Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-03-12

| same time no imagination or pen couiC
depict the calamity, suffering, confusion
and chaos that must follow. When only
one Of the great systems, like the Chicago
| Burlington and Quincy, is involved, /,
vast section of country and vast populs
ton suffer irreparaele loss and in
convenience. The people along these
| lines Of roads sufer vastly more than
the owners Of the roads or the strikers
The strikers are psid for their lost tins
out OF the treasures OF the Brotherhood
Of Engineers S1d Firemen. The rsilroaG
companies csR and will, no doubt, recour
their Losses by some means in the future
The freight delayed will still have NO be
carried and paid for; 1t 10 only auspen.
sion OF the regular stream CT revenue
that flows to the Golfers Of the company
the dam will only detsln the We
ter-it will rush in 8 food when
the dam breaks. But not so with the
people. Their losses by the suspension
OF business, trade and travel cannot be
reCOuped, and will never be comper-
sa.ed for. The miiliol7 they lose is a
total loss. L. Is water spilled upon the
ground tbs: cannot be gathered up. Well,
have the people no remedy? Must they
stand idly by and witness such fight as
they are now witnessing with no power
to help themselves? Mast they continue
to pay the fiddler for dance OF death to
themselves, whenever the railroads or
their employees see III to start the enter
tAinmeu?
L. is time this question had full and
final answer. II the answer be G1tirma-
tive then the quicker the general govern
ment takes possession ard runs the rail
roads in the interests Of the people the
better. But the answer will not be az
firmstiVe. l. will be that the people need
not indulge IN this sort of tragedy any
longer thSn they see H.. The sovereign
power of each state or OF the United
States, has full and complete jurisdiction
of the whole question. Railroads exist,
were created, live, move and have their
being by virtue Of the light of eminent
domain, which CSn only be eX-
erciSed by the sovereign power OF the
people, and by the sovereign power oGIy
when the rublic good require 1t TO be ex-
ercised. Il Is oyly On thia theory thst
the right Of way Csn be FIST secured
that is, private property taken for public
useE-or q railroad created. The prin-
cjple applies in the regulation of railroads
as the public good may demand. The
power that can create can regulate
The Supreme court OF tina United States
has laid down this principle in several
leading cases as applicable TO the control
OF railroads. The state legislatures have
power to make any regulation for the
government of railroad corpora ions that
the public good may demand. II is only
4 oh,
this power be exercised. The first rights
OF the corporations, mortgages, stock
holders, employees and people should al
ways be considered and projected in sny
and all legislation that may be hsd. The
workingmen of all trades have right TO
organize for protection, and so have esp
italists to build and run railroads. But
there is no gsinsSying the principle that
the people have primary and paramount
interests and rights in the premises
as well as power over this whole matter,
and that the remedy for strikes is clear
and plain as well as certain, and entirely
in the hands of the people who are chief7
interested. Let the Legislatures pass
uniform acts establishing boards or
courts Of arbitration to which al dis
pures between railroads corporations and
their employees shall be referred for final
adjustment, and let both parties abide by
the decisions of such arbitrator, ard let
sdequate penalties be fixed sgainst con-
spiracies and combinations to inter-
rupt the regular business Of the roads or
to obstruct trsde and commerce
by the roads or their employees. This
Is not q new or original suggestion,
but sn old one that has been well consld-
cred by those who have given the sub
ject thought. It would do no injustice
to the railroads or their Iemployes, but
benefit both oRd save both from great
losses, and the people would be secured
sgaipst these periodical suspensions OF
business by which they incur incSlcu!sole
losses. Some kind Of stop must be po!
to the preparation Of such public folly
and calamity. What better remedy can be
suggested thsn 5 court Of arbitration with
full powers to do equity in the premises!
The sooner this remedy shall be applied
the better for all concerned.