The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-06

that Mr.. La Rue had insisted on his reso-
luton and now he was ready to vote, and
Mr.. La Rue said he had not insisted on a
vote. but on an investigation, which had
now been practically accomplished.
A recess was taken till P. NJ.
f. V. Meyers, chairman OF the general
committee of the Brotherhood OF Locomo-
tive Engineers, appeared before the COM
mission at the afternoon session and ar
gued against reduction OF grain rates on
the ground that such reduction would
react on the wages of the railroad en-
ployes. He said in part:
To make any reduction in fares and rates at
this stage would result in really shifting the
burden from one class to another-from the
farmer to the wage-earner. False motives may
be ascTibed to the wage-earners IN coming
before the commission | know 1t has been
Pacific Company and would appear simply to
help out the corporation in lis efforts 10 pre-
vent reduction of rates. we nave sufficient
intelligence to tell what is TO our interest.
This can also be said for thousands of others.
The reduction of rates Will result in the re-
duction of wages. The men represent have
lived in an atmosphere OF retrenchment for
years. 1t is dangerous proposition to curtail
the revenue OF the company. We want you to
consider what effect that 10 per cent resolu-
ton is to have on the wage-earner What pro-
lection have the employees II they shift the
burden on us
want to say in conclusion in behalf of quite
large portion of the employees OF the road in
this State that cut In railroad rates Will mean
cut in their wages, and want the commission
to consider this phase OF the situation in acting
| on the reduction.
La Rue-But the locomotive engineers are
| very well paid
| Meyers-Not very well paid according to their
! work
| La Rue-They average more than 81 day.
| Yet there are many engineers employed in the
country who are glad to get SD 10 81 q day.
| Meyers-But there is no comparison in the
| character of the work they perform. The
| locomotive engineer must be extremely skilled,
and only becomes an engineer after years OF
| apprenticeship as fireman.
La Rue-I think it is only right that the loco
motive engineers. with other employees of the
| company, should divide the Durden occasloned
| by the hard times.
Martin-They have done So l think the sal.
| aries of this commission should be reduced,
and so make them, too, share the burden.
| La Rue-I think the salaries OF all State Off
| GERS should be cut
Meyers-Natural conditions brought about the
present hardships, and do not think tits right
| to use artificial means to shift them from one
| class to another. We have stood our share
| There have been reductions or readjustments,
as they were called, Of our salaries going on for
| some years, and these eliminated on the first
| of the year in q general reduction OF per cent
| in the pay of all locomotive engineers, our pay
being fixed on mileage basis, as is the case on
| all roads. We do not get less Tor days run,
| but have to take the engine over greater
| distance. This requires more care, more skill,
and greater exertion generally
He was followed by Denis Kearney, who
after denying what he declared to be a
matter of common report-that he was IN
the employ of the railroad-made plea
against the reduction of rates unless there
was an assurance that wages would not
suffer in consequence. He said there was
no demand for reduction in rates from
the farmer, but that it came only from the
| banker and money-lender.
The company's legal representative was
given until Saturday morning to prepare
his review of the company's case for pre-
sentation to the commission, and then Mr..
Smurr presented some figures to show
that the rates between Davisville, a point
that had been particularly inquired about
by Chairman La Rue, and other places had
been reduced, as follows:
DAvIsvILLE RATES.