The Lamar register., 1896-08-22
RAILWAY WAGES.



road. is very mugii Interested in the
effect the passage of free silver meas
ure would have upon the railroad en-
ployes Of the country. He said:
1T would affect them worse than any
other laborers. The reason is plain and
can easily be Understood. The rail-
roads OF this country owe altogether
ss,uoo.00o.oO0 worth OF bonds, which
are almost all payable in gold II we
receive pay in silver for our work in
carrying freight and passengers we will
have to buy gold to pay our interest,
az gold. OF course. win be driven out of
the country. That will compel us 10
economize in every possible direction
unless the public permits US to charge
silver rates or double prices. Under
such conditions We would have to pay
the men in silver. As the price on gold
advanced. as 1t would. steadily and
surely. employees wages would be re-
dneed from one-thlrd to one-half.
When II comes TO what men may
buy, the silverites tell the farmers that
with free silver they will obtain twice
as much for their food products. Grant
that TO be true. and see in what condI-
ton the railroad laborer will ind him
self from the operation OF both forces.
He VIII receive from 80 to SO per cent
less money each month and will have
to pay twice as much for what he eats.
| This is not an idle argument for
there are more than 500 900 men in the
employ Of the railroads OF this country
and on the pay rolls. Their employ
ment Is better than that of the ex-
pert mechanic. because II is steady.
The carpenter and mason and others
suffer from labor strikes and hard
times. Then there are seasons when
the weather prevents work, and they
are idle many days in the year. The
railroad man. however. has work all
the year.
In the Argentine republic when il
went to paper basis. which was ire
deemable in gold. the railroads were
permitted to double their rates to meet
the changed conditions. The railroads
at once fixed their rates at the loves.
price OF the exchangeable value OF cur
rency in gold. and. as the prices fluct-
uate to better rate. meet the differ
ence That would not be permitted
In this country. Fancy the New York
Central asking permission of the legis-
lature to make the fare from here 10
Albany IS. Yet that is the only man
ner in which We could keep up the pay
OF our employees.
The popuIist has an idea that the
railroad has some mysterious manner
of making money. However, we have
no source of income except the money
We receive from freight and passenger
| trafiic. For the year ended June 80.
| 1896, the New York Central earned S42.-
100000. Out of that We paid SIC 900 900
to employees. The operating expenses,
| taxes and wages amounted to $50 .OO0.-
000 The interest on our bonds. pay
| able in gold, amounted to S4.I7O, 900.
The rental OF leased lines. payable in
gold, amounted to s5,sss.900, so, you
see, a free silver bill would cost us So
O00. 900 year, part of which would
have to come out Of the employees
Railroads. however, are not the only
corporations which are similarly sit
uated The telegraph companies are in
exactly the same boat. They employ
nearly as many men as the railroads
| and their employees wages would be
\ cut the same way. As matter of fact,
eight-tenths of the corporations have
bonds which are payable in gold, and