The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-11-23
AHoUT CONFUSION.

Several days ago we mentlOheo lhe ia'9
that the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company had In operation an insurance
scheme for the benefit of its employees
which has proven to be most successful.
A correspondent Of The Times objects
most seriously to one feature OF the gen.
eral scheme, because II is compulsory,
and says that this compulsory business
CRATES hard on the feelings OF every self
respecting man. as it seriously interferes
with his personal liberty"
In order to make the case quite clear,
we must review the facts. According TO
the report which we have seen, there
are three branches Of this system, known
as the relief feature, the savings feature.
and the pension feature. The savings fea-
ture and the pension feature are entirely
voluntary, but employees Of the corporation
are reouired TO contribute a small sum
to q fund which is used, for the benefit
of members when they become disabled
from accident or sickness. The company
itself contributes 5000 n year towards
this fund, and it will be observed that
the fund is entirely for the benefit Of the
employees.
The contribution Is very much in the
nature Of the jnfrmary fee at the Uni
versity Of Virginia. Each student who
matriculates at that institution IS re-
quired to pay fee Of $50, we believe.
which goes to the support of the Uniyer-
sity hospital. This fee must be paid by
all students, whether they are sick or not,
but in case OF sickness the student IS
cared for at the hospital without charge.
In short. it Is q compulsory fee. without
which the in1rmary could not be sus-
tanned.
No one is more opposed than The Times
to what our correspondent calls the COM
pulsory system. Every man has a right
TO do what ne pleases with his own be-
longings, provided he does not trespass
upon the rights OF others. But we can
not say that the Baltimore and Ohio
Company is TO be condemned for inaugu-
rating this plan for the benefit Of its
employees. Our correspondent says it is
not a bargain, but in this he IS mistaken.
Whenever a man is employed by the Bal
tmore and Ohio Company an agreement
is entered into between the company and
tho employee that he viii contribute q
small sum each year from his earnings
to a general fund which IS 10 be used
for his own benefit in case an accident
befall him. He is not compelled 10 work
for the company nor to enter into any
contract whatever with the company, but
enters the company's service of his own
volition, and, OF course, upon the COM
panys own terms. If he does not choose
to enter into this agreement, no one
can compel him 10 do so. But If he does en-
ter the service of the company under an
agreement that certain sum will be de-
Quoted regularly from his wages for the
support Of a deserving institution, it is
clear to see that his contribution is vol
untary.
Every corporation has the right under
the law to conduct its affairs in its own
way, and whenever 1t inaugurates a move
ment clearly for the benefit of its en-
ploycs, and men enter the service of the
company with the understanding that
they will be a party to this movement.
we cannot see that injustice has been
done TO any man or that the charge Of
compulsion can be sustained. We cannot
believe that any employe OF the Baltimore
and Ohio Company objects to this feature.
and II he does all that he has to do IS to
sever his connection with the company
II the company should take snap judg-
ment on its employees and arbitrarily
withhold part OF their earnings for its
own benefit, its action would be mon
s.rous and upon petition OF the employees
would be enjoined by the courts. But
when fund is thus raised for the ex-
elusive benefit OF the employees, to which
tho companv itself contributes, and TO
which the men contribute under previous
agreement with the company, the case
is very different. We know OF corpora
ton employing hundreds of men that de-
sired TO inaugurate a relief or benefit fund.
TO which all the men would DO required
10 contribute but before making any such
arrangement it sought the consent Of the
men then employed. and failing to receive
with substantial unanimity their approval
the matter was dropped. though to the
regret Of a great part OF the men who
wanted the plan carried out.