to the widow or lawful heirs, we will make the insurance $2,000, and no more. THE SLATE. I'm Aldrich Bill: I'm promoted, do you heart Messrs. Editors, in this card is confi- go. I'll let Joshua take this run. The next, Twenty-Three, doth appear; For Twenty-Five, local freight, a pretty hard job, Back on Thirty-Two, certain will come ; Fish will have this. Hear what I say, SOUTHPORT, CONN., Feb. 16, 1878. MESSRS. EDITORS: It is not an uncommon thing in looking over the JOURNAL, to see the complaint of engineers about their master mechanic, engine dispatcher or some one in authority over them cursing and using blasphemous and vulgar language when giving orders to them. Now I think any person who is in authority over his fellow man, who will use anything but gen-Number Twenty-Seven, a good day run, tlemanly language to any one under him when giving orders, or at any time, is unworthy to be called a man; he is nothing but a brute, and should be treated with scorn and contempt by all who know him. Several years ago I visited Hampton Junction, New Jersey, and was introduced to the Division. I thought they were a fine, noble lot of men. But there was one thing that I thought was wrong, and that was, holding their meetings on Sunday. It seems as though there is time enough during the six days, without encroaching on the Sabbath. But there is one thing speaks well for their Division; I have watched the list of expulsions, and have never seen one that has been expelled from 154. I spoke in a former article, of your changing your JOURNAL from a monthly to a weekly; I am more fully convinced the change would be for the best. I have tried to get some subscribers for the JOURNAL, but the universal cry is a month is too long to wait; give us a paper once a week, and we will take it." 66 MESSRS, EDITORS: Can any one tell why none of our Connecticut men ever write for the JOURNAL? There are many that are running on the N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R., who are members of the B. of L. E., true men, each and every one of them; I think, true to the Brotherhood, and an honor to their profession. I think some of these men should write at least once a month. The best on the road is Number Twenty-nine; Charlie Richard's the man that's in my mind, The man for that is Mr. Lynch's Harry. Frank will pull that over the C. C. The boss ruu, Number Three, so awful fast McCarty Jack is on her at last; "Bob-Tail," Number Seven, so fine and Bump will take that to some foreign land, We shall run a Number Thirty-Three. Haunus will have that, and Kelly will fire Night Express, Number Five, one hour late; Bet all you have got, or any other man, Number Thirty-Seven at Galion will stop-- I am done--I know you're glad— I've fixed you all, not very bad. unto our sorrow," and that there is truly more bitterness in our hearts than in the wide world beside. The future can offer no relief, for it is only a chaos of midnight darkness and unfathomable woe. Not one single star of hope gleams upon the painful scene. The past is all a mockery, and life itself is only a burden, grievous to be borne, We behold, all too plainly, the hypocrisy and hollow-heartedness of the vain and selfish world. When our summer friends prove like our shadows, keeping close to us while the sunlight of prosperity is around us, but deserting us the moment we enter THE HOURS OF LIFE. the shade, then we feel that we would cheerMESSRS EDITORS: It is said that upon a fully lay our weary heads low in the silent sun-dial near Venice is engraved the follow-yet friendly grave; and these sad, soul-stiring words: "I count no hours but the cloud-ring words of Mrs. Judson are forced with less." If such were the case, how few of strange power upon our crushed and lifeall the hours in the life of any human beweary hearts: ing would be enumerated. Those that lay over to-night The hours of life are ever changing. There are some in the life of every one, when the world seems all sunshine and gladness; when everything is clothed in the same blissful happiness as our own joyous spirits, and earth seems free and happy as a fairy realm. We gaze around us and would gladly persuade ourselves that sorrow and suffering, sin and death, cannot inhabit a world so transcendantly beautiful -that nothing but perfect bliss can exist here. Then every tiny cloud appears tinged with a silvery softness, and all is so enchantingly lovely that we are almost forced to exclaim in the language of the lamented Thus for a brief space we think we would willingly live forever; that we cannot leave so fair an Eden; but suddenly the scene changes, dark clouds arise on every side, and soon we are enveloped in the deepest sadness. The glorious sun is entirely obscured from our view. Not one bright ray can penetrate the seemingly impenetrable gloom. Now we feel that earth has no pleasures which can allure us here; that all is misery and despair. In the selfishness of our grief that "earth has no sorrow like "Ay, let me die! am I of spirit birth, And shall I linger here where spirits fell, G. D. F. ST. JOSEPH, March 1, 1875. MESSRS. EDITORS: News for the JOURNAL is meagre at this point, but with your permission I would remark that the St. Jo press has shown a liberality towards Workingmen's Union No. 202, St. Joseph, Mo., in the way of advertising their ball and favorably commenting thereon, for it would probably have been a failure, as far as finance is concerned, without their united help. But the most important part lies in their not believing unprincipled men who would fain try to brand the W. U. of St. Jo as the "red-handed communist," for political purposes, or personal gain. Nothing of the kind. But the St. Jo press, Republican, Democratic and Independent, has proven to the workingmen of St. Jo that they are willing to use their best endeavors to promote the welfare of the laboring class if their object is