The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-11-03
DID NOT GEORGE.


TO the Editor: The report that the G. F.
and Y. V, railroad has been trying to
coerce its men has made some very
conservative people come out Iatly IN
favor of government ownership of rail
roads. One especially surprised me by
saying that he had radically changed
his views. There are a great many, in
fact almost every patriotic man thinks
that if it is to come to a question Of the
railroads owning the people and the gov
eminent, or the government owning the
roads, that self-prcservation will make
the government take the roads Ii the
government ever owns the roads, it will
be on account Of such high handed pro-
ceedings OF the roads as has been carried
on IN other States. | write this to say
that | have had the best of opportunities
OF knowing and / KNOW that the g. r.
and Y V. HAS NOT ISSUED any cir
cular, or tried directly or indirectly to
control the men. | can also say the same
for the SAL and have never met either
Mr. Fry or ST. John and this is not in
stigated by any one, but the report is un-
true and liable not only to create a false
sentiment against the road, but leaves
the impression that those employees are alb
ject slaves who would at once make such
revolt that the public would know all
about it. Now as some of my warmest
friends, and some of as true men as there
are in the State, are on the A. g. l.. and
Southern, | desire to say that / do not
BELIEVE that either OF these roads
have interferred with their men either,
if they had | am sure that | would have
heard OF it from more than one man.
write this over my own signature on ac-
count of the question that meets me from
so many people. Mr.. Lacy, | know you
are in a position TO know, are the rail-
roads coercing their menY And one of
these roads in one day several men asked
me. do you think OUR road will inter
fere with the way we voter | met the
conductor who talked with Mr.. String
field and he at once told me about it.,
they had been talking and what he said
was true to the letter about the G. and o..
chesapeake and Ohio and Mr. String
field accidentally missing the G. and O..
chesapeake and Ohio misunderstood
him, no one thinks he intended to mis-
represent what was said 4 few more
years of the gold standard, when the
wages get down where the gold standard
man wants them, to a level with the
gold standard countries may fill our roads
with men who will sell their principle
and vote with their time and labor but
thank God, the 10000 railroad men in
North Carolina to-day are not such cattle.
There is sneaking notion in the great
many minds that while the BIG RAIL
ROAD men of the world are attacking
the Democratic platform on account
OSTENSIBLY of the financial plank,
that the real motive is objecting to giving
up government by injunction. That they
do not desire to arbitrate their differ
ences but want to use the strong arm Of
the army to manage their men. Not that
they object to the gold basis, where an
engineer is doing we'll if he makes $50 per
month, while the salaries of the officials
are out of all proportion. If / had space
/ would like TO publish letter from one
of the best and brainest officials, and
| make some comments, as | heartily en-
dorse every word in it. | may do SO an
other time.
b. r. LACY.