The New York herald., 1877-03-22
RAILROADS AND RAILROAD EMPLOYEES


THE STRIKING ENGINEERS OF THE BOSTON AND
MAINE pEFEATED-sHALL REFUSAL TO WORK
DY RAILROAD employees BE REGARDED AS A
cRIME?-INTEREsrING LEGISLATION PENDING
IN MASSACHUSETTS,.
BosroS, March q, 1871
The striking en- zneers Of the Boston and Maine Rail-
have .thrown up the SPONGE and the managers
of the road at length masters OF tho situation ~
is the first instance In which the Brotherhood OF Loco
motive Engineers have been defeated IN attempting to
dictate terms employing railroad companies, and,
since they have been successfully resisted the rail-
road companies have In initiated movement for
the forming of combination, the ultimate purpose OF
which Is
THE BREAKING UP OF TIE ENGINEERS BRorHERHoop
A meeting of the superintendcnts of the New Eng
land roads held in this city few days since at
which the proposition favoraby entertained, and
there will shortly be a second convention, when the
organization will perfected. While the Boston and
Name Railroad has victory In tho contest IT has
suffered to an extent impossible TO calculate on ac-
count of delays and withdrawal of patronage by the
public, the majority of whom arc in sympathy with
the Engineers The railroad corporations are antcipa
ting substantial assistance through Legislation in
the Statcs which shall make the
abandonment OF trains by employees criminal
offence, and a bill OF that kind has already been re-
ported in the Massachusetts, Legislature II seems,
however that the bill did not have the full sympathy
OF the Committee Railroads. for to-day there has
been minority report submitted by Representatives
Osgood OF Salem and Hawkes. OF Lynn. These gentle
men entirely from the severe legislation which
colleagues recommend and as their views arc of
GREAT INTEREST TO RAILROAD EMPLoYEs
l append full abstract After aluding briefly to the
Boston and Maine strike, the minority members Of The
Committee Inconvenience
lurics suffered by travellers many Instances quito
serious, and such abandonment cannot be justified
whatever may DO the merits OF the dispute between
the corporation aud its employees 10 what extent the
Legislature, however IL justified IN interfering oy
penal statute between employer and empoyc, IN
the interest OF tho public. Is question OF great del
icacy, and one which requires very careful considera
ton The cxigency should bo very great, the public
necessity very pressing that would justify the passage
OF law deprving the empoyc oil that personal
liberty which form OF government guarantees TO
ali The greatest inconvenience suffered by travellers
in the recent strikes on the Boston and Manc and
Grand Trunk railroads account OF the abandon
ment OF trains ut points short OF their regular schedule
destination. 1t seems to the minority that this Is an
offence which calls Tor the imposition OF severe PEN
aties committed alone or in pursuance OF an
agreement with others. lts an act which may cndan-
ger the health and possibly the life and limb, OF the
traveller; but they cannot agree that II should be
made a criminal offence for an engineer to resign bis
Office and refuse to start with the train from It's first
point of departure, If his resignation be In fur
therance OF dispute between the railroad corpo-
ration and Its employees Such an Interior.
enSe with the personal a1is rg@'s ,or or Sv empoyo
perience of the recent strife; nor Is 1t
suggested In the report OF the railroad commissioners
who recommend, in concluding their report the pas
sage penal statute TO cover tho offence OF 'the
Abandonment by locomotive engineers OF their loco
motives upon railroads IN furtherancc OF any combina
for strike, except at the regular schedule destina.
ton OF such locomotives
BY the bill OF tho majority II twoengineers having
dispute with the railroad corporation resign their
office and refuse to start out their trains they are liable
to imprisonment no matter VIVA. tno merits n, OF rhe
corporation may discharge the engineers ut the end OF
their days work If they hired by the day, is the
with most engineers, aud there Is no remedy;
but If the engineers discharge themselves or
resign their Office they are still liable
case there Is no public exigcncy be met, for tho
resignation OF two, many times two, engineers on
The great railroads the would not seriously
affect the running of the trains II may be answered
that it would be extremely difficult TO convict
under those circumstances, but II seems to
the minority OF tho committee that no law
tion possible II tho bill OF the majority Will
from the bill offered by the minority which provides
CLEARLY that II engineer before the time liked
within the limits OF the State he shall not DO liable
which otherwise holds him 10 strict account
THE LEGISLATURE A RIGHT TO INrERFEkKY
1t may argued that the bill oi the minority would
not prevent ''srike," but only regulate II. Grant
that it so, tor the sake OF The argument "striRc"
is the abandonment OF their employment by body
OF employees In consequence OF some dispute between
them and their employer What right has the Legs
laturo to interfere except SO far as II Is neces-
sary to protect the publics While 1t is the
undoubted right OF employees to leave their employ.
" Is equally the right OF those employees who
ohVo remain, or OF any others who ny the places
OF those leaving, to be protected against violence
or inflammation, aud any attempt IN that direction
fhould be severely punished.
The minority OF the committee, therefore, while
fully recognizing the fact that tho public right in rea-
tion to railroad corporation Is different from that in
relation TO any private corporation, believe that they
sufficiently protect the public interest when they make
IL criminal offence
First-For any railroad employ6 to abandon loco
motive train OF between tho point OF first de-
parture and the point OF final destnation IN violation
Of the rules and regulations OF the railroad corpora
tion refuse, between such points, to aid in NOV
ing any or tram OF cars which such rules and
regulations require him 10 move.
Sec0nd-For any person TO obsruct or injurc u
locomotive render IN unfit for immediate use or to
abstract thcrerom any tools or appliances with
view of delaying ana numbering the passage of trains
7hrd-For any person TO uae violence toward an
employe, In any manner interfere with him while ia
the performance Of his duty
Tho minority OF the committee, In submitting the
foregoing report also present bill covering the three
points specified. and providing penalties heavy fines
aud Imprisonment.