honest and an honor to the workingmen. As party papers they, as a matter of course, are obliged to abide by their respective party principles. Remember, workingmen, that the pen is mightier than the sword, and for that reason the favors shown by the St. Jo press are more valuable than the favors or friendship of all anti-labor union men combined. For the information of anti-union men and skeptics, I will remark that this labor organization is the same in all parts (except the political appendix) as are at present in existence throughout Germany, (Arbeiter Bund), and therefore cannot be a communistic order. HANNIBAL, No. 29. I WILL GIVE YOU REST. The Journal. CLEVELAND, APRIL, 1878. HUMAN DEPRAVITY. The depravity of the human heart has been very forcibly illustrated in the actions and conduct of some of the engineers on the Lehigh Valley, Delaware, Lackawanna and Western roads, and more recently on "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy the Central of New Jersey. Men who were laden, and I will give you rest." He knew the troubled ways of earth, Tempted in all things, just as we, Yet sinking 'neath the mad wave's icy crest, rest? And yet, we know so little on this shore of now, vain, Like Noah's dove, seek rest in deathly pain; MES. J. V. MURCH. formerly prominent members of the Brotherhood, have sought by falsehood and intrigue to destroy an Association which each one of them had, of their own free will, bound themselves by a sacred oath to protect and support. They conspired with unscrupulous men occupying subordinate positions of authority to issue and put in circulation for the engineers to sign, the following document: We, the undersigned engineers of the Central Railroad of New Jersey and of its divisions and its branches, hereby agree to and will, within five days from date hereof, voluntarily withdraw from the organization known as the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers; and furthermore, do promise and agree never again to connect ourselves with such organizations or join in any strike whatsoBut will at all times faithfully perform our ever, duties to the best interests of the Central Railroad Company of New Jersey so long as we are enployed by said company. February, 1878. And some of those who were the most zealous advocates of the strike that occurred in October, 1876, and urged the most extreme measures to defeat the Company, are the most active in their endeavors to have the men sign the paper, representing that it was issued by the Receiver, Mr. Lathrop, and they must sign it or leave the service of the Company. Quite a number yielded to the importunities and arguments used and signed, while others positively refused to sign a document which the author lacked the moral courage to attach his autograph to, and some of those who did sign it, after ascertaining that it did not emanate from the General Officers, but was the work of poltroons and traitors, immediately had their names erased. We have no complaint to make against any person that may differ with us; we concede to every man the same rights and privileges we ask for ourselves, and admire 176 men who have an opinion and the moral courage to express it. But we despise men who will resort to falsehood and deception to accomplish their own selfish ends. with their employers contrary to their own inclination, and there is no law or rule of the Brotherhood that requires them to do member to leave the Order to avoid engag so; consequently, it is unnecessary for any izes with the teachings of our association, The last clause of the agreement harmonas Section 6 of Article 5, of our By-Laws reads: "Should any Brother neglect his duty, or injure the property of his employer, or endanger the lives of persons wilfully, while under the influence of liquor Men who are guilty of doing what some of the engineers have done, are not to being in strikes. trusted under any circumstances, and we think the best course for Superintendent Moore to pursue to insure peace and prevent a recurrence of what occurred in October, 1876, and last July, would be to discharge those men who manifest so strong a desire to have the paper signed. They are the worst class found in any society or otherwise, he shall, upon conviction, be whose motto is "rule or ruin." the guise of friendship they gain your con- solicitous to have the agreement signed, are Under expelled." And the men who are the most fidence, only to betray it. dangerous class to have in any association clause; some of them were expelled for viThey are a the very ones that have violated the above or upon any railroad. They are commun-olation of their obligation prior to the apists in the broadest sense of the term, and pearance of the circular; and actuated by we think they have conferred a great bless- a spirit of revenge they now seek to overing upon our institution by severing their throw and destroy an institution that has no relations with it; and their conduct only peer as a labor organization. We have been tends to confirm our previous statements denounced by them because we would not that our Sub-divisions have not exercised consent to a general strike during the exthe caution and vigilance they should have, citement last July. These are the men that in investigating the character of the appli- are the instigators and authors of the circucants for membership. Had they done so lar, and we leave it to our readers, to draw we would not have been disgraced by the their own inferences and form their own farce enacted upon those roads. As far as conclusions whether such men are to be the agreement is concerned there is only trusted. We do not believe that any honone objectionable feature in it, and that is orable, high minded railway manager the first clause wherein they agree to vol- would issue such an order, and the only one untarily withdraw from the Brotherhood that ever has publicly