We were told a few years ago that the word Brotherhood had become a stench in the nostrils of railway officials, and we were also told that men belonging to other organizations were ready to fill our places, and yet we live, and each year we advance in numbers and Divisions, and I would say that when it becomes apparent that we do not depend upon other organizations to replenish our ranks, others may see it also who are not now members. And now, Brothers, let us keep it always thus. Our watchword may be onward and upward, but if we allow our feet to become clogged with that which we should not, or, as I might more plain sues of those societies will weigh us down, and, I fear, we will not fly very high. I hope we may always be ready to defend our rights, and persecute those who would bring trouble in the ranks of the B. of L. E. (not theirs) when they become members of our Order. Now, if a man never expects to become a locomotive engineer, then let him stay out, for the reason that the B. of L. E., as an Order, is only intended for those who belong to it, and not those who are so fickle that they want to be on both sides of the fence, on top and straddle of it at the same time. I am a citizen of the United States and use all the rights and privileges given to me as such by the Constitution, and I do abide by the expression of a majority; and I will say more, there are men in societies that I could name who are not worthy to become members of the B. of L. E., for the simple reason that they would be a disgrace to the Order. Until the mem-ly say, other organizations, the dead isbers begin to see where they stand, every man, as a general thing, is working for himself, and the gentleman on the left hand side is no exception to the rule, therefore, let us guard faithfully our own interests first. As Oliver Cromwell said to his men, "Put your trust in the Lord, but keep your powder dry," so let us keep our powder dry, or, in other words, let us keep to ourselves, that which belongs to our Order, and when we have done that the outside world will be at a loss to know even what they do now as to the working of the Order, for as you sow so shall you reap. Again, I would say all hail to the men who voted to keep our Order pure. Well may the B. of L. E., the grandest labor organization in the world, be likened to a broad, beautiful stream of water, carrying upon its bosom the commerce of the world in safety; for as we work together and for our own interests, it will give to each other confidence, and as we gain confidence so will we gain strength, and as we gain strength so will we gain for our selves a position that will command respect; and should trouble come, we can throw to the breezes our banner, inscribed “Come, let us reason together." Yours fraternally, WM. F., 148. DEDICATION AT CHILLICOTHE. Thursday, July 22, was a day ever to be cherished with pleasure by the ladies composing the Ladies' Auxiliary Society of Division 65, Chillicothe, O. It was a still prouder day to our Brothers there, for in recognizing and honoring the invaluable services rendered by the Ladies' Auxiliary they honored themselves. The occasion was the dedication of their new and most beautiful hall. It stands to-day a memento of what loving hearts and hands can do; there is none other in the Brotherhood that excels. At 8 P. M. the beautiful Masonic Opera House was crowded with Chillicothe's most honored citizens. All felt this to be an occasion which they were deeply interested in. Upon the stage was Mayor David Smart, Mr. Albert Douglass, Jr., W. H. Wiggins, Esq., Revs. Galbraith and Wallace, Grand Chief P. M. Arthur, and several of the members of our Brotherhood. The meeting was opened with prayer by the Rev. R. H. Wallace. Mayor Smart, who had been selected as Chairman, then introduced our Grand Chief, Bro. P. M. Arthur, who had consented to be present and assist in the dedication of one of the finest of halls in our Brotherhood. His address was replete with good, sound advice to the Brothers present, and he also gave a complete history of our Organization, the objects, aims, and benevolence of the Brotherhood. After our Grand Chief concluded his able address, Mr. his able address, Mr. Albert Douglass, Jr., was introduced, and spoke as follows: Haring listened with interest to your able and eloquent address, and feeling certain of your deep interest in all that concerns the Brother! cod of which you are Chief, I am sure you will be pleased to hear a word in praise of Division No. 65, and to learn from one outside your ranks the standing of its members in this community. I believe that the very earliest ambition of my boyhood was to sit on the box of a big Concord stage and drive the four-horse team. But it was not long before I transferred my allegiance from the stage driver to the engine driver; and from the stage coach to the cab of a locomotive engine. And I am free to confess that my youthful fondness for the "foot-board" has never left me, and that I still enjoy ride on the machine." I enjoy not only the working of the engine and the rushing speed, but I like to see the earnest, watchful face of the engineer, as with hand on gauge or throttle, he guards the lives of those committed, to his care. a If there