St. Paul daily globe., 1894-07-16
SUGGESTED BY MED1LL.
Editor Joseph Favors a Railway
Pension Fund

NEW YORK, July 15.-Among the re-
plies received by the World to a request
FOR views as to the results Of the strike
was the following from Joseph Medill,
editor OF the Chicago Tribune:
Chicago, July Ia believe the re-
suit of this strike will be a great benefit
to this country. 1t is like a thunder
storm that suddenly sweeps up, purifies
the atmosphere, and results in better
supply of health-giying ozone. 1t will
result In congress degising laws where
by the disputes between railroads and
employees will be harmoniously ad-
Justed. | have great faith in the An
glo-SaXon race to govern them
selves. The people have been
asleep until wakened by this
great economic earthquake. I believe
that Ill twelve months we will have
laws on the statute books of every state
that will provide for peacefully settling
all future wage discords. l think the
contract system can be applied success
fully by the railroads. Employees should
be engaged under contract, and should
hold their positions so long as they
abide by the rules of the company and
perform their duties faithfully. No man
should be discharged without due no.
tice, and no man should leave the EN-
pioy OF the company without serving
notice. heartily indorse the scheme
wrought by the great brain of Bismarck
In the German empire.
OelleVe that congress should pass
law reserVlng pension fund for the
employees or the great railroad corpora.
tons. This fund should consist, say. of
per cent or the mems earnings and
per cent of the gross earnings of the
railroad companies. 1t should be con-
trolled by financial agent of the gov
eminent and should be invested in
sound railroad bonds, not stocks. The
Dlli should provide that any man who
had faithfully discharged his duties for
certain number OF years could retire
for life on half pay. If man were
killed his family should be entitled 10
the pension. There should also be a
clause providing for the payment of a
certain sum when employees are ill. In
fact, the fund should be disbursed on
the plan in vogue in the better class OF
the benevolent societies. When this
fund is established the men will take
more interest in the railroad and its
earnings. Strikes will not be known,
for the penalties of striking should be
dlshonorable discharge and d loss of all
interest in the pension fund. This fund
would be bond to hold them in unity.
Mischlevous> agitators would find their
occupations gone. and tbs unions nec-
essary would be unions of purely
benevolent character. This scheme
would not be confined solely to rail-
roads. believe tnat its success OIL the
railroads would result in its spread to
all great industrial corporations. When
Bismarck first introduced it in the Ger
man empire there was some grumbling,
but since then they have discovered It's
great value and benefit. Now it could
not be repealed. a man could retire
say at fifty or fifty-fVe years. Many
men are not worked out at this age and
could occupy some subsidiary position
with the corporations. and continue to
provide for their families. have the
the fullest faith i'll such law. Either
that or state socialism, which is nothing
less than creating great state poor
house, and the American people are not
ready for that system.