requested his engin within five days, which any man of ordi- eers to leave the Brotherhood, to our knowlsary intelligence knows cannot be done edge, is Franklin B. Gowen, and he is not without violating a sacred vow; and men regarded as an honest man. that will disregard solemn promises any we admire him for his pluck; we know how Nevertheless, other they make is not worth the paper it to meet such men, but these sly, crafty, is written upon. The rest of the document deceitful ones, there is no reliance to be as it reads, so far as we are concerned placed upon them. personally, have no objections to it, and nothing would please us more than to have every member of the Order agree not to engage in a strike. Wherever we have engaged in a strike as an organization, it was because we were forced to it by the arrogance of the officers of the roads, and even then, had the men been willing to submit to the companies' terms we would not have advised or urged them to strike. We never have, and never shall advise men to engage in a conflict men should seek to destroy it is a question What has the Brotherhood done that. that interests all. If it is, a detriment to tory to the interests of railroad managethe engineers and their families, or derogament or the public weal, let it be dissolved at once. which we will endeavor to prove-then On the contrary, if it is a benefit it is the duty of every man who has any regard for the future welfare of his family and his fellowmen to foster and protect it. The character and standing of engineers in society, as a rule, prior to the formation of neers. When this is not the case it is the Order, was of a low type-licentious- owing to the treachery and perfidy of the ness, gambling, profanity and intemper- members, and surely it would be unjust to ance, were the predominating traits of condemn the whole for the actions of the their characters. We do not wish to be un- few. We must remember that even our derstood as saying that all engineers were churches are not exempt from the vile imof this class. There were many noble ex- posters who, under the cloak of religion, ceptions, but as a rule they were consider-prey upon the credulity of others; and hised as belonging to the lower strata of tory teaches that there never has existed society. We speak from personal knowl- an association composed of men that were edge and observation. Our association of wholly pure-they all have their "Judas," twenty-five years with them enables us and we have had a plurality of them. We are to speak understandingly of their habits. sorry indeed to make the acknowledgment, and note the changes that have been but the truth must be told; and, while it is wrought through the influence of the extremely humiliating to think that we had Brotherhood; and, while there is still room men in our society so utterly destitute of for improvement, we are entitled to some all manly principle, it is very gratifying to credit for those we have rescued from a know that we shall soon be rid of them. life of shame and degradation to one of If there are any railway officials foolish usefulness. The aim of our organization enough to think that if the Brotherhood has been to have the engineers attain a was dissolved strikes would not occur higher standard of excellence in their pro- among the engineers, we would remind fession; to become better and more useful them of the fact that they had strikes citizens, that they might occupy more ex- before the Brotherhood was ever thought alted positions in society; to provide for of, and the best way to prevent them is to the widows and orphans-within the past adopt the policy pursued by Mr. P. D. ten years we have paid to the heirs of de- Cooper, General Superintendent of the ceased members one million, thirty thous-Atlantic & Great Western Road, an acand nine hundred and seventy dollars and count of which has been published in the thirty cents ($1,030,970.30), besides disburs- JOURNAL. ing among the needy fifty thousand dollars, and not a member can truthfully say that he has suffered in the least in consequence thereof. Doubtless in many instances they would have squandered their hard earn ings had there been no association, and to our personal knowledge nearly one-half of the families of our deceased members, had it not been for the assistance rendered them by our Brotherhood, would have been a charge upon the town or county in which they reside. These are incontrovertible facts, and we ask the question: Could we have accomplished all this without organized effort? Did engineers throughout the country ever do anything previous to the inception of the Order to benefit humanity? If they did we are ignorant of the fact, and would like to be enlightened on the subject; hence we repeat, despite all the assertions to the contrary notwithstanding, it is, and has been, not only a benefit, but a blessing to humanity, as well as railway companies and engi Had we been evil disposed toward railroad companies and yielded to the importunities of men doing business on Wall Street, and those who are now so eager to voluntarily withdraw from us, we might have availed ourselves of the advantages offered during the excitement last July, and severely crippled them and the commerce of the country, but we kept aloof from all interference. Where we did have strikes we have never resorted to violence or intimidation such as we witnessed last summer, which ought to unbiased mind that a well-conducted, organized strike is far preferable to mob rule. We prefer not to have any, and will exhaust every honorable effort to avert them, and should any occur hereafter the fault will not be ours. convince every By special request we visited the subdivisions on line of New York Central Road, Albany, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo. Had a good attendance at each place, much interest was manifested, and |
