Our system of adjusting grievances is by arbitration, believing this is the only sure method of preserving harmony between employer and employe. If at any time we feel aggrieved, we make a statement of our grievance and place it in the hands of the Grievance Committee of the local Lodge. The chairman of this committee, through its secretary, calls the committee together, and examines into the merits of the grievance, and if considered just, the committee so reports to the Lodge with proper recommendations, and if the Lodge considers the grievance worthy of action, it orders the committee to proceed to adjust the matter. The committee then calls on the Master Mechanic and Superintendent, and in a gentlemanly manner lay the grievance before them, and if possible arrive at a satisfactory settlement. If the Master Mechanic and Superintendent have not the power, or show no disposition to treat with the committee, they go to the General Manager, from him to the President, and so on until all means have been exhausted to secure an adjustment. If they fail, they then send for their chief executive, and on his arrival, he, in conjunction with the committee, again uses all means within reason to effect a settlement. Failing again, it then lies in the power of the Grand Master to order the men to quit work, or, in more plain terms, to strike. Now, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen have been in existence nearly thirteen years, and during that time we have not been involved in a single strike. We believe that the conservative stand that has always been taken, and the intelligence of the men that have been our leaders and committees have been the means of making this record. It has been said that firemen would never be recognized by railway officials in the adjustment of wages or the settlement of grievances. I desire to dispel any such opinion from the minds of all. During the last year we have had a large number of our committees wait on Presidents and General Managers, and in every instance they were cordially treated and received a satisfactory advance of pay, and the result is that firemen are looked upon by officials as men capable of reasoning, that they are qualified to go before a President or General Manager and discuss questions relative to their vocation better than men that are not following the same occupation, even though they ride upon the same engine.