opportunity. That has been the case in the past. A realization of the need, together with a knowledge of the "wavs and means." forms Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 159 the opportunity. This has boen hickiK«;- in tlie past, but it now appears to be fully felt and understood by quite a number of the sisters. The objection may be raised that ''we have not the same facilities for traveling that others have, and hence cannot pet together so easily." True, sister; yet that fact only intensifies the need for your assistance in this movement. Are we not entitled to as many privi- leges as are enjoyed by members of other crafts? Are not the wives and families of maintenance-of-way employes entitled to as much con- sideration from their (Muployers as are others? How, then, are we to command or secure this recognition but bv united effort? In other words, how did the other crafts secure it? Simply by combining the strength and influence of both brothers and sisters into one solid whole, the woman's auxiliary being supplemental, while each branch of the organization freely gives to or accepts aid from the other. Let all of the sisters unite in this auxiliary movement, putting their heads together, their hearts together and their hands united in one unbroken line, and it cannot be long ere we are accorded the privilege of once in a while getting out of the county in which we were born and seeing what the balance of the world looks like. Our brothers and sisters of other crafts not only receive greater remuneration for services rendered, but, in addition to seeing and en- joying more of the world and more of society while on duty, they are granted leave-of-absence and transportation over other lines and into other states — things which we of the mainteuance-of-way department are scarcely allowed to think of. Let us not envy them these privi- leges, but let us emulate the manliness and womanliness which en- abled them to secure this recognition — a recognition which has been gained step by step through years of self-sacrificing devotion to the cause of their union, every inch of ground being stubbornly contested by their employers. Now they are enjoying privileges that should be within the reach of all honest working people, and especially the men who make it possible for others to enjoy them. aIz: the privilege of seeing something more of the world than the little hamlet in which they were born. Imagine the average trackman enjoying a theater! And why not? Do we not build and maintain the tracks, bridges and trestles over which theatrical troupes must ride in order that our neighbors may enjoy their productions? and must our own wives and children be denied the privilege of occasionally seeing something of life? Are our services of so little consequence to our employers and to the pub- lic as to justify the keeping of our families from year to year, from the cradle to the grave, in ignorance and obscurity? 160 THE CAI.CIUM LIGHT Sisters, wives, daughters! Waive np and help us to plant our banner firmly upon the basic principle of equal rights, maintaining that position by faithful service to our employers and to each other, acting as one united band of brothers and sisters whose aims are one and whose desires are for the good of all; thus cementing the bond of love and sympathy, and acting continuously in harmony, we may rest assured that "neither pi'incipalities nor powers, things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth" shall be able to keep us out of the rights and privileges to which we are justly entitled, being enabled by the exercise of increased privileges to enjoy new vistas of knowledge and beauty which will open up before us, which will serve to enlarge the scope of our mental vision, thus enabling us to so impress the public with the fact that we are a necessary part of the industrial system to which all are indebted that the respect which is due us cannot longer be withheld. We want a more equitable share of the products of our toil — first, because our responsibilities and the exposure and hardships to which we are subjected entitle us to it, and second, because it will enable us to render our wives and children more comfortable at present and to provide for their future well- being. This we can soon realize, sisters, if you, one and all, will take hold of this auxiliary movement, putting into it all the vim and vigor at your command, and thus showing your full appreciation of the efforts of your husbands and brothers and stimulating them to greater achievements in your behalf. No such word as fail should for a moment find a place in our vocabulary. We ought, we can, we must succeed, or remain the butt of ridicule of all other classes in the railway service. Adopting the motto of one of the States, "Labor omnia vincit," let us remember that Labor conquers all things and "Work for the night is coming. Worlj through the sunny noon; Fill brightest hours with U^bor, Rest comes sure and soon. ; (jive every flying minute Something to Iveep in store; Work for the night is coming When man works no more." Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 161 CHAPTER XIX. AKBITRATION RECOMMENDED. In 1898 an "industrial commission" was created by act of Con- gress, the duties of said commission being "to investigate questions pertaining to immigration, to labor, to agriculture, to manufacturing and to business, and to report to congress and to suggest such legis- lation as it deemed best upon these subjects." In its efforts to col- lect such data as would enable it "to suggest such laws as might be made a basis for uniform legislation bv the various states of the Union, in orders to harmonize conflicting interests and to be equit- able to the laborer, the employer, the producer and the consumer," the commission summoned representatives of the various interests that would be affected by its recommendations and consequent legis- lation, to appear before it and state in detail the conditions of the interests they represented, and what legislation, in the judgment of each person thus summoned, seemed most needful to the welfare of his class. In response to a summons from the commission, the writer appeared before it on March 1, 1899, and delivered the fol- lowing address: Gentlemen: — In obedience to your request for me to assist your honorable body in its efforts to obtain information which will enable it to recommend the enactment of laws to meet the problems presented by labor, agricv.lture and capital, as I represent an organization composed of a class of men em- ployed in transportation, known as the maiuteuance-of-way department em- _ployes. and employed by railway companies engaged in interstate commerce, it is for that class of men I spealc authoritatively. As I understand, your desire is to discover the actual conditions of the industi'ial workers of the* country and to discover causes for suffering. I Avill explain the present con- dition of maintenance-of-way department employes and relate some of the causes which I believe aid in producing present industrial conditions. There are in the United States about 180.000 miles of railway, and according to the last report of the Interstate Commerce Commission, aliout 180.000 men are employed in the maintenance-of-waj- department. This vast army of industrial workers is divided into three classes. First. The class known as roadmasters numbers about 2,000, each having from 100 to 250 miles of trade under his .iiu'isdiction. Their divisions are cut into subdivisions, called sections. The sections are from five to ten miles in length. On each section is employed a foreman. He has a few assistants or laborers, known as section hands. Roadmasters receive instructions from and make reports to division superintendents. They (the roadmasters) are fairly well paid, the minimum wage being about $60 a montli and the maximum about $150 per mouth. The ma.iority of the roadmasters seem to be in sympathy with the men under them, but they are not permitted to have anything to say about the terms of employment, the rate of wages the men under them shall receive, the number of hours the^v will be required to work each day. etc., 162 THE CALCIUM LIGHT these matters being determined by higher authority, and on almost every Uirge system of railway, some one is put in charge of a division in the capacity of roadmaster who is ambitious to excel all other roadmasters on the system, and in order to have it said that he is the best roadmaster on the system he becomes a very hard master, drives the men under him from daylight till dark and maintains his division at a minimum cost. As the higher officials are on the lookout for men who can produce tlie greatest results at the least cost, he becomes a favorite aud is held up as an example for all other roadmasters on the system to follow. The most of them are poor men and are anxious to hold their positions, therefore, they feel compelled to be exacting and to work the men under them to their full capacity from morning till night. Second. The men in charge of subdivisions, known as section foremen, receive instructions from and report to the roadmasters. They number about 30,000. They are personally responsible for the condition of the ti-ack under their jurisdiction, at all times, and are, in my judgment, the most important class of men engaged in operating railroads. These men are recjuired to work several years as laborers on track iu order to learn enough about conti'olling men, repairing and maintaining track to be qualified to assume the responsibilities of a track foreman. The lives of the traveling public and the safety of commercial traffic are in their hands; they have more to do aud more to look after to keep the track in a safe running condition than any other railway employe. Tracli out of line, surface, or gauge, not properly tied and spiked, a guard rail out of place, or a mismatched joint, and many other little things that must receive their attention each day, if neglected, would result in wrecking trains and destroying life and property. But few accidents on railroads can be traced to the negligence or carelessness of these men; they are always at their posts of duty, without regard to hot or cold weather. At nights, during storms and heavy rains, track foremen promptly leave their beds and patrol the tracks to see that all is safe for the passage of trains, and if the track has been obstructed by washouts or other causes it is usually discovered, and red lights, or other danger signals, are displayed at proper distances away from the place of danger, signalling engineers in charge of engines pulling approaching trains to stop and ^ivoid