Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-03-27
THE RAILROAD pROBLEN.


j. G. Clarke, president and general
manager Of the Mobile aud Ohio, who
Is laboring for an organization by the
railroad presidents Of the South for n
uniform scale Of wages on railroads,
follows up his first circular on the sub.
ject by the following
What is the value Of railroad property
when attempted to be controlled by those
who have no interest in It's sGccessI IL
is a fact that the earnings of railroads
generally are steadily decreasing, and
transportation charges and rates are
constantly tending downward. Reveiiue
does not Increase IN ratio with tonnage
The expenses for repairs and mainte-
nance, and wages paid to employees IN
every branch of railroad service, have
FOR the past two or three years largely
increased.
One Of two things Is sure to occur and
must be considered without unnecessary
delay The shipping public must either
pay Increased rates for the service per
formed by railroads. or the compensation
| now pnid ms every branch of railroad EN-
ployment must be reduced, ii railroads
are 10 be permitted 10 earn enough TO
pay interest on bonded Indebtedness
and taxes. Is safe to say that on 10
| per cent Of the railroads In the whole
country there is little prospect at the
| present time, or in the near future OF
the stockholder receiving any returns
Hostile legislation by political adven-
turers, both national and state, against
| railroad property, urged by theorists.
adventures and demagogGes seeking
notoriety and the votes of railroad en-
| ployes TO keep them before the people i'm
| the hope to promote their personal gains,
enable them TO especially attack rail.
| roads. because II is species of property
| that can not be removed or transferred
beyond their reach; property when
once located and constructed is fixed for
| veal or woe, and Is within the reach
| of fomenters of strife and discord
| Tho spirit OF spOliution urged by the
| denagUgue is soon adopted by the labor
| organizations 10 accomplish their ends
| They are demanding increased pay for
their labor, irrespective OF the earning
| capacity OF the railroads on which they
are employed. They attempt TO cocrce
the railroads into acceding to their de.
| mands by threatening strikes, tie-ups and
| boycotts on the road refusing their de-
mands. Many good men in all branches of
| railroad service are members of these
| labor organizations. Such men deprecate
the radical demands made from time to
time for increased compensation beyond
| the ability of the railroad company to
concede, but they seem pOwerless to
control the radical element. The reliable
and conservative members Of such organi-
cations are usually In the minority The
radical element is to apply the term of
! "scab,' "bladk sheep" utc., together
with other slang terms, to those who are
not willing 20 be led by them. As gen
cral rule, those that have less at stake
and are less fitted for presenting iheir
so-called grievances, are selected as lead
ers 20 make and attempt 10 enforce their
propositions.
Experience shows that there Is no skill
ed or unskilled labor in manufacturing
mechanical or other pursuits where labor
Is employed that receives so large q
compensation for services rs employees
in every branch of railroad service
Combinations seem 10 be the order of
the day, and hence il becomes a neces-
slty for self-preservation, that the owners
Of railroad property shall combine to deal
with declarations and labor organizations
on wcu-detned principles Of equity and
justice. Fair and reasonable conpensa-
ton should be paid 10 men employed In
every branch Of railroad service Tho
earning capacity of a railroad rust and
VIII be the test of It's ability TO pay wages
anu meet tue necessary expenses In opel-
aung the ioad. \ railroad company las
no other means Of meeting is expenses
ttnn By It's earnings. The public must
consent 10 pay more for the services rail
roads perform for them. or they must in
sist that railroads shall reduce their OK
penses so as 10 live without increasing
tue rates the public now pay. What shall
be done2 A solution Of this ouestion
must be found.
The writer Of this Is no theopist He
knows. whereof he speaks, and has per
formed the duties In every branch of rail
road service, He believes that labor or
gahi2auons, when properly conducted and
not permitted 10 be controlled by he rad
ical, bigoted and ignorant members Of
such organizations, are and can be made
adyanageous--in the best interest Of
both employer and employee. To aeoom-
phsh this, the conservative members Of
legate the radical aud discontinued ola
ments TO the rear; they must be made
followers and not leaders Of such organi
zations.