The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1891-03-10
An Enthusiastic Assembly of
Railway Employees at Har-
nome Hall Last Night.
Ringing Resolutions Adopted
Which Will be Presented
to The Missouri
Legislature.

getting an expression OF opinion In
reference to legislation at Jefferson
City this session looking toward the
interests of railway employees.
The meeting was called to order by
j. 81. Hope, who stated briefly what
the railway men we're there for. j.
L. Parish was then elected chairman
and E. 81. Heaton, secretary.
v. p. Hart, who is quite fine and
forcible speaker, addressed the large
audience at considerable length. He
stated that similar meetings to this
one have been held in various parts
of the state for the purpose of draft
ing resolutions and taking other steps
which will secure to the railway en-
ployes of Missouri better protection
in their rights by bills which are now
pending in the Thirty-sixth Gen.
eral Assembly. The conductors
and engineers associations have
organized committee which
has been at Jefferson City this
winter to look after this legislation.
Several bills have been formulated
and placed in the hands of Represen-
tatIves Dick Dalton, of Rails county,
and Fogle, of Schuyler county. These
bills are being ably championed by
these gentlemen and especially by
Mr.. Dalton. In the house they may
succeed, but in the senate they
will meet with bitter oppo,
sition. Mr.. Hart thought
that, but for the agitation of the capt.
tai removal question sprung upon the
legislature this winter, these measures
would certainly have passed ere this.
Mr.. Hart stated that Missouri had
the poorest laws of almost any state in
the union for the protection of rail-
way employees in their rights, and this
is the first time any organized effort
of this kind has been made In
Missouri to have them bettered.
He cited the Farmers Alliance as an
instance of what faithful, intelligent
and compact organization can do.
Why ran not the railway employees Of
this state band together and secure
their rights in the same manner.
They have as much intelligence as
the farmer and can muster at least
$4,000 men in Missouri. There
are many members of the present
legislature who NAV be aspiring
for higher political preferment and
who cannot afford to ignore the just
demands and requests of an organized
railway body.
"We may not accomplish much this
session" said Mr.. Hart, "but if we
succeed in getting through only one
of the bills named below, a good work
will have been accomplished. Some
time within the next twelve months q
convention of railway employees will
be called for the purpose of
taking further action toward
desired legislation in our behalf and
its power is sure to be felt within the
next TIVE years.
Organization was urged by the
speaker. Let the different kinds of
railway employees get together, no
matter how small their numbers may
be, and let them discuss and duly con-
slider the work we propose to do. Sc
dalia, which is the third railway GEN.
ter in Missouri, should not lag behind,
but should be the leader in the move
ment.
Secretary Heaton read the follow
ing bills, in which the railroad en-
ployes are interested:
An act to prevent blacklisting.
An act 10 prevent conductors and others
from false statements of private detect
ives.
An act to insert the word compel" in
stead of the word 'event" in section 1888,
chapter 4, article OF the revised statutes.
An act to amend article 3 Of chapter AZ
of revised statutes, 1889, for the protection
and safety of public travel on railroads
and prescribing penalties Tor violation.
An art defining the liabilities of cofpor-
atoms for injuries to employees caused by
negligence of fellow-seryants or the neglI-
gence of the employers in other respects.
Messrs. Hart, Hope and Alcorn
were appointed a committee on reso.
lutions and they submitted the fol-
lowing as the sentiment of the meet
ing
Whereas, We realize the urgent need of
a change in many of our existing laws by
which our interests are affected, and also
the necessity of new laws for our better
protection,
Whereas, 1t is apparent that all legisla-
ton heretofore enacted by which we or
our interests have been affected, has been
secured at the solicitation of those antago-
nistic to our intererest-therefore,b be it
Resolved, That we hereby present this,
our most urgent and earnest appeal and
solicitation to the honorable senators and
representatives of the state of Missouri,
praying them and each OF them to use and