danger. They ai-e paid by the month and are supposed to be on duty at all times. If they worlc every Sunday during the month and a dozen nights they receive no extra pay for extra service; their wages amount to from $1.05 to $2.00 per day, according to locality, cost of living, etc. Third. The laborers, who assist track foremen, known as track hands, are subject to the foremen's orders. The foremen usually hire and dismiss them, to suit their own convenience. According to the report of the Interstate Com- merce Commission, they number about 150,000, but I do not think that more than half that number are employed during the winter months. It is customary for the companies to employ several men on each section during the summer months to assist in putting the track in good condition while the weather is good, the days are long, and at the proper time to repair the roadbed, and discharge them in the fall. Many of the foremen are allowed only one or two assistants during the winter months, and in some instances they are required to lose several days each month, and the foremen are required to walk over their tracks alone. The track laborers are usually paid by the day; they receiv'e from 471/30 to $1.2.5 a day. according to locality, cost of living, etc. Think of it!. More than 50.000 men work for the railway companies for from Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 163 4TV2C to tl.25 a day during six niuiiTli.s in the yt-ar, receivius barely enough to subsist upon during the time of euipU)ymeut, and in thei fall of the yeai\ when living is high and employment is hard to obtain, they are turned out to beg, tramp, starve or steal, and become criminals. I do not doubt that your honorable body will have men before it who enjoy nil the necessaries of life, and many of the luxuries, and they will tell you things are all right as they are. and that the men in whoso, behalf I am speak- ing are dagoes. Hungarians. Polanders. negroes, Mexicans and Chinese, but, in my opinion. 90 per cent of these men ai"e American citizens; they go to our polling places and vote, though I do not contend that they vote intelligently; btat under improved conditions and more fa voidable circumstances many of. them will become intelligent and useful citizens and add to our national strength. Having related prevailing conditions among the men I speak for. as viewed from my standpoint. I will endeavor to explain what I believe to be some of the cause*; of the present undesirable state of attiairs. Under our unrestricted competitive system almost every oppressor imagines he is being oppressed, and to some extent it is true, but the stronger members ■of society prosper under it, become rich and ]>owerful,- while the weaker ones are crushed, redticed to indtistrial slavery and al)ject po\erty. The men who shape and determine the policies to be maintained by the different railway companies do not. it seems, understand the ptiblic. and the public does not understand theau. Those who have invested their money in railway enterprises have done a great deal towards developing our cotmtry and advancing civiliza- tion, but without the aid and co-operation of the public our vast railway systems would be worthless to their owners; therefore, railway companies, their employes, and the public should be on the best of terms at all times. Transportation companies should not l3e allowed to discriminate against small shippers in favor of large ones; they should not be permitted to give millions of dollars' worth of transix»rtatiou each year to men of political influence, who are able to pay their fares, and expect in return for it legislation favorable to their interests, at the expense of the public. Such things arouse suspicion in the mind of the public, create prejudice and are injurious to both. Rate wars between transiM>rtation companies should be abolished. A large percentage of their gross earnings, amounting to millions of dollars each year, is wasted in useless competition for business. I have heard men engaged in the ticket brokerage business say that general passenger and ticket agents cannot be relied upon to carry out agreements after entering into them. It is not an uncommon thing for them to meet and agree to maintain certain rates over certain competing lines to given points, and in less than three days some or all of them would send agents who would offer to supply the brokers with tickets for less than the rate agreed upon. I can nearly always buy a railroad ticket cheai>er from a ticket broker than I can obtain it from a company's regular ticket agent. If the earnings of a road expended in this way were equally distributed among the employes it would enable them to supply themselves and families with the necessary comforts of life and abolish the cause for complaints on account of overwork and underpay. In my judgment the system under which the railways are operated at present is having a demoralizing influence upon the public. Were it possible to maintain present rates, under judicious management the earnings would 164 THE CAI.CIUM LIGHT furnisb sufficient reveune with which to pay all employes living wages without reciuiriuc: any of them to work an unreasonable number of hours in any one day. and leave plenty of surplus with which to pay investors a reasonable profit on the money invested. As railway