People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1893-03-03
WASHINGTON LETTER.
A WEEKLY PICTURE OF EVENTS
AT THE CAPITAL.
The Flunk on the Car Coupler Bill.
Railroad Lobby on Hand-Mr.
s Cobb Of Alabama.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. %.

AT the last Session we passed a
Bill requiring Rail Roads to use
automatic Car Couplers and AIR
Brakes on Freight trains, and sent
it over to the Senate.
Great credit was claimed by the
Democratic majority for this legisla-
ton. The labor vote everywhere
was tickled and persuaded with it,
for although the Populists and the
Republicans voted for the Bill, the
Democratic House claimed all the
honor.
At Chicago the Democratic Ma
tional Convention inserted a Plank
in its Platform demanding the pas
sage of such a Bill.
The Republicans at Minneapolis
did the same.
Thus both the old Parties claimed
that they favored the policy of COM
polling the Rail Roads to adopt
these safety appliances, and thus
save the lives of 10000 laborers
who are killed every year coupling
cars.
At this session the Senate passed
the Bill Bear in mind that the Sen
ate is Republican.
1t comes over to the House, which
is Democratic-and the House has,
so far, prevented its passage.
BY the terms of law, the Rail
Roads are to agree among them
selves which one of the hundreds of
r-Couplers and Air Brakes they
viii adopt. Failing to agree, the
5utcr sSs.se7 Comrneroes Commission
IL o. chl oee| Henc3 there IS no
possible chance for any one Patent
Company to control the situation.
Yet the Rail Roads fight the meas
ure insolently and effectually. They
are not wiling to spend any money
to save human life. They have less
feeling for the Brakeman than for
car wheel. The wear of the one is
loss to them while the life of the
other is not. Therefore 10000 men
are to be crushed to death every
year, $4,000 families thrown into
mourning every year, 10000 widows
with their train of helpless children
thrown into beggary every year, to
crafty the heartless avarice of the
richest corporations the world ever
saw.
There is nothing in this land so
cheap as human life.
THE BO0DLERS HERE.
The Rail Roads had their Lobby
here as usual. Vice President Stahl-
man of the Louisville and Nashville
Road was bossing the job-just as
he did in the Georgia Legislature
some time ago. He cracked his lit
tie whip over the Tennessee Con-
gressmen and they performed to
order. Richardson Of that State led
The fight for the corporations. Stahl-
/ man, the Ring Master, sat in the
gallery and saw the horses go round.
L shall always be glad that he had to
listen while I hammered Richardson
and his gang over the head. We
made it so hot for the Boss that he
! got up and left the gallery.
We kept up the fight till nearly
| sun-up and then adjourned upon the
agreement that we should have the
inside track next MOnday-which is
suspension day.
The Populists all voted for the
Bill.
So did the Republicans.
Only the Democrats, those dear
friends of labor, fought it.
The Democratic Platform promised
the Workmen this Bill. To make
the promise appear to mean some
thing the Democratic House passed
it last summer in the hope that the
Republican Senate would defeat it.
In that event they could prove to the
voter that the Republicans were to
blame; that the Corporations bossed
the Senate, and not the House; that
the Democratic House had done all
it could to stand up for the rights of
labor.
But the Republican Senators saw
the trick, and defeated it by passing
A4ha.1, L, They knew that the Rail
I which is
of the street