The record-union., 1895-09-26
THE PROTEST. OF LABOR.
Wage-Earners and the Proposed
Freight Rate Reductions.
Petitions to the Railroad Commission
ers and TO the State Labor
Commissioner.


proposed horizontal reduction of freight
rates on railroads of % per cent, the
Los Angeles Express of Tuesday pub
fishes petition that has been sent up
from wage-earners in Southern Califor-
MIA, and that Is to be presented this week,
and which bears thousands OF signatures.
protesting against the order of the board.
The EIpreSS also publishes the second
petition sent to the Railroad Commission,
and which was signed by many thou
sands of workers for wages. The frs!
petition presented, it will be remembered,
had about a thousand signatures. The
second which is with some notifications
like the first, is addressed to the Commits
sion. The third is addressed to the State
Labor Commissioner. and is from South
ern California wage-earnerS. The two
last are given as follows by the Express:
PETITION TO THE RAILROAD CoMMIs-
sIONERS.
To the Honorable the Board Of Railroad
Commissioners Of CdttforHjU-GENTLE- r.
MEN: The undersigned, employees of the
Southern Pacific Company, and skilled
and unskilled labor generally, represent
to your honorable board that they have
not been prompted in this petition by
any officer, member, agent or employe of
the Southern Pacific Company, directly
or indirectly, by suggestion or i'll any
other manner; but that they thus act of
their own motion and without the knOwl-
edge of said company, or any member or
agent OF 1t,
We, therefore, freely, with entire COM
prehension of all the matters and things
involved, respectfully protest against the
proposed horizontal reduction OF freight
rates, made by your honorable Chairman
and Mr.. Stanton, and for these reasons,
to wit:
Such reductions will be inequitable. 1t
will also affect the incomes of the South
ern Pacific Company, and it will make
even-and we believe OF necesslty-by re-
duction of wages, as about all other
charges and burdens OF SAID company are
fixed and unyielding.
The reduction of wages by said COM
pany, the largest employer on the coast,
to the grower OF grain and all produce,
and to all furnishers of supplies of life.
and, therefore, will more than offset the
supposed gain for shippers by reason of
the proposed reduction because Of les-
sened consumption and other obvious
reasons.
We are perfectly and fully aware that
this is equivalent to saying that the pres
ent rates are equitable, and we say this
because we are convinced that such pro-
posed reduction, as moved by your
board, will compel such company to cut
down wages i'll order to retrench suf1i-
GENTLY to meet its obligations of main
tenance and operation.
ANY such result would be little less
than calamity to the State and every in
ter6st in ii.
We, therefore, in the name of labor,
skilled and unskiiled, protest against any
such reduction proposed by your board,
because, If made, il will strike down fair
and living wages 10 a deplorable level
and that example will be followed by
employers outside of said company, and
the consequences will be felt deplorably
all along the line of industry and trade
Respectfully, etc.
PETITION To THE COMMISSIONER OF La
BOR.
10 the Honorable Commissioner Of La
Dor, San Francisco. CGL-DEAR SIR:
We, the undersigned representatives of
skilled and unskilled labor, following as
we do various vocations in the great
struggle for maintenance and existence,
most respectfully petition you in behalf
of the wage-earning class OF Southern
California to make use OF every honor
able effort and means within your power
as Labor Commissioner to prevent she
enforcement by the Honorable Board of
Railroad Commissioners OF the % per
cent horizontal reduction on freight rates
now charged by the Southern Pacific
Company and its leased lines within the
State of California. Our reasons for thus
peLitioning you are as follows:
First-The Southern Pacific Company
are the largest employers Of skilled and
unskilled labor within the State OF Cali
forpia. From the organization of that
great enterprise up TO the present that
company has paid hig her rate OF wages
10 the men III It's employ than has over
been paid by any like association in this
country. For the year ending January
l, 1895, the Southern Pacific Company
paid out for labor in this State 81 per cent.
OF its entire revenue. amounting TO So
500, 600.
Second-We believe that any reduction
in freight or other charges now in force
by the Southern Pacific Company which
would impair or lessen their income be-
low operating aud fuel expenses would
have to be met by a reduction of wages,
thus placing the benefits to be derived by
a horizontal cut OF freIghts III the hands
OF the few to the serious injury Of the
great industrial classes throughout the
State. In the presentation OF this matter
we have facts and not theories TO contend
with, for il Is in evidence before the Hon
orable Board of Railroad Commissioners
that 90 per cent. OF the cost OF operating
tile roads is paid for labor, % per cent for
fuel and the remaining 20 per cent. for in
terest, profits and other incidental charges.
With these incontToyertible facts before
US. would it not be well TO pause a mo-
nent and ask Messrs. LaRue and STAN
ton of the Honorable Board OF Railroad
commissioners to call halt before they
strike down an enterprise hich employs
more men and pays better wages than
auy other industry in this State; an in
dustry which has always maintained
good wages. and which has largely forced
other employers to do likewise.
Third-Past experience has taught us
that the great land barons ot California
are controlled entirely by seltis5 motives,
and that they have no use for any class OF
labor which seeks wages or social condi-
ton above that OF slave.
Fourth-We ask does it seem possible
that anyone at this time could be so
blinded by party claInor and the appeals
Of frothing demagogues as TO revolution
iZe the wage conditions OF California, and
That. too, at time when our own State,
and in fact, the Nation, is undergoing
financial, commercial and industrial
crisis such as has never been experienced
on this continent
Einh-Again we ask you to use all
honorable means 10 the end that the
wage learning class may not be made
sufferers by any unwise move on the pa rt
of those who have power TO build or de-
stroy the State.