The Wilmingtonian., 1886-02-20
The p. IS. II. Relief.

OF modern progress and civilization.
-
The Il. R. IL. Relief.
Taking general, comprehensive view Of
the Pennsylvania Railroad Relief idea, look
ing not alone at the actual wording Of the
regulations but taking into account the pro-
bable and possible results and causes of their
enactment, it cannot but strike any fair and
candid mind that it is intrirsically one
sided compact. The employees, it is undenia-
Bile are bound hand and foot and are COM
pletely deprived of independent action in
business and political connections.
Will anyone dare to deny that the whole
nature of this Relief project is possible Of
the most enslaving power over those whom
it has bound by its infamous application
for membership in the Relief Fund, - ofregu-
lation No. 2s, and its following agreement !!
These employees of the Pennsylvania Road
are no longer freemen, freemen only to give
up their jobs aud let their families starve
And that is the only alternative left amy man
imbucd with Anne, lean ideas of manhood
Is it doubted but taat this power over their
employees, which has been gained by such
methods is not possible of the grossest abuse
by the higher officers of the company when
the accident Of their needs is realized stimuli
taneously with what might be attained by a
solid aggregation of over thousand votes
at any juncture Does anyone dare deny or
claim that any corporation or plwer ever
whatever way their interests directed !!
These 1900 employees are merely machines.
To fail to follow the interests Of the COM
pany whether right or wrong, is equivalent
to discharge, For the various regulations
of the Relief Association are concocted with
such multiplicity of Ingenuity, that there
| would not be the slightest difficulty in read
lily trumping up what, under these regGla-
tions, could be called ''cause'' for dismissal
of an obnoxious employe. And there will
be no satisfaction given. The code which
] they have signed is the sword that can slay
them at any moment. Are men held in such
terror frecmen Suppose the Pennsylvania
Road desired some local franchise OF right
of way IN this city or some other privilege
inimical or at least, not to the best interests
of the City Of Wilmington but plainly to
the greater a6va ntage of of The Pennsylvania
| Corporation, is it to be supposed that the
officers Of the company wonld tolerate any
thing but the most abjcct obedience to their
wishes from the 1900 votes of these depen-
dents of theirs, Undoubtedly the greater
the alacrity shown by the men in voting
against the interests of their fellow citizens
and in favor Of this Railroad corporation
would be looked npon with favor and any
refusal be recorded against the employees.
Again the possibility of enormous accum.
ulations of money in the course of decade.
easily possible under forfeiture in the action
OF the harsh relief project of the P, r. r Co.,
through the fact of the immense monetary
aggregate of the annual subscriptions y o.
10000 employees, is fact that should always
be kept in view. In ten years it has an easy
possibility of ranging very high into the
millions. And all this money reverts to the
use of the Pennsylvania Road. A very nice
plum, it would seem, and how very simply
acqnhed It would afford an aggregate o.
millions in cash were but 10000 employees
discharged, from the various multiplicity ol
causes possible under the regulations, dur
ing the first decade of the existence of the
Relief Association. What smart project il
s, when fully comprehended of creating an
immense fund for the miscellaneous needs
of the P. r. r. Co.. and pickings fol
its officers. For it must be remembered the
Pennsylvania Company is to be treasurer
and guardian Of these funds.
An employees policy becomes more valu-
able the longer he stays with the company
on account of the greatly accumulated sub
scriptions he has paid in AS the years draw
on, say at the end of ten years. what temp,
tatiou to ON able iinancer of large corpora.
tion, who wishes by some brilliant fnaucia
stroke to coin thousands Of dollars, simply
to give the hint that such and such men b.
closely watched for laxuess Of duty in orde
that dismissal may be trumped up. Eacl
successful dismissal means $500 or s., ,0OI
into the compauy's Golfers. L. would b,
easy in the course Of few years by secre
star chamber action, by system of espion
age to accomplish the discharge Thousand
of men--thaL means millions into the Golfer
of the company: What golden temptation
Is it quite in the power of the p. r. r. Co.
t through the regulations of the Relief idea
, 1t is not too great power to place in thei
: hands?