The morning call., 1893-04-11
MADE OF THEM SERFS.
Matters Senator Platt Says Are
Not Safe to Discuss.
Nevertheless Laborers and Senators
Will Keep Talking of the Boycott
Decisions of Federal Judges.
Special to THE MoRSrNa CALL

Special to THE MORNING CALL
WASHINGTON, April 10. - The Senate
passed a resolution for the appointment of
a committee TO wait on the President and
inform him that unless he has further COM
muncation 10 make the Senate is ready TO
adjourn.
A motion tG recon >ider was subsequently
made by Hoar and entered. Hoar's object
in moving a reconsideration was to secure
action on the Roach investigation before
adjournment.
The resolutions for the investigation of
charges against Senators Roach Of North
Dakota aud Power of Montana were offered
by Hoar and Chandler aud laid over
The recent decisions of Judges Taft and
Kicks II Ohio and ST eed IN Georgia, in re-
lation to the rights and duties of railroad
employees, came up in connection with a
resolution instrueting the Committee on
Interstate Commerce to inquire into that
and other subjects, and long debate re-
suited. PETER thought that Judge r cks'
decision, which had been good deal crti-
cized by labor organizations, would be ap-
proved by them when they came to under
stand better its scope and to view it in all
its fullness. 1t was the first great judicial
declaration that the railroad employe was as
much a common carrier as the railroad
president or the railroad company. Judge
Ricks decision. PETER believed. would lead
10 the final adjustment of all d liculties be-
tween employers aud employees of carrying
corporations. The resolution was referred.
Jones offered q resolution instructing the
Committee on Indian Affairs to continue the
Investigations heretofore ordered with the
power to visit Indian reservations and H.
dian Territory. Sherman remarked that
the investigations were ordered two years
ago and should have terminated by this time.
1t seemed to him that there should be an
end to such investigations; unless there was
public demand for them, and some public
usefulness to come out of them, popular
opinion would condemn them and say they
were mere pleasure parties organized at the
expense Of the Government of tile United
States.
The debate then drifted back to a discus
sion OF the recent judicial decisions, and
German of Maryland said that one matter
to be inquired into was the recent decisions
of the courts. and whether, in view of the
Interstate commerce law aud the antitrust
law. Judges had a right to determine not
only what a railroad employe should do, but
WnaL Hb SuOutu not az. IHtSe uSClSlOnS
were the first great step on the part of the
judiciary toward making serfs of men EN-
ployed by railroad corporations.
Plat said that he had not yet seen, in the
decision referred to, anything that looked
like a usurpation of power by the courts or
like degrading the worklngmen Of the
country TO the condition of seIfs. He
believed employees of railroads had no more
rIuft IN in In nj,
merce than their employers had, and he did
not believe that there was anything either
in the interstate commerce act or In the
antitrust act that was not the affirmation
of we.l-cOnsidered and well-eStablished
common law.
Vest said that Judge Spear in his
decision had only affirmed what every law
yer had Known to be common law. lie had
decided that any contract or regulation in
restraint of the commerce of The United
States was absolutely void. and that any
engineer had right 10 give up his employ
ment. but when an association of locomo-
tive engineers or any other association or
corporation undertook to make a rule and
enforce it in restraint of commerce that rule
was absolutely void.
voorhees, said the most dangerous cues
tion that the country WAS facing to-day was
the encroachmcnt of the corporate power of
colossal wealth upon those who were help
lessy in its power and whom it wanted to
have chained to the oar. This power
claimed that the railroad employe was en-
listed as private soldier, and If he left his
post he was to be punished as a deserler.
He therefore felt that it was his duty tc
introduce a resolution directing inquiry as
TO what action might be necessary for the
better protection of the laboring people
and their greater security from the en-
crOachment OF corporate power.
Plat said that it was not wise to attack
the judiciary of the United States. 1t was
not wise 10 intimate that judges were czars,
1t was not wise to talk about the disposi-
tion Of the judiciary to reduce laborers to
the condition Of serfs. The laboring man
had confidence in the courts and he would
be protected in all his legal righiss But he
did net believe, and the laborlug man did
not believe. that while engaged in The en-
ployment of common carriers he could
choose his OWE time TO leave that employ
ment
After some further debate the question
went over till tomorrow. when Palmer will
have ;he floor 10 speak upon it. The SEM
ate then adjourned.