The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-10-14
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
President O. ID. Ashley's "Railways
and Their Employees"

and Their Employees"
So rarely does the president of a rail-
road company undertake to publicly discuss
| economic topics affecting capital and labor
that the small volume entitled Railways
and Their Employees" by President Ashley.
of the Wabash, may well claim special at
~tention. The series of papers which make
The book were originally published in the
Railway Age. President Ashley assumes
that 1.-The mutually of interests existing
between the railways and their employees
should lead to the adoption of plans which
| will enable them to work together for their
mutual advantage. His experience enables
him to assert that if the employees of a
| railway had an incentive in sharing some
| benefits which their regular wages do not
include, looking TO a more efficient and
watchful service. there would be a change
for the better which would be to the advan-
tage of the companies as we'll as to the
| men employed.
Having laid down this sensible PROPOSE
ton. the railway president proceeds 10 con- nf
! employees, both those who perform mental
as we'll as manual labor, may be made
to realize the "mutuality of interest.
| Profit sharing he would favor, but, alas.
under the present senseless competition
there were no profits to speak OF for the
, owners of most roads. much less for snar-
| ing with the most worthy of men. Profit
sharing has succeeded in a few instances,
but labor being for the most part opposed
to the scheme. Many employees of large
experience do not believe that it is the
best method, as it insures a dividend TO
the Indifferent, who has scarcely earned
his wages, as well as the interested and
helpful employee. This objection, however.
Mr.. Ashley does not discuss.
He also considers, with reference to rail-
way employees, OF practical CO.
operation" one of which was adopted by
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company in 1856.
1t is a branch of the railroad administra-
ton, and is entirely voluntary, as employees
may or may not become members of the
relief fund. as they choose: The relief fund is
formed by voluntary contributions from en-
ployes, appropriations by the company when
necessary to make up any deficit. income
from the fund, and such legacies as may be
received. The company guarantees the OBJ
legations under the regulations, onducts the
business and pays all operating expenses;
according to the amount OF the regular pay
per month. The lowest class pays Is cents a
month and the highest 1915. In case of
service. the lowest class receives 80 cents a
day for a year, and in case of sickness the
allowance for the first or lowest class Is
40 cents a day. In case of death, from $3.50
to $3.50 is paid. At the present time 81
per cent. of the employees under forty-five
years Of age are members of the relief. In
addition to the relief fund the company has
established a savings fund. which amounts
to 81. 100000. President Ashley would prefer
that the company should provide the re-
lief fund out of its treasury, but as this
corporation makes up any deficit which
may result from the insufficiency of the
contributions. according to the scale, to
pay relief dues. he considers that the next
best thing.
Mr.. Ashley presents other plans of CO.
operation adopted abroad. and discusses
generally the theories of socialism. which
he finds impracticable. But the fact that
the highest railway officials are giving at
tention to so important questions affords
ground to believe that plans will be de-
vised which will insure to The great body
of faithful and efficient employees of rail-
ways a further interest in the property of
regular monthly wage. But first the man
ayers must put an end to rate-cutting. |
which deprives railways of the means 10
recognize the best service. The book is
published by the Railway Age and North
western Railroader. Chicago.
Other New Rocks.
From the Bowen-Merrill Company
How Marcus Whitman Saved Oregon"
by DIR. o. w. Nixon, is an exceedingly in
teresting story of early frontier life. DIR.
Marcus Whitman was a pioneer missionary
in Oregon. He took the first wagon that
ever passed over the three ranges of noun
tains and .into Oregon. in 1896. more than
six years before Americas famous Path
finder" ever put foot upon the pass OF the
Rocky mountains. Besides doing ii great
work as a missionary and educator. he was /
largely instrumental i'm saving Oregon TO
the United States. The book contains many
graphic details of early frontier lie and
much matter Of historic interest. Illus
trated. Cloth, H-75.
Francis Bacon and His Shakespeare" ny
Theron s. f. Dixon. Is a Iabored attempt
to prove that Lord Bacon wrote the plays
Of Shakespeare. The Journal has no space