St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-05-21

DeloS Everett and Mrs. boWiey
One Chance in Four That a
brakeman VIII Die Il Natural
Death - 100000 Railway
Employees in America.
The announcement in the Sunday
morning papers that the topic OF
Sunday rest would form the subject OF
pulpit discussion at the peoples church
last night. brought out large congre-
CATION. The fact that Hon. l.. S. Coffin,
DeloS Everett, ana Mrs. BowIey. of the
Grand international Auxiliary to the
brotherhood Of Locomotive Engineers,
We're to speak, added greatly 10 the in
tercSt of the occasion.
Rev. s. q. Smith introduced the
speakers in his usual forcibe way
DeloS Everett made the first address OF
the evening. He took a strong stand
on the subject of Sunday rest. Among
other matters he quoted from DR.. Craft.
who said that passenger trains ought to
be arranged in their running so that g
man could leave New York and reach
San Francisco without being compelled
to travel Sunday at all. The speaker
thought this perhaps might be a little
extreme. as it did not provide for delays.
AN engine might break downy" said
he. "N hen the engineer got it fixed up
again, in case the next day should be
Sunday, do not believe that that en-
gineer would stop to consider that it
was the Sabbath day. He would get out
as fast as he could" The speaker con-
sidered that an exception ought
perhaps to be made in favor OF running
mail trains Oh Sunday. He looked for
ward to the day when no general rail-
way manager would allow the running
of any traips. He hoped that something
might go out from this meeting towards
the correction of this growing evil.
The next speaker was Hon. L. S.
Coffin. He said, in substance:
I'VE have met to discuss the subject
of Sabbath rest. | shall not attempt
to make an abstract argument in favor
of Sunday rest, but shall touch upon it
in the concrete, and look upon it in a
practical way. This discussion is in the
interest of Sabbath rest for the great rail-
way army of this nation. You are in this
city now entertaining one division of
this great army You have had an Cd.
pOrtunity to see what kind of men they
are. II is estimated that there are
in this country 100000 men employed
in the RAILWAY service. These represent
nearly One-SiXtleih of the population.
The public has not kept pace with the
matter of railway transportation;
it knows but little of its obliga-
ton, or what it costs to give the
uneXceiled facilities we now enjoy.
Statistics show that every year nearly
$4,000 men lose either life or limit in
railway service. This is really far be-
low the real truth. Is not this awful
sacrifice enough, without asking them
TO give up the seventh day to toll? And
yet, this is what the public demands.
In speaking Of brakmen, Judge Cooley.
OF the interstate commerce commission,
says that that they have but one
chance in four to die natural death. |
tell you railroad men want their Sun
days" He then spoke of meeting of
conductors at Des Moines, where one of
this class stated that he had been on
duty steadily for i've years at the yards
at Pierre. During that time he had not
- Seen given the privilege of even seeing
the inside OF 4 church. Neither had Ills
wife, who had to stay at home to cook
his dinner, and his children had been
denied, for the same reason, the
privileges OF attending Sabbath school.
This same conductor said that ne had
done a great deal of thinking during
this time, and had concluded that it
was the greed and aVariceOf men-their
mad race after the almighty dollar that
brought about these conditions-and
that they cared not for the poor toilors.
'Such things as these" continued the
speaker, work upon the char
acterS of men, and it is but
step between the feelings of
hate thus engendered and those of the
anarchistic stripe. Few people realize
cross the numerous bridges spanning
the Mississippi from Saturday night to
Monday morning. Men - Christian
men-are largely responsible for this.
Christian farmers crowd their stock
shipments SO as to reach Chicogo
early Monday morning, and thus strive
to take advantage Of an early market.
There is no excuse for Sunday freight
trains. In these days of cold storage
and refrigerator cars there is no need of
it, and perishable freight can otherwise
be protected. do not agree with the
previous speaker on the necessity of
running mail cars on Sunday. This
government or the postmaster general
has no right to make any plans to
force men 10 work SUNDAYS. MANY
of these ara God-fearing men, and the
alternative of violating their scrupleS
in obedience to orders. or the losing of
the opportunities of bread winning for
their dear ones. is presented. Rather
than this. in the words of Christ, 1t
were better that milestone were
hanged about their necks and they were
cast into the depths of the sea-"
Mrs. Bowley was then presented. She
spoke OF the influence of woman in the
home. She said that first rest must be
found for the soul. The three dearest
words to her she said were mother,
home and heaven" She painted a
England home, and its calm and tenn
perate ways. She dwelt particularly
upon the old time observance
OF the Lords day. as day of
rest and worship. Then sud-
denly, she contraSted it with
the present Sunday obser vance.
''Our husbands" said she. ''are forced
to leave us on Sunday to go to their en-
gines and their toll amid constant dan
ger. The question for the wives and
mothers of railroad men is. How can
we aid in bringing about this change?
1t is our duty to instill in our children
the necessity of keeping Sunday sacred.
we should so arrange our work that we
can do SO, too" Mrs. Bowley then read
the resolutions Oh this subject adopted
Saturday afternoon by the ladies' auxil-
larry.
Rev. S. G. Smith then followed in a
few eXtempore remarks. He said that
he believed that the causes leading up
to present financial depression and the
vast army of unemployed were four in
number-child labor, woman labor, over
hours and Sunday work.