St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-08
A RAILWAY PHANTOM!
That Is About What the Rail-
way Employees Club Seems
to Be.
Used Only at Election Times
or When the Legislature
Comes.
A Distinguished Guest in the
Person Of O'Co nnor, the
Irish Leader.
Yesterdays Interesting Pro-
ceedings in the State and
Other Courts.

The present session of the legislature
is causing, as is usual at such times, a
renewed activity among the three rail
way employees who ordinarily constitute
the entire membership Of the Railway
Employees association. The association,
to do it justice, displayed considerable
activity previous to the last election,
when anonymous circulars were sent to
candidates Tor legislative offices, urging
THAT the prosperity of the country has
been and is now enormously promoted
by the capital invested in railways"
and gently insinuating that the powers
of the railroad commission should be
abridged.
These circulars had but little effect.
Incidentally, an inquiry brought out the
fact that 4 number of those who received
them regard the Railroad Employees
club as one of the most ingenious
schemes the railway companies have
yet tried upon unSuSpecting legislators.
But the fertility of the imagination of
those interested is ineXhaustible. Re-
Gently, iD various railroad shops. there
have been posted in CONSPICUOUS places
to join the Railway Employees associa-
ton and sign and circulate petitions in
behalf of legislation friendly to rail-
roads. 1t is true that no coercion is used,
but refusal to become enthuSed In the
work is generally followed by long
lay-Otf or dismissal from service. The
association also has an organizer, who
at this time is very active. although Ow-
ing to his anttcedentS his work is not
remarkably successful. 1t is claimed
by those interested that he is an eX
PEELED member from the Switchmen'S
brotherhood, and consequently not in
high standing among his fellows, and
that he is only retained in service by
the company Oh account OF his willing
ness and aptitude for organizing these
associations. There are also OCher
means adopted to carry on this move
ment to use the poor Worklngman to
scare the members of the legislature.
Far less antagonism is now shown by
high railway officials to bona tide labor
unions than formerly. A peculiar fact
is frequently noticed. namely, that those
railroad employees who are members of
the various actual unions remain such
under greatest secrecy, as it is strange
coincidence that they are first to be dis
charged in dull times or, in fact. for
any other alleged cause. On the con-
trary, those of the employees who, on
account of fear of losing their employ
ment or because of their affection for
corporations employing them, become
active in the Railway Employees club,
are Immediately shown mucn consider
alton. This is intended as a
stimulus to others to join. Such
proceedings are looked upon by
thoughtful mechanics with considerable
distrust and with the fear before them
of losing their Jobs it is not to be Won
dered at that they sign legislative petit
tions, the nature of which is unknown
to them. In justice to the railroad COM
panies 1t may be said that it is not
necessary to use coercion in all cases.
Promotion and other inducements have
the desired effect on large portion of
the clerical force, and even some of the
mechanics. But the greater portion of
the mechanics will only consent to act
as lobbyists for railroads under fear OF
discharge. 1t is quite likely that dur
ing this session, as in the past, state
ments will be made when some
specially obnoxious bill to railroads is
being considered that from somewhere
will come a cry of 10000 railway en-
ployeS. But when properly analysed it
will be found that this only comes from
a few clerks and station agents aud the
high officials of all the roads in the
state. A remarkable activity has been
manifest in this direction during the
past week, and the organizers directed
to visit the country districts to revive
the lapsed clubs. Friday evening the
Railroad Employees club made its first
statement to the railroad committee of
OF the house, and during the week the
legitimate labor organizations propose
to address circular to the same COM
mittee showing the actual status of the
Railway Employees clubs. =