The Biographical Dictionary of America/Arthur, Peter M.

ARTHUR, Peter M., labor leader, was born in Scotland, about 1831. He came to America when a lad, and learned the blacksmith's and machinist's trades. He served his entire apprenticeship on the New York Central railroad and was one of the prime movers in the organization of the brotherhood of locomotive engineers in 1863. He was elected grand chief and engineer of the organization in 1876. The brotherhood has for its motto: "Sobriety, Truth, Justice and Morality," and its policy is to oppose strikes. It had in 1895 upward of thirty thousand members and four hundred and eighty-five subdivisions, embracing every railroad in the United States and Canada. A Canadian journal published this estimate of Mr. Arthur: "Among the labor leaders, Mr. Arthur, of Cleveland, Ohio, is pre-eminent on account of his moderation, sagacity, and enlightened public spirit. He does not admit any essential hostility between labor and capital, but advises arbitration when industrial differences arise, and he advocates peace and harmony between competing interests. His friends claim that the exception of the Burlington strike can be easily explained. The men were eager for the strike, but Mr. Arthur withheld his consent until he had done all in his power to remove the cause. After the strike ended he declared that he would never give sanction to another." He made a considerable fortune from real-estate investment, and as chief of the brotherhood had a salary of $5000. He died in Winnipeg, Manitoba, July 16, 1903.