St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-03-14
EMPLOYEES PROTEST.
They Kick on Reductions in Rail-
way Rates.

The following communication ex-
plains itself:
Hon. F. f. Ferris and the Honorable
Gentlemen of the Committee on Rail-
roads of the House of Representatives
Respected SirS: Permit me to adj
dress you in behalf of myself and many
railway employees who are representa-
tive OF quite a large element of the
population of the state of Minnesota.
upon what we consider a most momen-
tous question. We desire, as citizens
of this state, to enter our empha tic
protest against, and state our rea-
sons for opposing certain proposed rail
road measures now pending before your
honorable body. I refer to what is
known as the Feig bill and other meas
ures now seeking an arbitrary and, as
we deem, an unreasonable reduction of
railroad rates by what has been des-
ignated a horizontal reduction of the
same and by other methods. We con-
tend that these proposed reductions are
neither necessary, equitable, just nor
reasonable, neither are they the re-
suit Of any public demand for the
same. The rates now charged for
transportation are not unreasonable nor
excessive. For the service rendered
the public, the railroads are Justly en-
titled to all they earn. The passenger
equipment of the main line roads in
Minnesota is fully equal in all re-
spects to that of the railroads in any state
in the Union, and in no state are pas
SengerS transferred or carried with
greater immunity from accidents.
During 1898 and 1884, IA, 1888 passen-
gers were carried by the railroads of
this state, not including street car
service. OF this numebr only per-
sons were killed and 15S injured. This
alone speaks volumes for the charac-
ter of the service given by the rail-
roads of Minnesota. This record of
few accidents is due to the fact that the
several lines have employed the most
competent men in charge of both
freight and passenger service; have
provided and maintained the best pos
sible equipment; have kept sufficient
force employed in the maintenance of
way and have used motive power of
the most efficient character and APP
proved type with all perfected appli-
ances for the almost absolute control
of trains, and to keep their track and
structures in proper condition. A re-
duction of a quarter in the passenger
or freight revenues must inevitably be
followed by similar reduction in the
expenditures for train service, mainte-
nance of way, renewals, repairs and
equipments. These will necessarily
affect large numbers of employees, either
by still further decrease in wages,
already low enough Gin fact, too low
or by what is still worse for them, the
discharge of many from employment.
Such a reduction in wages or in the
number of men employed, no railroad
man, be he great or small, wants to
have staring him III the face. But this
| reduction in the number of employees
engaged in operating and supervising
the work of the railroads, not only
will injure the interests of the men en-
ployed upon the roads, as above set
forth. It will work a grave injury
to the public as we'll. 1t can only be
realized at the expense of the general
safety of all passengers. No one de-
sires a reduction of rates purchased
by the Increase of danger in travelling.
Another fact which should be con-
sidered in this connection lbs this:
Many railroads are at the present
time in the hands of a receiver, and
| many others are on the borderland
of such a state. This condition of so
many roads has been produced wholly