The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-09-12
OF RAILROADERS.
Kansas Railway Employees Club
Opposed to Free Coinage.
Hold a Meeting at CraWfOrd's
Opera House Last Night.
Addressed by Railroad Commissioner
Florey of Missouri and Conductor
WEIGH Of Kansas City.

The Republican rally, under the aus
pieces Of the Kansas Railway En-
ployes' club at Crawford's Opera House
last night did not draw as large a crowd
as was expected. The lower floor was
we'll filed but there were only about
fifteen people in the balcony. Several
ladies were in the audience, which was
made up principally Of Santa Fe shop
men.
After vocal selection by Mrs. John
Griley. Chairman Yockey introduced
Joseph Florey, railroad commissioner
Of Missouri. Mr.. Florey started in rail-
road work as section hand twenty
years ago. and climbed through the diff
ferent departments of operating work
TO the position of conductor. Two years
ago he was elected railroad commits
sioner.
In his address Mr.. Florey said:
1T is a characteristic of the Ameri-
can people to live fast. After three or
four years of prosperity we grow care
less. and it is only history repeating it
self to have panic about every twenty
years We had a panic in 1873, which
y
other in 1898. which we all remember,
and what we are now trying to do is to
prevent still another. I don't think we
can stand one in our present condition.
The fight this year is not a fight of
labor against capital. 1t is a fight for
bread and butter. and in order to get
bread and butter labor and capital must
90 together. When capital is invested
We must have horny handed labor to
al l.,
have capital to work for because they
have nothing but their labor to sell.
We have more money in this country
now than ever before, and it is just as
good money as was ever made. The
trouble is, we can't get hold of it. There
is just one thing we want in this cOun-
try and we don't want anything else,
and that is confidence
I am not talking for effect tonight,
nor am talking on a salary, but I be
lieve that Maj. Mckinley expressed one
of the grandest sentiments ever ex-
pressed when he said that it was better
to open the industries of this country
to American labor than to open the
mints of this country to the silver of
the world"
Following Mr.. Florey, Chairman
Jockey introduced Conductor William
Welch of Kansas City popularity
known as the jolly conductor of the
Missouri Pacific Conductor WEIGH is
vein in which to speak to please rail-
road men, He interspersed his speech
last night with laughable stories and
anecdotes. He said:
L believe that every railroad man in
this great state of Kansas and in this
great United States should be a poll
tlcian- am a politician, and am one
OF that kind that believes that if the
railroad men of this country would
band together they could surprise the
people In Kansas you hold the balance
r0N
opinions and stand shoulder to shout
der, and you can make the politicians
come to you and ask for what they
want instead of your going to them
There is no official position in your
state which should not be the gift of
the people no Office which should not
be an elective one. The position of
railroad commissioner should be an
elective one. and then you could place
such men in that position as you wish
ed Then let US go to work and de-
mand of the state legislature that the
constitutional laws be changed so as
to make every Office elective, and then
the railroad men can get direct recOgni-
ton.
A few years ago the railroad shops
IN this country We're like bee hives. I
Now you can play ball in them without
hitting man What has caused this
change I believe that it was caused
by tree trade And after seeing the
efTeCtS of free trade are YOU going to
vote for free silver which will make
your condition ten times worse?
They tell us that if we vote for free
silver it viii double the price of every
commodity. Good. That is grand and
noble 1t is American to want to raise
the price of our products. But they
don't say one word about raising the
wages Of the working man.. If they can
prove how it Will benefit the working
man TO raise the price of everything
he uses in his daily life and still not
raise his wages, we will be with them
7 believe that it is necessary for
railroad men to take up politics in their
organizations. If you band yourselves
together and lay aside your party affil-
iations. there is no power on earth
that can stop your march
Brother railway men, when you go
to the polls this fall think and think
deeply before you vote. Remember /
that the conditions must be bettered or
necessarily grow much Woefully
worse