The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1892-03-18

track of glory, permanent and bright,
made by our fathers, TO which we love
to refer; but as one behUlds an armed
gang of Pinkerton murderers ready to
kill railroad men, under orders from a
railroad corporation, does not his blood
run cold in his veinsp And when men
who make laws are appealed to, to
end the infamy by enacting law for
bidding its continuance, and are given
to understand that it will not be done,
what, if any, is the remedyP
Is it longer wise 70 Continue the af-
tiliation with any party that thus rudely
aud contemptusOusly thrusts us asideP
Is it not wise to form IN alliance with
some party that is pledged to reform
abuses so gIaring that the devil HIM
self would be unable to frame an
excuse for their continuance
Is it not of the highest Importance
that railroad employees should give
special prominence to the "co-em-
ploye" iniquityP
tits scarcely required to offera word
in outlining its measureless injustice,
and that it should be Incorporated into
American Jurisprudence Staggers be-
lief. Railroad men fully comprehend
the wrongs it inficts.
What is the demandP Is it not to
repeal statutes by virtue Of which this
wrong, scarcely less than crime,
exists, but to enact II law which shall
ut once and forever strike from the
records of the courts the damning evil
denre that with all our bOasting We
are living under decisions based upon
neither law nor testimony, but which
as effectually blast the rights of work
ngmen as if it were written in our con.
situations that railroad employees are
scrfs, or chaltel-slaves, who have NJ
rights which courts are hound to re-
spect.
Who, of all the wise menin America,
possessed of hearts and whose sensi
bililies are not dead beyond the reacl
Of hope, are not Mortified almost daily
by the records of the MANNED ant
killed employees of railroads.
BY the rulings of the cours. baseC
upon no law, except that nondescrip
thing called the "common law"
handed down from the time when tn,
employer was master and the working
men II slave--neither u workingmal
nor his heirs, having claim against
railroad corporation for damages, hav'
amy more standing in court than al
African slave in "old plantation times
The courts show them no consideration
whatever, provided it shown that hi
was manned or killed by the negli
gence or ignorance of cO.employe
though in the employment Of co-em
ploye he had no more voice than II MAI
who died before the hoOd-and thu
corporation is usually prepared to SHOW
that a co-employe was the cause Of TIN
injury
In one or two states, perhaps, tn,
nfamy has been wiped out. Why no
in every stateP Simply because tn
corporation has demanded that i
SHOULD stand.
The corporation is always on han'
when the Legislature meets. Its agent
find out who are the base. born, degen
crate creatures who represent them
selves; they ind out the price Of thos
men who are known to be ''for rent
or "fOr sale" and paying their price
own them.
Some of them sell cheap, other
demand round sums, but the ayerag
is never large and the political mendi
cants are easily fxed--and in ninety
nine cases out Of " hundred the rail
road employee is compelled to accep
defeat.
All Of this leads to the inquiry, wha
are railroad employees going TO d
about itP Will they accept defeat fol
ever and II day? Are they so wecde
to their chains that they will neye
make freeman's effort to break them
The old parties, call them by who
lane you may, have been tried, an
their promises have been broken a
often rs they have been made. Til
corporation has won victery in nearl
every instance. Is it worth while
trust them furtherP Docs not ever
consideration of justice. right, trutl
independence, and the supreme i'm
portance Of the interests at stak,
demand change Of pOlicyP