The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-10-04

corporations organized, drilled and
openly commanded their employees to
vote the company's ticket? Never be-
fore to an extent that would even re-
motley compare with the brazen activ-
ity in this campaign. Employees have
yielded up everything, and now they
are to be deprived of their last means
Of protection against oppression and in
justice
And now, we ask, why this unheaId
of activity on the part of railroad man
ayers for Bryan's defeat and McKin-
ley's election? How is it to be ac-
counted for? We appeal to railroad
employees to
PAUSE AND THINK.
The like of the present situation has
never been witnessed. The country
stands amazed in the presence of such
bold. bald and shameless intimidation.
Again, we ask, what does it mean?
What can be its significance? WAY such
ceaseless, stupendous and desperate eff
forts to control an election? Is it on
account Of free coinage? Mo- The alb
gurdjIy of the proposition is evident
upon the very face of It. That railroad
companies have soma interest in the
money question is conceded, but that
they would turn earth, heaven and he'll
on that account, to prevent an injury to
their poor employees" is not only ri
diculouS, but an insult to every en-
ployee of common intelligence who is
not wholly the property of the com
pauy.
They have been cutting the wages of
their employees by all the means in
genuity could suggest and if they be-
| lieved free silver would 'cut in two
the wages they are now receiving, we
know of nothing in their past record
that would warrant the assumption that
they would oppose free coinage.
OH, NO; IT IS NOT FREE SILVER
that has unloosened and enraged this
railroad Moloch. Then, what is it.?
Here is the answer: The attack in the
Democratic platform on government
by injunction. Here is the milk in
the cocoanut. We know whereof we
speak. The authority upon which we
make this avowal is from a source
which can not be questioned. But such
authority is scarcely required. Upon
second thought the proposition over
whelmingly confirms itself and be-
comes clear as the monday sun. For
years, railway managers have been
wrestling with the problem of cutting
wages and controlling their employees
generally. But the employees were
more or less organized. The managers
found the opposition of these organ
nations extremely annoying. Com
mittees greatly distressed them. Mr..
ingalls,. president of the Big Four sys-
TEN, in his annual report to the board
of directors dilated upon the great and
growing difficulties Of handling en-
ployees and treated the question as one
Of paramount Importance. The mama
gers could not treat their employees
as they pleased. There was more or
less friction, and sometimes strikes oc-
CURED, and these were embarrassing
and expensive. The dread of a strike
restrained the managers and kept
them within uncomfortable bounds.
Something must be done to overcome
! these organizations and reduce en-
ployees to submission.
Experimenting began in various di-'
rections. Finally
THE RIGHT LEAD WAS STRUCK.
The federal court would solve the prob
lem. The strike of the engineers and
firemen of the Toledo, Ann Arbor &
North Michigan was paralyzed by a
| federal court injunction. Other disturb
ances followed and were settled in like
| fashion, until Judge Jenkins actually
restrained the employees of the North
ern Pacific from quitting the service of
/ the company, because of a reduction of
wages, under penalty of being adjudged
| guilty of contempt of court and COM
mitted to jail. The railway companies
exclaimed in one voice Eureka! The
problem of problems was solved. Here
after they might reduce wages, treat
( employees as they saw fit, and they
| would have to submit. Government by