companies hold valuable franchises by consent of the public, and they are semi-public entei'prises. I have no hesitancy in saying it would be a blessing to all concerneed your time and energy will not be consumed in theorizing, but that your investigations will enable you to see things as they are. for you have conditions to deal with that should and must be changed in order to preserve the rights of our people and prevent the greatest nation on earth from retrograding. Again referring to the men I represent and am authorized to speak for, I will state that there are about 200,000 carmen and shopmen employed by the railway transportation companies whose conditions are but very little, if «ny, better than the conditions surrounding the men employed in the main- tenance-of-way depai'tment. The trackmen, carmen and shopmen iind their families are far greater in number than the entire population of the Island of ■Cuba. Our government has expendetl many millions of dollars and sacrificed the lives of many of our citizens to aid the Cubans in their struggle to improve their condition, and I say, unhesitatingly, that before hostilities began on the Island of Cuba the citizens of that Island, upon the whole, were in no worse •condition than are the men for whom I speak and who are citizens of the United States. It is a matter of regret that the commission after ample investi- gation, was unable to present any specific recommendations for prac- tical and beneficial legislation upon the questions for the considera- tion of which it had been created. There was one matter, however, f)n which the members of the commission were all agreed, namely, that some definite plan of arbitration should be adopted for the settle- ment of disputes between employers and employes before they reach the acute stage wherein lives and property, not only of the disput- ants, but of the innocent public, are jeopardized. Several state legis- latures have since created boards of arbitration with well-defined duties and powers, in the hope of reducing to a minimum the financial losses, the ill-feelings, and general inconveniences which always ac- company industrial disputes when they develop into strikes. In New Zealand, where arbitration is compulsory, strikes are unknown, and universal content prevails among the wage-earning classes. A noteworthy fact in this connection is that in New Zealand there is no private monopoly of franchise privileges. On the contrary, all utilities of a public or quasi-public nature are controlled by the public for the public benefit. A rehearsal of the advantages of collective ownership of public utilities, including land (which is the source of all wealth), the means of production, distribution aud communication. 1C6 THE CALCIUM LIGHT cannot be attempted in this volume, for its proper treatment would fill a large book with facts and figures of engaging interest, and would impart a new^ inspiratioin to every earnest seeker of social and temporal advancement. CHAPTER XX. DIRECT LEGISLATION It is claimed by the friends and expounders of the philosophy and urgent need of direct legislation, through the initiative and refer- endum, that it will prove a sheet anchor that will save from destruc- tion our many cherished republican institutions which are now being threatened by the tidal waves of imperialism and trust control, not only of all branches of trade and commerce, but also of every depart- ment of our national, state and municipal governments. Direct legis- lation means legislation by the people as a whole. It would deprive the congress, the legislature or the municipal assembly of the power to enact laws, at the behest of wealthy corporations, that would be unjust and obnoxious to the whole body of citizens of the nation, state or municipality which would be affected by such laws. Thus it is claimed that the powerful lobbies, which are maintained at every capital for the purpose of influencing legislators and inducing legisla- tion favorable to that class of privilege mongers and financial specu- lators which, has from time immemorial levied tribute upon the public through the aid of law-conferred privileges obtained by corrui^t prac- tices, would be driven out of existence, because, however willing the law-makers might be to sell their votes and their influence to the lobbyist, to the injury of the constituents who had given them their places of honor, no law could be promulgated and placed upon the statute books until after its ratification by a vote of the whole people to whom its provisions would apply. It is also claimed that with this safeguard thrown around the people's interests, men base enough to sell their votes and influence for personal aggrandizement would not seek election to the various law-making bodies of the country because they could not have the opportunity to fill their purses with ill-gotten wealth. Only honorable men, with a desire to "secure the greatest good to the greatest number," would seek or accept a seat in Congress, in the state legislature or in the municipal assembly if the inception of all legislation (through the initiative) and its final confirmation (through a referendum vote) lay in the people themselves. Under the present plan of operation the law-making power of the counti'y is in the hands of a comparatively small number of men, all of whom except the United States senators, are chosen at stated in- Turned On by a Railway Trackman. 