Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-01-10
MINERAL POINT TRIBUNE.
THURSDAY, JAN. 10, 1896.
Number of Hands on Railways.
From Chicago Herald, Dtc- %.

From Chicago Herald, Dec. 20.
The Milwaukee contingent Of the
American Railway union displays
more vitality than other branches OF
the organization, which seems to be
In a comatose conditions. AT least
two lodges of the order met recently
in that city, and passed resolutions
demanding that Goy.-elect Upham
shall recommend the passage of sew
eral laws affecting railway labor, and
demanding that the legislature shall
carry the recommendation into
effect.
The formula of American Railway
union legislation which was adopted
requires that there shall be not less
than one conductor and three brake
men on any freight train; not less
than one conductor, one baggage
man and two brakemen on any pas
senger train; not less than one fore
man and three helpers for each
(Which engine, and that all railway
companies shall have a crew of not
less than four section men for each
ten miles Of railway operated six
DAYS in week. OtLer requirements
relate to blacklisting, locomotive
Boiler state inspection and weekly
payment Of wages in United states
currency similar legislation Will
be asked in Illinois.
Among other vagaries Of members ol
the American Railway Union, they
appear 10 think that railways were
constructed principally, not for the
transportation Of passengers and
freight, but TO furnish themselves
with pleasant and remuneratiye oc-
cupation. This is an obvious error.
Railways are not an eleeIn0synary
institution They are strictly BUSH
ness enterprises. They are built to
carry people for pay from one part
OF the country TO another, and to
transport freight on the same terms
in ali directions from the point Of
shipment to the point Of destination.
No other purpose nor end was IN
Volved in their construction.
Railways are subject to public law.
They are required TO protect the safe
ty OF passengers and to carry and de-
liver freight with reasonable pronpt-
itude. But the law viii no more say
how many men shall be employed
for this purpose than 1t VIII say how
many lanitors, engineers, flremen
and scrub women tie proprietor Of Il
ten-story apartment building shall
employ Enlightened self-interest
will dictate to railway managers that
they shall not employ so few men as
to render property and life unsafe on
their trains. II loss OF life or dam
age 10 persons or property Is eaused
by their neglect Of proper precau-
tions they are criminally and pecu-
niarily responsible.
improvements in machinery and
appliances, mir brakes, electric sig
nails, running trains in blocks and
other methods make il unnecessary
to carry rs May trainmen as were
required when trains were operated
entirely by hand work. Vast sums
of money have been expended by
the railway companies iii providing
these appliances, which are more
certain protection against accidents
than ordinary human vigilance and
activity. The railway companies
cannot be expected to retain the nu-
merous employees required before
they bought expensive machinery to
take the place Of manual labor.
But the total number of employees
was not lessened by the use Of me-
cnanieal appliances in operating
trains. The number of trains has in
creased rapidly on all the railway
lines and on new lines. More EN-
ployes have found Jobs on new trains
than were laid of from the old trains
on receiving their new equipments.
Every Improvement In operating
railroads which has enabled the
companies to dispense with one man
has made new job for two men
elsewhere or IN other departments.
Except for the fact that the eN-
tremely low state of railway busl-
ness at the present time has caused
n reduction of railway forces every
where, there never before were az
many men employed by the rail-
roads as are employed now--or as
would be employed If the railways
We're running moderately up to theil
capacity. There are now nearly
100000 men i'll the employ Of tho
railways. With their families and
dependents they constitute one
twelfth Of the total population Of tho
country. The railways employ rs
many men ms can be useful to then
and as many MS they can pay fail
wages to without an Increase la theil
revenues.
There would be no more common
sense III law requiring railroads Il
employ 4 greater number 1T traii
hands than there would BIZ III Inv
requiringa farmer 70 hire more met
for the harvest field, or n slwmil
owner to increase the number of hi,
mill hands. II the law should I'M
dertake to say how many men cor
porations or individuals shall EN-
ploy, it would next he asked to fl>
their rate of wages. In the end tn,
employer would lind before him til,
alternative of going out of business
or going into bankruptcy. Then tn,
last state Of the employc--the henef
iciary Of all these improvident Law,
would be worse than the first, fo
lie would have no employment il
any rate Of wages. WI