New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-05
THE INN ARBOR DECISIONS.

The decisions OF the tnltcu states COURTS III
the Ann Arbor cases mean essentially this,
that the employees of railroads have no right to
make their employ ment the means OF inter
ruptng traffic. This seems to many persons
a new and to some dangerous doctrine The
common use of words may obscure funda-
mental truth and lead to erroneous con-
illusions. 1t is convenient, for example, to
designate certain persons in the service OF
railroad as officers and others as employees In
reality. they arc all employees, and the fictitious
discrimination may produce mischievcus re-
suits. If those employees of railroad who arc
commonly called officers and who are hired by
its stockholders-that is to say, its owners
to do certain things. TO keep its accounts, pay
its bills. arrange its timetables. make its con-
tracts determine its rates, devise its equip
mcnt. promote its expansion. etc, were TO com
bine, for reasons satisfactory to themselves 10
stop or Obsruct its operation. there would he
an instantaneous and universal protest and an
overwhelming demand for relief and the APP
ylcation Of some penalty. But such employees,
commonly called officers fer the sake OF con-
vcniencc, are rot more essential to the per-
Torrance of the functions which railroad i
oil ged to discharge than are other servants OF
The company who for the sake Of convenience
are commonly called employees nor Is there III
the nature of things any reason why neglect
or breach of faith on their part should subject
them to complaints or penalties il ether en-
rloyes, similarly regardless of the Obligations
which they arc paid t. incur and of the com
mon welfare. arc permitted TO do a they plca'c.
The president or the general manager OF
boo OH Ia, nd irp
He ha, no right TO retain his pacc for the
purpose of injuring his employers and breaking
their contracts with the public and with lndi-
vduas. The engineer the switchman is en-
d0wtd with the same right and constrained by
the same Obligation Moreover, the employees
who are called officers and the employees who
are called employees are 10 a great extent vested
with powers which are similar in kind. though
different in degree. The great majority Of
Thorn have subordinates over whom they eyer
else authority. lnstruc ions ar, not trlnm iitcd
from high grades 10 low over the heads or
intermediates, but from every grade to that
Immediately under il. The whole system is
interlocked, and until the lowest grade in
common service is reached every individual
servant has below him some persons or person
to whom he gives orders. and upon whose
obedience his own efficiency and security de
pend. 1t is illogical 10 say that one part of tho
organism can a; its pleasure disrr-t the whole
with IMMUNITY while another part must dis
charge its special function uninterruptcdlt.
There is another miscOnccptOn which OBJ
scureS the truth. IT, strike having been
dcred the engineer and fireman of d tram
should uncouple their locomotive at the dcsig-
mated minute, and proceed with it. leaving the
train and its passengers stalled at point mil"s
distant from a station their act would be uni
vcrsally condemned a. utterly outrageous and
brutal, and if it we've not instantly disavowed
and atoned for in some manner it would inevi
tably cost the organization in whose behalf ii
was committed every claim to sympathy and
ruin their cause at once. And yet such an act
would be trivial in respect to its immediate
effects and its rcmOter consequences in com
a BOYCOTT as the Brotherhood Of Locomotive
Engineers endeavorcd to'csiablish would pro
duce and the manifold distrC sscs which il would
nflict. In the one case "a few passengers would
suffer temporary delay and discomfort and per
haps some consequential damages in the other
the hope ard purpose are TO involve thousands
and cause colossal lcsscs with ultimate stdrya-
ton in preference to failure. If the laws for
bid such mischief as this il ia high time TO
have their competency Enumerated. If they do
not it is high time TO enact laws which will
forbid such mischief and 10 enforce them.