National Republican., 1888-03-10
The Engineers and the Railroads.


The existing strife between the lJcl.
motive engineers aud the Burlington raj
way managers is the result Of illogii and
want Oi sound Judgment nu the part uf the
company. The engineers act In union ~
Gla'e aud repeal certain rules established
by the railroad company def Mug the rela
tioLs, grades of service, and the amonn' NJ
ray to the engineers which the cunpa y
desires 60 cuntihue.
These rules were adopted, arbitrarily, by
tie company, without consulting with, or
office to, those affected by them. The en-
ployee are, therefore, under all methods ot
administering justice, neither legally or
morally bound by them. The engineers
follow common pursuit. and Tor that rea-
son are naturally interested In each otncr'"
welfare. They have formed society de-
signed to unity their influence In the AL
vancement aud protection Of each other.
In this they but initiate the can.
duet Of the railroad companies wbeu
they agree among themselves upon rates
and charges for TRANSPORTATION which the
shipper must accept II he does Business
with them. The employees appealed to the
company In this case to molifv the rules
complained Of. The company, dogm NJ.
cslly assuming that such request of tn"
rrgin,ers was In some way an Invasion o'
the rights Of the company to manage us
tusiLtss 10 It's own way, refused the re-.
quest, or even to confer with the Brother.
| oUd on the subject. The men proree lei
TO use their influence rs a unit to sust lin
their request The equity Of the issue
raised is with the engineers, There Is, an'l
can he, no tribunal invested with legal aud
| totrcive jurisdiction To settle controversies
| uch as this. The forum Of common sense
and common humanity Is the only one
wherein au adjustment OF such differences
| can be reached.
There is no doubt that workingmen have
a right, by legitimate aud orderly means, to
| better their condition and to enlarge their
| own and their families happlness. Aneri-
can society is as deeply interested in the
! growth and happiness OF men as II Is In
| tie prosperity Of railroads. 1t is interested
( against loss to the general puolic, resulting
| from senseless, acrimonious contests, su n
! as this is. The men who opesite rail
roads are deserving Of the highest con
ideIce and sympathy Of the public. Tneil
fidelity and proficiency is the priucipi
guarantee that the public mold against los
and personal injury while travelling.
The value OF railroad property depends
largely upon the skill, efficiency, and cou
tentment OF its operatives. When a com
pany suffers this element Of Its value Il
become irrItated and discontented unde
lrovocation by the company itself It's NJ an
agemtnt Is imbecile, and is in fact maxine
war upon itself The owners OF railroad
must learn to deal with employees on term
Of equality. They constitute the equip
ment Of the roads, and are the part Of thes
great commercial instrumentalities closes
to the sympathies of the people of thi
country. The roads which have the high
est favor OF their employees will thrive best
ard const quently will be the most valu
able. The secret Of railroad success Il
this country consists in Just and hu
name treatment of the operatives
Freight and travel viii pou
over those lines having the mos
satisfactory, sccordant, and permanent
peaceful relations with their employees
Such condition will beget confidence o
the part Of the public and increase
efficiency on the part OF the men. Let tn
Burlington system discard its petty supei
iciliousness and compose this senseless cor
ilici on It's part.
II the Burlington succeed II will be at
ptcuniary cost largely 10 excess OF tn
amount in dispute, and, iu addition thereto
VIII he added the uudetlued cost to tn
~,,,til. a - -s"i'""y "
sultir from deep sense OF wrong on tn
paIt Of the labor element OF the couutr,
whose good will the railroad ought t
| have