The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1894-06-08
JUDGE CHRISTIE AND THE RAIL
ROADS

A Florida state branch Of the Rail-
road Employees Protective Associa-
ton Of the United States was oFgan-
lied at Jacksonville last Tuesday
night railroad employees from all
parts Of the state being present. This
organization is dissimilar from en-
ployees' associations generally, as It's
purpose is for the protection Of the
employers and not themselves. except
as the prosperity OF the roads will I'M
cidentally give them protection. It's
formation at this particular time is to
use whatever influence they may pos
sess to prevent the establishment Of q
railroad commission.
Judge J. B. Christie addressed the
organization and in the course of his
remarks said
Almost every person in the state is more or less
dependent on the railroads for his prosperity.
The trucker cannot send his produce to market
without them the merchant depends on them to
bring his goods, and their prosperity isideutieal
with the prosperity of the state.
1t is true, and its being true is it
wise for the people to give these roads
unlimited and unrestricted power
Such policy is against reason and
contrary to the precedents Of the
world. Long before the birth of rail-
roads the common roads and pixies Of
the country were called highways,
mere and throughout the world, be-
cause they were common to all the
people, and the right to their use by
all the people were zealously guarded,
and who believes that if they had
been turned over to corporations with
unlimited and unrestricted powers to
use them as they pleased, that it would
have been the best policy for the peO-
Pile? And so at later period, naviga-
bic rivers and lakes and oceans were
made highways for the common use of
all the people, and does Judge Chris
tie believe that If all the lakes and
rivers and oceans were made private
property, and given over to corpora
tons with unrestricted and unlimited
powers, that such policy would have
been best for the people?
The United States have given extra
ordinary grants of power to railroad
companies. They have been given
large donations of lands and large do
nations of money, and see how they
have been managed? Why, young
Ives, who was dubbed the "Napolean
of Finance, . financially wrecked four
of these established roads before he
had reached his twenty-first year. See
how the stocks are watered, and men
have grown rich by making BUSH
ness to plumber roads. BY pursuing
such policy see what vast wealth
Fisk and Gould and others quickly ac-
cumulated, anu all at the expense of
the people who pay the freight.
Were conductors, and the engineers
and the brakesmen and the firemen,
be ter paid? Not at all. When these
men were plundering these roads, the
employees had to go out on strikes for
pay enough to keep body and soul to-
gether. So is not wise t. give these
roads unlimited and unrestricted
power, and the interest of the EN-
ployees and the people are identical
and their place is on the side of the
people. Is there single case on rec
ord where the railroads have divided
their profits with the employees?
When the record is broken and such
a case is presented then the interests
of the railroads and their employees
will become identical, but not till
then.