The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1893-04-14
SENATE DEBATE.
Grave Senators Discuss the Labor
Problem.
Inspiration Drawn From Late Federal Ju.
dicial Decisions-The Interstate Law
May BE Amended to Meet
New Complications.
Interesting Debate.

committee on interstate commerce a
resolution authorizing that committee
to inquire whether or not the methods
prevailing in the transportation OF
freight and passengers on the great
railway lines of the country. and the
conditions and necessities Of travellers
and shippers and transportation COM
panies Justify or require repeal or
modification of section ). of the
Interstate commerce act, which
prohibits pooling under any cir
cumstances. Also to inquire
whether the system OF closing and seal
ing cars engaged in transportation OF
merchandise from one state to another
through foreign territory into the
United States. needs to be modified
whether all railroads engaged in such
traffic should be either required to con-
form to all conditions of the interstate
commerce act, or prohibited from con-
tinuing in such transportation: also
whether any modifca tions should be
made concerning the relations between
common carriers and employees.
Mr. PETER thought that Judge Kicks
recent decision. which had been good
deal criticised by labor organizations,
would be approved by them when
they came to understand better it's
scope and view it in all its fullness.. 1t
was the first great judicial declaration
of principle concerning the relations
between employers and employees. 1t
was I; declaration that the railroad
employee was as much u common car
rie- as the railroad president or the
railroad company. Judge Kicks de-
ciSion. Mr.. PETER believed. would lead
to the final adjustment of all the diff
culties between the employees and EN-
ployers or carrying corporations. The
resolution was referred.
Mr.. German said that one matter to be
injured into was the recent decisions of
United States judges. and whether in
view. of the interstate commerce law
and of the antitrust law. judges had a
right to determine not only what a rail-
road employee should do. but what he
should not do. These decisions were
the first great steps on the part of the
Judiciary to make serfs of the men
who We're employed by railroad cor
porations. The recent judicial de-
cision that railroad employees might
be restrained by an order of the
court, might be fined and imprisoned if
they resigned their positions, was q
most extraordinary decision. and one
that had to be met on the very thresh-
old of the next congress. 1t ought to
be inquired into carefully by men who
Int hot 70
the interest of commerce and that no
injustice was done to individuals, and
that the courts of the United States
should not be armed with powers as ar
bitrary as those of the ear of Russia.
Mr.. Platt said that he had not yet
seen in the decision referred to any
thing that looked like usurpation of
power by the courts. or that looked like
degrading the worllingmen of the coun-
try to the condition of Serfs. He be-
lieved that the employees of railroads
had no more right to engage in discrim-
nations of commerce than their en-
ployers had. And he did not believe
that there was anything either in the
Interstate commerce or antitrust act
that was not an affirmation of well
considered and well established COM
mon law.
Mr.. Yes: said that Judge Speer in his
decision had only affirmed what every
lawyer knew to he the common law.
He had decided that any contract or
regulation in restraint of commerce of
the United States was absolutely void,
that any engineer had < right to give
mp his employment but that when the
Association of Locomotive Engineers
or any other association or corporation
undertook to make rule and to en-
force it in restraint of commerce, that
rule was absolutely void. If any judge
has declared such a doctrine as the SEN
ator from Maryland spoke of. it would
be reversed by the supreme court of the
United States without one dissenting
opinion against its reversal. Such doc
trine would be monstrous.
Mr.. Voorhees, said that the most dan
gerous question that the country was
asking to-day was the encroachment OF
corporate power of colossal wealth
against those who were helplessly in its
power and whom il wanted to have
W dS a.
the galley slave was chained to his
Gar. This power claimed that the
railroad employe was enlisted as
private soldier. and if he left
his post he was to be punished
As d deserter. He had. therefore. felt it
his duty to introduce a resolution di-
recting an inquiry as To what action
might be necessary for the better pro
lection of the laboring people of the
United States in their rights and for
their greater security from the en-
croachment of corporate power. No
body pretended. Mr.. Voorhees, added. that
railroad engineer could leave his en-
gine. endangering train of ears and
endangering the lives Of passengers.
But that was not al that was conten-
.pia ted in the interstate commerce law.
The law said. in plain terms. that he
could not alone and in an ordinary way
sever his connection from corpora
ton: tina. ne was enlisted to stay and
was to be punished as deserter if he
did not stay. He thought that the
committee on interstate commerce
could not be better employed than in
Investigating this da ngerOuS OueSfion