The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-04-11
Corporations Denounced for BneroechinR -
the Rights Of Their Employees and frying1o
Chain Them as the Galley Slaves ofoI4.
Judges Charged by Mr.. German With
Attempting to Make Serfs Of Workmen
Decision of the Federal Courts Upheld BY Ssns
stors PETER, Vest and Plstt-Indisna Rail-
road Tax Cases Advanced on the Docket
The Decisions OF United States Judges Dis
cussed I'm the Senate.

cisions Of Judges Taft and Kicks In Ohio
and Speer in Georgia in relation 90 tho
rights and duties of railroad employees
came mp in the Senate to-day in connection
with O resolution instructinR the commit
tee on interstate commerce to inQuireipto
that and other subjects. and quite loD0
and interesting debate resulted, which had
not closed when the Senate sdjourned-
The remarks of Senators German and Voor-
hees as to the effect Of those decisions be-
ing to convert railroad employees into serfa
and galley slaves were criticised by Mn
tended to excite the passions Of the LAHORE
ing man.
A resolution for committee to wait on
the President and inform-him that the Sem
ate is ready TO adjourn sine die was offered
seouently motion to reconsider was made
by Mr.. Hoar and entered 90 be called M
hereafter. Mr.. Hosrs reason for moving
to reconsider was understood to be his de-
termination, If possible, TO force the een-
ate to take action in the way of investiga~
ting Senator Roach. OF North Dakota
Resolutions to investigateMr. Roech's case
and that of Mr.. Power. OF Montana were
offered by Senators Hoar and Chandler ana
went over without action In pursuanoo
OF the same purpose ME-. Hoar successfully
resisted q motion to proceed to executive
buslness: Mr.. Hoar presented the petitio2
the election OF United States Senator from
the State of Kansas and it was referred
Mr.. Butler reported from the committees
on interstate com merce resolution eutnor<
izlng that committee 90 inquire Whetner On
not the methods prevailing IN the trans>
pcrtation of freight and passen gers on the
great railway lines OF the country and the
conditions and necessities OF travellers. en0
Shippers and transportation companies
Justify or require q repeal or modihcauon
of Section of the einterstate-commerce act
which prohibits pooling under any cir@
cumstances. Also to inquire whether the
system of closing and sealing oars engaged
In transportation OF merchandise from one
State to another through foreign territory
and from such foreign territory into th9
whether all of the roads en- gaRed In such
traffic should be either required TO conform
to all conditions OF the intorstete-ooms
merce act. or prohibited from continuing
notifications should be made IN the law
concerning relations between common car
riers and their employees
RICKs's DECISION APPROVED
Mr. PETER thought that Judge Rioks's
recent decision. which had been . good
deal criticised by labor organizst1onss
would be arnroved by them when they
came to undA stand its scope and view il
In all its 'fullness It was the frss great
judicial declaration Of principle concern.
ing relations between employers and en-
ployes. It was declaration that the rall>
road employe was as much . common cars
rier as the railroad president or the rail-
road company. Judge RickSs decision
Mr.. PETER believed. would lead TO the final
adjustment of ell of the difficulties between
the employ ers and employees OF carrying
corporations. The resolutiou was referred.
resolution, offered by Mr. Jones, in
structing the committee on Indian affairs
to continue investigations heretofore or
dered. was discussed for some time.
Finally the de bate drlfted again into dis
cussion of the recent judicial decisions as
to the relations uetween railroad CORPORA
tions and their employees.
Mr.. German took the lead IN this discus
sion. He said that one matter to be in
quIred 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 . right 60 de-.
termine not only what railroad employe
should do. but what he should not do.
Those decisions were the first great step
on the part Of the judiciary to make
ployed by railroad corporations Tho
recent judicial decision that railroad
employees might be restrained by an ordey
OF the court. might be fined and imprisoned
If they resigned their positions, was most
extraordinary decisions: and one that had
to be met at the very threshold or the next
Congress. It ought to be inquired into
carefully by men who had but one motive.
and that was TO see. while protecting tho
| interests of commerce. that no injustice
was done to individuals, and that the
| courts OF the United States should nos be
armed with powers as arbitrary a. those OF
Mr. Platt said that be had not yet seen IN
| the decision referred to anything thao
looked like usnrpation OF power by the
| courts or that looked like degrading tho
NJ
condition OF seiSs. He believed that
| the employees or railroads had no
more right to enlaRe IN discrimIna-
SaS aod' a And Spe he did not relieve that there
| was any thing either in the tnterstate-com>
merce act or in the antitrust that was no9
| an affirmation of well-consideKed and weil-
e'sesa Mr. Vest said % that Judge spesr, In his de-
| cision. had only affirmed Whist every law
| yer knew to be the common law. He had
| decided that any contract or roGuI9tlon IN
was % ABSOLUTELY M ely void; that any ensinssr hsd
Alright to give up his employment put fhat
| when the association OF locomotive en-
| gineers, or any other association or coIDo-
ration. undertook to make rule, ana -
| enforce il. in restraint of oomnerce. th14
| rule was absolutely void. IL any 1u4go ~
| declared such q doctrine ae the eou1(o4
| from Maryland Mr. GormAn) spoke oks a
would be reversed by tne supreme Conro
1
| ing opinion against sts revereaL such =
| doctrine would be monstrouA
VIEWS OF OUR BLATHERsKITE-
Mr.. Voorhees, said that tho most danger>
Gus question that the country was facing
to-day was the encroachments of corporate
power of colossal wealth against those
who were helplessly IN its power. and
whom il wanted to have chained to thsis
labor as completely - the galley slave
| was chained TO his oar. This power
| claimed that the railroad employee was en-
listed as - private soldier and II no left his
| post he was 10 bo punished as deserter.
| He had, therefore. felt IL his duty 90 intro
duce a resolution directing an inquiry as
to what action might be necessary for the
| better protection Of the l2boring people of
| the United states IN their natural and in-
alienable rights. and for che greater security
from the encroachuooe Of corporate poueF
No body pretended. Mx. voorhees, added.
that railroad enGipeer could leave his en-
gine, endangering train Of cars aud cn>
ngering the lIyeeo< ~ posoen Rers. bat
that was not ell thot un5 ccntemplated IN
the inteTstste-conu1G1o Nv. That Law
said, IN plain texE0o {&n1 ho conid not
| alone, and in an o. W1| 1oYor h;s con.
| nection from q oo /&nt be was ems
listed 10 stay en- - Dnn1ehod 60 {