People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1892-10-21

Inei- use. 10 De nDerdl We may put
the income to which railroad corpora.
tons are reasonably entitled at four
per cent upon their actual cost. Four
per cent upon the cost of our railroads
at $4,000 a mile s.. IL, 0SO. 600
amounts to S2O4, 72l, 300 This is Sl55.-
27s,SOO less than was realized as net
revenue by the railroad corporations in
1891, which sum is jrst the amount
which was deliberately stolen from pro-
ductive and distributive labor. OF this
sum 800, OOO,OO might have been given
to the producing and consuming public
in reduced freight and passenger rates.
while SIS, 21S, 500 could and ought to
have been given to railroad employees in
increased wages This proposition in
wolves nothing but strict justice and
equity TO all concerned. and is some
thing like the solution of the question
as advocated by the peoples party.
Government ownership and operation
OF the railroads means equal and exact
justice to all; special privileges to none.
1t means transportation at cost, a por-
ton of such cost being living wages to
railroad employees, with eight hours as
legal days work. 1t means no
strikes, no favoritism, competitive ex-
animation and advancement for merit
and capability, with strictly non-par-
tisan civil service rules enforced in the
United States railway service, as now
enforced in the postal service. This is
the rational Interpretation of the fol-
lowing plank from the peoples party
national platform:
I'VE believe that the time has come
when. the railroad corporations must
either own the people or the people
must own the railroads should
the government enter upon the work
OF owning and managing any or all
railroads, we should favor an amend.
ment to the constitution by which all
persons engaged in the government SER
vice shall be placed under a civil service
regulation Of the most rigid character.
so as TO prevent the increase of the
power of the national administration
by the use of such additional govern
ment employees"
1t is the true and only rational and
feasible solution Of this great problem
now veXing the minds of the American
people.
If the organized railroad employees are
true to themselves, their principles and
demands, the peoples warfare upon
capitalized fraud will not have a ten
dency to reduce their wages. Let Or
gained labor prepare itself to become
one of the millstones between which the
plutocracy must inevitably sooner or
later, be ground to powder.
4. A lack of familiarity with the well
worn adage, ut is poor rule that will
not work both ways"
Railroad employees, least of all men,
can afford to forfeit the esteem and
lose the sympathy of the general pub.
lie. During times of railroad strikes
the force of public sentiment, if it be
friendly to the strikers, is potent in
tluence in the direction of bringing a
railroad corporation to terms. 1t is
very rarely the case that legislature
meets that it is not waited upon by one
or more committees from organized
bodies of railroad employees, demanding
legislation in their behalf. II there is
any one class which more than another
invokes the aid of the law to protect its
interests and rights it is the class
known as railroad employees. This be-
ing the case, what valid reason can
they offer for the invocation of
legislative protection when they
are unwilling TO accord such pro-
lection to the residue of the peo-
pie? In the event of strike it is
likely that the people will accord to the
strikers the aid of their sympathies If
they have reason to believe that the
success of the strike means an addition
al burden of oppression for them to
bear? Or is it to be expected that the
people will be willing to pass laws for
the benefit of railroad employees, if it is
understood that the benefits conferred
by such laws will be used as an excuse
by railroad corporations for further ex-
tortionate demands upon the people, in
which demands the roads will be backed
by their employees? There should be
no schisms or divisions in the peoples
ranks, but they should march in solid
phalanx, animated by one spirit, upon
the intrenched hosts of corporate mo-
nopoly. What will benefit one class
which lives by honest industry win
benefit all such classes United we
stand, divided we fall. Cor. Locomotive
Firemen's Magazine.
| IN. B.-When you have read above
please hand TO some railroad employee.