The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-03-18
THE REMEDY.
emergency

view at Jacksonville, Florida, published in
yesterdays STATESMAN, be true, the solu-
ton of the question as to the price paid
railroad men on certain railroads is very
easy, and can be settled without the resort
to strike. Mr. Gould said:
"The present strike originated in the
discharge of an employe named Hall, on
the Texas Pacific, which road is in the
hands of the United States court. We
have no more right to attempt to control
the working of that system than the work
ingmen themselves, and would be as com
pletely incompetent to do so as any
outsider"
IT, we say, it be true that no one, not
even the receivers of railroads under the
control of the United States courts, has
the power to increase or reduce the wages
of railroad operatives, then, as far as
that class of railroads are concerned,
there is no necessity, under any circum-
ing of this declaration of Mr. Gould, we
regarded 1t as mere pretext, but upon
further consideration we are convinced
that Mr.. Gould is right. This change of
opinion is confirmed by the endorsement
of Mr.. Gould's position by some of our
best legal minds.
The Houston & Texas Central, the Tex
as j. Pacific, and Houston, East and West
Texas railroads, are all under control of
the United States district court, and ex-
Governor Brown, or Mr.. Dillingham;, or
any other receiver, has no more right to
increase or reduce wages, except by the
consent of that court, than any private
citizen. If they did increase the wages of
any employe of their respective roads
they would be personally responsible un-
der their bonds for all excess above the
price for which the labor had been per-
formed previous to the increase.
If, however, the labOrers on any such
roads, thought they were getting too little
pay, and while they were still in the en-
ployment of the road or rather the court,
for every laborer on that class of roads
is under the employment of the United
States district court, they could very
easily exercise the right to petition the
court to increase their wages They could
have this right as long as they were in the
employment of road or court, but the
very moment they quit work and ceased
to be employees that right would cease.
SO it will be seen that a strike on any
such railroads would wholly deprive the
strikers of all remedy. They could
not after this even petition the
court for redress, because they would have
no standing in court as employees with
grievance. If they were not in the EN-
ployment of the road, they would GER
tainly have no right to complain of its
treatment of them.
This ought to be clear to every rail
road employee. The remedy is not
strike, because a strike destroys all ground
of action, but the remedy in direct APP
peal to the court while they are in its en-
ployment, is certain and hopeful,
If the employees of any of these roads
consider their wages too low, their pol
icy should be to petition the court to in
crease their wages.
They cannot accuse the court of being a
soulless corporation which will give them
no relief. The court has no reason or oh.
iect in grinding down the men to starva-
ton wages. The court has no
interest in anything connected
with the dividends of the road.
The only object of the court is to dis
charge its trust honorably to the stock
holders, but with all fairness to the en-
ployes of the roads.
The appeal of the workmen would go to
the very best and safest arbitrament that
could possibly be selected by the railroad
operatives. If such a petition were pre-
sented, it would be considered by the court
fairly and impartially, the present prices
of labor in other occupations would be as
certained, and the additional dangers to
railroad hands would be considered, and
a fair price by such comparison be fixed
by the court.
There is no remedy for those who have
already struck; there can be no compro-
mise with them, for no one is empowered
to do So and the roads being in
the hands of the United States
courts, they are virtually, so far
as their legal status is concerned, just as
much, for the time, the property of the
United States as the military forts and
posts in Texas, and they will be protected
with all the force of the United States,
Just as much as an invasion of the posts
would be defended. 1t is, then, worse
than folly-it is madness the strikers
to attempt to interfere with this property,
or trespass upon its grounds. The
strikers have lost all remedy. There is,
however, remedy for railroad men on
all such roads who are still at work upon
/ them, and that, peaceful legal, and GER