The record-union., 1895-10-21

its employees would not only injure said
employees, but would directly affect and
reduce the wages paid to all other labor
ers on the coast, because such reduction
by said Southern Pacific Company would
be used and given as q valid reason for
all other employers for making reduc-
ton; and
WHEREAS, The sworn statements of
the officers OF said Southern Pacific. Com
pany. as made to the Slate Board of Rail-
road Commissioners, shew that ct the
expenaes OF said company 90 per cent.
are for labor, 70 per cent. for fuel and 20
per cent Tor inoidentals, SO that only 70
per cent. reduction could be made with
out affecting the wages Of employees; and
WHEREAS. The State Board OF Rail-
road Commissioners has ordered hori-
zontal reduction of the freight charges OF
said company to the extent Of % per
cent, now, therefore,
Resotved, First-Thss the inevitable eff
feet of such reduction of Is per cent. in
freight charges by the company as or,
dered by the mmissioners, II carried
into effect by the company. would be the
lowering OF the wages paid to the en-
pIoyes OF said company, for In no other
manner could said company carry on its
business under said reduced rate.
Second-That the lowering of the wages
OF the employees OF the Southern Pacific
Company. which would necessarily fol-
low the reduction proposed OF the freight
charges of said company, means great
distress to the employees and their fami-
lies, the curtailmept of their pleasures,
the reduction of their comforts, the
shortening OF school time for the children
and their enforced labor at an early age to
help their parents, and the ruin and
degradation Of labor. with it's consequent
vital injury to the State and Nation.
1hlrQ-Ihat the said "a mar cant hort-
zontsl reduction would not only lower
the wages OF the employees Of the Southern
Pacific Company, but would also surely
result in the lowering by all other en-
ployers OF the wages OF laborers, and
thus the sorrow and poverty caused the
employees of the Southern Pacific Com
pany would extend to all other laborers
on the Pacific Coast and throughout the
entire country, and the cause of labor
would receive so deadly blow that gem
eratlons would be required to undo its
evil effects, il 1t could be accomplished at
all. while in the meantime labor would
be degraded, the laborer be classed as O
serf, and the condition of all the poor and
struggling become burdensome to that
revolts against cruel injustice and I'M
equal lives would be seen in every wage
center OF the United States.
10 the end that these unhappy results
may be avoided, that the laborer may
continue to receive a fair price for his
toll and the employer fair return for bis
investment, that the cause of labor itself
may be saved from ruin, that the country
may be rendered secure from strikes and
lock-outs. and riots and turmoil that
California may continue TO prosper, thai
| all the diverse interests Of our great COM
monwealth may work in harmony for
the good of all, we do solemnly protest
against the order made by said State
Board of Railroad Commissioners and in
the name OF thousands OF laborers of Sac
ramento n mass meeting assem- bled, and
speaking. we know, the sentiments Of
many other thousands in other parts Of
our State, we do most urgently request OF
said Commissioners that they rescind the
order by them adopted, and thus still the
agitation they have caused in the land,
and remove the just and well-grounded
fear now in the minds of all laborers and
workmen that they and their families
will be greatly injured by the enforce
ment of said order.
Fifth-That the laboriug men OF the
country are fully Intelligent upon this
question of railroad rates, and that thew
do not demand that there shall be no law
full regulation to prevent unjust discrim-
! nations or excessive rates of charge by
| railroads. But they do understand, and
we 30 declare, that the Railroad Commits
sion was established to do as fairly by the
railroad as by the people, and that before
any reduction In rates are made, that
commission should, in a calm and Judi
cial manner. ascertain that rates are too
high, compared with cost of operation
and maintenance OF the roads, and that
such commission should make no reduc-
| tions that will impair the right of the
railroad to fair aud safe return, or i'm
peril the vital interests of the wage
earners, so that the evils OF reduction will
be greater than the supposed benefits
Sixsh-That copy of this pream BILE
and resolution, duly sttested by the Of
ficers Of this meeting, be forthwith trans
mltted to said Board OF Railroad Copl-
missioners.
G. f. GoRMAN, Chairman;
w. +. MAILER,
GEORGE III. SMITH,
WILLIAM HEUsoN DAVIS,