Wichita eagle., 1888-03-13
TWO GOVERNORS.
The Governors Of Kansas and Nebraska
Favor Board of Arbitration.

TOPEKA. March 12.-Goverdor Martin said
today in reply to request by an Associated
Press reporter for his views ON the letter
of Governor Larrabee, of Iowa, to Presi
dent Perkins, of the Burlington road, that
he had not seen the letter. He understood
however, that it advised arbitration, and
if this was its purport he heartily ap
proved it. Governor Martin said that in
state and national, were necessary to adjust
the relations between corporations and
their employees. In all controversies between
railroad companies and their employees,
both parties seemed to forget that there
was third party, viz, the public, that had
larger and more vital interests in the I'M
interrupted operation of the railways that
had either the owners or managers of the
roads, on the one hand, or the train hands
on the other
Continuing, Governor Martin said: All
the commercial and industrial pursuits OF
the people have been adjusted to the carry
ing trade of the railways Block the wheels
of the railways of Kansas for one week
and nine-tenths of all the mills and factor
les of the state would be compelled to
close. Block them for three weeks and
in Kansas would be paralyzed. There are
1,650,000 people in Kansas. Twenty thou
sand Of them are employed by the rail
ways or interested in railways. Yet the
property, the business, the daily life and
work of all these people depends very
largely on the uninterrupted running
of the railway trains. This is the
party-the people of Kansas-whose in
terests are paramount in Importance and
must be first considered. Hence, / say
that in all disputes between railway corpo-
rations and their employees the railways
being common carriers and their employees,
in one sense, as much public servants as
are state officers, arbitration should
be compulsory. l believe the
Iowa railroad commissioners are
right in demanding that compel
ent engineers should be employed by the
railways. In fact, national and state
laws should be enacted requiring loco
motive engineer to be examined by a COM
petent commission and licensed. Steam
boat engineers have to be examined touch
ing their skill and capacity and are Ii
censed. Why not locomotive engineers?
Their duties are certainly as important as
are those of steamboat engineers.
GOVERNOR THAYER'S VIEWS.
LINCOLN, Neb., March Ex-Governor
Press reporter today, regarding the action
of the Iowa railroad commission investiga-
ton of the competency of the engineers of
the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy rail
road, said: II think that no
man who is not thoroughly COM
petent should be allowed to run
an engine. The Iowa railway commission,
or the railway commission of any other
state, is justified in Investigating the COM
potency Of those who are performing this
class of work. No measure should be
neglected which will conduce to the Sc
curity and safety Of the travelling public.
| am in favor of arbitration for
these railroad difficulties and the
plan is not at all new one to me. In my
inaugural message over year ago used
these words: 1.-THE most practical plan in
my Judgment for the adjustment of these
labor difficulties is by the esta blishment Of
a board of arbitration"