167 tervals, by ballot, at general elections held for that purpose. The candidates are nominated by party conventions composed of delegates appointed by partisan bodies or chosen at primary elections, the machinery of whith is too often in the hands of or controlled by men who are stockholders or paid agents of powerful and immensely rich corporations, much of whose wealth and power has been gained through legislative enactments conferring special privileges which are but the legitimate fruits of a policy under which the candidate for legislative honors must, in order to be successful, swap privileges for place. It matters not by which political party, or by how many parties, candidates for such offices are placed in the field. The same influences, surround them all. If by any chance a man is nominated who is avowedly hostile to corporation interests, the corporation lackeys in all parties will unite against him, but if in spite of such opposition he secures a majority of the ballots cast, the election officials will count him out at the behest of the corporation-controlled machine which gave them their appointment. Thus it is practically impossible for a man who is known to be opposed to the class which thrives on special privileges to get a seat in one of our law-making bodies. In fact, such a man would be bitterly opposed by the corpo- ration interests for any office in which his influence might be hurtful to them. Having learned the value of special privileges, the class which deals in them also knows the value of controlling the legisla- tive branches of government, by which and through which the^' are created; hence, the need of controlling the election machinery. The two U. S. senators from each state are elected by the members of the state legislature, and serve for a term of six years. When a vacancy occurs in the U. S. senate through the death or resignation of a senator, the governor of the state which was represented by the de- ceased or retiring senator has the power to appoint his successor, provided the vacancy occurs during the recess of the legislature. Thus it is important to the privilege class to look well into the ante- cedents of all gubernatorial aspirants, for a governor's influence over the members of his state legislature is such as to make him a "log- ical" candidate for senatorial honors; but even if he should not en- tertain such aspirations there is always the chance that he will have the naming of the senator from his state. The United States senate is now very largely composed of millionaires, and we have but re- cently witnessed the spectacle of a contest between two millionaire copper kings of Montana (rivals in everything) for the "honor" of representing the "interests" of the "dear people (!)" of that state in the upper house of congress. So anxious were these rival candidates 168 THE CALCIUM LIGHT to be "lionored" that they spent millions of dollars in bribing and de- bauching the legislators who held the power to confer the "honor.'^ Other instances of a similar character are not lacking, but this will suffice. If several legislators can get |100,0()0 each for their votes in a senatorial contest, like the above, how much could one governor get for making a senatorial appointment? Lender our form of representative government the many invest the few with power to legislate in their name and in their behalf. After the power has been conferred, petitions and protests are alike in vain to secure wholesome legislation, or to check or annul that which is vicious. The people can resolve, and frequently do resolve, to defeat their faithless representatives when they again come out for office, but they learn to their dismay that not only has the same machine which nominated the first set of faithless officials nominated their successors, but that the same interests (which control all party machines) have nominated their only competitors, leaving the voters the alternative of choosing between "the frying pan and the fire." Direct legislation by means of the initiative and referendum is a non-partisan measure of reform in government, which is meant to destroy the power of the few in control to impose upon the many such laws as the ruling class may deem of exceptional value to their own personal and selfish interests, and, by the way, self-interest is one of the strongest and most persistent of all human motives. Men of all parties and all vocations, who have taken sufficient interest in the affairs of state to learn the difference between right and wrong, and who have been influenced in their investigations by a desire to see right principles established, have heartily indorsed the plan of direct legislation as the most feasible — in fact, the only plan by which many of the reforms now imperatively demanded in the interest of human rights can be secured. President Gompers, of the American Federation of Labor, tersely states his indorsement of the plan, as well as that of organized labor, in the following words: "I have full faith in the people. The safety of the future as well as the interests of the present can safely be en- trusted in their hands. The whole are more honest, more intelligent than the few. We must soon choose whether we are to have an oligarchy or a democracy. All lovers of the human family, all who earnestly strive for political reform, economic justice and social en- franchisement must range themselves on the side of organized labor in this demand for direct legislation." Reverend Dr. Lyman Abbott, editor and eminent divine, " says r "In my judgment the remedy for the evils of democracy is more- Turned On bv a Railway Trackman. 