The Waco evening news. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 1891-1894, 1892-05-28

Issued by Mr. @. o. Wheeler, general
manager of the Gulf, Colorado and
Santa Fe railway, advising employees
to take issue with the com pany
against the railway commission, and
which wasipjected into thecampaign by
Governor Hogg in a recent speech and
adversely commented on by some pa
pers, was never promulgated by Mr..
Wheeler.
What was posted upon the bulletin
board at San Angelo roundhouse was
an extract from a private letter, writ.
ten by Mr.. Wheeler November IL,
1891, to Mr.. j. Dillingham;, master
mechanic of this city, of which the
following is an exact copy:
GULF COLORADO AND SANTA FE Co !
OFFICE OF GENERAL MANAGER {
GALVESTON, Tex, Nov. IL, 1892.
Mr.. j Dillingham;, Master Mechanic, City.
DEAR SIR With return of your
letter of November 4, with telegram
attached, from E. O'Keie, 1 wish to
say it is impossible for us to make
a reduced rate to the engi-
neers from Copeville, as men
toned in your letter, from the fact
that the railroad commission, in is.
suing their different circulars, have
put us in that position where we are
unable to make reduced rates to any
one, except as we do this upon our
own order, to move persons from one
point to another. Before the rail
road commissioners took upon them
selves the regulation of these matters,
we were very glad and willing at all
times to favor our employees in every
way possible, but the railroad com
mission have taken this matter entire
ly into their own hands, and so much
so that we have no discretion in the
matter. Otherwise l would be pleas.
ed to accommodate them with employ.
es, rates the same as was done previ.
GUS to the railroad commissioners reg
ulating this matter.
In this connection wish to say
that it is the duty of everyone of our
employees, wherever it is done, to take
sides with their employers as against
the railroad commission. From the
fact that in the matter of
cotton alone the railroad com.
mission has reduced our earnings
100000 per year and before they get
through reducing rates l am confident
that it will amount to, on all commo-
dities, $25( 900 per year, and it is in
the interest of the employees. as we'll
as the officials in this and all other
companies in the state of Texas, to
take a decided stand as against the
railroad commission, and if possible
when there is a chance for another
election to do away with the powers
that they now have.
Yours truly,
G. o. WHEELER
General Manager.
The date of this letter shows conclu'
sively that it was not written for cam
paign effect. Mr.. Wheeler, while
deIrecating being brought into the
present campaign, declares most en-
phatically that he has issued no circu-
lar or instruction of any character to
the employees of his company as to
how they shall conduct themselves in
the present campaign, He recog'
nizes the fact they are free and indie
pendent Americans, and expects each
and every one of them to exercise
their rights as such and vote their con.
vietions.
In his private letter to Mr.. Billin'
CHAM he simply called attention tc
the effects the railway commission
we're having on the earning capacity
of his company, as well as upon thai
of other companies operating in the
state, and it was not intended to eff
feet the candidacy of Governor Hogg
as that was not thought Of when the
latter was written. How the excerp
became on the bulletin board at thu
San Angelo roundhouse he did moi
know, but deprecated its use as II
recent circular of his for campaigl
purposes, when the facts did non war
rant or Justify such use.
Mr.. Wheeler further stated that thu
Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railwa,
company, since its completion as
railway, had not paid expenses, and
Il