is any calling or profession in the world that ought to make a man careful, courageous and self-reliant, it is that of the locomotive engineer. Careful, because life and property are committed to his keeping; courageous, because even after he has taken every precaution in his power, his path is still beset by constant danger; and self-reliant, because he is always conscious that when the moment of sudden danger comes, he has only his own nerve and judgment to rely upon. In other words, their daily work ought to make them manly men. And such I know to be the fact as to the members of Division No. 65, and their brother engineers on the C., W. & B. Road. As a class they are manly fellows, temperate and industrious. They are conservative men and good citizens, and what more or better can be said for them than that? They are respected in the communities where they reside. They are found in the council chamber of this city; on the School Board, and in other places of trust and responsibility. Indeed, sir, if Division No. 65 is a fair sample of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, you may well be proud of the Organization of which you are Chief. And now a word upon the general subject of the organization of labor. Why should not la bor organize itself into brotherhoods or unions Certainly capital is organized on every hand whole power of the capital of the concern is in If one man owns a railroad or a factory, the one hand. If a joint stock company be the owner, the capital becomes organized into a board of directors, a president and a general manager. Now, how can a single employe resist such concentrated power, in case it should happen to become arbitrary and unjust? True, he may quit the service; but this too often means distress or ruin to himself and his family. On the other hand, when these employes have united: have organized themselves into a union or brotherhood, and have chosen a leader or a committee to represent them, then they stand on something like the same footing with organized capital, and are able to resist oppression or to demand justice. So far, the organization of labor is lawful and right. So far, labor unions are beneficial alike to their members and to the State. Beyond this they become dangerous. Whenever labor organizations misuse the power which is the result of organization; whenever they in their turn become unjust and tyrannical towards capital; when they resort to wanton strikes; to interference with others who want to work; to violence in any form, then they become a curse alike to the honest workman and to the State; the tools of lawlessness and of anarchy. The real and essential interests of capital and of labor must ever be identical, and a little patience and forbearance, a little talk and mutual concession, will settle almost every difference. From what I have read, and from what I have heard, sir, this evening, I am led to believe that these are the essential principles of the International Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. That, while you are ready to stand bravely by one another in a righteous cause, you will brook no violence; that you seek to accomplish lawful purposes by lawful arbitration” means; that your watchword is and not "strikes." Such being my belief, I, sir, very heartily wish the Brotherhood, and Division 65, and you, sir, as their able Chief, success and prosperity. Mr. Douglass was followed by Willis H. Wiggins, Esq, who delighted the audience with an address of about thirty minutes duration. Mr. Wiggins is a born orator, and the longer he talks the richer he grows, and the audience was sorry when he finished. It is a delight to hear him talk. His information is broad, and his method of presenting it simple, clear, and admirable. He gave a talk that struck the railroad boys very hard, and they made him feel, by generous applause, that they appreciated him greatly. He told of James Watts' discovery and practical application of steam; of Geo. Stevenson inventing the locomotive and building the first railroad, and of the foolish fears, entertained as late as sixty years ago, that the poison from the locomotive's smoke stack would kill the birds flying through the air; that the engines' noise would keep the cows from grazing and the hens from laying, and that the focomotive would cause the horse to become an extinct animal. He told about Stevenson's declining Sir Robert Peel's offer of knighthood, preferring to remain a loyal Knight of Toil; of the relations of capital and labor and the laws of compensation. "He told how a child of today could confound Plato, Aristotle, Newton the wise heads of a bygone day-by her simple narration of a railroad ride from New York to San Francisco in six days, or how one of the C., W. & B's engineers could make their hair stand on end, like the quills of the fretful porcupine, by taking them into his engine when he pulled her wide open" coming down the summit west of the city. And he told how grateful Division 65 ought to be to the Ladies' Auxiliary Society for furnishing their hall in such elab orate and wonderfully comfortable and pleasant style. After Mr. Wiggins had finished his pleasing address, an adjournment was had from the Opera House to Division 65's new