Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-02
ENDED IN HIGH WORDS.
Sensational Close of the Hearing on
Car CpuuIeru.

NaF
The hearing on the automatic coupler
for freight cars before the interstate COM
merce commission yesterday afternoon
closed with a somewhat sensational ex-
change between Mr.. Cowen of the Balti-
more and Ohio AMI Mr.. Morrissey, repre-
senting the employees. Mr.. Cowen indig-
nantly repudiated the idea that Mr.. Com
pers or Mr.. Morrissey in any way repre-
sented the employees of the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad. Those employees, he de-
ciared. had not been consulted, and he re-
sented the quiet assumption of the labor
leaders that they represented the workers
on MS read He warned the commission
against the humanitarian view urged by
tEese gentlemen. The perils of the new
appliances, he said, had not been estab-
nshed- Statistics On his road showed they
Killed more, but MANNED less, than the old
system In a business matter, he said
with some temper. it was always danger
Gus to yield to alleged humanitarian con-
siderations. He Used no yelled irony in his
reference to MIR. Morrfsseys assumption of
authority.
The latter jumped to his feet when Mr..
CoWen sat down. He had tried. he said
to occupy dignified attitude throughout
the hearing He did not desire to give Of
Tense. and nc had maintained silence while
the statements of the representatives of
the railroads were being made but he
SAID. he deemed it his duty to reply to the
.tnsinuation of Mr.. Cowen that he did NOT
represent the railway trainmen He refus-
Gu 70 De dlscredlted and he denied that
Se had assumed authority not vested in
nlm Elshty-hve per cent of the EMPLOYEES
OF the Baltimore and Ohio, he said were
members of the Brotherhood Of Railway
Irainmen, and at the Toronto conventions
last year he had unanimously been em
powered TO state the position of its mem
pers 10 the interstate commerce commits
StSii, EEery division of the Baltimore and
Ohio nad been represented at that conyen-
uoh- u pom that authority he said he de-
hied MT Governs statement
h.d salu 1ne question of a years extension
nsu never been presented to the employees
oi the baltimore and Ohio" INTERRUPTED
MI Cowen. land / repeat it, P'-N
Inc toronto convention" retorted Mr.
NiuiiisSey, voted against any extension
ne ,hen explained further that he had
appealed to the convention not To tie his
t'ands' out to leave him free to use his
Judgment and that that discretion had been
80 o1Itl MINI. soon afterward the hearing
was adjourned until today
MI Julius Rosendale of PhiladeIphia on
penaf OF himself and many eminent di
vines whom he said he represented, and
among whom ne mentioned Cardinal Glib
Dons. entered protest against granting
any extension of time
samuel Gomrers, president of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor. Joined in the
protest against any Undue extension of tba
80 Ioi Coinpnance With the law. The
hves and limbs of the railroad EMPLOYEES
which were in peril, he said appealed as
strongly to the commission as the dlvi-
Gends of the railroads. On one point Mr.
Gonpers was very emphatic. He thought
mat no extension whatever should no
granted to any railroad that had paid diyt-
aends since the law was passed
MI clark, representing the Chicago and
Great western. said that his company could
not AFFORD and had not the facilities to
equip the unequipped cars with couplers
Within one year. There were about 5000
of these.
What were the esrnings of YOUR road
ast YEAR asked Commissioner Prouty.
over S4.Np,OSO."
Why could not the road apply SEQ oOo
lers?'' P
1T would not be economical" replied Mr.
Clark.
Ex-Representative Clardy of Missouri
representing the Iron Mountain road. ar
sued that the commission was charged
with the execution of the law and mad
plenary powers. The commission he de-
CARED. had the power to extend the time
with forfeiting conditions. He Endorsed the
suggestion CT Mr. Cover and the commit
tee.
The railroads whose equipment was be-
low ~ per cent were called and the counsel
OF particular roads ii many cases explained
The reasons Why more progress had not
been made.
commissioner KNAPP asked if the COM
MISSION granted an extension for one year
win the understanding that one-ffth of
the cars should be equipped in that period
ana. there should be default whether there
would not then be tine same practical diff
nculty 20 face as existed now
MI Cowen replied in the affirmative He
INSISTED that the commission must allow
auf1cient time To grant two years extern
sion for ms lance. with the absolute GER
tainty that the roads could not cornplv
would be a continuous invitation 10 the
railroads TO default