New-York tribune., 1891-02-19
ryyr0ru C0rpLERS or FREIGHT cars

There is no possibility that Congress at this
session will undertake TO do anything in refer
once 10 ono of the subjects TO which President
Harrison directed attention in his message last
December Only single paragraph was de-
voted 10 the question which we have in mind.
and rs it is brief and pointed il may be well to
quote II entire:
II my stu be possible for this Congress f. inau
curltc by suitable legislation. movement looking 10
uniformity and increased safety in the use Of conpers
and b.1lcS up9n freight trains engaged in Interstate
commerce. The chief difficulty I'm the way is 10 sccur
agreement to the best appliances simplicity. cf
fociiyeNess and cost being considered. Tn, difficulty
will on!r yicM 10 lcgi,ation which should De based
upon fnll inquiry ard impartial tests. The purpose
should be to secure TIE cooperation cf all wc'Ldpo,cd
managers and owners bu the fearful fact that every
wears delay involves The sacrifice Of 1000 lives and tho
manning Of 2O.OCO young men should plead both with
Congress and the managers against any needless delay
Since these words were written no steps what
oyer wc believe have been taken by Congress
TO remedy the evil complained Of. The i'm
nortauCc of the matter however. was not over
stated by the President in his concise p.escnta-
ton. There is no question that the subject is
one over which Congress has ample juIiSdic-
ton. Nor is it likely that Mr.. Harrison will
fail 10 rccur TO il on the next occasion when il
becomes his duty to suggest to Congress the
various topics on which, ii his judgment. lcgs-
ation is dcmlndcd. The matter is not com
plcx one. and it is really surprising that. while
such marked progress has been made in what
il coming to be known as the science of " rail
rcading." the managers have been satisfied to
continue the use Of the primitive method of
coupling freight cars, which is continual
menace to the brakcman's life and limbs Econ
omy has doubtless had something to do with Il A:
perhaps the difficulty of securing the adoption
Of uniform coupler by all the railroads has
had more. Congress is the only power which
can enforce uniformity on the great railway
lines, and it is clearly in the interest of human
ity that it should do 20.
In its iust-issued report the Railroad Com
mission of Massachusetts, delotes considerable
space TO the subject Of uniform couplerS. Dur
ing the time when the merits OF several devices
have been under consideration ii notes that six
railway employe, in the State have been killed
and 49, injured in coupling or uncouplnG cars.
What is demanded is corpler which will work
automatically with the coupler on any other
freight car. and which brakeman can uncouplc
without going between the ems. This Com
mission thinks IL would be inadyisable for Con-
qress to prescribe the exact coupler to be used,
nr TO Give the Interstate Commission or any
other body power to require the Use OF SpcCi-
fed device; but it is clearly Of the opinion that
Congress or the Interstate Commission should
definitely prescribe certain conditions which
freight-car couplcrs should fulfil. We trust that
the subject will ere long receive the attention