hall, where a revelation awaited all who entered there. You first enter a beautiful ante room richly carpeted with body Brussels, finely lighted, and with walls handsomely pictured; it is but a side issue to the elegance lavished upon the large main assembly hall; the body Brussels carpets, splendid rugs, richly upholstered furniture, heavy walnut tables, elegant high-back chairs for the officers, superb gas fixtures, with colored cut glass globes, beautiful pictures and portraits of members of No. 65, an imposing walnut case for the magnificent banner and beautiful set of regalia, marble top tables, a very nice silver water service, and, in fact, everything comfortable, handsome, and very appropriate, a pleasant greeting to the eye and a rich treasure to the heart. A half hour was very pleasantly spent by a pleased and admiring crowd inspecting the new hall, when, at 10:30, the sound of the gavel stilled the merry peals of laughter and many words of praise and pleasure on all sides. Again, with a proud and happy heart, our Grand Chief, in words pleasing to the occasion, dedicated the new hall to the use of the Order. Scarcely had he finished ere the sweet strains of one of those sweet selections which has made Prof. Hess' superb band so famous fell so tempting upon the evening air. If our Brothers had been made proud in the thought that loving hearts had done so much for them, it was now that the ladies asked for an explanation, and as husband, son and lover offered his arm to his partner for the grand march, words are inadequate to give a thousandth part of the pure pleasure and joy to all. Thus in this little article we give to the entire Brotherhood a sketch of what loving hearts and hands can do. Here is a a beautiful Division room, furnished throughout, that is not only attractive to the eye but pleasing to the heart, and as we close we would say to the ladies of all our sister Divisions, go thou and do likewise, and may you be as fortunate as these ladies have been, and furnish one equal in elegance, and may it cost to our Brothers no more than it did to the members of 65, for it is said not one dollar was paid out of the treasury of Division No. 65 to have a hall equal to any and second to none in this great Brotherhood. UNION MEETING AT TORONTO. HAMILTON, Ont., July 30, '86. MESSRS. EDITORS: Union Meeting of Toronto Division No. 70, like those that have preceded it, is thing of the past. At the request of the committee, whose energies were taxed to the fullest extent, I send you a somewhat imperfect account of the meeting and the good time enjoyed by those having the good fortune to attend it. It was decided by the committee to depart from the usual mode of conducting Union Meetings, dispensing with the public one and devoting all available time to the secret meetings. At 11 A. M., July 28th, the meeting was called to order by Bro. Geo. Mills, C. E. of Division 70, who, in a few well-chosen words, introduced Bro. G. C. P. M. Arthur, who had arrived in Toronto the previous evening from an unexpected call to Evansville, Ind., where he had succeeded in amicably settling some differences. Little business was transacted when the time to adjourn till 2:30 P. M. for dinner, had arrived. On re-assembling, at 2:30 P. M., Bro. G. C. E. gave an extended and interesting account of the numerous settlements that had been made during the past year, in accordance with common sense, reason and justice. He denied most emphatically the newspaper reports crediting him with using language derogatory to working men or their organizations, and spoke in no uncertain terms of the vile motives actuating those who had charged him with doing so. Bro. G. C. E. said that it was a source of much pleasure to him in stating that our Brotherhood had passed a very trying ordeal, from which it emerged with honor and the respect of our employers and the general public. character and standing of our organization. Bro. G. C. having replied, the meeting closed with a pressing invitation from the committee to be at the Younge street dock at 7 A. M. of the 29th, to have the pleasure of an invigorating trip across lake Ontario, on the steamer Chicora. It is needless to say that the invitation was cordially responded to, the splendid steamer being crowded to its fullest capacity. The weather at starting was not promising, having the appearance of being a wet, uncomfortable day. Fortunately, when the shores of our own Dominion had disappeared from view, and when approaching the land of the brave and the free, Old Sol regained the ascendency, proving the adage that dark and cloudy mornings produce bright and cloudless days. The committee had engaged the services of the band of the Royal Grenadiers, and the playing of this celebrated band added to the pleasure of the trip. On arriving at Lewiston, the well-known and oft-described scenery of the Niagara river was apparently enjoyed by all. The calm and placid appearance of the whole river between Lewiston and Queenston is in marked contrast to its turbulent character in the vicinity of the Falls and Rapids. After leaving the boat at Queenston, a tramp of one mile was necessary to enable us to reach the N. Y., C. & H. R. R. Road. During the trip to the Falls we were rewarded