The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-21
SOME GOOD COMMON SENSE.
A Street-Car Man P~rOpOunds a CO.
nundrum for FeIlOyy-WOrkmen.

1or elaoNV-N Ork men.
Street Car Mems Sound-money Club held
a meeting last night with a large attend
ance. 1t was discovered that the Popocrats
are preparing to have a parade Saturday
night, Oct. 81, which is the night that has
been set by the Republicans for their big
county rally. When this club was organ
lied it was decided among the employees of
the street-car company that those favoring
gold should work overtime for the silver
men at some time when the silver follow
ers wanted to get off for a parade, and that
the silver men would do the same. The
silver men worked for the gold men on the
occasion of the railroad demonstration.
Then the big meeting for the last night of
the month was announced, and the gold
men began making preparations for it.
After part of the preparations had been
made the silver men said they wanted to
get off that night, as the Popocrats would
have a big parade. The gold men told
them that they could have any other night
they wanted, and there would be no objec-
ton, but that the Republicans had selected
Oct. 81 before the Popoerats had thought
of it, and that they would stick to it.
The meeting last night was we'll attended,
there being about $50 members present. The
address of the evening was delivered by E.
A. Brown, who has been in the employ Of
the company ever since the time of the
cars that were in use before that awful
"crime of 49," He told the men some
things they had not thought of before.
According to the teachings of the silver
men" he said, under free coinage of silver
prices would go up. That is true. If the
bullion in a silver dollar is worth 80 cents
prices would double. Could you collect 10
cents fare on the street cars? No, for that
10 fVAA bNy y w md thn1n iG N tr~an n -;tA
ton for a 3-cent fare. Where, then, could
you expect to get enough money to pay
double prices Tor everything you buy. 1t is
manifest that If the street-car company
has to pay more for everything it buys and
could collect only d scent fare. it could
not make as much money as 1t does now,
and the only place it could retrench so as
to allow a small per cent. on its investment
would be in cutting down wages. There
would not even be a possibility of an in
crease.
Has Mr.. Bryan suggested or even limited
at a remedy for the betterment of the con-
dition of the street-car employees? If he
has, it reads like this, for these are his
own words: We must destroy the corpora
tons We must advance the price of sup
plies, We must pay the laboring man in
cheap money 1t is better that two men
have work at 80 cents a day than that one
plies with low-priced dollars. Now, gentle
men. Is there one of you who is willing to
have his run made into two runs? If there
is let him hold up his hand. CNo hands
were SEEM We can easily arrange split
early and split late runs. Each car would
make two runs and give employment to
four men, which would give each man an
average of about eight hours a day and a
reduction in wages of about GA cents a day.
That is the argument that Mr.. Bryan puts
up for your betterment. Are you willing to
accept it? Mr.. Bryan reflects on the good
Judgment of your worthy superintendent
when he tells you these runs should be
split and made up SO as to give more men
employment. This is a good thing for you
to take home and study. Think of it.
Would you destroy this 'heartless cor
poration,' as Mr.. Bryan pleases to call il,
which gives you your daily bread and
which in all its existence has never missed
| paying you your earnings on Wednesday of
: each week? Just as sure as Wednesday