Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-28
Influence Of the Great Corporations
Against Free Coinage.
THOUSANDS OF MEN AFFECTED
Virginia May Be Lost to Bryan
From This Cause.
CHIEF ARTH Urls VIEW


cussion among railroad men at present Is
the movement which was started some
weeks ago by the Railway Age, one Of the
organs of the railway managers of the
United States, for the organization of
sound money clubs among railway en-
plcyes throughout the country which re-
ceived a powerful impetus through an an
nc uncement by President NJ. Z. ingalls, of
the Chesapeake and Ohio and Big Four
companies. that If Bryan is elected he will
be compelled to cut down the force in the
service of the two lines and that he will
nave to put stop to the immense improve
ments now being made by the Chesapeake
and Ohio at Richmond, Va, and at other
places along the road.
AS Mr.. ingalls, has the direction of more
than 10000 men his announcement was
calculated not only to arrest the attention
Of those most directly interested but Of the
entire country. If such was his intention
he need not feel disappointed. for that and
a subsequent statement by Mr.. Decatur
Axtell, vice president of the Chess Ike
and Ohio, along the same line, have formed
a theme which is now being seriously con-
sidered by the great army of railroad
men throughout the nation.
The Case of Virginia.
If the railroad employees who run into
wss-i gton rave Coz rectly gagged the senti-
ments of their associates in Virginia and
elsewhere. the position taken by Mr.. In
gals will have a powerful influence in de-
termining the result of the balloting in
several of the southern states at the COM
ing election. In Virginia, at least, there
are enough men in the railroad service
who if they vote in the manner their en-
poyerS wish-and the Norfolk and West
ern. Baltimore and Ohio and Southern have
practically taken a stand similar to that
assumed President
the state for Mckinley. Under ordinary
circumstances and upon any other than a
question affecting railroad interests many
of these men would vote the straight dem
oCratic ticket; but as they say, the uues-
tiCn with them in the present campaign Is
one Of living for their families and
themselves
why should we" said a number who
were talked with last evening by Star
reporter, vote against our own interests?
We are firmly convinced that great distress
VIII come to US If the railroad companies
carry out their announced intentions in the
event of the election of Bryan, and why
should we contribute toward that result?
Position of Democratic Managers.
The interviews Of Messrs. Ingalls, and
Axtell. and their consequent effect on those
by whom they We're intended to be read,
have also attracted the notice of many of
the democratic managers in Virginia and
elsewhere in the&outh, and already some Of
them nave taken steps to counterfeit this
movement.
Judge RiXey, the democratic nominee for
Congress i'll the eighth Virginia district
when recently addressed on the subject at
Leesburs, Va, by Star reporter, said he
did not believe the democratic vote in Vir-
s1nla would be affected to any appreciabe
extent by anything the railway managers
may do, as under the Australian ballot
law, now in effect in that state the men
could and would vote the regular ticket
ri rC fhn oil
ers knowing how they had expressed their
sentiments at the ballot box.
But while the democratic railroad en-
ployes feel that they are in a measure
protected by this law, as individuals. from
the vengeance of the companies IL they
vote contrary to the will Of the magma es,
at the same time they realize. has been
indicated by their recent private CONVEX
sations. that the danger to their personal
interests, as forecasted by the managers
and owners lies in the promised reduction
of expenses If Bryan should be elected.
This, they say, will operate to stimulate
a desire on their part for the defeat Of
Bryan, even against their political preju-
dices. and they fail to see how the ballot
trouble. The individual employee is not told
that he will be discharged If he votes for
Bryan, but that many employees (of whom
he may be one) will be discharged If Bryan
is elected.
4 Counter Threat.
deserves attention, with especial reference
to the situation in Virginia For several
years the politicians of that state have
sought to secure more influence with the
railroad interests by threatening to accede
to more or less general demand for the
creation of a commission to regulate rates
and to supervise the operations of the cor
porations Such proposition is. Of course,
distasteful to the railway managers and
they have steadily resisted the project The
political managers, 1t is said, now see their
opportunity to make use of this situation
oy renewing the suggestion of commits
sion. 1t Is understood that they hope to
create such a community of interests as
1T were, by placing one danger against the
other. as to nullify. in Virginia, at least the
effect OF the propaganda now operating
among the railroad people in antaconism to
Bryans election. They construe the action
OF the railroads as a threat leveled at the
democratic party, and they respond with
the threat of commission. Apropos of
this. Judge Rixey said to The Star reporter:
There are many persons who think that
in Virginia a railroad commission cannot
be established by the legislature without
the present constitution of the state being
amended in that particular, but that is an
error The legislature already possesses
abundant authority to enact that sort of
legislation"
Can IL Commission he Created?
Another prominent Virginian, in speaking
Of the matter, said: Next May the people
of Virginia are to vote upon the question
Of holding a constitutional convention.
Such body, If it were to meet, would,
among other things, have the authority to
create, If the legislature does not already
have the right, railroad commission with
very arbitrary powers. The railroads have
always opposed the creation of such a COM
mission. and 1t Is barely possible that such
legislation has only been prevented by the
skillful Intervention of democratic man.
ayers. 1t is not impossible that with the
influence of democratic leaders the cues
ton of calling constitutional convention
might be carried. The question is whether
the railroad corporations consider 1t of
more Importance to use their influence to
prevent the election of President. com
mitted as Bryan Is in advance, to such
ideas as are set forth in the Chicago plat
form or to conciliate the dominant power in
our state
IF the former should be the position as
stunned by these great corporations thew
could easily become powerful factors In
de. p'mining the result in Virginia. II ia
understood that the democratic managers
do not believe that the railway mana9ers
will antagonize them, and that when the
time comes there will be no misIndar-
standing. Be that as 1t may, the plain tail
of some of the railway ma gnates and +ho;