with occasional views of the ever-changing char Bro. E. Taylor of Division 189, spoke with his usual terseness and perspicuity. Other Brothers addressed the meeting very acceptably, viz: Bros. Lillit of 132, Lynn of 18, Durdon of 133, Temple of 68, and others. It was decided to hold the next Union Meeting in Canada, at Ottawa, the capital of the Dominion. I take the liberty of suggesting to our Brothers at Ottawa, that the preliminary business of arranging for a Union Meeting is to have a thorough understanding how, where and when passes can be procured for visiting Brothers. This matter is quite as important to the railroad companies as to us. I may go still further, and say that the Union Meetings are of great importance to railroad companies for the reason that many young Brothers at these meetings listen to words of wisdom and prac-acter of the river. On our arrival at the tical advice from Bro. Arthur, which, if lived up to will make them true to their obligations in every respect. Brother Mills was requested to leave the chair, when a unanimous vote of thanks was passed to the Committee of Management and accepted with appropriate remarks by Bros. Mills and Peirson. A unanimous vote of thanks was also passed to Bro. G. C. E. for the dignified manner in which he had sustained the Falls, the very generous provisions that had been made by the Committee for our entertainment at the Niagara house, Prospect house, Western hotel and hotel Atlantic, received due attention, no doubt stimulated by the three hours' ride across old Ontario. A large number of gentlemen filling positions of an official character on railroads, accepted the invitations and ap peared to be enjoying themselves. A ations to make the trip attractive had been made a considerable time in advance, and much interest was taken by the Brethren and their friends in the event. Niagara Falls, the Chicora and band of the Royal Grenadiers were names to conjure with, and the large and number of apologies were read from officials on both sides of the river, regretting their inability to be with us. When the good cheer provided by our respective hosts had received due attention, sight seeing was the order of the day, one of Nature's most majestic works being now accessible to the public without subject-ready response given to its invitation ing them to the systematic swindling vis- showed that the committee could not itors to this wonderful work of Nature have fixed on more popular ones. Prowere subjected to in the past. For this minent among those present were Grand reform we are indebted to the Governor | Chief Arthur and Messrs. J. S. Broughand Legislature of the State of New York | ton, locomotive foreman Northern & and to the suggestions made by the most North-Western Railway; Pickering, lopopular Governor-General Canada ever comotive foreman, York; Storer, locohad. Before all the points of interest motive foreman, Port Hope; J. Kirby, could be visited the time to return had locomotive foreman, Canadian Pacific arrived, the station was reached, the "All Railway, Toronto; John Keyle, mechanaboard" pronounced, and the train on its ical foreman, Parkdale; David Preston, way to the shores of the lake. On em-mechanical superintendent, Ontario Dibarking, the Chicora, by the peculiar mo- vision, Canadian Pacific Railway; Thos. tion, made it apparent that old Ontario | Little, foreman painter, Northern & was not in its most amiable mood, caus- North-Western Railways; Ald. Piper and ing a large amount of compulsory trouble Mr. Geo. Hastings, treasurer-secretary, more forcible than pleasant. A vote of of the Zoo; Toronto Division 70 was repthanks for their civility was passed to the resented by, among others, Messrs. Robt. officers and crew of the Chicora. The Pearson, chairman of the Committee of dock was reached about 9 P. M. The ex- Arrangements; Geo. Mills, treasurer; J. cursionists retired to their respective Cunerty, secretary, and the members of homes with pleasant recollections of the the committee. good time they had. Thus ended the most successful and extensive Union Meeting that yours fraternally ever had the pleasure of attending. E. TINSLEY. SECOND DAY— EXCURSION TO NIAGARA The party generally gave a good representation of the fine physique and genial manner of the Knights of the Locomotive, on whom the safety of life and property so much depends, gathered together from points widely apart on the American continent. At starting the weather threatened to mar the pleasure of the day; rain fell in straggling, broken showers and the sky was deeply overcast, but as the bay was left behind a breeze gradually sprang up which cleared the The visiting delegates to the grand horizon and sky; and in a short time a Union Meeting of the Brotherhood of flood of sunshine dispelled the moist Locomotive Engineers were accorded a clouds and the last vestige of the morncomplimentary excursion to Niagara ing's forebodings. The trip by water was Fails through the courtesy of the Toron- thoroughly enjoyed. The numerous to Division, No. 70. Elaborate prepar-strangers examined the appointments, We clip the following report of the second day's pleasure of the great Union Meeting held at Toronto, July 28th and 29th, from the Toronto Globe: |
