Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1891-03-31

railroads OF the United states is in
round figures $4,000, 100000 The
annual interest or this sum is $50, OOO.-
600. Now, the fellows that get this in
tereSt don't run great many lOcOmO-
tives, don't fire a great many engines,
don't do a great deal of breaking. nor
have many fingers cut off coupling cars.
There amt MANI of them that lose
their lives being run over by the cars.
In fact, they do not do any work, that
is actually needed in running these rail-
roads. They dor't pretend to do that.
They say simply chat this is their CAPT.
tai that is working for them while they
sit down and watch the railroad bows do
the work. Now, how shall we raise the
wages of the railroad boys? Why, if
these fellows don't do any work, what is
the matter of dispensing with them?
Amt that what the employer does?
When he has no more work, when he
finds a fellow sitting around drawing
pay, when he don't earn il, he simply
discharges. Now, suppose that we dis
charge this class of workmen on the
ground that they are not needed. Now,
we think that we hear some fellows
say, how are you going TO do that?
Well, we will take as case for illustra-
ton the United States post Office. The
postmaster general says in his last
annual report that he did over $67, OOO,-
600 OF business last year; that he EN-.
plOyed over l50, 900 people: that his es-
tablishment has been running over one
hundred years, and that he has never
had strike in the establishment. He
also informs us that there are no
drones drawing per cent interestupon
the bonds or stock representing the
plant. If the roads were run by the
same source the $570, 100000 would be
divided between the people who patro-
nize the road and those who do the
work.-Citizen Alliance.
Two years ago the air was full OF COM
plants about rash financial legislation
by then wholly republican legislature
of Kansas. The eastern papers con-
tanned editorials and letters full of pro-
test and warning and predictions of the
damage to credit and withdrawal of
companies during the season of 1889
were in continual receipt Of letters of
inquiry from eastern investors express
ing alarm at proposed Kansas legisla-
tion in the interest of mortgagors and T.
protesting against this and that meas
ure as threatening the validity Of Kan
sas securities. We remember one case
in which a New York capitalist hotly
demanding to know if the legislature
had passed law to forfeit the princi-
pie of usurOus debt, and we had to
reply in the negative, and quote the
New York law which provides just
such forfeiture and of which he never
seemed to have heard. Yes, the air was
full two years ago of complaints and APP
prehensions of republican legislation
for the protection of mortgagors and
the injury of mortgages in Kansas,
There was no Alliance movement then
to create apprehension and threaten ~,
vestments of eastern or home ca--,fA.,l
1t was all republican party le,rEiation
then. with unbroken repr.olican party
rank and file of $1,000 nlajority behind
the legislation, We mention this to
remind various parties that similar
alarm existed in 'S9 to that which is
prevalent in 81 and thatas the repub
lican party has control of the senate
and gubernatorial veto now it has as
much power in legislation, and is as re-
sponsible for whatever Legislation is
enacted as the Peoples party or ALL
ance movement is So do not underIe
take to saddle all the alarm felt BY,
eastern capital upon the Alliance move
ment. And wait until the legislative
session is over to see whether or not
any legitimate business has been dam
aged by the Kansas legislature now in
session. We think there will be sub
sidence of alarm in 81 as there was in
$50, after the result of legislation has
been ascertained, and that the present
feeling is a good deal like a periodical
scare which certainly took place prior