169 democracy; a fresh appeal from the few to the many, from the mana- gers to the people. I believe in the referendum, and, within limits, the initiative, because it is one form of this appeal from the few to the many, from forces of abstract democraiy to democracy, that is the rule of the j)eople." William Jennings Bryan, the great commoner, who has twice been nominated for the presidency of the Tnited States upon a plat- form which meant ''equal rights to all; special privileges to none," gives editorial approval as follows: "The principle of the initiative and referendum is democratic. It will not be opposed by any demo- crat who indorses the declaration of Jetferson, that the people are capable of self-government; nor will it be opposed by any Republican, who holds to Lincoln's idea that this should be a government of the people, by the people and for the people." Hon. David B. Henderson, of Iowa, Republican Congressman and Speaker of the House of Representatives, says: "It would be a great advantage to a public man if expressions on measures could be had from the people, * * * and, above all an intelligent expression of the mass of the voters on any and all leading questions would be of great value to public servants. * * * Whatever is done should permit the fullest discussion before the vote is taken, so that the citi- zens may compare notes fully and the questions discussed may enter into the campaigns among the people." Hon. John P. St. John, of Kansas, ex-governor and ex-presidential candidate of the Prohibition party, has this to say: "I might write page after page on direct legislation, and at last the whole of it could be boiled down in the simple statement that I am fully convinced that the initiative and referendum will be the final solution of the ques- tion, 'How can reformers be gotten together?' In view of the brutal, unprovoked murder of those poor, unarmed, defenseless miners of Hazelton, Pa., it is possible that the one great question that will over- shadow all others in 1904: will be the preservation and perpetuation of human liberty. This is a day of murder, suicide, robbery, hunger and starvation, the legitimate fruits of government controlled by monopolies and trusts, and direct legislation would give back to the people control of the government." Hon. John Wanamaker, ex-postmaster general, Sunday-school superintendent and merchant prince, gives the plan this concise in- dorsement: "I heartily approve of the idea of giving the people a veto on corrupt legislation. The movement to secure for the people a more direct and immediate control over legislation shall have my sup- port. I trust such a movement will receive the thoughtful attentioa 170 THE CAI.CIUM UGHT of all who would improve our political and industrial conditions, I am willing to trust public questions to the intelligence and conscience of the people." Henr}' D. Lloyd, famous author, says: "Direct legislation — the initiative and referendum — must be supported by every true believer in free government. These measures contain no new principle, and their machinery already exists in a crude form in our government. The initiative and referendum simply raise these principles and their application to the highest efficiency. The people, excited by the pur- suits of prosperity in America, which has been a universal gold dig- gings for two centuries, have carelessly allowed their delegates in party, corporation and government to become their rulers, and they are now aw^akening to the startling fact that their delegate has become their exploiter. The people are losing the control of their govern- ment, the most powerful instrumentality for the creation and distribu- tion of wealth in society. Its government must be recovered by the American people, peaceably, if possible; but it must be recovered. Direct legislation would be the ideal means for this peaceable revolu- tion. If the revolution is to be accomplished otherwise, direct legisla- tion will stand forth in the new order as the only means for express- ing the popular will that a free people will exercise. No future re- public will ever repeat the mistake of giving its delegates the oppor- tunity to become its masters." Thousands of indorsements similar in character to those above quoted have been given to the plan of direct legislation, but space forbids a more extended notice in this book. The object of this chap- ter is to cause those who may be interested in the public weal, those who are not completely wrapped up in sordid self-interest, to study the merits and demerits of this great question in the hope that all sincere reformers and unselfish seekers of the public good may ulti- mately unite upon one plan of action and, by applying the principle of unionism to their now disorganized endeavors, secure to mankind the blessings which would follow the adoption of this principle of right government. 1 () tmm mm ■i i " l» ' gi ^" WJtl.W^ ^ t t'^F^giP^WW^ig^'— ■#■#— ^