St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-10-15
GOING OUT OF POLITICS.

General Manager Kentlrica. of the
Northern Pacific. mas issued circular
to the employees of that road i'll which
he says ''that the company does not
desire to take any part or interest in
politics on account of the strife it would
engeutler, which would Interfere with
the efficiency of its service ''lt is or
dered." the circular says, That all EN-
p!oyeS restrain from taking any active
past III politics, and if any employees are
nominated for Office they must resign
from The eompany's service" Ii is said
that this circular has created great
deal OF excitement among the members
of the American Railway union, some
twenty members of which have ac-
eepteti nomination for, Office ard filed
their nomination papers
| Ii the circular implies that there has
been change in the policy of that
| company, ami that hereafter it Will de-
siSt from interference in the political
affairs of the state, the company is to
| he congratulated on its perception of its
due relations to the public and OF the
| injury sGch corporations invite by their
participation in the StrifeS of parties. a
prolific source of the popular prejudice
against railroad corporations is their
active interference and participation III
the political conflicts of the various
parties. Some of them long since dis
covered the evil effects of this, and have
withdrawn entirely, not Ouly from TAX
ing part with one or the other of p0-
litical organizations, out withdrawing
from that More pernieious interference
with the affairs of the state, its legisla-
tive functions. OF these the Omaha or
Northwestern road is the most conspicu-
GUS example.
A railway corporation is purely and
simply business institution. It's func
lions are 10 carry the people and their
products, business which no more
touches the domain of politics than
does the distribution of those products
by the various miudlemen of the cOun-
try. Political organizations are COLI
cerned solely with the questions of
policy OF state and uatioaai adminiStra-
ton, and were il not for the par
ticipatiOn of railroads i'll partisan
affairs, and the shortsighted and rapa-
come speedily wealthy, the manage
ment of railroads would have no more
relation 10 Jiitics or occasion to inter.
mix with partisan conflicts than does
any other business interest of the
state. Ii this circular of Manager Ken
driek'S indicates that his cUinany has
| come to reaifZe this. 1t will be the bet
ter for the cumDany and the better for
the conduct of the public affairs OF the
state.
We are at loss to understand why
| this circular should have created any
| excitement among the members of the
| American Railway union. 1t does not
| deprive them of any of their rights Of
| citizenship OF attempt to interfere
| with them III any way III the exercise
! of these rights. 1t recognizes the fact
| that 10 man can serve two masters, and
| that no man can be candidate Tor
| public Office of any party aud at the
same time give to his employer that
service which the employer is entitled
to receive and expect. No employe has
right to demand that he shall be re-
| tanned in service and receive pay at ii
! time when he is candidate of pol!ti-
cal party. naturally ard inevitably CIV
ing his attention to his candidacy.
| Public employment differs in no es-
sential degree FROM private emplay-
| ment, and certainly no wage Garner
| would expect that his employer would
continue him i'll service and under pay
while he was engaged i'll running around
seeking service under another employ
er. Members of the American Railway
union. as well as all other labor organi-
cations. should realize that il they have
rights they also have duties, and that they
| cannot insist upon the recognition of
the one and ignore the performance of
the other. Right and duty are but the
halves of whole, and he who would