The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-22
rowderlr and The Railroeds.

GONOGEAE du0 bL4S NJ III Ot~NAoH
General Muster Workman Powderly
makes the decision Of Judge Kicks, Of the
United States circuit caurt, that engineers
must handle tie freight and passenger
traffic OF boycotted roads, the basis OF an ar
Eument in favor OF the government owner
ship Of the railroads. The decision OF Judge
Kicks was brought about in this way
There Is u strike on the Toledo, Ann Arbor
and Lake Michigan railroad and the en-
[ gileers or the Lake Shore railroad refused
10 handle passengers and freight traffic Of
that road. In other words, the Ann Arbor
road YVES boycotted by the engineers OF the
other roads. This action was 10 accordance
with rule adopted by the locomotive en-
! gineers in 1855. AT the time Of the adop-
| ton Of the rule it was predicted by the
I wiser ones of the organization that it would
! be the cause Of trouble.
Judge Kicks decided that the rule IS lille
gal, and granted an injunction restraining
| Chief Arthur and his engineers from inter-
fering with the traffic of the Ann Arbor
road. Chief Arthur has announced his in
tention to obey the restraining order. He
does not think it advisable to have a oon-
fict with the courts.
In commenting upon the decision Of Judge
Kicks Mr.. Powderly says: THE one cheer
ing thing about this affair is that it may
open the eyes of Mr.. Arthur and our friends
on the railroads to the fact that until the
roads are owned and managed by the gov
eminent there will be no independence,
either Of thought or action, for our cor-
4 ~, -
he is mighty poor creature who will not
in some way or other serve his creator. II
the railroads are not taken possession OF by
the government, II the decisions Of the
courts are to aim constantly at the labor
organizations. why we will soon find our
selves living under the reign Of the secret
group that will owe no allegiance TO any
person or thing. Then we will witness
secret assaults upon person and property,
give heed to the just demands Of the orr
CARNATIONS Of to-day"
Mr.. Powderly does not point out wherein
the employees Of railroads would be better
Off if the roads were owned by the govern
ment. Indeed, he would find it difficult TO
point out wherein they would be as we'll off.
They might not strike 80 often as they do
now, because it would be useless 20 strike.
The government would be strong enough to
TO enforce whatever policy it might adopt.
II the railroads did not earn enough
to satisfy the government. wages Of
employees would be reduced, and protests
from the chiefs Of the different organiza-
tions Of railway employees would be IN
needed. And the government would not
pay as high wages as corporations do now,
judging from the wages paid in the railway
mail service aud In the different govern
meut departments. Indeed, it would be
difficult for Mr.. Powderly to point out any
particular in which the employees would be
benefited.
But it would be about impossible for the
government to own and manage the rail-
roads without a radical change In its char
acter being wrought. In Germany the gov
eminent owns the railroads, but that is not
a government by the people. The greater
the power conferred in the general govern
ment the less it would become govern
ment by the people. The government con-
troll Of other kinds of business would follow
government control Of the railroads until
the power OF the central governments
would be 30 great that a party In
possession OF it could retain pos
session. That would be the end
of the republic and Mr.. Powderly would
have much more Of government control
than would be pleasant. Mr.. Powderly
says railway employees under the decisions
of the courts are losing their Independence
of action and thought. II the roads we're
owned by the government ii is safe to say
that they would have no independence OF
action or thought.