Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-10-01
nRYAN,s PEA FoR RAILROAD MEN.


are daily beset by specious arguments
Is to the evils in which the election OF
Mr.. Bryan must result to their partic-
ular class. Republican organs are de-
voting columns to showing that the ne
cessi.y Of the railroad companies 20 pay
interes. on their debt in gold will call
fora reduction Of expenses or an increase
Of earnings, and that, as it will be diff
| cult 10 increase rates, the only salvation
of the companies will lie in the adoption
of tae former alternative.
There is no more intelligent class OF
workers than the conductors, hremen
land engineers employed BY railroad cor
porauons. They are we'll paid, but not
10y any means TOO well, considering the
/ responsibility Of their duties and the
risks they involve. They wish we'll TO
their employers and understand clearly
/ the intimate relation of their interest
win those Of their employers.
Whatever ticket the railroad employees
intend 10 vote. they will not be prompted
by a desire to injura their employers.
| Like other men, they viii cast their bal
lot for the policy which seems most ben
efctsl to The country at large. They are
aware that during periods Of industrial
/ depression railroad corporations must
suffer. If farming is improbable, if
/ factories are closed, if currency is re-
| s.r,c,ed, these corporations feel the eff
reefs of the bad times in reduced freight
and passenger traffic. Hence they must
see that McKinleyism canno- improve
| the condition OF themselves or of their
employers.
/ On February p, 1898, there was a de-
| bate in Congress on a bill to compel rail-
roads engaged in interstate commerce
TO use on their cars couplers which would
lpro,ec; the lives and limbs Of their en-
Iployes. There was opposition to the
bin, bu, William Jennings Bryan urged
It's passage. He said:
for one am willing to stay here till this
session ends. because l think this bill
should bee passed. 1 believe it is dictated
by humanity. and am not willing, if I can
prevent it, that these men shall be killed
and MANNED just because some of the rail-
roads Insist that they cannot afford to put
these couplers on their cars. The only OBJ
Ia h.. ,r,f ~
real one In the letter of Mr.. Haines found
ON our desks this morning. is that it would
1 cost SO car. or S-5.000G00. Some %. 600
persons have been injured. Those of us
who have associated with these men know
that there is scarcely one of them employ
CD for any length of time in railroading
, who does not have a hand Oft, or fingers
or. or foot Off or is not MANNED I'm some
way. and we have had produced here proof
of the startling number killed. Now
ask Mr.. Speaker. does it not appeal to us,
who are members Of the only body which
can give this relief. because the States are
uowcrless-does it not appeal TO us and
10 our humanity 10 pass such laws as will
| eive protection TO the lives and limbs of
these people?
The doctrine Of non-interference has
| been invoked time and again. and often in
vain. to- protect the individual from tres
passes upon his rights. and now. i'm this
latter day. the doctrine of non-interference
Is invoked when the corporations OF this
/ country seek TO trample upon the rights
, of The people and to disregard even the
common duties they owe to humanity.
insist. NIr. Speaker. that we who are in
favor of this bill and i'm favor of giving
TO these people that protection which the
laws Of Congress- alone can Eive-I insist
| that we shall be as Jealous I'm behalf of
this hin as are those on the other side
who sec dt to oppose it.
DO not question their motives. but If we
can keep this question in this position,
/ staying here night and day. the country
will notice IL and public opinion will be
brought to bear upon it, and we are willing
20 trust TO our being sustained by public
opinion. The platforms of both the great
political parties have declared i'm favor Of
IT,: and. MS has been well stated here to-
day. before the election a bill was passed
here without division. At that time we
who now favor it had upon our SIDE many
of those who oppose it-now. or at least
their opposition was not then made known.
Now we are supported by the platforms
of botn political parties. supported by the
almost unanimous sentiment OF the press.
and supported. as 7 believe. by the great
sentiment of the people of this country.
can afford to- stand here and fight this
battle. Upon the one side are the inter-
ests of these men and their protection. and
upon the other the cost to the railroads
which this reform win impose If it is car