Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-03-11
THE A. T. 81 S. F. AND THE STRIKE.

THE A. T. g. S. F. AND THE STRIKE.
IL was feared from the very first mo-
ment that the engineers struck on the
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy road
that the Santa Fe would become involved
in the difficulty. These two roads have
for a long time held close relations. The
great traffic of the Santa Fe road from
the west has been very largely carried
east over the G.. B. & Q. road. 1t was,
therefore to be expected, or at least
feared, that these roads would both be-
come involved in the difficulty, and it
now seems that the engineers on the
Santa Fe are taking steps to prevent the
management of that road from aiding
the %" road in any manner. A con-
ference has been held by the engineers
of the Santa Fee roads in Topeka. Mr.
Conroe, of Nickerson, who was chairman
Of the committee. gives his version Of
the situation to the Capital about as fol-
lows:
The engineers have been misrepre-
sented. and an effort has been made to
prejudice the people Of the country
against the engineers. l am confident
that any fair minded man who under
stands the situation correctly, and who
is acquainted with the differences now
existing between the c.. B. & 9. and its
engineers. will at once declare that
the strikers ask nothing but what is
right. They demand only what is accord
ed to engineers by almost every railroad
in the country. Before the strike was
ordered on the engineers asked the Chi
cago, Burlington 81 Quincy to arbitrate
the matter, but they declined to do it.
Then the only thing they could do was to
strike. and | am confident they will win.
The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy
claims that they are now moving their
cars the same as before the strike: this is
not true; they are moving few empty
box cars, but the fact is. they have COM
pletely failed in their efforts to operate
without the brotherhood
Mr.. Conroe does not say that the engi-
neers on his road will strike, but it is evil
dent that the brotherhood intend to make
the Santa Fe people keep hands off.
Il cannot say anything more than
that the engineers on the Santa Fe will
refuse TO handle any % business, and if
anything more will be decided upon by
us, it will not be made public until to-
morrow at the earliest. | want you to
understand that this committee does not
order on strike. We simply discuss
the matter. and if the engineers decide
to strike they do SO with their own ac-
cord. There is nothing imperative in
the matter.
This talk that a railroad is compelled
to carry freight from the c., B. & G. or
suffer a heavy penalty for violation of
the interstate commerce law is all boSh.
If the railroad cannot move the freight,
and it certainly cannot if all its engines
are tied up, then it has a very good ex-
cuse. The Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers have consulted an eminent
Chicago attorney on this question, and
have assured themselves that there is
nothing in this talk about violation of
The real issue is not between the en-
gineers and the roads. As we showed a
couple days ago, these railroads owe
service to the community. The engin-
GERS, forewarned, may store up supplies
of fuel and provisions to last them
couple of months and quietly sit down
for that period of time with the avowed
object of starving the railroads TO
terms. The roads NAV conclude to not
turn wheel in that time rather than
submit. But there is very important
question back of all this: what are the
community going to do while this star
walton process is going on: What is
going to become of the fellows who have
not been notified of the strike and are
out of fuel and other supplies? They
are not III condition to sit
down quietly and wait Now if the in /
dividualS who operate these roads were /
the absolute owners OF the roads. there /
would be no alternative but to let these !
roads and their employees fight it out on !
their own line. But the facts are the |
community have rights and interests in /
these roads that must be respected.
The state or nation does not in the ex- /
ercise of its right of way over private
property for individual use. The very |
fact that these railroads are granted bv /
law the right To construct their lines /
over private property renders them sub /
ject TO control by the community or |
state. These rights of way are then /
taken for the use of the public for GER
tain purpose. That purpose is cooperate
railroads FOR the benefit of the public.
Ii is the right OF the public to see that
they are so operated. 1t Will be well for
the railroads and their engineers if they
adj just their own difficulties without seri-
Gus harm 10 the pubic. If the public